Trip to Boise – The Greenbelt, Boise Zoo, & Knock ’em Dead Theater
Boise, Idaho is a great city to visit if you enjoy the outdoors; there are plenty of options when it comes to recreation including biking, hiking, and dozens of parks. Mike and I took a 2 day trip this week mainly to do some bike riding along the Boise Greenbelt, a 22 mile path that runs along the Boise River.
Some notable attractions along the path include Julia Davis Park, the Boise Zoo, and Boise State University. Unfortunately, the weather was really rainy and cold for our entire trip so we did not get to do the hiking we originally had planned. Here are a few highlights of our trip:
The Boise Greenbelt
The Greenbelt offers 22 miles of paved biking/walking paths around the river. The most scenic points along the path are located around Julia Davis Park and Boise State University. Beautiful trees line most of the path. There is a nature center along the path, however, with the rain we were unable to go. Another interesting stopping point along the path is the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial.
Fortunately, we had great view of the river and path from our hotel, the Shilo Inn Boise Riverside, a great hotel with reasonable rates and direct access to The Greenbelt.
Knock ‘Em Dead Dinner Theater
Knock ‘Em Dead is a small dinner theater in Boise which runs several unique productions each year. Dinner shows are offered on the weekends. Thursday night tickets were only $18 per person ($10 for students). Because the theater is so small, everyone had a great view. We saw a production entitled Xanadu, which was a musical spoof of a bad 1980’s film. It was surprisingly funny and included a few great musical numbers. The whole cast was available for meet and greet after the show. Check the website for upcoming shows and up to date pricing info.
Zoo Boise
We rode our bikes to Zoo Boise (located in Julia Davis Park) from our hotel as it is conveniently can be accessed from the Greenbelt path. On Thursdays, admission is half price (only $4.25). The zoo is not huge, but offers several neat indoor exhibits including a Tropical Rainforest and penguin area. I enjoyed how up close you could view the lions and tigers. I was surprised that there were no bears at the zoo, especially being located in the West. A small gift shop and a few restaurants are also available. I was pleasantly surprised with this small zoo; it is easy to navigate, well maintained, and offers an interesting variety of exhibits. Please check the website for special events and up to date pricing!
Overall, this was still a fun trip to Boise despite the rainy, cold weather. We are planning to take another trip this spring as the weather warms up. On the itinerary for the next trip: hot springs and hiking!
Visit my Fun in Idaho website for more ideas on fun things to do in the area!
