Idaho (and maybe WY) - Memorial Day Weekend

823 Views | 6 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by CDub06
TexasAggie008
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AG
Only western state I haven't been to is Idaho and finally crossing off the list I think - me/fiance flying to Salt Lake direct from Love (companion pass) that Friday ... flying back home Tuesday from SL, so 3 full days/4 nights to work with.

Priorities/initial thoughts are:

-don't want to over shoot on what's reasonable to do / see in 3 full days (aka-5ish hour drive probably the furthest I want to get from SLC)

-haven't been to grand Teton or Yellowstone; both are high on the list and borderline close enough to maybe spend 2 of the 4 nights, but feel like that's a whole other future-trip that's more like a week? Open to thoughts there, but over riding goal of this trip = crossing Idaho off the list

- in terms of lodging - air Bb/cabin/hotel for this one as opposed to camping

Best use of my 4 nights / 3 days? Thanks in advance !

-
CDub06
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I'm not sure what your specific interests are, so I'll give you a few thoughts

There's not a ton in SE Idaho in my experience. If you're gonna do the Tetons, I'd mark that and Jackson as the main destinations and just check Idaho off the list on the way. My favorite cookies I've ever had are in Pocatello at "The Cookie Place" though.

If you'd like to go a different direction, Sun Valley is a nice destination. Ketchum is a nice resort town, that has plenty to do in the summer. Good restaurants, laid back town, and outdoor activities year round. Plenty of Airbnb properties to choose from. Craters of the Moon is a worthy stop on the way for an hour or two as well.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Boise. I'd move there in a minute. It's not a direct flight, but SWA flies there. It's such an outdoor town. They also have a nice downtown area with a good selection of quality eats and bars. It's the hub of the state, so you also get the museums and cultural stuff as well as the university.
mpl35
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CDub06 said:

I'm not sure what your specific interests are, so I'll give you a few thoughts

There's not a ton in SE Idaho in my experience. If you're gonna do the Tetons, I'd mark that and Jackson as the main destinations and just check Idaho off the list on the way. My favorite cookies I've ever had are in Pocatello at "The Cookie Place" though.

If you'd like to go a different direction, Sun Valley is a nice destination. Ketchum is a nice resort town, that has plenty to do in the summer. Good restaurants, laid back town, and outdoor activities year round. Plenty of Airbnb properties to choose from. Craters of the Moon is a worthy stop on the way for an hour or two as well.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Boise. I'd move there in a minute. It's not a direct flight, but SWA flies there. It's such an outdoor town. They also have a nice downtown area with a good selection of quality eats and bars. It's the hub of the state, so you also get the museums and cultural stuff as well as the university.


Love Boise. Most of the rest of Southern Idaho is meh. Twin falls are ok. Jackson and Yellowstone rock.
TexasAggie008
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Thanks for the replies! If the only "5 stars" are in WY, i'm good with checking Idaho off list via driving.....and maybe doubling back to Boise/northern ID on another trip.



Biggest question - While Jackson/Tetons and Yellowstone look relatively close on a map....for 4 night trip, should i just stick with the former? Yellowstone is 1.5-2 hours north of Jackson per Gmaps?
mpl35
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They aren't close. I Mean getting from Jackson to the southern edge of Yellowstone is easy. But getting into and around Yellowstone takes much more time. I spent hours driving To and from Jackson to YNP each day. I mean we made it work but that was a ton of car hours. If you really want to be up early for wildlife in the park, staying inside is best.
CanyonAg77
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Tetons/Yellowstone are worthy of their own trip, of at least 3-5 days. But if you're really gung ho you can hit the highlights in two days. We stayed in Driggs, Idaho, which is a ski town, thus, really cheap in summer. There's an airplane museum there, which we missed, not knowing about it. You can drive from there north to West Yellowstone, or south through Jackson.

The north route shows you some really neat views of the west side of the Tetons. Also, that time of year, they are planting potatoes, so if you're interested in some different agriculture, check it out.

We found Craters of the Moon fascinating, but probably no more than a day. On the way there, you can go by Arco, and see the first nuclear generating plant.

There are some Oregon trail ruts/swales near Idaho Falls.
CanyonAg77
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Also, here's some of my photos and comments from a Yellowstone/Idaho trip seven years ago.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2314784
CDub06
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You don't have enough time to do Yellowstone. If you choose to do the Tetons, stop there. You'll be pressed on time as it is. Your self-imposed 5 hour travel limit gets you to Jackson, which is still a lot of driving. You wouldn't want to rush through Yellowstone.

Keep in mind that some of the trails in the area will still be under snow. It's a great time to visit though because it's early in the season and the crowds are smaller.
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