Traveled from Phoenix to Hailey, ID for the "Trailing of the Sheep" after a close friend ranted and…read moreraved about it years ago. Our time was limited and we were not able to stay for the entire event. After flying to Boise and driving up to Hailey / Ketchum area, we loved the drive through Idaho. We rented a VRBO at Sun Valley. The ladies had signed up and attended a cooking class making homemade ricotta cheese. They had a blast. We had bought tickets to the Farm to Table dinner on Thursday night. The food was incredible with a four course, high quality meal. We started with a scrumptious salad of baby greens topped with spicy lamb meatballs, marinated cucumbers and roasted beets. The second course was Basque chorizo and vegetable stew with Basque bread and cheese. The cheese was remarkable. Our third course was three marinated lamb chops with a roasted tomato and Basque potato tortilla in a creamy butter sauce. Again another incredibly course. Finally, the dessert was a carmel apple cake and a Basque almond cookie, light and tasty. On Friday morning we attended the sheep dog trials in Hailey. These dogs are amazing creatures with brilliance, speed and a real love to herd sheep. It was one of the major highlights of the festival. Friday evening we had signed up for the one-hour eat till you drop restaurant food crawl through Ketchum. We gave it our all and were able to feast at 6 of the 10 restaurants. It was a fun and exciting way to explore the town and sample the local cuisine. Our trip back home began on Saturday, so we missed several other events. The foliage was a blaze and the weather was perfect. The people we met were kind, engaging and willing share their stories with us. We loved Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, what a beautiful part of Idaho. If you are adventourous, curious, and want see a different part of the US, book your trip to Hailey for "Trailing of the Sheep" in October of 2026. What a special weekend and a great memory with family and friends.

It all started 23 years ago by a small core of eager locals with sheepherding in their blood. They…read morecame up with a seed of an idea to re-educate the public, share the food, history, experiences, and the pride of being part of a dramatically dwindling number in the sheep industry. At this time, the festival spans from Wednesday through Sunday, one week in early October. A fun variety of activities are spread out in the charming communities of Sun Valley, Ketchum, and Hailey. The chilly signs of Winter are present, even a light dusting of snow if you are lucky, the trees are turning gorgeous colors, and nearby, the snow capped mountains are ready to make dramatic statements. One of the most environmentally friendly animals on the planet, and one of the first to be domesticated, sheep leave the least footprint as compared to horses and cows. One of the reasons is because they graze differently. They have no teeth on top so plant life is not sheared as severely, allowing it to recover and continue to protect the land. Sheep consume less water, provide wool for clothing and food (milk and a very healthful, delicious meat). Yet this whole industry is dying off in this country. What a shame. But not if the tireless organizers of this festival can help it. There are many activities during this week to choose from, including some free. At their Community Library they host an hour and half, free talk and Q&A about sheep herding that is quite entertaining. If you want another interesting evening event, for $25/ea you can hear guest speakers tell their personal stories, ancestry, and how they relate to international food culture and history. Both are excellent programs. A number of cooking classes taught by professional chefs are offered. We loved our class featuring Chef Chris Koetke. His credits include Dean of Sun Valley Culinary Institute. His class included three lamb recipes (boneless leg of lamb, rack of lamb chops, and lamb burger) that we made, in teams, plus some extraordinary Sonoma wines to go with our immense meal. There is a cheese making class, classes related to yarn dying, making, and knitting. Also offered, a couple intimate dinners prepared by local chefs. All these classes and dinners have limited seating, so tickets should be purchased as soon as the annual event is announced (I think it was in June). If interested, I would advise subscribing to their newsletter online. In the small town of Hailey, about 10 minutes south of Ketchum, there is a fairly large event that lasts all day on Saturday. The local park is swarming with people from all parts of the world. Most come (at least) to eat. There are craft booths (many of which cater to crafters of wool and yarn), demo sheep shearing, Basque dancers, Scottish bag pipers, Peruvian musicians, and many food pop ups. The Basque baked goods booth and several sheep's milk cheese makers draw huge crowds. If you did nothing else, this gives you a fun day and full tummy. Dogs and children are welcome, with one exception. Pets should not be brought to the finale, the Trailing through downtown Ketchum on Sunday, as some of the working dogs can become protective and aggressive. Daily, down a dusty road in a large field just outside of Hailey, there are sheep dog competitions, $5 entry fee per person. Everyone loves watching these incredibly intelligent animals doing their job. It is probably advisable to keep pets away from here as well. Food galore, small town friendly, this all culminates in the big Sunday finale at noon when they herd flocks of sheep through Downtown Ketchum. What a sight indeed!

