A couple weeks ago my husband and I went up to Boise State University to visit our niece Ally for the weekend. My husband and I never gave much thought on visiting Boise, Idaho until Ally got accepted there. Our first time visiting with her, we didn’t know what to expect.
Our first-time visiting was two years ago and it was great. Way better than expected. We had no clue where the best places to eat were or the neat places the town has to offer. This first trip we explored much of the downtown to see what it was all about. We went to some amazing eating places such as Bittercreek Alehouse, Fork, Boise Fry, and Eureka. The food in downtown Boise is absolutely wonderful. Bitter Creek is always crowed but the food is worth the wait. Fork is on the pricier side but has delicious sandwiches, fish, and steak. Boise Fry has many different burgers and fries to choose from. Once you get your burger and fries you have the option of choosing from 13 different seasonings and many different sauces to add to your entrée. Eureka has a wide variety from high-end sandwiches, burgers, steak, and tacos. All places I would recommend!
Our second visit to Boise was when my niece was ready to start college and move into her dorm. My husband and I were excited to visit Boise again! This time we wanted to explore even more. While her parents were busy moving her in, we had some free time and visited the Old Idaho Penitentiary. If you are ever in Boise I highly suggest visiting! This Penitentiary closed down December of 1973. The prison was built in 1872 so it was open for just over a hundred years. With 100 years of history, there are many interesting stories to be told. Going on a guided tour was helpful because they gave us insight on wild stories that did not make it on the walls with all the information. It is crazy to see how prisoners use to live compared to now. For solitary confinement, 5 prisoners use to be trapped in a small room with no windows, bed, or restroom and were only allowed to shower once a week. There is an abundant amount of history to be learned about at the penitentiary! After we visited the penitentiary, we wanted to try new parts of Boise since we saw almost all of the downtown last time. We found an area called Hyde Park. Hyde Park is located in this cute neighborhood that has a strip of delicious restaurants. They have an assortment from Mexican, steak house, pizza place, and ice cream shop! I highly recommend every place. Something as simple as a pizza was made so well. From fine dining to casual, Hyde Park has it all! It is a short five-minute drive from downtown so you do not get all traffic and lines for restaurants. 
On our most recent visit to Boise, we spent our time riding bikes along the greenbelt, fishing in the river, and going to a Boise State football game! The Boise greenbelt goes for 25 miles along the river with beautiful homes and restaurants to see. We loved to go for a morning bike ride then stop for a place to eat along the river. The atmosphere is very nice and the people are friendly. My husband bought a $25 fishing pole from Fred Myers that he could take apart to fit in a backpack. He would bring his fishing pole so we would stop in different spots along the river. There are plenty of little beaches along the 25 mile stretch so you can always find the perfect fishing spot. He ended up catching two rainbow trout! Lastly, we went to the Boise State football game! People have tailgates in the parking lot which are fun to go to and the team spirit is great. Everywhere you go you will people in their Boise state attire on game day.
Boise is a place that I plan on visiting even after Ally graduates. From the people to the restaurants to the outdoor activities, Boise has something for everyone. I love to take pictures and attach them to a Penless postcard! My family and I always have a fun time doing this because we like to be creative with it. Sometimes we will take many pictures then combine all the pictures into a video and put it on the postcard!  As always, I can’t wait to visit next!
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