I never thought I would love being an empty nester and it took about a year to get used to it and I’ve found out why they say our “Golden Years”! We get to come and go and do what we want, when we want, without answering to anyone! Recently, I went to Boise in southwest Idaho and I’m excited to share the Must Do Things for Empty Nesters in Boise, Idaho for a Memorable Trip.

When I think of the mountain states, Idaho doesn’t come to mind. I was excited to go because I’ve never been there but I had no idea what to expect because all I knew was, when I grocery shop I always buy Idaho potatoes. As an avid gardener, I was looking forward to finding a potato farm and pick one. (We’ll talk about that later)

While on the plane, I was watching as we entered Idaho (I track our flights to know where I am) and I was in awe of the amazing views! The mountains starting appearing, first brown from the dessert, then to partially brown with green starting to fill them so I knew we were getting closer to Oregon which meant we were almost there. I started paying close attention getting more excited with each minute. I marveled over the beautiful snow-capped mountains that looked like I was starring at a mural and what looked like a man made cliff in the side of the mountain, I was filled with wonderment. And the house in the middle of the mountains with nothing near it for hundreds of miles….WHOA!! Needless to say from the time I left little old CT to the time I arrived in Boise, I couldn’t have been more excited.

Tip- When pronouncing Boise, say it like a local (BOY-see) not Boy-zee!

Boise is located in southwest Idaho about 41 miles east from Oregon and 100 miles north from Nevada. The City of Boise is considered part of the Treasure Valley and although the city itself is a flat plain, look up and you’ll see the majestic view of the mountains….errr foothills as the locals say. Locals will tell you they’re the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Enjoy shopping, wine, art, history, and beautiful natural wonders, and sidewalk cafes and restaurants.

Where to stay in Boise

Our luxury shuttle service picked us up and brought us to our boutique four diamond hotel, Inn at 500 Capitol located in downtown Boise. The hotel offers 24/7 complimentary shuttle service as well as cruiser bikes to all their guests. Upon checking in you’re offered a glass of wine or beer both produced locally, a great way to unwind after traveling!

The rooms are very spacious, stylish, and up to date with all the amenities anyone needs, but the best part are the stunning views. You can choose a themed room and you’ll find local art throughout the hotel. They also offer complimentary Wi-Fi,  24-hour fitness center, complimentary pantry snacks, and pet-friendly rooms are available. Their details of service and great prices make them Boise’s premiere choice for your stay.

Choose to order room service or dine in Richard’s Restaurant where the menu is curated by Richard Langston, a James Beard nominee. The contemporary Italian cuisine has an emphasis on fresh fare, fine wine, and local craft beer.

Tip- Although there is plenty to do within walking distance, or biking, I suggest to rent a car to go exploring in the “foothills” and other areas.

Experience Wine Country

You will find many of the restaurants and cafes serve the locally produced wine and craft beer but there is nothing like going to the actual vineyards and seeing where the wine is made. Each vine has its own unique style and taste and you’ll surely want to grab a bottle (from each) to take home. For the maximum experience I highly suggest Snake River Wine Tours with Samantha, the owner and maybe her husband Corbin if he’s in town. Samantha and Corbin give door to door service in their Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that can accommodate up to 10 guests. You’ll explore the Sunnyslope Wine Trail, referred to as “The Heart of Idaho Wine Country”.

On our way to our first vineyard, we stopped to pick up lunch at The Orchard House in in Caldwell, Southwestern Idaho which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is a favorite spot where all the locals meet up for coffee daily. With our lunch we made sure we got the local famous red sauce and fry sauce, we also indulged in the amazing homemade pie. If you decide to eat there, you can choose to sit inside or outside on the beautiful patio surrounded by gardens.

We arrived at Koenig Vineyards, founded in 1995 by Gary Koenig is a very elegant facility with breath-taking views. The tasting room features wines and Koenig Distillery vodka, brandy, and whiskey. Koenig Wineries welcomes tours and produces a diverse array of wines, including the first to produce ice wine! After eating our lunch outside at Koenig Vineyards, we started the tasting and were given a tour by Gary. The wine room itself had couches were club members could sit and sip their wine. The aroma of the hundreds of barrels of wine filled the air and I could have sat in there all day!

 

Established in 2011, Tim and Helen Harless opened Hat Ranch Winery. They took the name Hat Ranch from their great-grandparents who were original pioneers in Wyoming back in 1902. Tim, a retired commercial airline pilot, and Helen took over production of Vale Wine Company in January 2014 to create two brands out of the winery. We got to sample a Dry Moscato which won the Silver Medal 2018 Cascadia Wine Competition among others. Tim took us out to the vineyard and gave us a 101 in growing grapes.

Of course we had a little fun and Tim helped us set up this shot!

