Travel advice for Boise, please!

April 2, 2017 4:08 PM

Hi everyone! I have more travel coming up to a new place soon and as usual I am seeking your fabulous advice. The new location is Boise, Idaho. I will put what I am looking for and the ways I am a special snowflake under the cut.

I'll be in Boise for about a day and a half, because this is a work trip. I will have a car. My mobility is limited in that I can't handle a lot of stairs, uneven or very hard surfaces, or extended walking.

I need to know about food. I have multiple food allergies including gluten and soy. What's good in Boise? I like Indian, Mexican, and South American cuisines, hippie cafes, and farm to table stuff. I need to be able to ask questions about what's in the food. I cannot have Asian food from pretty much any region because everything has soy in it. Vegetarian options are good, though I am eating some meat now.

Tea. Starbucks is acceptable, but if there's a good place to get better quality tea and chill out, I'd like to know about it.

I love zines, art museums, cool bookstores, and other nerdy weirdness. If you have any recommendations here, I would love to have them. Similarly, if there are local LGBT bars or coffee shops, I would like to know about them too, and if there are places I should avoid as a fairly obvious lesbian that would also be good.

Thanks in advance!

posted by bile and syntax to Travel & Transportation around Boise, ID (7 answers total)

Best answer: Boise has one thing that you can't find anywhere else in the world except Southern France and Northern Spain-- Basque food. I haven't lived there since the 20th century, but once you get in town ask around to find which of the restaurants is this year's best. It is a legacy of the many Basque shepherds who came to the area a century ago.
posted by seasparrow at 5:57 PM on April 2, 2017 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I think you'll have a wonderful time if you go to the Hyde Park district, which is on the north end of downtown Boise. The entire downtown area is pretty vibrant, and you'll be able to find these types of foods and excellent local coffee shops. Try Flying M for coffee and fun atmosphere. Downtown will be the area that's most LGBT-friendly. It's in a very red state, but Boise is progressive. The downtown area has lots of one-way streets and some no-drive zones, so you might want to study your route ahead of time, especially since it sounds like you're not going to be able to park and navigate on foot for long distances. That's another reason I'd recommend Hyde Park, since everything is closer together rather than on large city blocks. You'll need a car to get to the art museum if you go. Have fun!
posted by Knowyournuts at 7:14 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Oh, how could I forget? Go to The Record Exchange. It's a local institution!
posted by Knowyournuts at 7:16 PM on April 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I found the Anne Frank Memorial to be quite moving.
posted by blurker at 11:18 AM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The SpaceBar for some nerdy fun in downtown Boise.
posted by TomFoolery at 11:49 AM on April 3, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I was in Boise two times last year for about the same amount of time on each trip. I don't have food allergies or preferences so my reviews may not be useful but . . .

My quick downtown restaurant takes were:

Pie Hole Pizza - Yes! Cheap, hole in the wall slice place. May have gluten-free crusts? Definitely has veggie food.

The Mode Lounge: Great place for people watching - they have windows on two corners with comfy chairs.

The Basque Market - Cool little market plus food. Thursdays they make paella in a big pan outside. It is wonderful! Get there early because when the pan is empty, it's gone.

Dharma Sushi - AVOID! Cool set up, boring food.

I have the same Username on Tripadvisor if you look at reviews there.

Also, there was a downstairs (14 steps?) bar downtown that had beer/wine and about 20 old-school arcade games. Hand rails were there.

Look down the alley nearby for a block or two of really, really cool art west of the main downtown street.

Uber can be your friend to avoid parking in a busy downtown.

I think that you can hit most of the downtown "strip" in about six blocks on either side.

I am mid-50's straight dude so I can't say for sure but I think the downtown is LGBT friendly, if not indifferent

p.s. - If you ever have a trip to Montana, Memail me for suggestions. I've been/go everywhere in Montana and could offer LGBT tips from friends.
posted by ITravelMontana at 7:52 PM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks so much, everyone! You've made me excited to see Boise!
posted by bile and syntax at 7:51 AM on April 5, 2017