The Pacific Northwest state of Idaho is known as
one of America’s Rocky Mountain states as it’s filled with
snow-capped mountains, dense national and state forests, clear
lakes and creeks, white-water rivers, desert, and acres upon
acres of splendid wilderness. Boise is the largest and capital
city while other major centers include Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Falls, Moscow, Shelley, Twin Falls, Pocatello, and Sandpoint.
Idaho is the 14th largest state by area and with a population of
about 1.6 million people is the 39th by population. It became
the 43rd state to join the Union back in 1890.
There are plenty of things to do and see in this
great state. Some of the popular attractions include Custer
Ghost Town, Snake River, Salmon River, Hell’s Canyon, skiing at
Sun Valley, the Craters of the Moon National Monument and
volcanic park, Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness,
Yellowstone National Park, the Nez Perce Indian Reservation,
City of Rocks National Reserve, the Lewis and Clark National
Historic Trail, and Sawtooth National Recreation Area, which is
the biggest recreation area in country.
Getting into Idaho can be a bit of an adventure
as there are no direct international flights at the moment
anywhere in the state. This means you’ll have to land somewhere
else and then get a connecting flight. You’ll eventually end up
at Boise Airport as there are quite a few flights here from some
major American cities. However, if you’re travelling to northern
Idaho, you can fly into Spokane International Airport in eastern
Washington State as it’s only about 20 miles from the Idaho
border. There are also some smaller regional airports in the
state. Getting there by car is nice and scenic as there are some
good highways. The only city you can really reach by train is
Sandpoint.
The main attractions to Idaho are the activities
it offers. There are numerous things to go outside all year
round. These include snowshoeing, skiing, snowmobiling,
snowboarding, camping, boating, white-water rafting, fishing,
hunting, hiking, and mountain biking. In some areas you’ll even
find rodeos are pretty popular. The winters are mild-to-cold and
the summers are warm, which makes it an ideal place to be
outdoors.
After all of the activity there’s a good chance
you’ll be pretty hungry. There are plenty of restaurants around
and the food is typically mid-American. Of course, there are
some fine local specialities such as the famous Idaho potatoes,
beef, and Idaho Rainbow Trout. You’ll also find the local
residents are fond of something they call fry sauce, which is a
mixture of mayonnaise and ketchup.
The nightlife can be pretty active, especially
in Boise, and local potato vodka is a pretty popular drink at
the bars and clubs. For those fond of a drink or two, you’ll be
glad to know that happy hours are common as are drink specials.
Hotels and motels are easy to find and there are also numerous
lodges available when enjoying activities such as skiing and
hunting.
While sporting activities are quite popular with
residents and visitors, there are no major league professional
teams in the state, but there are several minor league
franchises, including ice hockey, baseball, and basketball.
The state offers an excellent mixture of rural
and city life, and for outdoor activities and scenery it’s
pretty hard to beat Idaho. It’s an excellent spot for singles
and families to enjoy the outdoors and the indoors.
About Idaho