I saw a sign for this place from the freeway, and since I had a little bit of extra time, I decided…read moreto come in and check it out. . It was fascinating. It was a prison from 1872 until the end of 1973, it closed because of concerns about living conditions. All of the remaining inmates were moved to a newer prison south of Boise. Inmate labor had a hand in building almost all of the buildings, and the sandstone for the buildings came from a quarry that the inmates also worked at. The price is very reasonable to get in. You can't go inside all of the buildings, but there are signs everywhere including talking about the buildings that you can't go into. Several of the buildings you can go into, you can see how the inmates lived. Besides just reading the signs about the buildings, for a small extra charge, they do offer a guided tour, or for free, you can bring up an audio tour on your phone. I did the audio tour, and I was so engrossed in the stories, , I didn't think about taking any pictures. The exhibits talk about inmate life what the conditions were like, what it was like to be a guard and administrators here, and there are lots of exhibits that talk about different inmates who were here, what they did, and for some, what happened to them after they got out. The prison held men, women, and at times, even children There is also a fascinating weapons exhibit in the far corner Of the complex. It has weapons from ancient times, all the way up through Vietnam. The most fascinating thing is, all of the weapons were the collection of just one man who donated them.. He donated over 2000 weapons, and just a small piece of that is on display at any one given time. Definitely worth stopping and checking out. Thanks!

What a great experience while visiting Idaho. Our family took us here when we visited and I had…read morejust been to San Francisco the weekend previously and saw Alcatraz so I definitely value this experience. You were able to go in and tour on your own or have someone guide you along the way we chose to do a self guided tour. You were able to go inside and see all the jail sales and solitary confinement. They have a men's quarter and a women's quarter. I also very much enjoyed going to the museum of all of the different types of guns. There is plenty of places to break and sit on a bench if you feel overwhelmed and you're able to go inside of the jail cells. Definitely a fun educational thing to do. They also offer discounts for elderly AAA and EBT. I love a little piece of history inside of a big city

What a great venue! I've been here for multiple events and I love how well they utilize the space…read morefor the needs for each event. The Boise Depot is an iconic spot for photos with a view overlooking the city. The outdoors is always open to the public and great for photos. The indoors can be rented out for private events and makes a super cool venue.

Tour guide Rob was fantastic! It only took us 12+ years to visit Boise Depot. Don't wait to take an…read moreengaging free tour and hear the fascinating history of railways in Boise dating back to 1887 (in current location since 1925). We had a small group at noon on March 22, 2026 and Rob was great about answering our many questions and curiosities! His next tour at 1:30pm was huge so we were lucky to have a more intimate gathering! Now I need to figure out a reason to have a party there and rent the space. So cool.

Anytime we are in the Boise area I always want to take a trip to table rock. It is 100% worth it…read more Please note that sometimes it is completely closed off and sometimes it's just closed off for people to drive up to the top. Basically you'll have to drive up there and find out (as far as I know), but even if you have to walk up it's worth it! Check this spot out in Boise!

Just moved near the neighborhood, and this was our very first hike here. It was a safe, easy…read morechoice! We went in early December, so it was definitely chilly and muddy from the rain the day before. However, we wore good hiking shoes, so we were dry at least. Trail took about 2 hours round trip, and the trail was dirt/rocks but easy enough for kids. Bring: water, snacks, appropriate clothes depending on the weather, dog! I brought a beanie, gloves, and warm clothes for the hike in December. I would avoid going on rainy days or if it recently rained. Mud will slow you down. There are little info boards posted along the trails - nice read. Great trail for a short walk. I hear it gets crowded during the weekends and good weather days. Go early!

The stunning home was commissioned by Boise entrepreneur Walter E. Pierce who sold the structure in…read more1898. In 1959, the house was purchased by Vernon K. Smith and moved from its original location to the present site, in the middle of a cornfield west of downtown Garden City. The home is not open to the public, in fact it's uninhabited and has fallen into a state of considerable disrepair. The street runs parallel to a storage facility, and the home is marked as private. Please do not disturb the neighbors. There is ample space to turn around in the private culdesac.

I love this house so much . I really want to peek in the windows and just sit on her porch . I…read moredrive by this house everyday and I always look at her even if it's dark and I can't see her.

I visited Boise ID with friends, and the Ann Frank museum was on our list to check out…read more Unfortunately, we could not fit it in. On Sunday, before the farewell brunch we were attending, we stopped by. It's a very beautiful and calm. We walked around the grounds and drank up the beauty and words of wisdom. We did not get to check out the inside of the museum since it was closed. If I make it back to Boise, I will make it a priority to visit the museum when it's open!

Forever important, and especially now. Please visit! Give yourself enough time to slowly walk…read morethrough the memorial and to read all the quotes.

