After my Caribbean cruise in January, I came home with the usual collection of photos, memories, and probably a few extra pounds. I also came home with a new addition to my bucket list:
Visit all 50 U.S. states.
Fortunately, I wasn’t exactly starting from zero. I had already made it to 24 states, which meant I only had 26 left to go. Still a lot of ground to cover, but definitely doable—especially when you start looking at long weekends as opportunities to knock another state off the list.
And when you live in Arizona, summer is a particularly good time to start looking for somewhere else to be.
The Search for State #25
In June, as Arizona began its annual transformation into the surface of the sun, I started researching some of the states I still needed to visit. Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, and a few others made the shortlist.
I set up some Google Flights trackers and started watching prices.
The fares weren’t terrible, but they were just expensive enough that I couldn’t convince myself to pull the trigger. Instead, I started filling my summer weekends with other trips and activities and pushed the out-of-state adventures to the back burner.
Then, in late July, Google Flights sent me an email.
One of the flights I had been watching had dropped by more than $75.
Suddenly, Boise was within my completely arbitrary definition of an acceptable airfare.
Booked.
Idaho was about to become state #25.
Now I just needed somewhere to sleep and something to do once I got there.
After my usual ritual of looking through far too many hotels and reading far too many reviews, I settled on the strangely named Safari Inn Downtown Boise. The important part wasn’t the name—it was the location. I’d be within walking distance of restaurants, bars, sightseeing, and much of downtown Boise.
A little research through the Boise tourism website and Chase Ultimate Rewards helped fill in the itinerary. I booked a couple of activities while deliberately leaving enough empty space for spontaneous wandering.
The trip was planned.
Now came the worst part.
Waiting.
Friday, August 23, 2019 — Off to Boise
Travel day finally arrived.
I checked in through the airline’s mobile app and immediately noticed something missing from my boarding pass:
TSA PreCheck.
I had recently received Global Entry and TSA PreCheck and had already added my Known Traveler Number to my account—or at least I thought I had.
I logged back in, entered it again, and hoped for the best.
Since I wasn’t sure whether PreCheck had actually worked, I took an Uber to Phoenix Sky Harbor and arrived my customary two hours early. I checked my suitcase outside, paid the baggage fee, and received a printed boarding pass.
There it was.
TSA PreCheck.
Success.
And for my first real experience using it, I was impressed. No removing my shoes. No taking off my belt. No unpacking half my carry-on into plastic bins.
Five minutes later, I was through security.
This was going to change the way I traveled.
Unfortunately, my Priority Pass lounge was closed for renovations, meaning my glamorous airport breakfast became…
Wendy’s.
You win some, you lose some.
Eventually, I boarded my flight and headed north toward Boise.
First Impressions of Boise
Landing in Boise surprised me almost immediately.
Everything was green.
After spending years in Arizona, Boise’s trees, grass, and vegetation reminded me a little of my native Ohio—except someone had added mountains to the background.
I collected my suitcase, grabbed an Uber, and within about 15 minutes I was downtown.
I arrived at the Safari Inn shortly before 2:00 p.m., about an hour before official check-in. My usual strategy when arriving early is simple: ask nicely if the room is available. If it isn’t, ask them to hold my suitcase and go exploring.
This time I got lucky.
My room was ready.
The hotel wasn’t fancy and some people probably would have considered it dated, but I don’t need luxury on trips like this. My priorities are pretty straightforward: clean, safe, comfortable, and preferably somewhere I can walk from.
It checked all the boxes.
I dropped off my suitcase and headed outside.
It was around 78 degrees.
In August.
Coming from Arizona, this alone made Boise feel magical.
The Idaho State Capitol
I pulled up Google Maps and discovered that the Idaho State Capitol was only about half a mile away.
Perfect.
The Capitol turned out to be one of my favorite surprises of the trip. The beautifully maintained building sits among green lawns, manicured trees, bushes, and colorful flower beds.
The exterior is constructed largely from locally sourced sandstone, while the interior features an impressive amount of marble.
Rather than schedule a formal tour, I wandered around on my own with my camera.
And, of course, I eventually found the gift shop.
One Boise magnet later, the souvenir requirement for the trip was officially complete.
I spent a while photographing the Capitol and wandering around downtown before returning to the hotel for a quick refresh.
Because my first real Boise activity was about to begin.
Boise Booze + Bites
That evening, I headed downtown for a Booze + Bites Tour.
I arrived at the meeting point outside The Mode Lounge and met my guide, Michael.
Then I discovered something unexpected.
I was the only person who had booked the tour.
Instead of a group food tour, I had somehow ended up with my own private guide to Boise’s food, cocktails, and culture.
I wasn’t complaining.
