Our Favorite Places in Boise & Surrounding Areas to Eat, Drink, Play, and Relax!

Jan 23

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We live in a suburb about 15 miles outside of Boise city limits, and we love exploring all around the Treasure Valley! This area has grown exponentially in the past few years, so if visiting Idaho is on your radar then I’ve rounded up my family’s favorite coffee shops, restaurants, bars, outdoor recreation spots, annual events and things you can’t miss!

My husband is born and raised in Idaho, and my parents and I have lived here for 8 years. We all love going out to eat and prefer local or unique spots over chains! So everything I include in my list of recommended spots is going to be local, and I’m going beyond what you’ll find on the front page of TripAdvisor or Google. Hope you find some hidden gems to enjoy here!

Boise-Area Coffee Shops

  • Flying M Coffee Garage in Nampa: The downtown Boise location is great too, but I like the “garage” aspect of the Nampa one which also has more outdoor seating options on nice weather days!
  • Coffee & Supply Co. in Eagle: This bright coffee shop has lots of local merch you can purchase alongside your cafe items. It’s menu seems to have more unique concoctions than your average coffee stand.
  • Rembrandts in Eagle: What’s fun about this one is that it’s in a renovated white church. It recently had a redesign and is now more of a full restaurant, but there is still a coffee bar you can sit at.
  • Big City Coffee in downtown Boise: You come for the coffee but you stay for the big a*$ scones. The bakery goods in this cafe are HUGE! Such generous portions, and it’s “family style” seating so you’ll most likely find yourself at a table with other total strangers. But – you’re in Boise, so they’re most likely very friendly ;)
  • Hyde Perk in Boise: This coffee shop is in a very posh and desirable neighborhood called The North End. You can grab your drink and walk around the cute houses and shady streets, or head up over to Camel’s Back park!

Favorite Restaurants in Boise (and surrounding towns)

  • Italianesque in Nampa: Our favorite Italian restaurant in the Treasure Valley. Everything is house-made and fresh.
  • Fujiyama Sushi in Meridian: This has become my favorite sushi in the valley, and I looove sushi. Their menu is HUGE, although all the rolls start to sound the same after 40+ of them. Really great quality food and service, but know that the restaurant itself is a little funky since it’s in an old diner! We usually get take-out. (When I gave birth to my daughter, this is where we ordered take-out for my first sushi in 9 months and it was heavenly.)
  • Matador in downtown Boise or Meridian: This is a Mexican restaurant with two locations. When it comes to authentic Mexican food….you have to remember that you’re in Idaho. Haha. But this is pretty dang good, and they have great margaritas!
  • Coa de Jima in downtown Boise: Funky, eclectic, bougie. I celebrated my birthday dinner here in 2023 with surf & turf. This would be for a nicer/fancier dinner out and there is plenty to look at with their unique interior decor!
  • Mesa Tacos in Nampa: Probably one of our most-visited restaurants since living here. Who doesn’t like tacos? I like that you order your tacos a la’ carte so you can try 3+ different flavors and they come filled to the brim!
  • Tower Grill in Nampa: A special little restaurant to us because it’s where Zeb proposed and they catered our wedding dinner. It’s open to the public but it’s located in the Nampa Airport. Don’t let the bland building fool you, the food is excellent.
  • Crave Kitchen & Bar in Eagle: This is a really fun spot for a birthday or girls night. I’ve celebrated both here, and the atmosphere is perfect. They have a GIANT 6-layer cake with different flavors on every layer that’s really fun to share for special occasions!
  • Bardenay in Eagle or downtown Boise: Fun fact: This is the first distillery in the U.S.! The Boise location is in the Basque Block, which a Spanish culture and community. The Eagle location is right on the greenbelt and Boise river, so both are equally great!

