This Boise & Idaho City itinerary covers 5 easygoing days of good food, scenic drives, and hot springs without overpacking the schedule. You’ll spend time eating really well in Boise, then slow things down in Idaho City, a tiny mountain town with gold-rush roots and a refreshingly quiet pace.
This Boise & Idaho City itinerary is designed for travelers who want variety without rushing, flexibility without overplanning, and food that’s actually worth building a day around.
If you’re figuring out where to base yourself at the start of the trip, check out my guide on Where to Stay in Boise: Best Areas & Hotels for a First-Time Visit to narrow things down without getting overwhelmed. I always recommend walkable downtown options so you’re not driving to every meal—browsing hotels in downtown Boise through Booking.com or Hotels.com makes it easy to compare locations and prices without overthinking it.
Kick off your Boise & Idaho City itinerary by staying central. Downtown Boise is compact, walkable, and ideal for easing into the trip without immediately needing a car.
Spend the afternoon wandering. Walk through nearby parks, pop into coffee shops, and get a feel for the city. Boise doesn’t demand a packed schedule on day one—and that’s part of the appeal.
Alavita is a strong downtown choice for house-made pasta and a seasonal menu that’s focused and well executed. Burrata starters and fresh pappardelle highlight what they do best—comforting Italian food that feels balanced and satisfying without being heavy.
Fork is a dependable downtown favorite with a polished-but-relaxed feel and a menu that balances comfort food with thoughtful, farm-to-table touches. It works just as well for a casual lunch as it does for dinner, which makes it easy to fit into any Boise itinerary.
Downtown’s walkability makes either one an easy night—see my full review of Alavita Boise or check out my Fork Boise review to decide which fits your vibe (or plan both).
Breakfast is a non-negotiable part of this Boise & Idaho City itinerary.
BACON if you want indulgent, unapologetic brunch
Goldy's Breakfast Bistro for classic plates and generous portions
After breakfast, walk it off along the Boise River Greenbelt. It’s flat, scenic, and one of the easiest ways to enjoy Boise without committing to anything strenuous.
Keep lunch casual and leave the afternoon open—breweries, shops, or more wandering all work here.
This is where your Boise & Idaho City itinerary really shifts.
Renting a car makes this portion dramatically easier, especially if you want flexibility with timing and stops. We rented a car in Boise through Discover Cars because it lets you compare options and you can get the best deal.
The drive into the mountains is short but scenic, and Idaho City immediately feels quieter and slower. Spend the afternoon walking the compact downtown, grabbing lunch at a local spot, and leaning into the fact that this town is small by design.
The highlight of the day is The Springs, where private pools are reserved in advance. This isn’t a quick stop—it’s an intentional soak and worth planning around.
If you want to know exactly how reservations, timing, and the pools work, see my full review of The Springs Idaho City Hot Springs: What to Expect & How to Plan Your Visit before you go.
Mornings in Idaho City are quiet and unhurried. Enjoy breakfast, explore a bit more of the town’s gold-rush history, and then decide how adventurous you’re feeling.
If you want another soak (which I highly recommend), you have options:
Bonneville Hot Springs for a more secluded experience
Kirkham Hot Springs if crowds don’t bother you
If you’d rather skip soaking, the forest drive alone is worth the time.
Head back to Boise in the evening and don’t hesitate to repeat a favorite restaurant. This itinerary intentionally leaves room for that.
End your Boise & Idaho City itinerary with a relaxed brunch and no rush out the door.
Fork is a solid option if you missed it earlier, or you can keep things simple with coffee at Flying M Coffee and one last walk downtown. If you’re still on the fence about how Boise stacks up overall, check out my post Is Boise Worth Visiting? An Honest First-Timer’s Travel Guide before you head out.
This trip prioritizes good meals, manageable drives, and hot springs that are unique and exciting. The schedule is realistic, the food is worth planning around, and there’s enough downtime built in that you won’t feel like you need a vacation from your vacation. If that’s how you like to travel, this Boise & Idaho City itinerary is a good fit.
A hotel that’s also a free 24-hour contemporary art museum penguins included. We booked a Corner Suite at 21c and it was massive: separate bedroom, living room, dining area, 699 square feet to spread out in. The bathroom alone had a double vanity and custom Rookwood Pottery tile that made getting ready weirdly entertaining.
The location is downtown, two minutes from Fountain Square, walkable to Boca for dinner, and close enough to hop the free streetcar into Over-the-Rhine. If OTR is where most of your plans are, you might want to stay closer to that neighborhood instead downtown worked for us, but we spent more time in OTR than we expected to.
And yes, there’s a recycled-plastic penguin sculpture that will absolutely scare you the first time you open your door and forget it’s there. Link in bio for the full review rooms, parking, walkability, and everything else before you book 🎨
Three neighborhoods, one streetcar, and more Cincinnati specialties than I could finish in one afternoon.
We hit a goetta breakfast sandwich, chocolate chip ice cream from a shop that’s been at it since 1870, a Liège waffle that earned its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spot, and Cincinnati chili the way it’s actually meant to be eaten... over a hot dog, buried in shredded cheddar.
$75 got us three and a half hours, a local guide, free streetcar rides, and a genuinely full stomach. Don’t eat breakfast before this one, the portions add up fast.
My third Secret Food Tour in my third city, and it’s still undefeated.
Link in bio for the full review cost, route, parking, and every stop we hit 🥟🌶️
13 creek crossings, a canyon that keeps closing in around you, and a hike I’d genuinely put back on my itinerary, West Fork Trail was the one.
We got to Call of the Canyon at 7:15am and the lot was barely a quarter full. By 12:30 it was 85% full, so if there’s one tip that matters most, it’s this: go early.
The maintained trail is 6.6 miles round trip, mostly flat, mostly shaded, but I kept my regular tennis shoes dry the whole way by hopping across the rocks at each crossing. It’s rated moderate, and honestly that’s about the distance, not the terrain.
Here’s what nobody tells you though ✨ the maintained trail isn’t the end. We changed into water shoes at the official endpoint and kept going another mile straight through the creek, canyon walls narrowing around us the whole time. That extra mile ended up being my favorite part of the entire hike.
5/5 for me. I’d bring the water shoes again in a heartbeat.
Link in bio for the full guide parking, timing, what to pack, and everything I wish I knew before I went 🥾
Two hours, zero regrets. The Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour is hands down one of the most fun things we did in Sedona.
Open-air Jeeps crawling over slickrock, backcountry views you can’t reach on your own, and the famous Road of No Return, steep, thrilling, and somehow completely safe the whole way down.
If you’re picking one paid activity in Sedona, make it this one.
You have to do @pinkjeeptours 🌵🚙 Link in bio for the full review.
Dinner beside Oak Creek at Cress, and yes, it’s a splurge, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.🤍
Candlelit tables under the trees, the creek running right beside us, a menu that mixes Arizona ingredients with French technique. We ordered a little of everything: the squash and beet salad, milk rolls with three different butters, sweet potato gnocchi that somehow felt light instead of heavy. Then two desserts because we couldn’t decide. The Vanilla Crème Caramel with Manchego cheese completely stole the show, salty and sweet in a way that sounds strange until you taste it.
Plan on $100–250 for two depending on what you order, and this isn’t the spot for a quick casual dinner, it’s slow, intentional, and worth every minute. Book ahead and ask for a creekside table if you can.
If you’re looking for one unforgettable meal in Sedona, this is it. Link in bio for the full review 🍽️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