Scoria Vineyards, one of the newer up and coming vineyards is owned by Sydney Weitz-Nederend and is a fourth-generation Idahoan whose family has made their living in agriculture and Sydney planted the vineyard on land her family has owned for the previous century. Scoria is a beautiful contemporary facility that Sydney herself designed using the elements of the land. The front counter itself is filled with scoria from which the vineyard got its name.

 

Tip- Samantha and Corbin are more than willing to take photos, so be sure to capture your moments!

Where to eat in Southwest Idaho

There are many sidewalk cafes and restaurants in Boise, Southwest Idaho that are sure to satisfy whatever you’re in the mood for. The restaurants use fresh local ingredients from the nearby farms to give you a true unique culinary experience.

Alavita (meaning To Life) truly brings their dishes to life with fresh pasta and local ingredients from flour to eggs. Their simple, elegant, and refined dishes using seasonal local ingredients gives a new twist on Italian fare. Visiting from the northeast and being Italian, I always get nervous when a restaurant claims they are making true Italian dishes. Everything was cooked to perfection and would pass mom’s approval. The atmosphere was perfect for an elegant meal and a cocktail. 

Tip: The locals raved about the smoke infusion and now I recommend it to you!

When I’m on vacation, I love to find a restaurant with a casual setting and great food where I can chow down down to earth food with a ice cold craft beer. The Taphouse Pub and Eatery takes the classic pub food and gives it a unique twist with high quality local ingredients. They have the most draft beer taps in Boise so you can taste a new beer at every visit.

I should be an ice cream connoisseur, because not only do I love it, but I can tell you if it’s home made with quality ingredients and when it comes to gelato, my grandmother was the master. We stopped at The Stil which stands for The Sweetest Things In Life, they serve gelato with a twist, actually they’re genius. You can order a flight of gelato with local wine or local craft beer. Their custom crafted ice cream comes in many flavors, including infused with beer, wine, and spirits ……the infused bourbon which was Amazing! It’s definitely a place you’ll want to hang around while savoring your treat and you can even play a game of Corn Hole outside on the patio. We went there every night, it was that good!

Tip: Every night there will be a long line, however, it’s worth it!

If you really want to experience all the food Boise has to offer, I highly recommend the Boise Food Tour with Indulge Boise. You will stroll through iconic neighborhoods and indulge in a culinary experience that will give you a true taste of Boise and leave your belly full! Our tour guide educated us on the history of each neighborhood and of how the restaurants came to be. You will not get bored but rather have 100 questions has you learn how this great city came to be!

Our tour included:

• Wild Root Cafe & Market offering great seasonal local farm-to-table fare
• Olivin – an upscale olive oil and balsamic vinegar taproom
• BACON Bistro is the #1 spot for bacon lovers.
• Guru Donuts has a variety of both vegan and regular fresh, old fashioned donuts
• The Basque Market offers delicious Basque meals & an amazing store
• Mai Thai – yes, they have a signature Mai Tai AND amazing Asian Fusion food

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and dress weather appropriate (check the weather app)

What To Do in Boise

There is so much to do in Boise, you will never get bored!

Are you a fitness buff, love to take walks, or stroll along a beautiful path and sit on benches along the way? Then The Boise River Greenbelt is for you! Choose to jog, bike, walk, or even use a scooter to travel the 25 mile path along the beautiful Boise river. You will find scenic views, access to many of Riverside parks, and we found a pond filled with geese and ducks. It seemed like they wanted to be photographed as they walked toward us and seemed to pose. Of course I found the trio…. Duck Duck Goose LOL!!!!

 

How Cute is this baby duck!!!

Tip: If you’re thinking of grabbing a scooter along the way, have the app on your phone ahead of time. You can hop on and off the scooters at any time throughout the Greenbelt and throughout the city!

If you’re there in the summer, make plans ahead of time to attend the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, a live repertory theater festival running Shakespeare classics and modern plays in an open-air theater under the stars. Spend an evening with Kate and Petruchio as she proves that women were strong even in Shakespeare’s time. Herons, deer, foxes, and waterfowl sightings are common on the trail to the theater and sometimes during the performance itself.

Tip: You can bring a blanket or low back chairs or rent them there for $2. You should also plan on bringing picnic food or snacks!

The Capital City Public Market has been hosted by downtown Boise every Wednesday and Saturday for over 25 years and offers local produce, prepared foods, and crafts in a selection that revolves with the seasons. It’s a great opportunity to jump-start your holiday shopping with gifts you can’t find anywhere else or get a taste of food grown and produced within the local Treasure Valley. It’s perfect for sourcing the ingredients for a special meal, or for a picnic lunch.

Tip: Check for when it opens, we just missed it by a week which means I have to get back to Boise soon because I heard from the locals that it’s a must-do!

There is so much to do and see in Boise, I can see empty nesters making this a yearly spot to vacation! I can’t wait to get back there and explore the mountains and other areas and of course go back to many of the places I fell in love with!

What are some of the things you would want to do there? Have you ever been? If so, what are your tips and favorite places?