Favorite Bars in Boise (and surrounding towns)

  • Payette Brewery in downtown Boise: I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Payette! It’s super dog-friendly and kid-friendly, and the best part is how close it is to the Boise greenbelt. There’s a big turf outdoor seating area so this is a favorite spring-fall meet-up spot.
  • Heritage Hop Haus in downtown Meridian: We started going here when we were first dating because they have fun weekly trivia nights. I’m not a beer drinker, but they have about 40 different beers on tap to try or make your own flights out of. It’s in the basement of a building and it’s just a really fun bar on Main St. in Meridian with a little sushi restaurant upstairs.
  • Craft Lounge in Nampa or Caldwell: A speakeasy! They now have two locations, though the Nampa one is more of a speakeasy and the Caldwell one is more of a classy bar. They take mixology very seriously and have really moody atmospheres.
  • Bodovino in downtown Boise or Meridian: This is a wine bar with a unique vending-machine style concept. You pre-load a Bodovino gift car, and use it to self-pour at each of the wine bottle stations. You can select 1 oz., 3 oz., or 5 oz. pour from the machine. So you can create your own little tasting of whatever wines you want to try! It’s super fun and interactive. Plus low-risk if you don’t end up liking some of the wines you tried.
  • Yard Arm in Boise: This is a summer-only outdoor bar in a shipping container that’s been cut in half to form a bar! This is right off the greenbelt, so we usually do a long bike ride and make this a stop at the end (or middle). It’s got a beachy theme set-up & a food truck.
  • Sand Bar in Boise: Just a couple paces down from the Yarm Arm, mentioned above. This is also a greenbelt stopping point, but this also has a full food menu as well as live music on the weekends. We like to pick one of these spots for outdoor summer weekends next to the Boise river!
  • Sunnyslope Winery Trail: I can’t not mention the winery area in Caldwell which has rolling hills and about 20 different wineries. There are a few different companies that do winery tours, which is what we’ve done for my bachelorette party and one Mother’s Day. My favorite wineries to visit are Sawtooth, Williamson & Koenig. However St. Chapelle is really popular because of its picturesque gazebo.

Favorite Recreation Activities:

  • Hiking and biking trails at Avimor: This is just outside of Eagle, Idaho and encompasses a new subdivision development but also access to some great hiking trails in the hills with lots of wildlife and wildflowers! We specifically hike the Spring Creek Trail.
  • Walking the greenbelt at any part of it’s 44-mile stretch: we like to park at Ann Morrison Park in Boise because it has instant access to the greenbelt, plus public restrooms, park area and a splash pad for littles. It’s also walking distance to Payette Brewery if you want a cold one after your exercise!
  • Check out Freak Alley in downtown Boise: You can’t walk around downtown Boise without walking through Freak Alley between 8th Street and Bannock. It’s local graffiti art that periodically changes!
  • Hiking Stack Rock near Bogus Basin: This is one of my favorite local hikes we’ve done, but I wouldn’t call it a beginner trail. It’s about 9-10 miles roundtrip, so pack a lunch to have at the top. It’s beautiful from start to finish and well-shaded, with a really cool rock tower at the finish!
  • Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster: I wrote a blog post about this when I was doing my “30 Things To Do Before Turning 30” bucket list, but Bogus Basin Ski Area has a ton of fun activities to do in the summertime. Including this mountain coaster that’s speed is entirely in your control!
  • Kleiner Park in Meridian: this is one of my favorite parks because of the convenient parking, and the ability to walk across the street to coffee, shops, and restaurants. It has a disc golf course and some ponds for fishing.
  • Pickle Ball at Settler’s Park: This is becoming my new favorite park as I have a toddler, because of their awesome splash pad and playground area. It’s got a large walking path but they also just recently put in several pickle ball courts.

Favorite Annual Events in the Area:

