Epic family vacations may be found in Idaho. The state of Idaho is home to several stunning natural attractions. There are many wonderful sites to explore in Idaho, such as its rivers, state parks, and national monuments. The state also has several rivers. We remove all of the guesswork from the process of organising your ideal trip to Idaho.
Things to do in Idaho with Children
Theme park located in Silverwood.
The fact that Silverwood Theme Park offers activities suitable for all types of families in the great outdoors helps to distinguish it as one of the top tourist destinations in the state of Idaho. Silverwood is guaranteed to satisfy the urge for speed of those who are looking for thrills since it has nine attractions that fit that description, including SpinCycle.
There are also nine rides that are geared for younger children or those who want a less intense amusement park experience, in addition to the 12 rides that are intended with the whole family in mind.
In addition to the excitement that can be found on dry ground, Silverwood Theme Park is also the location of the Boulder Beach Water Park. In Boulder Beach, families have the option of splitting up their children into groups, with the older and more daring children going down Ricochet Rapids or Avalanche Mountain while the younger children play at Toddler Springs.
The Silverwood Theme Park is a fantastic destination for any family trip in Idaho and is typically open from May through October.
2. Experience Nature Up Close
Idaho’s biggest zoo is Zoo Boise.
Over in Idaho Falls lies Tautphaus Park Zoo. The park is situated in the heart of Tautphaus, and its breathtaking grounds are just as alluring as the many creatures that can be seen there. It is important to call ahead and confirm that the Tautphaus Park Zoo is open before making the trip.
Explore Boise and the surrounding area on one of these kid-friendly day outings.
3. Have Fun Indoors Boise Art Museum
Even though there are so many exciting things to do in Idaho, there are days when the weather (or life!) just demands that you stay indoors. families like the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise because it provides age-appropriate, hands-on activities for toddlers all the way up to high school students. Both children and their parents become excited about the possibility that children may learn while they are having fun.
Freddy’s Discovery Market, which is geared toward younger guests, and the Air Brake Chair, which is geared toward older visitors, are two of the attractions that should not be missed. Family Science Adventures are another activity that may be participated in at the Discovery Center of Idaho. During these adventures, members of the whole family collaborate to complete various scientific tasks.
Families have a great time when they visit one of the museums in Idaho that is devoted to the state’s notable citizens and events. A trip to the Appaloosa Museum in Idaho is the best way to learn about the state’s history with this magnificent horse. Although visitors are invited to make gifts, this location is one of the locations in Idaho that does not charge admission fees. Throughout the course of the year, the Boise Art Museum hosts a variety of seminars and workshops.
4. All aboard for the train to the past
Boise Depot
Include some sites that are significant in Idaho’s railroad past on your itinerary of must-see destinations in the state. Since the middle of the 1800s, the railways in this region have been used for both the transfer of freight and the transportation of passengers.
Along Boise Greenbelt is where you’ll find the historic Boise Depot. It’s well worth a look. This location, which was once Boise’s railroad terminus, is now preserved as a historical landmark. On Sundays and Mondays, members of the general public may take a trip up to the tower and observe the depot.
In addition, the Boise Depot is one of the greatest vantage points from which to see the city of Boise as well as the gorgeous Platt Gardens.
Explore Boise and the surrounding area on one of these exciting day excursions.
5. Give the cubs some food.
Yellowstone National Park’s Bear World
When we think of people going to see animals, we almost always picture people going to a zoo to see exotic species that have been brought there for the purpose of providing assistance, education, and safety for the animals. The zoos in Idaho are a combination of traditional zoo exhibits with local touches and unique opportunities to interact with animals in less conventional settings.
One of the top locations to visit in the state of Idaho is Yellowstone Bear World, which is located near Rexburg. This location is a short distance from Yellowstone National Park, which is located on the state line between Idaho and Wyoming. In a number of various methods, it allows visitors to get up close and personal with the bears that inhabit the area. When you pay the entry fee, you are granted permission to drive around the grounds and look for bears. In addition to that, there is an animal petting zoo and many rides in the amusement park.
There are various activities that may be purchased in addition to the cost of entry to Yellowstone Bear World. Cubs are given bottle feedings three times a day, and both adults and children are welcome and encouraged to participate.
Bear World also offers tours led by one of its curators, allowing visitors to get even more up up and personal with the adult creatures who live in the region. Because Bear World is a seasonal attraction, it is important that you phone ahead to make reservations in order to avoid being disappointed.
Are you going to Yellowstone National Park? The following is a list of the greatest campsites in Yellowstone, as well as five walks in Yellowstone that are suitable for families.
6. Get Some Breath of Fresh Air in Hells Canyon
The residents of Idaho have tended to dwell in areas close to the state’s several expansive rivers. Both Boise and Idaho Falls, in recent years, have constructed green spaces along the rivers for the enjoyment of both residents and tourists to the cities.
