15 Fun Things to Do in Boise in The Winter

LOOKING FOR SOME FUN THINGS TO DO IN BOISE IN THE WINTER?

You have come to the right place! We are locals of the Boise area and have lived here for most of our lives. Boise is such a fun place to spend time in the winter. There are so many fun things to do in Boise in the winter that have become holiday traditions for our family.

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 a wonderful place to enjoy the winter weather, beautiful ski resorts, and many other fun activities. Here is a list of our favorite things to do during the Boise winter season.

Best Things to Do in Boise In the Winter

1. Ice Skating

There are numerous best places to ice skate in and around the city of 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 Mountain Recreation Area

There are so many great things to do in Boise in the winter at Bogus Basin. At the ski resort, there is skiing, tubing, nordic skiing, 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 the Treasure Valley. Their season typically runs from the beginning of December through the end of March. The games are a great place to take your whole 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 holiday lights during the Boise, Idaho winter, so grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy! Our favorite spots are Scentsy Commons in Meridian, Winter Garden aGlow at the Idaho Botanical Gardens, and Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell.

The Idaho Botanical Garden lights are very beautiful, but I thought tickets were kind of expensive. We would recommend visiting Indian Creek Plaza for the free lights but visiting during the week early in the season, so it isn’t so busy.

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 or nearby coffee shops.  

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 Boise National Forest 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 during the week leading up to Christmas. We have gone on 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.

While you are in the heart of downtown Boise, be sure to stop by Freak Alley, a highlight of the street art in Boise and a must-see for art lovers, and if the weather is warm enough, you can enjoy a walk or bike ride along the beautiful Boise River Greenbelt. Ann Morrison Park is a great place to get on the greenbelt.

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.

We had such a great time tubing here this past Boise winter.

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 winter 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 from 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 games.

You can find the composite schedule for Boise State’s athletic programs here.

11. Visit Local Hot Springs

Since we can’t make the trip up to Iceland each winter, there are plenty we enjoy visiting near Boise. Whether you want to stay more in town or head to the mountains, you will find hot springs nearby.

If you want a quick trip to the mountains, head up to The Springs Resort in Idaho City. The Springs have 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 1^st, 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

Boise, the cultural capital of Idaho, has a diverse 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.

Read More: 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. This is such a fun part of Boise in the winter months.

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.

For more ideas on fun things to do in Boise, check out 31 Best Things to Do in Boise, Idaho.

Map of Things to Do in Boise in the Winter

How to Use This Map: Click on the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

If you click the star next to the title of the map, this will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps. Then click on the menu button, go to “Your Place,” and click on Maps. You will see this map added to your list.

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