What to do and see in Idaho, United States: The Best Gardens

January 27, 2022 Vivienne Hutton

A mixture of forested mountains, alpine peaks, wildflower meadows, deep river canyons, and high plains deserts, Idaho is a paradise for golf, skiing, fly fishing, and river rafting. Boise, the capital, is the state's largest city and airline hub. North of Boise are golf, lake, and ski resorts from McCall in the south to Sandpoint and Coeur D'Alene in the north. East of Boise are the ski slopes of Ketchum and Sun Valley. East of Sun Valley are Craters of the Moon National Monument, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and the small town of Island Park just across the border from Yellowstone National Park. Boise's Basque Museum and Cultural Center reflects having the largest Basque population in the U.S. Reflecting Idaho's diverse heritage, near the Idaho Historical Museum in Boise's Julia Davis Park is the Idaho Black History Museum's chronicle of the slave York who served the Lewis & Clark Expedition. After a family visit to the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey and an outdoor performance at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the next stop after Boise is likely to be Payette Lake in McCall or Sun Valley and Ketchum. About 100 miles north of Boise, past Cascade Lake, McCall takes you to the shores of Payette Lake. Go golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, waterskiing, sailing, boating, or whitewater river rafting. Ski or snowshoe Brundage Mountain or Tamarack Resorts, as well as Ponderosa State Park in winter. Ice skate year-round at Manchester Ice & Event Centre. About 450 miles north of Boise, there are resort lakes near skiing and golf at Coeur d'Alene, Hayden Lake, and Sandpoint. Golf, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, rafting, and hunting are popular in Sun Valley and Ketchum. Sockeye salmon may no longer do much spawning in Redfish Lake, but the boating and mountain scenery in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area make the short trip north to Stanley worthwhile. When the snows come the whole family will head for the slopes of Soldier Mountain, Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, or the Sun Valley Resort. A tiny forested town of about 250 people, Island Park has a large reservoir with fishing and boating, as well as Henry's Fork of the Snake River for fly fishing. It's only 15 miles from Yellowstone as well.
Restaurants in Idaho

1. Japanese Pavilion

Island in river at Broadway Sportsmans Park; the Friendship Garden, Idaho Falls, ID 83402 +1 208-881-3569 http://japanesepavilion.org/
Excellent
87%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 85 reviews

Japanese Pavilion

Reviewed By Stendel - Eastpointe, United States

A beautiful, peaceful garden .Sit by the peaceful stream that runs through this beautiful garden .Just across the street from downtown and the falls yet worth the visit. Absolutely beautiful.

2. Orton Botanical Garden

867 Filer Ave W, Twin Falls, ID 83301-4504 +1 208-734-7959 [email protected] http://ortonbotanicalgarden.com
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 10 reviews

Orton Botanical Garden

Orton Botanical Garden, Inc.'s mission is to (1) demonstrate cacti and succulents that can withstand very cold temperatures, (2) educate people of all ages about cold-hardy succulents, native and drought-tolerant plants and their importance in the natural and human environment, (3) encourage water conservation through the demonstration of arid landscaping. We are a non-profit organization. Open hours can change seasonally, please check our website for up to date times: https://ortonbotanicalgarden.com/

Reviewed By annmdebolt - Boise, United States

This Idaho best-kept secret in Twin Falls will truly knock your socks off! The Orton Botanical Garden is amazing in several ways: some of these plants shouldn’t even be growing here because of our climate zone (a Joshua tree?), and it’s truly a pollinator’s paradise of native plants from Idaho to Arizona! Oh—and did I mention that it’s the product of just two people with occasional help from their family: the Ortons? It’s a perfect Friday or Saturday day escape for all the sheltering folks now who want to get out in nature. The gardens are large, so 6’ of space shouldn’t be a problem! Once there, everything has identification signs, and occasionally there are some plants for sale that will do well in your own yards when you get back home. Please feel free to fall in love with our colorful Idaho native plants! The bees will thank you. B. Alexander review

3. Julia Davis Park

700 S. Capitol Boulevard, Boise, ID 83702-7122 +1 208-384-4240 http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-locations/parks/julia-davis-park/
Excellent
65%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 246 reviews

Julia Davis Park

Reviewed By J1872HGchrisg - Boise, United States

Julia Davis Park is home to several special features: Zoo Boise, the Boise Art Museum, the Gene Harris Band Shell, and the Anne Frank Memorial. But my favorite feature is the Rose Garden! A slow walk among the many different variety of rose bushes always soothes my soul. Don't forget your camera. The multitude of colors and different bloom varieties make for amazing shots for your social media pages.

4. Idaho Botanical Garden

2355 Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise, ID 83712 +1 208-343-8649 [email protected] http://www.idahobotanicalgarden.org
Excellent
62%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 389 reviews

Idaho Botanical Garden

Cultivate. Educate. Celebrate. Enhance your community and enrich your life. The Idaho Botanical Garden is a lush 15-acre tapestry of dappled shade and vibrant splashes of color. A peaceful haven nestled in the Boise Foothills, located in the heart of Old Penitentiary Historic District. The Garden promotes gardening in the Treasure Valley using native and domestic plants that are adapted to the intermountain region.

Reviewed By Nina3287 - Sonoma, United States

Beautiful and inexpensive. Explore the gardens with two small kids, they had a good time. Different themed gardens, an array of different types of plants and trees. The layout was also done in a way to keep it interesting. They also had fun festive activities for the kids: small corn maze, scarecrows etc.

5. University of Idaho Arboretum & Botanical Garden

1200 W Palouse Dr, Moscow, ID 83844-0001 http://uidaho.edu/arboretum
Excellent
67%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 148 reviews

University of Idaho Arboretum & Botanical Garden

Reviewed By my50caliber - Moscow, United States

Very pretty, very peaceful. Great place for walking or jogging. The garden has many different plant species.

6. Sawtooth Botanical Garden

11 Gimlet Road, Ketchum, ID 83340 +1 208-726-9358 [email protected] http://www.sbgarden.org/
Excellent
51%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 49 reviews

Sawtooth Botanical Garden

Reviewed By gregdjohnson53 - Spring, United States

An amazing place, well designed and with a Tibetan Prayer Wheel among the flowers and landscape. The overall experience was excellent.

7. Sunken Gardens

430 Main St Across From Park Just East Of The Hot Pots, Lava Hot Springs, ID 83246 http://www.lavahotsprings.com/hotpools/sunken-gardens.html
Excellent
60%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 15 reviews

Sunken Gardens

8. Charlie's Garden

2543 Warner Wagon Rd, McCall, ID 83638
Excellent
79%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
7%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 14 reviews

Charlie's Garden

Reviewed By TheThreshold

Very hard to find, but worth it. E passed it and had to double back, even with hps on. Beautiful variety of flowers and plants, accented with granite. Still plenty of color in early September. I recommend a visit if in the McCall area.

9. Ruth Rowell Modie Wildlife Park

1035 21st Ave, Lewiston, ID 83501-6313 http://cityoflewiston.org/index.aspx
Excellent
0%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
67%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 3 reviews

Ruth Rowell Modie Wildlife Park

10. Diann's Weeping Trees Botanical Garden

3665 Dufort Rd, Sagle, ID 83860-8940 +1 208-263-3538

Interesting and unusual garden located in northern Idaho.

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