How to Spend Two Days in Boise, Idaho

The ultimate 48 hour travel guide to Boise, I’ll tell you where to stay, what to eat and what to do during your two day visit to Idaho!

I’m a huge fan of checking new destinations off my travel bucket list so when I kept hearing friends and family talk about Idaho, I knew I had to find out for myself what all the buzz is about!

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With a little guidance from my friends at Visit Idaho, I decided to divide my four day visit between two cities: Boise and Ketchum (Sun Valley). Since Boise offers the most non-stop daily flights, I decided to start my visit there. Whether you’re in Boise for an afternoon, a day or a week, I encourage you to use this two day itinerary to help shape your visit.

Day 1

Start your first morning in Boise off right with a healthy and satisfying breakfast at Wild Root Cafe. The menu is filled with nourishing dishes ranging from bone broth to seared salmon to migas to avocado breakfast toast. If you can’t make it for breakfast, you can swing by for lunch or dinner as well.

After breakfast, grab a Boise Green Bike at one of their various locations throughout the city and head out to explore! Thanks to Boise’s Greenbelt, you have 25 miles to explore along the tree-lined pathway that follows the river.

In addition to biking along the Greenbelt, I highly recommend exploring downtown via bike. The city is very biker friendly!

After biking, you will have worked up an appetite so I suggest heading to Tasso for incredible scratch-made sandwiches, soups and salads.

Their globally inspired menu features everything from house-made mustard to ham smoked in house and everything in between. Don’t miss it!

Spend the afternoon exploring Downtown Boise. The walkable city is perfect for getting in your daily steps. When you’re ready for a pick-me-up, stop into Form & Function for a delicious cup of coffee.

By this time your hotel room should be ready so head over to Hotel 43 to check into your guest room. Centrally located within walking distance of Boise’s top attractions, restaurants and bars, you will love this beautiful, modern hotel.

Perhaps one of the hidden perks of staying at Hotel 43 is the fact that they are home to Chandler’s, Boise’s award winning seafood and steak restaurant. In addition to delicious food, I highly recommend sampling one of their infamous 10 Minute Martinis. My extra dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives was well worth the wait.

After dinner, finish out your first day in Boise with a relaxing glass of wine at COILED Wines. Better yet, do a tasting so that you can sample a variety of Idaho’s varietals. (If you like dry resiling, you will love theirs!)

Day 2

Jump start day two in Boise with a light breakfast at District Coffee House.

With a motto like “Fresh roasted, carefully crafted, made possible by love.” you can’t go wrong, am I right?

After breakfast head over to Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, known by the locals as Jump! Offering tours, classes, events and other special programming, this modern event space is hugely inspiring and a lot of FUN!

Check out their calendar to see what’s going on and be sure to check out their spiral slide when you’re in town.

For lunch on day two, head to Fork, just a 5 minute walk from JUMP. Do yourself a favor, order the fried asparagus appetizer. It’s incredible.

After lunch, walk around the shops of Downtown Boise and hit up a few locally owned gems including City Peanut Shop. I am still dreaming of their mouth-watering peanut mixes made with craft beer breweries locally in Boise.

For dinner on day two head to Juniper on 8th Street in downtown Boise. I was blown away by their menu featuring local eggs, non-GMO, organic ingredients, cage free chicken and grass-fed beef.

Also, as you may imagine, they know a thing or two about gin cocktails (Juniper – get it?), so be sure to sample one with your meal.

Speaking of craft cocktails, I can’t think of a better way to end your two day visit in Boise than with a night cap at Press & Pony. They are all about formulating new cocktails and reviving the classes so tell the bartender what you like to drink and he will create something you’ll love. Trust me.

Thanks for having me, Boise! Looking for another travel guide? Let me know what city you’d like me to cover next!

Your passport is waiting.

Disclosure: Visit Boise hosted me during my stay and coordinated my activities and meals. Photography by Alejandro Photography.  All thoughts are my own. 

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