Along the banks of the Boise River is a paved pathway known as the Boise Greenbelt. This pathway is 22 miles long and is utilised for a variety of activities, including walking, bicycling, inline skating, and commuting.
The Boise Greenbelt is not only beautiful to look at, but it also provides an excellent opportunity for families to spend quality time together outside in the fresh air. The MK Nature Center has both a visitor’s centre and an interpretive centre, and it can be found just next to the greenbelt.
On the other hand, the Idaho Falls Greenbelt is a paved route that spans a distance of six miles and runs along both banks of the Snake River. The greenbelt leads people all the way up to the waterfall, which is twenty feet high. Entrance stations are strategically placed along the course of the greenbelt, enabling visitors to choose the length of their walk based on how far they are prepared to go as a team.
Travel higher up the Snake River to the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, which is located on the state line between Idaho and Oregon, if you are searching for a more thrilling experience. Hells Canyon is the canyon with the greatest depth in North America, and it offers a wide variety of chances for outdoor activity.
Some of the more well-liked things to do here include going whitewater rafting, fishing, taking jet boat trips, and exploring the area’s many hiking trails.
The Thousand Springs State Park is famous for its springs, which are known to pour out of the earth and over the volcanic cliffs that are located on Ritter Island.
If fly fishing is something you’ve always wanted to do, the Salmon River is the place to do it. Make reservations for a trip, don some waders, and start working that lure. Steelhead salmon are abundant, and many of them are just waiting to be hooked.
The following are five of our favourite state parks in Idaho.
7. Have a Good Time in the Sand Dunes
Bruneau Dunes
Bruneau Dunes State Park is not only well-known for the amazing dunes that are located far from any coastal beaches, but it is also home to one of only two public observatories in the area, making it an ideal location for astronomy. Spend some time under a starless sky and try to identify any constellations. Please pay attention to the weather prediction and make your preparations appropriately, as is the case in any other desert area.
After you’ve finished playing in the sand, make your way to Sandy Point Beach so you may clean off in the water.
8. Conduct lunar exploration here on Earth
The national monument known as Craters of the Moon
Do you want to imagine you’re walking on the moon? Check out this wonderful site to visit in Idaho! There are miles of lava fields that have been levelled off at the Craters of the Moon National Monument near Shoshone.
It was originally used as a training ground for astronauts who wanted to acquire a feel for what it would be like to go to the moon since it was full of lava beds and subterranean tunnels.
The National Park Service has made several of the places accessible by paving paths throughout them, making them suitable for those with mobility restrictions as well as strollers. Encourage youngsters to take part in the Junior Ranger programme in order to make the visit more engaging and participatory for them. Please make adjustments to your plans in light of the limited availability of shade.
9. Make your way to Shoshone Falls.
Shoshone Falls Park, located just west of Twin Falls, is another another of the stunning natural marvels that can be seen in Idaho. Shoshone Falls is really a more impressive waterfall than Niagara Falls, which is located in New York, given its height of 212 ft and its width of 900 ft. In point of fact, some people refer to it as the Western Niagara Falls.
Due to the increasing need for irrigation in the local agricultural community as the year passes, its flow has become a seasonal event in modern times. In the spring and early summer, you should anticipate higher flow rates.
Discover where you may lay your head in Twin Falls!
10. Take a Bike Ride
Both tourists and locals rush to the outdoors in order to get the most out of their encounters with Idaho’s natural wonders. This need for more opportunities for outdoor activities, along with miles of abandoned railroad lines left over from Idaho’s silver rush, led to the creation of an ingenious solution: bike paths. As a direct consequence of this, the state is now home to a network of mountain biking routes that are exceptionally lengthy and provide breathtaking vistas because to the repurposing of abandoned rail lines.
The Route of the Coeur d’Alenes is a paved asphalt trail that extends for 71 miles across the mountains that are located around Silver Valley and is good for walking, bicycling, and rollerblading. The hiking path is always accessible to users. The North Idaho Centennial Route is a multi-use trail that extends for 24 miles. Within this trail is the Couer d’Alenes Parkway, which extends for 5.7 miles and brings passengers along the north side of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
The Hiawatha Trail is an excellent alternative for travellers visiting Idaho who are searching for more exciting things to do in the state. Northern Idaho is home to a packed gravel track that spans 15 miles and only goes in one direction. This path is great for hybrid riding as well as mountain biking since it passes through 8 tunnels and 9 trestles, which makes for a really fascinating and diverse ride.
There is a bike rental shop near the trailhead of the Hiawatha Trail, and there is also a shuttle service at the trail’s conclusion if you decide that a 30-mile round trip hike is too strenuous for your group. This is a seasonal activity that starts up again towards the end of May most years.
