We are so excited to have you in our city! We’ve got answers to your FAQ’s here, as well as some recommendations from each of us on the Pettitt Group team. If you find yourself with a couple of free hours, these are our “go to” activities. We are happy to put together suggestions for specific interests—just let us know!
FAQ’s We hope we answer most of your questions, but please contact us directly if you have more!
Do I need a car?
Our hotel is a 10 to 15-minute Uber ride from the airport. Getting around downtown is super easy by Uber, GreenBike, foot or scooter. If you plan to keep your visit to the corridor between downtown and the airport, you won’t need a car. If you are staying the weekend, and want to explore the great outdoors within one or two hours from town, a car is a must.
Before you arrive you may want to install some apps for getting around on bike or scooter. Scooters include Lime, Spin and Bird. For biking, check out https://boise.greenbike.com/
Where Should I Stay?
If you haven’t already, definitely grab a room at the Hilton Garden Inn under our room block: https://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/B/BOIDOGI-GEN-20191016/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
Any of the downtown Boise Hotels are great. If looking for something outside of the downtown core, I’d recommend the Riverside Hotel over East Boise lodging (options in the Parkcenter area) just because there are more unique activities near the Riverside. Boise is safer than many urban areas, but it’s always smart to practice common sense.
I’m arriving late on Wednesday; should I stay close to the airport?
You don’t need to worry about staying close to the airport. Downtown is just a few miles away. When traffic is light it could take as little as seven to 10-minutes.
What’s the Genuine Hustle Boise Schedule?
Wednesday, October 16: Happy Hour at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4:00-7:00 pm
Thursday, October 17:
- Hustle presentations from 9:00-4:00 at the Hilton Garden Inn
- Happy Hour, the Hilton Garden Inn, 4:00 till around 5:30
- Genuine Hustle “Stories on Stage” downtown at the Capital City Event Center (upstairs in the Adelmann Building), at 202 N. Capitol Blvd (with bar and dessert buffet). Join the Storytelling Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1372592512904960/
Friday, October 18: optional Mastermind round tables 10:00-12 noon. In Hustle tradition, this will be super casual.
Where should I eat?
Oh, my goodness, the list is long! There are a ton of great places to eat. Yelp is a good guide. A safe bet is to get to 8th & Idaho Streets downtown and then wander—there are many choices from Fork to Red Feather to Diablo & Sons to Funky Taco and many, many more. A classic breakfast spot is Goldy’s. One of the longest-running downtown eateries (with amazing milkshakes) is Moon’s Kitchen Café. Pie Hole has cheap, fast, delicious pizza by the slice. Funky Taco has the world’s most amazing vegan cauliflower tacos (seriously they are so good). Diablo & Sons has a DJ spinning vinyl records and a room dedicated to hundreds of pieces of art featuring rabbits. Red Feather is dark and swanky and has a locally-sourced menu and bottomless mimosas for weekend brunch. Zen Bento will cook up a super healthy, fresh rice and veggie bowl with your pick of grilled protein. Barbacoa is worth the Uber ride if you aren’t pressed for time (dinner only). If you are craving something specific, let us know, we can steer you in just about any direction.
Things to do! Here are some of our group’s favorites. Some are replicated — as you might guess, the repeats are some of the area’s must-do activities.
Chris Fuhrman recommends a couple of hours of “Eat Walk Shop Hike” in Boise’s Historic North End… in no particular order of course!
From Downtown, get ride, rent a bike or hop on a scooter to make your way to 13th St in Boise’s Historic North End.
There you’ll find the neighborhood’s Hyde Park, a quaint collection of boutiques, shops and eateries. Wander among locally owned businesses like Hyde and Seek, Dunia Market Place and G Wiliker’s Toys. There’s a great choice of venues to grab a coffee or quick meal at places like Java, Hyde Perk, or the new Certified Bakery. Goody’s has delicious ice cream, and restaurants like Hyde Park Pub and Grill, the Royal and Camels Crossing offer delightful libations and dinner fare. Patios are especially popular when the weather is nice, and benches appear along the tree-lined streets whenever you need a quiet break.
If shopping’s not your thing and the outdoors is calling, gather up some food-to-go from Parrilla Grill and head north a few blocks to Camels Back Park for a picnic.
On the east end of the park, you’ll can enter the Park’s trail system and stroll along trails the weave around the wetlands. https://www.ridgetorivers.org/trails/detailed-area-descriptions/camels-back-and-hulls-gulch-reserve/ The trail system is part of the Ridge to Rivers trails system. https://www.ridgetorivers.org/
If you want a little more of a walk, continue to Lower Hulls Gulch and the Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center. https://bee.cityofboise.org/visit/foothills-learning-center/ The Owl’s Roost trail from Camels Back Park to the Learning Center is a low-key fave. Dogs are welcome of course, but leashing is a must. You might be lucky and see owls, hawks or many of the other birds that make their home here. Boiseans love their outdoor spaces!