  • County Fairs: Both the Western Idaho Fair in Boise and the Canyon County Fair in Caldwell are annual events for us, specifically because of the concerts! We aren’t big fair food or ride people, but we definitely love the country and rock bands that are included in admission.
  • Jackson Country Stomp Concert: I don’t think I’ve missed a Jackson Country Stomp since I’ve lived here! It’s an outdoor country concert with 4 different performers that are usually all great artists you’ve definitely heard on the radio.
  • Stampede Rodeo: This is a big indoor rodeo at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa that goes on for a full week. Each night is themed! I like to get there early and watch the mutton busting, which is little kids lasso-ing sheep. Some of them are as young as 4 years old!
  • Caldwell Night Rodeo: Another annual rodeo, but this one is outdoors. We go every year!
  • Warbird Round-up Airshow: In Nampa airport, next to the Tower Grill that I mentioned in the Restaurants section, there’s a WW2 aviation history museum called the Warhawk Air Museum. They host an annual air show that brings in WW2 planes, and the museum team dresses in 1940’s outfits. They play music from that time period, usually have a speaker, and the best part is that my husband is usually one of the pilots in the air show!
  • Hyde Park Street Fair: I mentioned Hyde Perk in my coffee section, but this is a really pretty and historic neighborhood in Boise called The North End. The little row of restaurants and shops is really quaint and charming, the houses are iconic in this area, and there’s a popular park that backs up to the foothills. The annual fair brings thousands of people for different art vendors, live music, performances. (Parking is a pain!)
  • Spirit of Boise: this is a really fun event if you’re in town, but I wouldn’t plan your trip around it. Many of the years that we have gone to spectate the giant hot air balloons all ascending at the same time, the event was cancelled last minute due to weather. But if mother nature cooperates, it is very lively and super popular!
  • Snow Tubing at Eagle Island State Park: Eagle Island is a large park that’s open all year long with a pond for fishing, little “beach” for kids, and a disc golf course. We’ve had our professional family photos taken here many times! However in the winter, they bring in snow and create a giant slide with inner tube rentals. It’s a ton of fun!
  • Lowe Family Farmstead Fall Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch: This is a fall season staple! It’s got really elaborate corn mazes, and tons of fall festival outdoor activities. We’ve always gone even before we had a kid of our own!
  • Spring on the Farm: this is springtime event for those of you with kids at the same Lowe Family Farmstead location as above. It’s open for a short window in the springtime when the farm animals’ babies all arrive. Part of it is open for petting, like the chicks and goats and lambs. There are long-horns and calves, though they are just for viewing and not petting. There are food vendors, games like corn hole, and tractor wagon rides. Super cute for little ones!
  • Christmas time at Indian Creek Plaza in Caldwell: there is an ice skating rink, live music on weekends, but my favorite part is the elaborately decorated pathway along the Indian Creek with lit tunnels and Christmas decorations.

Favorite Places Within 2 Hours

These all require a little drive outside of the Treasure Valley, but are worth it to enjoy more scenic parts of Idaho!

  • The Springs – Hot Springs: There are many hot springs around Idaho. Some are more remote and rural, which might be more your vibe. But I don’t like the risk of driving all the way out and having them already be full. The Springs in Idaho City, about 30 minutes outside of Boise, take reservations and even have private spring pools. Plus you can order food and drinks!
  • Shoshone Falls: This is two hours away from Boise and nicknamed “Niagra Falls of the West.” We like to bring a picnic here and enjoy the peacefulness of this majestic view!
  • Lake Cascade for water activities or camping: Lake Cascade is about 2 hours north of Boise and has tons of campgrounds around the perimeter. I suggest making reservations online. You get to enjoy the beauty of nature, but have the cute town with local restaurants and the Tamarack Resort really close by!
  • Zip Lining in Horseshoe Bend: I took Zeb here for one of his birthdays, and it’s such a fun half-day activity. It’s about 30-45 minutes out of Boise which takes you up into some mountains and forest.
  • Winter Carnival in McCall: McCall is a mountain resort town 2 hours north of Boise and we love visiting in the summer, especially! Lake activities, lots of hiking, camping, great restaurants. However in the winter, it becomes a wonderland and hosts an annual week-long carnival. One of the unique aspects of it are the giant ice sculptures all throughout the town. You can grab a map of the sculpture locations online and make a day of checking out each one of the 20+ frozen art pieces! We loved this! 
  • Huckleberry Festival in Donnelly: Another small town just before Cascade and McCall, this small mountain town hosts a really cute festival around the beloved huckleberries in the summer. I’ve run the 5k race a couple times. Each time, I placed 1st for women and won homemade huckleberry pies! There’s a parade & lots of huckleberry treats.
  • Bruneau Sand Dunes: This is an Idaho State Park near the Mountain Home Air Force Base, about 45 minutes south of Boise. The natural sand dunes are the tallest in North America! You can rent sleds and play in the sand. It’s a good workout to hike up them too!