We started at The Mode Lounge with a cocktail and some snacks before moving on to Mai Thai Restaurant for another cocktail and sushi. From there we visited Flatbread Neapolitan Pizzeria before finishing the evening at The STIL.
Along the way, Michael gave me plenty of recommendations for places to explore during the rest of my weekend—including Boise’s Greenbelt.
Somewhere in my downtown wandering, I also found Freak Alley Gallery, a collection of murals and street art that added another unexpected layer to the city.
By the end of the evening, however, my body reminded me of one important fact:
I’d been awake for nearly 24 hours.
Adventure temporarily surrendered to sleep.
Saturday — Trolleys, Bacon, and the Greenbelt
After a good night’s sleep, I was ready to get back at it.
First, breakfast.
And when you find a restaurant called Bacon, you’re almost obligated to investigate.
Apparently, much of Boise had reached the same conclusion because the place was packed. Fortunately, the breakfast lived up to the name and provided enough fuel for another day of exploring.
From there, I walked across Boise toward my next scheduled activity: a Boise Trolley Tour.
Naturally, I arrived early.
Since Joe’s Crab Shack was nearby, I killed some time with a drink and snack before boarding the trolley.
The tour provided a great overview of Boise and helped fill in some of the history behind the places I’d been walking past since arriving. Sometimes wandering around a city is the best way to experience it, but getting a little context makes the wandering much more interesting.
Afterward, I decided to follow Michael’s recommendation from the previous night.
It was time for the Boise River Greenbelt.
Discovering the Greenbelt
The Greenbelt quickly became one of my favorite parts of Boise.
After living in the desert for years, there was something refreshing about walking alongside the river surrounded by trees and greenery. I didn’t have much of an agenda. I simply followed the paths, stopped for photos, watched people enjoying the outdoors, and kept exploring.
Eventually, I made my way back downtown, stopped at my hotel to regroup, and then wandered next door to the Atlas Bar.
One of the benefits of staying downtown became increasingly obvious: I didn’t need a car.
I could simply walk outside and see where the day—or night—took me.
Sunday — More Wandering, More Food, More Drinks
Sunday started with another important travel tradition:
Donuts.
I stopped at Guru Donuts for breakfast before heading back toward the Greenbelt and its surrounding walking trails.
By this point, Boise had become the kind of city I enjoy visiting most. I wasn’t rushing from one attraction to another trying to complete some massive checklist. I had a few destinations in mind, but mostly I was walking, photographing, eating, drinking, and seeing what I stumbled across.
Eventually, my wandering brought me to the Boise Art Museum, adding a little culture to a weekend that had already included cocktails, cider, murals, pizza, and donuts.
Balance.
Later, I stopped at Meriwether Cider House for a flight of cider before heading to 10 Barrel Brewing for lunch.
And because apparently I had established a Boise routine by this point, I eventually found myself back at Atlas Bar.
It was my last full day in Idaho, and I had settled comfortably into the rhythm of the city.
But there was still one ridiculously touristy thing I needed to do.
Monday — I Had to See the Blue Turf
My flight back to Phoenix wasn’t until later, but I got up early because one final item remained on my Boise list.
The blue turf.
You can’t visit Boise and not at least be curious about Boise State’s famous blue football field.
Unfortunately, the only way I could see it during the offseason was through the Boise State Hall of Fame, which hadn’t been open over the weekend.
Monday morning?
Game on.
I made the walk over to Boise State, finally got my look at that unmistakable blue field, and took the required photographic evidence.
Tourist mission accomplished.
With that, my Boise checklist was officially complete.
I walked back to the hotel, packed everything up, summoned an Uber, and headed for the airport.
The flight back to Phoenix was wonderfully uneventful.
And just like that, my first trip specifically inspired by my new 50-state goal was complete.
Final Thoughts: 25 Down, 25 to Go
Boise wasn’t originally some massive bucket-list destination for me.
And that’s exactly why I enjoyed it.
The trip started because of a cheap-flight notification and my desire to check another state off a list. What I found was a city that was easy to explore, surprisingly green, filled with good food and drinks, and surrounded by enough outdoor space to keep my camera busy.
I toured the Idaho State Capitol. I ate and drank my way through downtown. I wandered Freak Alley. I explored miles of the Greenbelt. I visited the art museum. I sampled local cider and beer. I rode around town on a trolley. And yes, I woke up early on my final morning just to take pictures of a blue football field.
Most importantly, I proved something to myself about this whole 50-state idea.
Not every state needed to become a massive vacation.
Sometimes all I needed was a plane ticket, a reasonably priced hotel, a few activities, comfortable walking shoes, and a long weekend.
I arrived in Boise with 24 states behind me.
I flew home with 25.
Halfway there.
25 states down. 25 states to go.
Now I just needed Google Flights to send me another email.
