Boise in a day
A one-day plan for Boise: the Idaho State Capitol, Julia Davis Park and the Boise Greenbelt first, then Table Rock, the Idaho Botanical Garden, the Old Idaho Penitentiary and the Boise Art Museum. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Boise in 1 day
Day 1
Idaho State Capitol Must see
Sandstone state capitol of 1920 with a copper-clad dome, free to enter, with marble interiors and an eagle-topped cupola.
Julia Davis Park Must see
Boise's oldest park beside the river downtown, home to museums, the zoo, a rose garden and the Greenbelt.
Boise greenbelt Must see
Riverside path of about 25 miles through the city, used for walking, cycling and river floating, linking parks and campuses.
Table Rock
Sandstone mesa on the east edge of the city with a hiking trail up to a lookout above the Boise valley.
Idaho Botanical Garden
Botanical garden next to the Old Idaho Penitentiary with themed gardens and trails, and summer concerts.
Old Idaho State Penitentiary
Sandstone prison of 1872 used until 1973, now a museum with cell blocks, solitary confinement cells and old exhibits.
Boise Art Museum
Art museum beside Julia Davis Park with a permanent collection and changing exhibitions of regional and contemporary art.
Watch: Boise
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Boise
Late spring and early autumn are the most pleasant, with warm days and cool evenings, and summer is hot and dry, best for river floating and early hikes. Winters are cold with some snow; Bogus Basin skiing runs from about December to March. The Western Idaho Fair takes place in late August and Boise State home football games in autumn bring crowds.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Boise on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Boise on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Boise on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Boise
- The Boise Greenbelt runs for about 25 miles along the Boise River; rent a bike or walk the stretch through Julia Davis Park and Boise State University.
- The Old Idaho Penitentiary, the Idaho Botanical Garden and Table Rock are on the east side and can be combined on one day.
- Table Rock is a short hike to a lookout over the city; go early or near sunset in summer, when afternoons are hot.
- The Boise Art Museum stands beside Julia Davis Park, so the two combine easily on foot; check the museum's opening days first.
- The Idaho State Capitol is free to enter on weekdays; check opening hours before you go.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Boise Art Museum: CamEQ, Facade of Art Museum designed by Trout Architects and Mark Mack in 1988, Public domain
- Boise greenbelt: Kenneth Freeman from Boise, Idaho, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Idaho Botanical Garden: Charles Knowles, CC BY 2.0
- Idaho State Capitol: JSquish, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Julia Davis Park: Karakorum9, Public domain
- Old Idaho State Penitentiary: TFMedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Table Rock: Rickmouser45, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
