BOISE, Idaho — If school started before you went on that family vacation, or if you are looking to extend summer, we have several day trips or weekend adventures in Idaho that could fill that slot.
For me, this summer ended up being much different, as I hurt my ankle kayaking in the spring. Normally I spend most of my time on the river, but this summer I was forced to seek out some different activities, and I had a blast doing so.
We found a different way to cool off with Sun Valley on Ice and this ice skating show. They still have two more performances, including an appearance by Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen. Did I mention the rink is outside?
"This just happens to be one of the most beautiful settings you could put an ice show in," said rink manager Scott Irvine. "You open that top curtain on the outdoor rink and you got the moon, the stars and you can feel the cold coming off the ice."
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Not too far down the road, we explored the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon National Monument. This gem features out-of-this-world geology that will only be more pleasant to visit as the temperatures cool down.
"We are so glad that we stopped," said Benni Gonzalez, who was visiting from Florida. "I think I would have cried if I missed this, it is beautiful."
RELATED | Exploring the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon National Monument
I did get some kayaking in as I paddled the eight-mile round trip to the base of Shoshone Falls and back. This area in Twin Falls features so many recreation opportunities, and AWOL Adventure Sports will take you halfway to the falls and help you portage Pillar Falls through August.
"We like to tell our employees that we accommodate happiness," said Paul Melni of AWOL. "People are using their spare money to come hang out and we want to accommodate that, it is great to see people smiling, laughing, and having a good time."
RELATED | Kayaking to Shoshone Falls is a bucket list Idaho summer adventure
We also took a trip north to check out a new mountain bike trail near McCall that connects Brundage Mountain Resort to Bear Basin. This trail opens up so many more options for mountain biking, but building this trail also came with an added advantage.
"A bonus to this whole project, in addition to the great new trail and the connection, has been the wealth of knowledge our local trail builders have been able to build throughout the process," said April Whitney of Brundage Mountain Resort.
RELATED | New trail connects Brundage to Bear Basin for an awesome ride
We didn't make it to Tamarack Resort to mountain bike this summer, but they have several new trails and they just announced that they will extend their season and keep the lifts running on Saturdays and Sundays until October 1. Normally they shut down after Labor Day Weekend.
"It's been the busiest summer to date this year, so we are super stoked on that too," said Justin "Juice" Kennedy of Tamarack. "We love seeing riders having a good time whether it is up on the mountain or down in the village, we try to offer the whole gambit for a great experience."
Even if none of these floats your boat, Idaho offers so many more recreational activities for people to enjoy. Do a little research, and you will have no problem finding something the entire family can enjoy.
