Despite the cold temperatures that come during a Boise Idaho winter there are a lot of fun things to do in Boise in the winter. Boise has a fairly mild and dry winter while the foothills and mountains are filled with snow and not too far away to enjoy. Idaho is wonderful place to enjoy the winter weather and enjoy some fun activities.
1. Ice Skating
There are numerous places to ice skate in and around Boise. You can skate at Idaho Ice World in Boise, at the Village at Meridian or at Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell. The only indoor rink in the area is at Idaho Ice World. All locations offer skate rentals.
We went ice skating at Indian Creek Plaza. There are buckets there for the kids to use as they are learning how to ice skate. They also have gas fires burning outside the rink to help keep warm while you aren’t skating. After skating, head over to Soda Burst for hot chocolate and cookies.
2. Bogus Basin
There are so many fun things to do in Boise in the winter at Bogus Basin. At the ski resort there is skiing, tubing, nordic and snowshoe trails as well the Glade Runner Mountain Coaster. It is about 40 minutes from downtown Boise.
Bogus Basin offers rentals and lessons if you are interested. It is a great place to spend some time during the Boise Idaho winter.
3. Hockey Game
The Idaho Steelheads are a professional minor league hockey team based in Boise. Their season typically runs from the beginning of December through the end of March. The games are a great place to take your family and enjoy some time together. Make sure to bring some warm clothes as the building is kept at a cooler temperature.
4. Christmas Lights
There are many places to see beautiful Christmas lights during the Boise Idaho winter. Our favorite spots are at Scentsy Commons in Meridian, Winter Garden aGlow at the Boise Botanical Gardens and at Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell. At Scentsy Commons you can walk through a 250-foot Christmas lights tunnel. After that head just down Eagle Road for a tasty treat at Crumble Cookies. At Indian Creek Plaza you can admire more than a million lights spread along the creek. Also, there are usually fun animals such as dragons, penguins and polar bears made from Christmas lights.
5. Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree
This is something our family loves doing every year. Head to the beautiful Idaho mountains for some fresh air and start a tradition that your family will always remember. We usually head up the weekend after Thanksgiving for some time to play in the snow and find a tree. It is a great kickoff activity for the Boise Idaho winter.
For all the details on cutting down your own Christmas tree, check out our guide.
6. The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker plays every year in Boise at the Morrison Center the week leading up to Christmas. We have gone as a holiday date night and loved the performance. Ballet Idaho puts on the performance and over 100 children from the Ballet Idaho Academy will participate as well. There are evening showtimes as well as mid-day performances. It is an elegant and delightful activity for the entire family.
7. Gateway Parks at Eagle Island
Gateway Parks is the perfect place to take your family to enjoy tubing as well as their ski and snowboard hill. The park has all the equipment needed so all you need to do is show up with your snow clothes ready for a fun time.
Tickets for a 90-minute session have to be purchased online ahead of time. The park is only open for use when a reservation has been made. It’s recommended to get your tickets at least two hours in advance or one hour in advance on weekends and school closures.
There is a charge of $5 per vehicle to enter the park unless you have a state parks pass. This fee is cash only.
8. McCall Winter Carnival
The increasingly popular McCall Winter Carnival takes place towards the end of January in McCall, Idaho. McCall is about two hours north of Boise. It is a week filled with beautiful snow sculptures, a parade, fireworks over Payette Lake and live events. While in McCall you can also take advantage of the year-round activities there such as ice skating, sledding at the Activity Barn and snowshoeing.
9. The Village at Meridian
The Village at Meridian is the perfect gathering place for your family and friends this winter. During the holiday season, you can visit Santa, go ice skating and enjoy the Magic of the Holidays Light Show. The light show alternates with the fountain show. The holiday light show run December 12 – December 23.
It is also a great place to get together for a meal together with family, do some holiday shopping or go to the movies.
10. Boise State University Sporting Events
Boise State has a variety of athletic programs participating in winter sports. You can catch a swim meet, basketball game or gymnastic match. Our family always loves watching the games.
You can find the composite schedule for Boise State’s athletic programs here.
11. Visit Local Hot Springs
Whether you want to stay more in town or head to the mountains, you will find a hot springs nearby. If you want a quick trip to the mountains head up to The Springs Resort in Idaho City. The Springs has natural hot springs pools overlooking the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains. It is a good idea to make reservations a couple of days before your trip.
About 30 minutes from Nampa and Caldwell, you can visit Givens Hot Springs. It has one large swimming pool with a shallow section blocked off for little swimmers.
If you are headed up into the mountains near Cascade, we recommend visiting Gold Fork Hot Springs. It is in Donnelly which is just south of McCall. There is a small changing room for everyone to use. Please keep in mind that you cannot pay with credit or debit cards here.
12. The Great Polar Bear Challenge
Each year hundreds of people brave the freezing weather as they jump into Lucky Peak Reservoir in support of children in Idaho with critical illnesses. The plunge is on January 1st with registration starting at 10:00 am. The plunge starts at 11:00 am. In addition to jumping in, you can water ski or wakeboard.
13. Pop-Up Park at Edward’s Greenhouse
Just when you think you can’t stand any more of the cold Boise winter, head to the Pop-Up Park at Edward’s Greenhouse. It is filled with grass, blooming flowers, the smells of spring and most importantly warmth! It is the perfect place to soak in some warm weather yourself and let the kids do some playing outdoors without multiple layers of clothes.
14. Eat Some Good Food
Tavern at Bown Crossing
Boise, the cultural capital of Idaho, has a diverse and culinary scene that is expanding rapidly to include much more than the famous Idaho potato. Above all, Boise’s food is fresh, tasty and something not to be missed.
We spent some time eating our way through the restaurants in Boise and put together a list of our favorites.
Check Out 10 Iconic Places to Eat in Boise.
15. Holiday Markets
Throughout November and December, there are numerous holiday bazaars throughout Boise and the surrounding areas. Most importantly, you will find beautiful handmade gifts while supporting local merchants and artists.
There are markets that just run for a couple of days in addition to markets that run each week. The Boise Farmers Market and Capital City Public Market are held weekly on Saturdays.