Set on the beautiful 600-foot-wide falls on the Snake River, Idaho Falls is a charming city with a range of attractions for the whole family. Hikers and bikers can cruise the city along the Greenbelt, a paved trail that runs along the river and passes the city’s downtown, the market, and a waterfall. The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho presents works by renowned and new artists, local and national, while the Museum of Idaho celebrates local history and culture with eclectic exhibits such as an entire re-created 1800s town. Idaho Falls Zoo is one of the best small zoos in the country, with animals from six continents.
Take the kids to ARTitorium on Broadway
Located on Broadway in downtown Idaho Falls, ARTitorium on Broadway is a fun and educational family attraction that offers kids up to the age of 12 a way to experience art and engage their imagination. There are art classes, field trips, and a whole range of interactive, hands-on exhibits.
Address: 271 W Broadway St, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-552-1080
Admire visual arts at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho
The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho was opened in 2002 to promote the visual arts through a range of innovative exhibits that focus on art education. The museum is located along the urban Greenbelt walkway that runs along the Snake River in Idaho Falls.
Address: 300 S Capital Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-524-7777
Visit the unique Collectors Corner Museum
They decided to share their passion and opened the museum in 2003. The Collectors Corner Museum is located in a former grocery store and it can go unnoticed unless you know where to look. Once inside, you will be delighted by the nicely arranged exhibits behind clear glass. There are Precious Moments figurines, coins, Ron Lee clowns, stuffed animals, hubcaps, commemorative plates, troll dolls, model planes, mechanical monkeys, and so much more.
Address: 900 John Adams Pkwy, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, Phone: 208-528-9900
Hike in Hell's Half Acre
Hell's Half Acre lava field is a lava plain located on the Snake River Plain, about 25 miles from Idaho Falls. This huge 2,000-year-old plain of hard lava flow is full of large open cracks, sharp jagged rocks, and other obstacles. The 68,760 acres of the site southeast of the National Natural Landmark has been declared a wilderness study area. If you come in the spring, you will notice clumps of wild flowers, bright green lichens, and mosses, starkly contrasting with the dark volcanic rocks.
Address: Interstate 15, Mile Marker 101 on I-15, Idaho Falls, ID 83221
Learn about animals at Idaho Falls Zoo
For a small zoo, Idaho Falls Zoo has an incredible diversity of animals. More than 330 animals belonging to 120 species from all over the world live in spacious, natural enclosures. There is also a children’s zoo with sheep, pigs, and goats that kids can feed and pet.
Address: 2725 Carnival Way, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-612-8422
Admire a range of exhibits at Idaho Potato Museum
Idaho is famous for its potatoes the world over, so it is natural that there is a potato museum. It is located in the 1913 building that originally housed the Oregon Short Line Railroad Depot. Today, Idaho Potato Museum showcases the history and the importance of the potato industry for the region and the state through a range of exhibits.
Address: 130 NW Main St, Blackfoot, ID 83221, Phone: 208-785-2517
Enjoy the peace at the Japanese Pavilion
The Japanese city of Tokai-Mura is a sister city to Idaho Falls. To celebrate this friendship, the city built the Japanese Friendship Garden on a small island in the middle of the Snake River near Broadway Bridge. The Japanese Pavilion was officially opened to the public in 2016 and is today a wonderful, peaceful oasis, reflecting Japanese gardening and building esthetics and celebrating the friendship between the two cities.
Address: Island in the river at Broadway, Sportsmans Park; the Friendship Garden, Idaho Falls, ID, Phone: 208-881-3569
Learn about local history and culture at the Museum of Idaho
The Museum of Idaho is a great place to learn about Idaho’s history and culture. The exhibits that can be seen in the museum today were collected by the society members and today reflect Idaho’s history and way of life with exhibitions.
Address: 200 N Eastern Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402-4029, Phone: 208-522-1400
Take the kids to see baby calves at Reed's Dairy Inc
Reed's Dairy Inc has been providing milk, cheese, and other dairy products to Idaho Falls and the area since 1955.Kids love playing with the baby calves. You can find all sorts of delicious Reed’s ice creams in their store on Broadway in Idaho Falls, all made the old-fashioned way with nothing added but milk, sugar, fruits, and other delights such as chocolate and peanuts.
