~ Top 10 Tourist Destinations in Idaho, USA ~

[MysteRy]

Top 10 Tourist Destinations in Idaho, USA

For a great outdoors vacation, Idaho is hard to beat. It's got some of the biggest waterfalls and dunes, it's got Yellowstone, skiing, the deepest canyons and rift cracks ... this is a wonderful state of diverse ecosystems and superb scenery. Here's our top 10 destinations to keep you saying "wow” and enjoying every kind of recreational pursuit.


1. Shoshone Falls



Five miles out of the town of Twin Falls on the Snake River is Idaho's answer to Niagara Falls ... and, in fact, Shoshone is higher than its more famous northern brother! Almost 65 metres high, Shoshone Falls is wide too, stretching along a 1000 foot rim. This incredible waterfall certainly has the wow factor. Formed in the last Ice Age, it creates a completely natural barrier to all navigation and fish trying to head back up stream. There is a small parking charge in summer, and viewing is completely safe from behind rails in the park. There are trails for walking, picnic and BBQ areas and toilet facilities.

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2. Bruneau Dunes State Park
 


The world's largest single dune in the USA is here at Bruneau, along with many other sand dunes, an astronomical observatory and a scenic, turquoise blue lake. The dunes rise up to 140 metres from within a natural basin, making them unique. Sands got trapped here around 15,000 years ago and they are now relatively stable, not drifting unlike many others. You can now enjoy the dunes and views from several campsites, ride over them on horseback, climb them and slide down them on sleds for a lot of fun! Staying overnight in your RV, tent or in a rented cabin gives you the opportunity to watch nocturnal creatures or gaze at the heavens: in an evening visit to Bruneau Dunes Observatory, where you can use the telescope and learn about the stars. Reach the park ten miles east of Bruneau via Route 51/78 and the follow the signs.

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3. Custer Ghost Town
 


This one street, speculators town was founded in 1879. Here in its heyday, 300 people lived ... but it soon was superseded by nearby Bonanza. The mines closed down in quick succession and by the early 1900s this was a real ghost town. Luckily, it's been left alone and has been on the register of historic places in the Sixties. You can now stroll along the half-mile street, visit the museum and take a free guided tour. Take Highway 75 from Stanley to Sunbeam, then follow the Yankee Fork River along the forest road for under ten miles.

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4. Coeur d'Alene
 


On Interstate 90 near the border with Washington state is the beautiful Coeur d'Alene; its lake and its national forest. The origin of the name is unclear ... the French traders from Canada might have named it thus as a mark of respect to the Native Americans who drove a hard bargain for fur or it could refer to the 'eye of the needle' ... with the lake's narrow pass to the Spokane River. The city of the same name is a good place to stop for accommodation, entertainment and dining, but its the countryside that brings in the numbers. There are in fact 55 lakes here, but Lake Coeur d'Alene is by far the biggest. There are beaches to laze on. You can get out on the water in a whole range of vessels ... including kayaking, cruises and seaplanes. Or take the the whitewater rivers around in a guided rafting session. Whatever takes your fancy, Coeur d'Alene is likely to be able to provide it.

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5. Craters of the Moon National Monument
 


This volcanic landscape stretches for over 1,000 miles in central Idaho ... a barren, beautiful landscape of lava flows, tubes, lava cones and of course craters. This vast range spans parts of five counties but is very accessible, thanks to Routes 93, 26, 20 and 33 which run around it with numerous viewing points and interpretative signs at the roadside. It also lies conveniently between Yellowstone and Boise. In this great rift valley are the deepest rift cracks on our planet: up to 800 metres into the crust. Much of the landscape was created, somewhat explosively, by super eruptions up to 15 million years ago. It's an alien looking, often black land dotted with strange formations. There is just the one Visitor's Centre on the 20/93/26 between Carey and Arco and this is the only access to the scenic drive. That's free in winter, with just a small admission fee for vehicles the rest of the year.

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6. Sun Valley



Paradoxically perhaps, Sun Valley is best known as a ski resort! Here on Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain, there are great conditions and facilities for all kinds of winter sports. The mountains reach up to almost 3,000 metres and 'Baldy' is known to be one of the best skiing peaks in the world. Sun Valley has been home to many of the rich and famous, including Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg and Arnold Schwarzenegger. It really is celebrity city, with Hemingway having completed For Whom the Bell Tolls whilst staying here and Hollywood stars from Marilyn Monroe to Clark Gable choosing it for their vacations. It's not just about skiing and the lifestyles of the rich and famous, however. Sun Valley extends to include Ketchum and winds down to Hailey. Here, you can enjoy hiking and biking in summer plus the excellent 18-hole Golf Resort. Sun Valley is fairly easy to reach on Route 70 at Ketchum, 157 miles east of Boise and is also very convenient for the Craters of the Moon.

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7. Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
 


Lewis and Clark, America's best known explorers of the early 1800s, were welcomed to this stunning area by the native Nez Perce Indians. And what they found remains a natural wonder to this day. Here where the Snake and Clearwater Rivers meet, this valley contains the deepest gorge in the USA. On the border with Oregon, you can enjoy almost every conceivable type of outdoor recreation whilst gazing in awe at the spectacular scenery. This is wilderness at its best. Hell's Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon, almost a mile and a half down. You can typically only access it by water and you have a wide choice of craft: from kayak to jetboat, inflatable or cruise. You can stay at rustic lodges and hike amongst the hills, fish for sturgeon and steelhead or relax on a white sand beach. Sheer bliss.

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8. Boise



The state capital is also the biggest city in Idaho, snuggled in the west of the state near the Oregon stateline. It's got a great climate with hot summers and milder winters than a lot of Idaho experiences.  Boise's different neighbourhood each have something special to offer. The North End has most of the historic homes, tree lined avenues and the quiet life. Downtown is where the action is, especially around pedestrianised 8th Street with its outdoor cafes. Take in the museums and the Basque block here; visit the State Capitol and the zoo. For arenas and sports, head to the University quarter. Warm Springs was where the rich and famous built there homes, around the natural thermal waters. And that's just for starters. There are some lovely walks, particularly in Camelsback Park, from which you can appreciate just how compact and green this splendid city is.

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9. Yellowstone National Park
 


Yellowstone should be on everyone's bucket list. The first national park in the world, it was protected as early as 1872 by Ulysses S. Grant. It stretches across parts of three states: not only Idaho but Wyoming and Montana. Of course Old Faithful is the most popular attraction, but as well as the geyser there are other geothermal wonders, the high altitude Yellowstone Lake, its own Grand Canyon, amazing archaeology reflecting over 11,000 years of human occupation, waterfalls, forests ... let's face it, Yellowstone has it all. Words are not adequate. You simply must visit.

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10. Idaho Falls



Our final stop on the mighty Snake River is the pretty city of Idaho Falls, on Insterstate 15 in the east central part of the state. It's a great place if you need a hub for day trips to the Craters of the Moon, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons. But it has so much laid-back charm, you may find yourself spending much more time in the city itself. It's greenbelt, riversides, temples, historic buildings, rapids and downtown streets are all really appealing. It's almost small town in its feel and welcome and has less than 60,000 residents. There is superb fishing for trout, or you can eat out in the many excellent  little restaurants. You can even whitewater raft within the city limits! Idaho Falls has its own symphony orchestra and art gallery, plus four championship-level golf courses. For a central location and gateway to the great outdoors, Idaho Falls is right up there with the best of them.