Boise Travel Guide: What to Do + Where to Eat in Idaho’s Capital City!

Boise, Idaho is a great city to explore for foodies and beer lovers! This Boise travel guide lists out some great dining and brewery recommendations, along with activities to do (plus day trips) when visiting Idaho’s capital city.

Boise, Idaho might be a city under your radar but it’s certainly a Pacific Northwest Destination worth visiting! Boise gives off small city vibes with the perfect mix of metropolitan and country. It’s clean, calm, and has an extremely walkable Downtown. It’s also a great beer town, and boasts a plethora of delicious eateries!

While there is a lot of ground to cover in Boise itself, there are also some great day trips worth taking from the city. You can certainly pack a lot of fun into a long weekend itinerary here!

Getting to Boise

Boise is located in Southwest Idaho relatively close to the Oregon border. It’s a great long weekend destination if you’re a West Coaster, with many short direct flights available from other West Coast states!

• Fly from San Francisco: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
• Fly from Seattle: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
• Fly from Portland: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

Where to Stay in Boise

There are so many different options between vacation rentals and hotels when visiting Boise. I highly recommend staying within walking distance to the Downtown area, especially if it’s your first time to Boise!

Vacation Rentals in Boise

When we visited Boise, we opted to stay in a VRBO vacation rental since we were in town for a week. Having a kitchen and a bit more room for a week-long stay just made sense for the length of our visit.

We found a great condo in the North End neighborhood across the street from the Boise Co-Op. It was also just a short 10-15 minute walk to get to most places in Downtown. Great for getting our steps in and walking off all the delicious food and beer!

While the condo we rented is no longer available, here are some other great options in the general area:

• Hyde Park Urban Oasis
• Upscale Condo right in Downtown Boise
• North End Condo (an identical layout to the condo we stayed at)

Hotels in Boise

We haven’t had the opportunity to stay in hotel accommodations when visiting Boise, but here are some of my top choices for when we do!

• Inn at 500 Capitol: Modern Downtown location with King Rooms & King Suites + Free Shuttle
• Marriott Residence Inn Downtown: Downtown location with King Suites and Rooftop Terrace
• Hyatt Place Downtown: Downtown location with King Rooms + Sofas

Where to Eat in Boise

Boise is a great foodie find of a city, so while there are tons of other activities to do, focusing on food adventures is a top activity when visiting Boise! Here are my recommendations of where to eat in Boise.

The Wylder

The Wylder | 501 W Broad St, Boise, ID 83702

This restaurant is a prime spot to visit in Boise if you love delicious hand-crafted gourmet pizzas! Their chic location in Downtown Boise is open for both lunch and dinner daily, making it an easy choice to fit into your schedule at any time of day.

Recommended Eats:

• Their savory mushroom toast is a fantastic dish to start your meal off with. Market mushrooms in a garlicky crème fraiche gravy are poured over thick cut whole wheat sourdough toast. I’m not even a mushroom lover, and this is a dish I long to return for!
• For pizza, you can’t go wrong with either the Honey Badger (Italian sausage/ricotta/caramelized onion/spicy honey) or the Bronco (salumi/pickled fresno chili/burrata).
• And if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, the Butterscotch Budino with house-made caramel and fleur de sel will make you wonder why more restaurants don’t have budinos on their menus!

The Funky Taco

The Funky Taco |  801 W Bannock St, Boise, ID 83702

If you’re looking for a unique spot to eat in Downtown Boise, The Funky Taco is a great spot for fusion tacos, combining Mexican staples with an assortment of different Asian cuisines. They use a lot of bold flavors in their foods, and their dishes are adventurous both aesthetically and in taste!

Recommended Eats:

• Korean Pastor Nachos: Mind-blowing nachos comprised of a heaping pile of crispy white tortilla chips, Korean pastor (pork), beer cheese, and pickled veggies. They are spicy, sweet and tangy – a great combination of flavors and texture!
• Piggy Stardust Tacos with Chochinita pibil, a Yucatan style slow-roasted pork. These tacos are rich and I recommend sharing them with a partner if you can (one taco is plenty in one sitting).
• TNT Tacos: Seared yellowfin tuna, togarashi seasoning, Asian slaw, smoked pineapple, “guasabi,” and house ponzu. Another flavor explosion!

Diablo & Sons Saloon

Diablo & Sons Saloon | 246 N 8th St, Boise, ID 83702

Located in Downtown Boise, Diablo & Sons was not a restaurant I had on my original list of places to visit – but I am sure glad we did.

Bittercreek Ale House

Bittercreek Ale House | 246 N 8th St, Boise, ID 83702

If you’re looking for a lively pub-style atmosphere, the Bittercreek Ale House is a prime spot in Downtown Boise!

I suggest cozying up to the bar, ordering up some local Idaho beer, and chowing down on a big bowl of braised pork poutine. Their Reuben sandwich is also a winner!

The Basque Market

Basque Market | 608 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702

Boise has a large population of Basque people, and a whole block of Downtown dedicated to the culture. If you’re unfamiliar, Basque Country is a region in Northern Spain and is heavily regarded as one of Europe’s top culinary destinations!

Recommended Eats:

• Jamon & Manchego Bocadillo: A small simple sandwich of meat and cheese.
• Basque Meatballs: Beef meatballs in a pepper and tomato sauce. These were flavorful, moist little morsels and we soaked up the extra sauce with our bocadillos!
• Tortilla Espeziala: Potato and egg omelet with cheese, topped with another seasonal omelet.
• Croquetas: Creamy bechamel bites with seasonal flavors. We had the caramelized onion flavor and they were to die for!
• Sangria: One of the tastiest blended sangrias I’ve ever had! Highly recommend.