Located on Lucky Peak, the dicey drive up on pretty treacherous road was so worth it when we got to…read morethe top to observe and talk with the BSU students as they caught and tagged small migratory birds and raptors for this non profit, school of graduate studies effort. This area has one of the largest fall raptor migrations in the West and the students do raptor catch, banding and release. They also do net catch, banding and release of songbirds. And the same at night for owls. It is remarkable to have the opportunity to observe all this. Fitting for Review 1000. OPEN: To the public roughly mid July through end October. GETTING THERE: The trickiest part. Be sure to look at directions page on the web site. Your GPS won't get the job done for you. http://ibo.boisestate.edu/visit/#directions DICEY DRIVE: The road was repaired some last fall. Our visit was before those repairs were made. It was a treacherous drive along deep ruts in some parts. One of the guys in the car is the most expert driver I know and even he was concerned. Hopefully the repairs have helped. But plan on a four wheel drive vehicle and slow going! I understand the program offers rides at some times to a few people. Contact them for details. No H2O or LOO: There is no water. You'll need to bring your own. You'll also want to know that there is no Loo but for one pit toilet downhill of the site. IT'S COLDER AT ELEVATION: Lucky Peak elevation is high and you'll want to hang out for a while (be sure to stay for the raptor catch and release) so a jacket is a good idea. MORE OR FEWER PEOPLE: The four adults in our party thought a September Sunday early morning would be a good time to go to avoid crowds. HA! There was a grade school group with parents and teacher in tow that had camped there overnight (a brave lot, remember no water or bathrooms in the mix) and so there were a lot of people present to enjoy the setting, the birds and the grad students as they answered eager questions. If you want to plan a daytime field trip for a group or an overnight stay, you'll need to use the contact info on this Yelp page or at their web page to schedule with them. DATA COLLECTION: While we might advise a weekday excursion when the kids are in school if you're looking for connecting with the quiet Zen of the location, the kids were part of the fun as they were eager to hold and release the birds after the grad students took the ones they caught to weigh them, tag them and record them in the paper record keeping book. That was fun in itself, in this day of automated everything, to see scientists like these grad students keeping uber-detailed paper records. They use the data to identify migration routes, wintering areas, breeding areas, and mortality factors. HANDS-ON: I took the opportunity to release some of the smaller songbirds from my palm when offered the chance to do that. I passed on the chance to hold and release a raptor given absence of raptor gloves to wear to handle him or her. (Those talons are sharp!) But my friend was brave enough to do this and she described the experience of releasing that magnificent bird truly awe inspiring. ACCESSIBILITY: This location is more accessible to people with limited mobility than one might expect it to be. The surfaces at the site are relatively hard packed and the slopes between accessible entry parking and the bird activity site are doable with help. I have MS so had first hand experience with using same. I think wheelchair users might find it doable too. However, the Loo is not accessible. The raptor catch and release site was not walkable for me up a steep slope. They suggested I drive up, although vehicles are not typically allowed at the raptor ridge, to be able to participate like everyone else. Lovely! PARKING: Parking is outside a locked gate near the Loo. Park there and walk up. For people needing accessible parking or for those in pre-approved overnight groups, contact them in advance and they'll tell you the protocol to have the gate unlocked so you can drive up and park closer.

I like to check out the historical museums any time I visit a new city to learn the history of said…read morecity. The Boise one was fascinating and covered everything from the geography of Idaho to the great fires to winter sports. Definitely worth your time.

This museum has a good mixture of exhibits that people of all ages and interests can appreciate. As…read moreI first walked in, I was greeted by John, a volunteer, who was almost giddy with excitement when he learned that this was my first visit. He then gave me a warm welcome, along with an orientation of the different levels of the museum and his recommendation on what order to take things in. There are regular exhibits as well as temporary ones that are on loan from other locations. The one that was on display when I visited was the Bob Hope exhibit. It was very well done and I enjoyed learning more about how he and his team of entertainers brought moments of joy to the soldiers. If you've got yourself a little time and want to learn more about Idaho, this is a good place to come and do just that. It's also entertaining for kids, since they have several hands-on exhibits and the lower level is geared toward the youngsters.

The Jacobs family home began being used as a Basque boardinghouse in 1910 and functioned in that…read morecapacity until 1969. First rented by the Galdos, Bicandi, and Uberuaga families, it was finally purchased by the Uberuagas in 1928 for the sum of $2,000. Jose and Hermenegilda Uberuaga had three children: Joe P., Serafina, and Julia. As a boardinghouse, it was a home away from home for sheepherding men emigrating from the Basque Country to job opportunities in Idaho and served as a social center that preserved many elements of Basque culture including food, music, dance, games, and most importantly, their language, Euskera. Today as part of the Basque Museum on Basque Block, it serves as a touchstone for many thousands of Americans who trace their ancestry through Basque heritage. This is the oldest brick building in Boise and served as one of 400 Basque boardinghouses in the West. Over the years as Basque sheepherders settled and integrated into the many areas of the Western States where they now reside, they took up other trades, business and professional careers eliminating the need for boardinghouses.

Little secret in Idaho. Great place to see a beautiful view of Boise. Wouldn't have known about the…read moremonument or opportunity to watch an amazing sun set unless an Idahoan friend told us about it. Final drive to monument is on a dirt road with gravel.

It is very cool that Americans remember the past sacrifices made by common folk to enrich our…read morecountry. Unlike today's entitled mob demanding things they do not deserve, these people gave up everything to seek a better life. The families of the pioneers made sure that these efforts from over 160 years ago would not be ignored and lost, forever. This monument is placed at the SW corner of the intersection of two very busy roads today, Chinden and Eagle.