That wraps up this list of my local favorites! I can easily do another one because there are hundreds of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and activities in the Boise area. But I don’t want to overwhelm you and I want to start with the ones we gravitate towards the most!

IDAHO-AREA VLOGS

In case you didn’t know, I have a small YouTube channel that I share videos from family travels or events. I can’t wait for my kids to be able to go back and watch them one day! Here are a few from local Idaho events or getaways, if you are interested!

Camping in McCall, Idaho

Cabin Getaway to Redfish Lake/Lowman, Idaho

Fall Weekend in North End Boise

Let me know if there’s any other Boise area topics you want me to cover. Hope you enjoyed and let me know if you try out any of these gems!

P.S. I love keeping my blog ad-free so that you can enjoy a clutter-free reading experience! If you’d like to support my blog, please consider grabbing a Strong Like My Coffee mug from my small online boutique. Each mug is handmade by me in Idaho, includes the wooden topper & gold spoon, and ships within 5 business days. :)

SHOP HERE

XOXO Kenz

Posted in Coffee, Idaho, Pilot Wife, Travel & Vacations

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Best Gifts For Pilots, Flight Attendants, & Aviation Enthusiasts

Jan 9

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If you have a pilot or aviation fan in your life, you know how consuming of a hobby it can be for them. 😅 My husband is a commercial airline pilot, but also enjoys general recreational flying (especially in the backcountry of Idaho) and can appreciate anything having to do with flight. Since it’s such a big part of their personality and interests, it’s fun to try to find aviation-themed gifts for special occasions! But after six years of shopping for my pilot, I’ve learned that the options for (good) flight-themed gifts are a little limited.

I’m rounding up the best gifts I’ve found for pilots, flight attendants, and aviation lovers and I’m starting off with a fun little surprise!

Strong Like My Coffee’s First Merch Items!

The first time our daughter Brynnley flew on a commercial airplane was really special, particularly for Zeb. As the captain of the flight, he obviously had great pride in being able to fly his baby girl (and wife!). He even made an overhead announcement letting the passengers know that his daughter was on board, and apologized in advanced if they heard any crying 😁 She was just 4-months old.

To make the day more special, we had gone on Etsy to find Brynnley a cute onesie to wear. There weren’t too many options, but Zeb picked out the one she is wearing in this photo. It says “Pack my diapers! I’m going flying with dad!”

Zeb and I have both ordered our fair-share of aviation shirts and onesies from Etsy. It’s fun to commemorate the unique lifestyle with some novel items. I thought of the phrase “honorary crew member” and wished I could find a onesie with that saying, but I couldn’t. I call myself an “honorary Gilmore girl” and these two phrases have always stuck in my head when I’ve thought about what items I would make with my new Cricut machine. Well………

Now I have! And I’ve made custom luggage tags as well! If there are any other aviation families out there that also like cute airplane-themed onesies or shirts, these items are now available for purchase as Strong Like My Coffee’s very first merchandise products. They are linked below using the Shopify platform for secure and easy check-out.

I am starting small with my collection of items for sale until I learn how much of an interest there is from this community. But I hope to add several more unique items in the future! (And if you’re a fellow pilot wife, let me know in the comments!)

Check out the Strong Like My Coffee Shop Here

Like I said, my “shop” collection will eventually grow but I am starting out small with two products that I really wanted myself! Families of pilots and flight attendants know what a unique lifestyle it can be always having your loved one traveling back and forth all over the country or world. As their support system through all of the “turbulence”, you really are an honorary member of their crew! 💗

Gift Guide for Pilots, Flight Attendants, and Aviation Lovers

The list I compiled contains 15 different items ranging from $4 to $130. Whether they’re cruising the skies for a living or just passionate about flying, I’ve got a list of gifts that will have them doing barrel rolls of joy. Then I made a separate little section specifically for aviation stickers & children’s books, if you’re shopping for any littles of pilots! Let’s get to it!