Emily Shultz recommends some hot spots for extreme spectator sports
Wander the Greenbelt in the Waterfront District. You’ll find a funky mix of new housing, live/work artist residences, and older housing. Stop on the footbridge over the Greenbelt to watch the surfers and kayakers on at the Whitewater Park or head over to the newly finished Esther Simplot Park or Quinn’s pond for some beach time or paddle-boarding. Grab beverages or snacks at Telava Winery, cafe Luciano’s or Push & Pour.
Other ideas for walking and watching including:
Grab a bite at Wylder downtown then head to Julia Davis Park and check out the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Museum and the Idaho Black History Museum.
Head to the downtown alley off 8th between Idaho and Main Streets to see the graffiti art in Freak Alley. Then grab a beverage on one of many patio dining areas.
Grab an Uber to Goody’s in Hyde Park for a scoop of ice cream, and then wander through this charming historic district to Camels Back Park. Boise natives have been climbing Camel’s Back Hill for generations—check it out for the view (steep climb or easier, curving trail). Bonus points if it’s at sunset, which will be 7:00 in mid-October.
Debra Hodges recommends making it an Art Day
Pick up a GreenBike and explore the many public art installations. Click the link for map https://www.boiseartsandhistory.org/explore/map/#/search
Bike to the BAM – http://www.boiseartmuseum.org/
Freak Alley (artsy graffiti corridor) – off 9th St downtown, between Main and Idaho Streets
Walking Tour with Boise Arts & History on Saturday, October 19th from 10 to 12 noon.
Join our Public Art Program Team for a two-hour walking tour to explore the public art collection located in downtown Boise. The tour will begin and end at City Hall, 150 N Capitol Blvd (corner of Main St, between 6th and 8th Streets). Free and open to the public. Space is limited to 30. No registration required.
Liz Allen recommends a Southeast Boise nature walk
Start at Bown Crossing, where there is ample parking. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants: The Tavern, Locavore (tasty, casual breakfast!), Bier Thirty Bistro, Boise Fry Company, Flatbread Neapolitan Pizzaria
Walk from Bown Crossing to Greenbelt (stay to the right of the Park Center Bridge, go all the way to the river and turn right (east), heading toward Barber Park. Depending on the time of day, you’ll see eagles, mink, beavers, deer and a variety of water birds. During nesting season, herons are easily seen in their rookery (tall trees) on the right.
Once reaching Eckert Road the river toward (where cars enter Barber Park), turn left and cross the bridge. Turn left onto the unpaved section of the path, heading back along the river toward Marianne Williams Park. Once you see the Park Center bridge, head to the right so you can “u-turn” back over to Bown Crossing.
Now go back into Bown Crossing and reward yourself with some classic candy or gelato at Cravin’s Candy Shop! http://stuebysoutdoorjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/take-4-mile-nature-walk-with-your.html
Sarah Waddell has the down low for Fitness Fanatics
Running/walking on the Greenbelt along the Boise River is a great out and back, or loop, experience — depending on how much mileage you want (you can jump on 3 blocks south of the hotel).
https://www.weknowboise.com/blog/boise-river-greenbelt.html
A more vigorous approach is the wide network of foothill trails, with varying elevation for running, hiking and mountain biking.
https://www.ridgetorivers.org/trails/interactive-map/
Grab a Lime scooter (or take a short walk) to Sage Yoga at 242 N 8th St; drop-in classes are $15 each https://sageyogaboise.com
Need to find a “box” to get your “WoD” in? check out Verdant CrossFit at 528 S Americana https://verdantfit.com
Trader Joe’s is on the corner of Capitol Blvd and Front St, 4 blocks east of the hotel…and Whole Foods is just over a mile walk, at Front St and Broadway. To go more “local,” check out the Boise Food Co-Op at Fort and 9th, same walking distance (but heading north).
Andrea Pettitt recommends a visit to Boise’s Bench plus one other
While Boise’s North End is clearly the oldest, traditional go-to classic, downtown is solid, and the G.C. (Garden City/Waterfront District) is the emerging cool kid, you might also want to check out the ever-emerging “Bench” neighborhood. Just up the hill from downtown, the most iconic landmark is the Boise Train Depot. The Depot gardens provide an easy walk and the views of downtown are amazing. From the Depot, there are a couple of options:
- Walk along Crescent Rim to Peasley then head west on Alpine to Petit Four (corner of Latah). http://eatatpetite4.com/ They keep the bar area open for walk-ins and have a great daily happy hour. For dinner, you will want to have a reservation—this is one of the hottest restaurants in town. After your meal you can check out the community garden across the street, or the area’s only synagogue. This house of worship was moved from its original location on State Street in the North End. A huge community of people walked with the original structure as it slowly moved up to the Bench.
- Uber to Cucina di Paolo. If you want to experience classic Boise love and hospitality in a tiny little spot with great food and great people, stop and say “Hi!” to Paul and Mary Jean. It’s likely that you’ll find a packed house, great wine, and delicious lasagna.
Outside of the Boise Bench, I’d recommend the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial on the Boise Greenbelt, behind the Library (at Capitol Blvd and 8th St). This is an amazing space that is both sobering and uplifting. The Cottonwood Grille is nearby, and if the weather is nice, a great place for a patio drink and nibble. If it’s chilly, their giant fireplace is warming.
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