Cup Bop

Cup Bop | 298 N 8th St, Boise, ID 83702

I normally don’t rave about chain restaurants, but Cup Bop in Downtown Boise deserves a little shout out. We had a coupon to use (thanks again to Facebook for stalking us), so we decided to give it a shot. Everything was delicious and I recommend anything with the Korean fried chicken!

Barbacoa Grill

Barbacoa Grill | 276 Bobwhite Ct, Boise, ID 83706

If you’re looking for a Boise hotspot for a fancy night out, Barbacoa Grill is your spot! The restaurant has great ambiance, both inside the restaurant and out on the patio.

We were lucky to get a patio seat where you can enjoy views of the nearby lake! It’s so peaceful watching the ducks land and hearing them quack while enjoying your cocktails and tableside guacamole.

Recommended Eats:

• Grilled Octopus with chimichurri and chipotle aioli. I love me a good grilled octopus, and Barbacoa cooks theirs beautifully!
• Hot Rock Steak (with whatever cut of meat is your preference). A neat experience to have them bring out your steak sizzling on a hot rock and flame up when they pour the sauce over everything!
• Four Cheese Ham Mac & Cheese: Such a delicious guilty pleasure!

This is a very popular spot for dinner, and I recommend making a reservation.

Sweet Treats in Boise

Boise also has some great spots for sweets, including an ice cream spot (that has beer & wine pairings!) and a chocolate shop.

The STIL (Sweetest Things in Life) is scooping really delicious ice cream at two different locations in Boise. They have seasonal flavors, and you can order a flight of wine and/or beer to pair with your ice cream! I preferred the beer pairings over the wine pairings with the ice cream, but the ice cream on its own is just as delicious.

If they have the honey bourbon flavor on the list, get it! It’s booze infused and it was my favorite flavor.

The Chocolat Bar

Chocolat Bar | 805 W Bannock St, Boise, ID 83702

Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth? The Chocolat Bar in Downtown Boise is a sweet spot to get some gourmet chocolates.

I specifically went there to get some huckleberry truffles, but they also have amazing caramels (the Hawaiian caramel was my favorite)! The chocolates are a little pricey, but worth it for the quality of their treats.

Best Breweries in Boise

Boise is definitely a beer city! Any good Boise travel guide should include a list of breweries to get a pint. While we haven’t visited every Boise brewery, here’s list of five of our personal favorites!

1. Payette Brewing

Payette is an awesome brewery located along the Boise Greenbelt. They’re brewing delicious IPAs and sour beers, and have a great indoor/outdoor space for hanging out. There’s no dedicated restaurant onsite but they do have rotating food trucks!

2. Western Collective

Western Collective brews some of our favorite IPAs of the Boise breweries we’ve visited so far. You can check out their Garden City taproom!

Freak Alley Street Art

Fans of murals and street art will want to add a stop at Freak Alley when visiting Downtown Boise. I always enjoy seeing colorful street art livening up city buildings! Some pieces are weird; some sad; some intriguing; some beautiful and whimsical.

The artwork also changes every so often to make way for new artists to showcase their talents. The alley is relatively small, so it can be a brief stop on your visit.

Fall Harvest at Idaho Botanical Garden

If you’re visiting Boise in October, the Fall Harvest Festival at the Idaho Botanical Garden is a fun way to spend a few hours!

During the month of October, the Fall Harvest Festival is held each Saturday and features different food trucks, cider and beer vendors, and live music. They also have the Scarecrow Stroll where visitors can walk around the garden and view scarecrow competition entries and vote on their favorites!

Sunnyslope Wine Trail

Wine in Idaho?! Yes indeed! Just 40 minutes outside of Boise, you can experience more than a dozen wineries on the Sunnyslope Wine Trail. Wineries are relatively close together, making it an easy day trip experience from Boise. There are also wine tours offered if you don’t have a designated driver.

When we visited, we made it to Koenig Vineyards, Fujishin Family Cellars, and Sawtooth Winery. All had great wine and excellent hospitality, though my favorite was Sawtooth for its ambiance and views from the back patio.

Idaho City Day Trip

Another great day trip option is making the drive up to Idaho City, less than an hour from Downtown Boise. Idaho City is a small Idaho Gold Rush town with a few historic buildings preserved for your viewing pleasure. It’s pretty neat to learn how people lived just a couple hundred years ago!

I also recommend a stop at The Springs for private mineral springs tub relaxation. Read more details about building a half day itinerary at the link below!

Walk/Bike the Boise River Greenbelt

I love when we visit cities that are very walkable. The Boise River Greenbelt is a 25-mile tree-lined pathway along the Boise River, and is easily accessible from many areas in Boise.

You could spend hours walking up and down the Greenbelt (or biking if that’s your thing) and even make a stop at Payette Brewing for a respite! Check out the Greenbelt map here for further planning.

Visit the Basque Block

If you’re interested in learning more about Basque Culture, visit the Basque Block in Downtown Boise! There are several restaurants and bars, including The Basque Market, along with murals and a Basque Museum.

City Views at Boise Depot

If you’re looking for some great city view of Boise, the Boise Depot is a great spot to get a shot looking straight down Capitol Boulevard. You can also wander around to check out the Depot itself, as well as Platt Gardens.