The reaction I typically received when I claimed I was travelling to Boise would be, “Why?”. This only gave me more reason to visit. To many travelers, whether American or not, Boise paled in significance, culture and allure with respect to other cities in America. It was a worthwhile visit for being able to experience a city that was less constructed as a tourist destination and whose economy was not dependent on tourist income, but rather on its residents and which was built forits residents.
The drive from Salt Lake City to Boise was humorous for the roads were so sparse and it was the least scenic of any drive through America throughout my trip. There was nothing but empty land in all directions, and on the road, a ball of tumble weaved would roll in front of the bus at a point along the journey like in those ol’ Wild West films. However, I slept through and the drive was worthwhile. My accommodation in Boise was a caravan booked on Air BnB – that is all I knew, but it exceeded my expectations when I arrived. The caravan was in the garden of the family’s home and was cosy with warm rugs inside. The family had built a tree house that they called the “Stack Shack”, built by hand with planks of wood, and with a ramp and rope to climb up into it.
Boise is a lowly-built city. It was refreshing for this reason, as well as the fact that it is flooded with trees. Unsurprisingly, Boise is called “The City of Trees” and indeed it lives up to its name. Most of the homes in Boise have a lot of land, which is not too surprising as the property and land is slightly cheaper here than it would be in somewhere like Nashville. There are some areas where the homes are almost overlooking the entire city and with so much land surrounding them. The people of Boise are very friendly and pleasant. I spoke to many people who moved to Boise because of the friendliness, easy-going lifestyle, mountainous area and proximity to ski slopes, or because the cost of living was very affordable. This lifestyle and slower, family-friendly pace of life is palpable walking around the city. The downtown area is small and compact, with just a few recognizable brands in the store fronts. The Julia Davis park sits between the shopping quarter and the university. There is a small rose garden, where you can expect to walk by a wedding photoshoot and families running around. The Greenbelt trail was shut off from the public at the time I was there because the water in the river had risen so high and was rapid that it caused a serious threat. Otherwise, cycling along this trail is a popular activity for locals. Any sort of outdoors fitness is popular, in fact. There are many tranquil trails running throughout the “City of Trees” that locals take advantage of either by hiking through the area or by whizzing around on their mountain bikes or bicycles. One family had admirably taken out the entire cohort for a day of biking; the married couple had three children each of whom were either given their own bike or strapped into the parent whilst the parent cycled on carrying the weight of them both.
Perched on the chairs at a busy restaurant in their outdoor area, I was sat opposite an older couple who shared a conversation with me about world politics, the legal systems of the USA and the UK, the eloquent English language, and why they had settled in Boise instead of Denver or Jackson, again because of the proximity to ski resorts and better cost of living.
The farmer’s market showed off the entrepreneurial spirit of the city. There were a host of unique artisanal products, including daring peanut butters, chipotle wine, mojito cocktail mixers whose flavours were as bold as musk mule, lavender body lotions and potions, protein ice cream, homemade granolas, wooly hats, jewelry, wall hangings and art pieces. Entrepreneurs of the protein ice-cream were students that had come out of the university in Boise, and were hoping to expand their product into different cities and states; some other vendors had a similar mindset, and some just wanted to stay local! At the time I was at the market, it started to become very windy and the vendors were scrambling to save their stall: poles were flying everywhere and sample cups were spilling over, and people scrambled away into coffee shops.
Hyde Park is a small quarter-like area of Boise, which feels like a mini village of its own. There are bars and restaurants that are popular with locals, and small shops – but all businesses are local and many family-owned. Walking around is a pleasant affair simply to take in the family atmosphere and squint at the small business fronts. One store in Hyde Park, Goody’s, was an ice-cream shop that was celebrating its 21stanniversary in style by building a 21 gallon avalanche mountain of ice-cream in a kiddies pool that they showcased to the public and then gave away in scoops for free. As I was walking into the store, the workers were pouring chocolate sauce over it that slid down like lava on a volcano, and giant lollipops pocked out of the mountain of ice cream. Kids outside could be heard pleading, “Are we allowed to go back for a second one?” whilst chocolate sauce would be smothered around their mouths. Teens otherwise gathered here to gossip and rant like teens too.
After the stormy weather and rainy night that had transpired, the skies cleared up and the sun took centre stage. I made the most of the weather and joined locals in hitting the trails. I headed to Camelsback Park where small mountains (or big hills) lay behind the park and trails weaved through them that were so long that they lead all the way into other cities. Throughout the hike, there was a nice gentle breeze, the air was a perfect temperature and the sun was gloriously shining. The trails, though very popular, were no less peaceful. Families gently rode by, mountain bikers or fit cyclists zoomed past, and older ladies walked by sharing gossip.