Gift Ideas for Pilots & Aviation Lovers

I hope this list helped you find something that you’re excited to gift! I also have quite a few aviation-themed stickers and books that we’ve found and purchased over the years. I know these aren’t for everybody, so I’m separating them into their own section:

The Best Aviation-Themed Stickers & Childrens Books:

Obviously this is not a comprehensive list of ALL the best airplane children’s books out there, just the few that I have found and love and wanted to share! If you’re interested in this type of content, I’m happy to make more about the fun aviation-themed baby and toddler toys we’ve accumulated over Brynnley’s life so far :)

Thanks for reading, I hope this was helpful for you! And if you’re interested in my Honorary Crew Member baby onesies or luggage tags, or just want to sign up for emails when new products are added to my Strong Like My Coffee shop, check out my store here!

Shop Strong Like My Coffee

XOXO, Kenz

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2023 Recap✨

Dec 30

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At the beginning of this year, I had a 10-month old baby girl who wasn’t yet able to walk and had one singular word in her vocabulary on repeat: BABY. Everything was “baby” until she learned her second word….”Boppy” (puppy) and then anything that resembled a living creature was “boppy” for what seemed like weeks.

It’s hard to imagine that was only 12 months ago, when now I have a toddler who RUNS through the house and has such a large vocabulary that we stopped keeping count of her words. She can spell her name: B-R-Y-N-N-L-E-Y. She counts to 15, rattles off colors and basic shapes, and loves any books that have to do with animals. Life with Brynnley evolves so quickly; just look at these photos taken in January 2023 and November 2023:

Another big change this year was my job! Once I had Brynnley in February 2022, I knew that my first job would be staying home with her but I didn’t feel like I needed to completely give up my corporate position for our leading Idaho healthcare system since I worked remotely and had some flexibility. I transitioned to part-time, working Mondays and Wednesdays but still always craved a role that required some more creativity and marketing skills that I went to school for.

In January, a social media influencer that I’d followed for a few years posted about hiring a Blog Manager. She specifically hires other moms, and the hours would be part-time and flexible so that parenting could still come first. It seemed too good to be true, so I submitted the required 3-minute video and was given my first interview the first week of January! I had two more video interviews after that, was offered the position, and started the next week. I would be writing original content for two separate blogs, and well as all copy-writing for sales and marketing materials, emails, product descriptions, and some social media captions. I’d be managing the Google SEO analytics and Pinterest accounts, working alongside the rest of the remote team of 8 fellow women!

For the first five months, I did not quit my St. Luke’s job. I worked 16 hours per week for St. Luke’s plus 20 hours per week as blog manager, with Brynnley by my side for most of it (except Monday’s when she goes to my mom’s house!) and a husband that was gone 4-5 days per week. Obviously that was not sustainable long-term, and my blog manager position was better for me all around – it built upon the marketing skills I already had while also teaching me so much MORE about basic graphic design, branding, SEO, social media content planning and strategy, email campaigns, and more. Every week I get to write blog posts for an established audience of a few hundred thousand people, and in the Fall I took on an additional role to assist the Director of Growth and oversee our brand’s social media accounts. I’m learning so much still and loving it!

Favorite Moments

Brynnley’s 1st Birthday: Her “My First Rodeo” themed party at our home was a fun way to celebrate her first 365 days (and she really did attend her first live rodeo later that summer!).

St. Lucia Vacation: I’d been counting down to another Caribbean getaway since we left our honeymoon, and the island of St. Lucia was so gorgeous. Snorkeling at the base of the Pitons and then boating back to the resort at sunset was unforgettable!

Summer Splash Pads: I had no idea what a hit splash pads were until I had a toddler of my own, and watching her run through the little water features at our local parks never got old!

New Car: The last time I bought a car was my senior year of college. I traded that Rav4 in for my new three-row “mom car” this summer and I love my new Palisade! Going from bare basics to the new technology and luxuries is still something I’m not used to; I probably don’t take advantage of the majority of things it’s capable of, but I do LOVE having heated seats and steering wheel right now in Idaho winter!

