Boise for Labor Day weekend: The mellow version.
August 27, 2013 12:59 PM   Subscribe

We will be in Boise this weekend (Aug 31-Sept 2). Throw me your recommendations for relaxing & trying to enjoy ourselves despite the circumstances.

My husband's Grandmother, who he is very close to, is entering hospice and the family has been called to Nampa, ID for one last goodbye with her.

I am not exactly sure how much free time we will have during the day, but we certainly will have nights open.

Our hotel is in Boise, so any suggestions on places to eat and maybe an "if you need to get away from the sad" little adventure in between those two places would be most welcome.

Please don't send me to loud bars or places with 10,000 screaming children. I don't think our tolerance level will be up to its usual self.

We love: Anything Old West, creepy things that are allegedly haunted, theater, oddities, really cool cemeteries.

We'd love to eat at: Great pizza or burger places. Great Mexican places. Or anything mid-range local that we must check out- neither of us are planning on a fancy dinner though- we're driving from PDX so assume we're leaving our fancy clothes at home.

I did see this question from 2008, but I wanted to ask in case anything is new.
posted by haplesschild to Travel & Transportation around Boise, ID (5 answers total)
 
Best answer: If you like Western/creepy/haunted, check out the Old Pen to check off all three. You can certainly drive there at twilight or at night, and while you won't get to take a tour after 5 it's plenty creepy to walk around the perimeter of the grounds and goose yourself into listening for chains clanking and that sort.

You might like an evening stroll down the Basque block, which is historic and very Boise. There are bars and cafes with varying levels of noise on either side. I particularly like Bardenay and Bar Gernika, which skew adult and should both be on the quiet side around dinnertime. If you just want to veg out and be distracted, you might also want to check out a movie at the Egyptian, which is an art deco knockout dating back to the 1920s. They often show first-run movies in between events.

My favorite inexpensive, low-key restaurant is the Red-Headed Finn, which has a nice outdoor patio, knows its way around a burger, and will not be a taxing atmosphere after an emotionally draining day. The cooks often do delicious Mexican specials. You'll be able to get cheap, good Mexican in Nampa too.

I didn't want to assume, but if you're into beer at all, memail me and I can make a couple of uber-local brewpub recommendations with beer I haven't seen elsewhere in the NW.

I realize these recommendations are downtown-centric and your hotel may not be downtown. If you want specific input on the part of town your hotel is in, also memail me. I know Boise really well.

Best thoughts to you guys and your husband's family. I hope you have a nice weekend and everyone takes away what they need from it.
posted by superfluousm at 2:20 PM on August 27, 2013 [1 favorite]


The Flying Pie is good pizza. However, I haven't been there in 5 years.

The Farmer's market is more of a mid-day/morning thing. It's very relaxing.
posted by hot_monster at 2:56 PM on August 27, 2013


Tube down the river! Or if you have a decent chunk if time drive out to Idaho City - a semi-ghost town.
posted by Jess the Mess at 4:19 PM on August 27, 2013


Seconding Idaho City and the Old Pen, both western / creepy. Idaho City also has Pioneer Cemetery (Not the one in Boise) here:

Google Maps Link
posted by Hatashran at 7:22 PM on August 27, 2013


Best answer: The Old Pen and the Basque Block are absolutely great--try Bar Gernika for some beer and Basque eats. Head to the Egyptian Theater or the Flicks if you want to see a movie.The Basque Block and the Egyptian are both downtown--there's plenty of little coffee shops, bars, and restaurants if you hike around. Check out the old architecture.

Idaho City is interesting, but it's at least a 60 mile drive from Nampa, and you'd want to spend an afternoon. There is a hot springs pool, but you'd have to check the hours. Spring Shore/Lucky Peak Dam is about half the distance from Nampa on the way to Idaho City--there's a sandy beach and a place to swim.

The World Center For Birds of Prey is a fun place if you like the birds. The Idaho Historical Museum is located near Julia Davis Park and across from the Boise Art Museum, not too far from Railroad Park, which is a fun place to sit and drink a soda and look out at the city and the Capitol Building.

You can walk the Green Belt along the Boise River. There's the MK Nature Center (free) and the Botanical Gardens (pay) if you're not getting enough nature.
posted by BlueHorse at 8:32 PM on August 27, 2013


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