Boise

Understand

Although its economic growth has its roots in agriculture, the city is now home to many high-tech firms, including Micron Technology. Related to Idaho's agricultural history, notable food-related firms such as Albertson's, WinCo Foods and the J.R. Simplot Company are headquartered in this city.

Although the origin of the name is disputed, "Boise" is thought to be derived from the French les bois, or "the woods." The name is a reference to the tree-lined Boise River, which passes through the heart of the city. To this day the city takes its "City of Trees" moniker very seriously, although before white settlement, there were actually very few trees in the area.

Boise began its life in the mid-1800s as Fort Boise, a U.S. Army installation located at a strategic junction on the Oregon Trail between what were then the major settlements in southern Idaho Territory, the mining camps of Silver City to the south and Idaho City to the northeast. A city grew quickly around the fort, and by 1865 became the capital of Idaho Territory (much to the chagrin of northern Idahoans, namely residents of the original capital of Lewiston). By the dawn of the 20th century, Boise was far and away the dominant city in the region, having long eclipsed the likes of Silver City and Idaho City.

Today Boise is sometimes seen as the eastern edge of the Pacific Northwest, or the western edge of the Rocky Mountains, or both, depending on whom you ask. Downtown Boise and the North End neighborhood offer a PNW feel every bit as strong as anything in Portland or Seattle, while suburbs such as Meridian and Nampa steadfastly cling to the decidedly self-reliant ethos of the Intermountain West.

Boise is a sports town strongly supporting its local teams, especially the ECHL Idaho Steelheads (which as of 2018 have never missed the playoffs in their entire history), and the college football powerhouse at Boise State University. Slowly but surely, Boise is beginning to accept its role as a major metropolitan area in the western United States, while at the same time embracing its small town past.

Regions of the city are best distinguished by the age of construction (pre-1950s, 1950s-1980s suburbs, and post-1990 suburbs) and the affluence of their inhabitants, with the premier exception being the downtown core, which primarily consists of non-residential corporate and nightlife establishments. The North End refers to a distinct neighborhood due to the grid style of street construction, smaller pre-1940s suburban houses, relatively dense vegetation, and numerous amenities within walking distance of most residents. Boise has no culturally discernible neighborhoods, although a few ethnic restaurants and food stores exist.

The name "Boise" is a shibboleth and is universally pronounced with the English "s" sound by locals like "Boy-see," as opposed to the common outsider pronunciation of an English "z" sound like "Boy-zee."

Climate

Boise is one of the warmer spots in Idaho. It is always dry in terms of humidity, and it is relatively dry in terms of precipitation year round. There is much less rain than average for US cities, and a bit more snow than average. The rain mostly appears in cooler winter and spring months, but there is a chance of rain even at the driest point in the summer. When it does rain, it is rarely a torrential storm; when a whole inch of rain has fallen in one day, it usually sets a record that can remain unbroken for a century.

Mid-summer is a good time if your idea of a vacation is hanging out at the swimming pool. Summer temperatures average around 93°F for highs and 63°F for lows, but it's not uncommon for temperatures to reach or exceed 101°F and not go below 71°F at night on particularly hot and sweltering summer days. If you want to spend your visit outside under milder conditions, then consider late spring or September as pleasant moments in between the heat of summer and the winter's rain and ice. If you're camping, plan for overnight frosts from early November until the end of March. The temperature will go below the freezing point, but it rarely gets extremely cold, even after taking the wind chill factor into account. Speaking of wind, there's usually enough wind to fly a kite, with a bit more in late winter and spring than in the rest of the year. The Treasure Valley Kite Festival is usually scheduled for the end of April, in peak kite-flying season.

Tourist information

• Boise travel website

Get in

By plane

By car

Boise can be accessed by car via Interstate 84, which connects to Meridian, Nampa, and eventually Oregon to the west, and to Twin Falls and eventually Utah to the southeast.

Boise can also be accessed via State Highway 55 from McCall and Northern Idaho.

Boise can also be accessed via State Highway 21 from Idaho City, Stanley, and broadly into central Idaho.

By bus

The Airport Bus stop serves as the "Central Bus Station" for regional and long distance buses serving Boise. It is in the outer blue curb outside the main arrivals doors. Same location for Shuttles & Taxis/Rideshare. The other stop for Valley Regional Transit (local city bus) is at the purple curb nearest to the main terminal building. The airport is served by Valley Regional Transit routes #2, 3, and 20:

Get around

By public transportation

Idaho is not known for public transportation, so most places outside the city center require a vehicle.

By car

Cars can be rented at the Boise Airport from major rental companies including Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise. Traffic in Boise is relatively light and peaceful, especially compared to Seattle or Portland. But Boise is no stranger to heavy traffic in certain places. Interstate 184, Capitol Boulevard, Meridian Road, Eagle Road and State Street should be avoided during rush hours. Interstate 84 between I-184 and the Garrity Boulevard exit in Nampa (and sometimes into Caldwell) can be challenging as well. I-84 traffic in eastbound lanes is heavy in the morning, and in westbound lanes in the afternoon.

If I-84 is in bad shape, Ustick Road can be a smart alternative from Boise to Canyon County and vice versa, passing north of Nampa and south of Caldwell. Ustick runs unbroken for some 35 mi, from the Boise Bench neighborhood to U.S. Route 95 northeast of Homedale, close to the Oregon border. Victory Road provides a similar but more direct alternate route between south Boise and Nampa.

Traffic east of the Idaho City (State Highway 21/Federal Way) exit on I-84 from Boise towards Twin Falls is rarely - if ever - problematic. However, winter storms can make the Mountain Home area treacherous.

If you're going downtown, expect to pay to park even though parking meters aren't enforced on weekends or after 6PM. After hours you might get lucky finding a spot on the street, but chances are you'll be heading to a private parking garage and paying a $2 minimum. This is especially true on weekends. Fortunately, parking outside the downtown core (i.e. east of Broadway, south of Myrtle, west of 15th and north of State) is insanely easy - and almost certainly free 24-7.

By taxi

Taxi service has been decimated by ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. Boise City Taxi is now little more than a network of Uber drivers. Taxis are still common at the airport, though.

Because the city is so spread out even traveling between neighborhoods can easily run over $20. During peak times, wait times for a cab can be upwards of 45-60 minutes. Companies and drivers must be licensed by the City of Boise. Established companies include:

By bicycle

The Boise city center is extremely bicycle-friendly. The Boise Greenbelt is a paved pedestrian and bike path that stretches approximately 25 mi from Lucky Peak Reservoir east of Boise all the way through town . For avid bikers and walkers, much of the river and Boise's parks can be accessed this way.

Cyclists should avoid main thoroughfares west of downtown, particularly Meridian Road and State Street west of 27th Street. Several bicycle-related fatalities have been recorded in those areas. Stick to side streets in Meridian and western Boise.

Go next

• Idaho City. 40 mi northeast from Boise via State Highway 21, Idaho City makes for a good day trip from Boise. Once the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, this small mountain town offers a glimpse of Idaho's rich mining history. The winding road to this town of 500 offers some of the beautiful scenery provided by Idaho's natural forests.
• Stanley. 110 mi northeast from Boise via State Highway 21, Stanley is another fantastic day or overnight camping trip from Boise. With the Sawtooth Mountains and both Little Redfish and Redfish lakes just minutes from town, along with ample camping and boating opportunities, this is one of the premier locations to see Idaho's remote mountains.