Red Fish Lake, Idaho: We had a family getaway to a cabin in Lowman, Idaho in the fall and we visited Red Fish Lake for the first time. It’s one of the clearest lakes you’ll ever see, with bright blue and turquoise water. It was AMAZING and we definitely want to go back for a full camping trip next year!

Chicago Girls Trip with Kerr: I didn’t blog about this but I should have. Kerri and I have been visiting each other annually since we graduated college, and this year we decided to meet somewhere for a long girls weekend. We picked Chicago because it had a direct flight from Boise for me and it was about a 4 hour drive for her. We stayed in a really pretty hotel right on the river in downtown, and spent three days walking every where we could. We had the best time and I loved the city! We did a river boat “architectural tour”, had a couple of happy hours at rooftop bars with great views, walked around all of the tourist spots (unfortunately the Bean was closed for construction), and just chatted nonstop. Can’t wait to see where we go next year :)

Favorite Reads

One thing I’m proud of in 2023 is my book count! I use a free app on my phone to keep track of all the books I finish each year – both physical books and audiobooks. I like to challenge myself to continually read more each year than the last, but I always seem to fall somewhere between 30-32 books.

This year I’m ending at 42! With a toddler, and working nearly full-time, I’m satisfied with that number. I can’t possibly come up with a single favorite book, but there were definitely some stand-outs that topped my list. I like rom-com style fiction, or thriller/mystery/drama fiction. I like when I can’t predict a twist or an ending, and I’d highly recommend these picks:

  • The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hildebrand: I purchased this as a gift for more than one person this year after falling in love with it myself. It’s like a mental escape into a dramatic, funny girls weekend we all wish we were a part of.
  • Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes: This was an audio book that I listened to in my car one weekend when I drove down to Salt Lake City and back (five hours each way). It kept me thoroughly entertained and even laughing out loud at some points! The British humor and well-rounded storyline make it stand out as one of the most memorable of the year.
  • Look Closer by David Ellis: This was the Halloween read for my monthly book club, and it was the perfect pick! A mystery thriller with many twists that none of us in the book club saw coming. The story bounces back and forth between the perspective of 4 different characters, each one continuing to surprise you throughout the read. If you want an ending you didn’t see coming, grab this one.
  • One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid: I’ve loved this author since I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in 2021 and this is my new second favorite book of hers. You can’t help but put yourself in the main characters shoes and try to think what decision you would make in her impossible situation. It was one of those books that I couldn’t stop thinking about for DAYS after I finished reading it.

Looking Ahead

I’m proud of 2023, and knowing that my first and foremost job is to raise and nurture a tiny human makes it easy to feel accomplished. It truly is a passion of mine and something I crave to document, create and share which is why I’ve always liked taking pictures and videos, writing up blog posts, and putting together vlogs. It has nothing to do with professional quality or strategically planned topics – it’s just my way of capturing moments that seem to go by too fast, afraid that my memory won’t catch them all, and wanting my parents and my kids to all be able to enjoy them down the road too.

(Sorry Zeb, this was the best one for the rest of us 😆)

So that’s my main “resolution” for 2024! Along with trying to beat 42 books (hmmm, I might have to give up a few more nights of re-watching Gilmore Girls to make that happen…..), I want to prioritize weekly videos and blog posts with more of the details of our life that make it so special to us.

I have HOURS of video content for FIVE different vlogs that I intended to share over the last year but never spent the time editing. Things like our cabin weekend and trip to Redfish Lake, a recap of our Mexico vacation at Secrets Akumal, a weekend trip down to Oklahoma City to visit some friends, and a little baking afternoon I had with Brynnley. Maybe I’ll get to these over the next few weeks, or maybe I’ll just start fresh with new content as we head into the New Year.

Oh – I’d also like to learn how to use my new Cricut that Zeb gifted me for Chritsmas….and figure out what the heck I want to use it for :D Anyone interested in some matching Strong Like My Coffee mugs or tea towels…..? Haha!

There’s one other very exciting part of 2024 that I’m looking forward to sharing with you in future blog posts, so I’ll leave you with some anticipation!

Happy New Year!

Love, Kenz

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