Our good fortune was to be in town for the Tuesday afternoon downtown farmers market; next to last…read morefor the season that runs early June through early October. Next Tuesday, October 7 is last for 2014. THE GOODS Booths line both sides of about a half block. While a small market the choices are many and excellent from organic produce of all kinds, splendid looking fresh baked berry pies (a line here before the market opened so that is a good sign), pasture raised pork, local raised beef, fresh eggs, goat cheese and artisan baked breads to name just a few of the several items for sale. Bellvue General Store was in the house selling their homemade pesto and catsup among other treats from that store just in case you forgot to stop on your way through Bellvue. There were also a couple of local artisans like a women selling adorable earrings and a man selling handsome coffee mugs THE MUSIC Live music every week. The performer on our visit was Mark Mueller on acoustic guitar with vocals. I wanted to pull up a seat and stay for his entire gig for the four hours of the market. Go listen to him wherever he plays. HOURS 2:00 - 6:00 THIS N THAT 1) PARKING On street parking is very, very limited in Ketchum. You will have better luck in shoulder season, after Labor Day, but even then it is lucky to find a parking spot. 2) ACCESSIBILITY Ketchum is miserable for access infrastructure like parking, curb cuts and sidewalks. Know that in general before you go if mobility is an issue. But the market itself is on level paved street and nicely accessible if you can get there. 3) FOOD STAMPS They take them. 3) GOOD NEIGHBOR Bigwood, the bread people, is right next door with retail café.

I hesitate to write this review because I love their farm market so much I want to keep it all to…read moremyself. This is like a little San Franciso. The produce is outstanding and the baked goods reminiscent of Europe. There is a gentlemen at Hank&Sylvies that sells baguettes - you will think you are in France. The fruit stand - well I never have a problem "eating a rainbow" when we are here for the summer. It is just a perfect piece of heaven and I would truly give them 10 stars if I could. WONDERFUL!

It's a nice small theatre, just a few screens and it's well maintained. The staff was friendly and…read morethey started taking cards/Apple Pay so it's no longer cash only and the snack prices are reasonable. I really enjoyed watching a movie here, and I appreciate the aesthetics around the building.

A small but such a cute theatre! I watched a movie with my little one while my hubby was…read moresnowboarding. I forgot the name of the lady at the front but she was so nice and sweet.

This 5 acre public botanical gardens was founded in 1994. Here native & cultivated plants that…read moreflourish at high altitudes are showcased. Unfortunately, it never connected us to the region's unique beauty & fosters environmental stewardship through education, events, displays, and plant collections. This is a popular space for weddings & events. But, there wafe a turn at the sign & went into a redid area with gated homes.

What a fantastic hidden gem and truly worth a stop. It is such a fun place to spend an hour or two…read moreexploring plants, sculptures, and beautifully kept grounds. We had the pleasure of chatting with Nancy who could not have been kinder and happily answered all of our questions. My friend used a plant identification app which added an extra layer of fun to the visit. This is a spot I would highly recommend to anyone in the area.

What a gorgeous facility. The bathrooms are gorgeous too. There are NO bad seats. The acoustics…read moreare fab. Go to a show & buy lawn tickets. You can even see the jumbo cam from the lawn.!!!

We always look forward to the Summer Symphony festival concerts usually mid August. It's a great…read moreway to see everyone in the community and enjoy the music.

Ketchum/Sun Valley; The poormans' Carmel. Now be aware that this is a value judgement and you may…read morefind your experience in this area totally different. Unfortunately, the businesses and people we delt with have that "when do the tourists leave attitude". One resturant wait staff actually assumed we were sharing dinners so divided both orders between the 2 of us. The girls at the nation wide coffee place was as pleasant as a cold in summer. Please don't get lost because many streets do not have street signs. Parking. The upper section of town has mid street parking but parking is still lean. Lower portion of town has mid street parking but you will walk to the main street. Groceries. No need to shop in Ketchum. Go down to the Albertsons in Hailey. About 10 minutes. Prices are high in all but a better selection in Albertsons and people are friendlyer.

This place is beautiful. I love the old quaint vibes. My friend and I came in for wine tasting and…read morea bite to eat and the staff were so friendly! They were quick, attentive and even suggested we come back tonight for dinner and a live performance. (And we are) If you are looking for a place with a relaxing atmosphere, great food and wine, you need to come here! Highly recommend

Went to the all you can eat crab boil..absolutely delicious! We're not wine drinkers but all you…read morecan eat crab-Yes Please! Staff was amazing, helpful and attentive. You put a credit card down up front so no cash/cards being handled during dinner. Full bar service available and heard their wines were priced well and tasted good. Very casual, outdoors and word to the wise, flys are crazy at a picnic and an outdoor crab feed is no different! There were some of those electronic fly/bee/bug spinners on the tables but not all of them. We heard several repeat guests saying they brought their own! Regardless, sausage, huge shrimp, baby red potatoes and corn on the cob were delicious! We were kept supplied in drawn butter and crab until we couldn't possibly eat another bite. We'll be back!