Address: 2660 W Broadway St, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-522-0123
Take photos at Snake River Greenbelt
Snake River Greenbelt is a great way to explore Idaho Falls. This joint project between Idaho Falls and the local resident volunteers covers 5 miles along the Snake River and it can be enjoyed by hikers and bikers. The paved trail passes by many local restaurants, shops, and the famous 600-foot-wide waterfall, runs along the farmers’ market and beautiful local private gardens, and provides access to the Idaho Falls Disc Golf Course. In the summer, the city extends the path with a floating bridge to run under Hwy 20, connecting it with the Freeman Park. The Greenbelt is used for the annual Great Snake River Duck Race, organized by the Idaho Falls Rotary Club.
Address: Idaho Falls City Center, Idaho Falls, ID 83402
Taste delicious treats at Carstens' Bakery
Carstens' Bakery has been supplying Idaho Falls’ folks with delicious sweet delights since 1968. It is owned and operated by Willi and Shannon Carstens. Everything is made fresh every day, so come early or they might run out of your favorite goodies. If you need cakes for a party, call a day in advance.
Address: 243 Cliff St, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-529-3629
Rest your sore feet at the Villa Coffeehouse
The Villa Coffeehouse and Cafe in downtown Idaho Falls is where locals hang out to get their favorite cup of java, relax, check their emails, or meet friends. They serve a large range of coffee drinks, classic or fancy, all freshly roasted by another local business, where they create an original house blend for Villa Coffeehouse.
Address: 344 Park Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Phone: 208-524-8882
Visit Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas
There are many ways of exploring Idaho. One of them is on the back of a llama. Not just any llama, but llamas specially bred and trained to carry people and their load on different mountain adventures, exactly as on a horse or a mule. Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas breed pack llamas for rent and for other companies that wish to use them for adventures. They are based in Idaho Falls and everyone who would like to try riding a llama on an adventure has to go through a 45-minute orientation. You learn about llamas, what to expect from them, how to manage them and lead them, how and what to feed them, and about their gear. You can also just come to the llama ranch and pet llamas; they are such charismatic animals.
Address: 9038 E Ririe Hwy, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, Phone: 208-270-7749
Head to the kid-friendly Willard Arts Center
Immerse yourself in spectacular art and culture inside a gorgeous and historic building at the Willard Arts Center. Located in the downtown area, the Willard Arts Center is composed of a Colonial Theater, which hosts many performances and main stage shows, as well as two gallery spaces, the Carr and Hall Galleries. Both galleries feature breathtaking pieces of art from various mediums such as watercolor, oil, gauche, photography, and sculptures. For those visiting with children, the ARTitorium is a fun place to spend some time in thanks to interactive and stimulating art activities. Don’t forget to climb up the stunning spiral staircase of the gallery to see the HC Room, which is a popular events venue with large windows and a lovely brick wall.
Address: 489 A Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, Phone: 208-522-5023
See the Shark Exhibit at the East Idaho Aquarium
In a landlocked state like Idaho, it’s difficult to get much interaction with sea creatures and aquatic ecosystems, but a visit to the East Idaho Aquarium solves this problem in an interactive and entertaining way. The aquarium has a total of twelve exhibits to visit.
Address: 570 E Anderson Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401, Phone: 208-569-2996
Experience farm life at the New Sweden Farms
If you know anyone that grew up on a farm, then you’ll know just how much fun it can be. At the New Sweden Farms, you can experience farm life for yourself with additional activities that will keep you and your family entertained for a full day of recreational fun.No trip to the New Sweden Farms is complete without a stop by the Sweet Shoppe, where visitors can grab a snack or a sweet treat to enjoy while on the farm or to bring back home.
Address: 3512 W 17th Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401, Phone: 208-539-7271
Spend an evening at the Colonial Theater
The Colonial Theater is a historic and beloved performance arts center that is operated and maintained by the Idaho Falls Arts Council. The Colonial Theater has hosted many spectacular productions and sees over 25,000 patrons on a normal year. Apart from its rich cultural history, the theater plays a pivotal role in the local arts community through educational programs and fundraising events.
Address: 489 A Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, Phone: 208-522-5023
Test your skills at the Idaho Escape Rooms
Get immersed in a game that will challenge your wits, patience, and nerves at the Idaho Escape Rooms. Try it out with your friends and family or do like many corporations do and book a team-building exercise at the Idaho Escape Rooms.
Address: 387 Park Avenue, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, Phone: 208-403-6621
Take a boat ride aboard the Snake River Ferry
There’s nothing quite like a fun and relaxing steam down a beautiful river. At Idaho Falls, one of the best places to enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty is with the Snake River Ferry. Guests to Snake River Ferry can look forward to a leisurely 30-minute boat ride that is narrated by a knowledgeable guide who will tell you interesting historical factoids about the river and the area that surrounds it.
Address: 1415 River Parkway, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, Phone: 208-557-1769
