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BOISE, IDAHO Here's a
collection of links and ideas for If you'll be in town on Thursday, June 4--It's "first Thursday" in downtown Boise, which means that in the evening, shops, boutiques and galleries will remain open to the public. Many serve wine, cheese or other hors d'oeuvres. Links:
-- Day
Trips Arts & CultureBoise
has plenty to offer anyone seeking cultural opportunities or experiences. The city is proud of its philharmonic orchestra,
contemporary and classic theater companies, modern and ballet dance companies and choral
and opera companies. Here you can enjoy outdoor performances along the Boise River or find
kids in the park creating art. A number of
art galleries promote an impressive array of artwork by locally and nationally acclaimed
artists and public art is easily visible throughout the city. The Boise City Arts Commission has a map-brochure
available listing the city's many cultural locations and public art sites which include
sculpture, photography, tile work, tapestries, murals, stained glass and paintings. (208-433-5670)
http://www.cityofboise.org/arts_commission/ Food and Wine The dining options in Boise are sure to suit any taste. Choices are limitless; from 4-star cuisine to casual brew pubs; ethnic eateries to comfy coffee bars; trendy bistros to riverfront patios. Experience the flavors of the Northwest with wild game and fish, or enjoy a great steak and potato in a leisure setting. Ethnic restaurants are plentiful and range from Mediterranean to Thai. And, with the Basque culture so prominent in Boise, don’t miss the opportunity to try our delicious Basque food and wine. Additionally, there are 13 wineries within a short drive of Boise. These wineries produce award-winning Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Johannisberg Rieslings and Pinot Noirs. One vineyard, Koenig Distillery and Winery, also produces award-winning classic European eau-de-vie fruit brandies using the area’s finest peaches, apricots, plums, pears and cherry varieties. Basque
Culture in Boise The
only Basque Museum and Cultural Center in North America, and one of only two in the world,
is located in Boise. The Basque Museum and
Cultural Center was established in 1985 as a small museum in the historic Cyrus
Jacobs-Uberuaga boarding house at 607 Grove St. in Boise, Idaho. This charming old
boarding house served as "home away from home" to hundreds of Basque
sheepherders who found themselves living and working in the new world. As the Museum's interpretation of the history of
the Basques, their origins, and their new life in America developed, artifact donations
and museum displays increased. So did the need for more space. The Museum's main facility
moved next door with exhibits, classrooms, a library, collections areas and a gift shop.
The recently restored boarding house stands as a living history exhibit. M.K. Nature Center The unique Morrison-Knudsen
Nature Center offers a one-of-a-kind fish and wildlife experience on a 4.6-acre site along
the Boise River Greenbelt near downtown Boise. The
Nature Center's outdoor nature walk and indoor visitor center provide a glimpse of Idaho's
many landscapes and abundant wildlife. Underwater
viewing windows along the stream walk give visitors a fish-eye view of the world. Habitat viewing areas demonstrate how people can
attract and enjoy wildlife in their own backyards by providing adequate habitat. The M.K. Nature Center represents the cooperative
work of private, public, state and federal contributors and is an integral feature and
attraction in Boise. (208-334-2225) (http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/info/education/mknc Select MK Nature Center under Education
Button) Kathryn Albertson ParkKathryn
Albertson Park provides a unique home for wildlife and a place for people. Wildlife and
people living together may seem improbable, yet through thoughtful landscape architecture,
biological and environmental planning and an attitude of mutual respect, wildlife is
thriving in the company of people. The park
incorporates three major landscape features: vegetation, ponds and open space. Over 400
trees, 2,000 shrubs and a myriad of flowers and grasses fill the park. There is a bit of history in the park as well. Bridging the ponds are yellowed wooden uprights,
once part of an Idaho Power Company span that crossed the Snake River near Twin Falls. The red tile roof of "The Rookery" once
topped Albertson's first supermarket, opened in Boise in 1939. And supporting the roof are broad wooden beams
from a hangar located where Boise State University now stands. In 1926, the first commercial air-mail service in
the country operated from this airport and spawned what is now United Airlines. (208-384-4240) The World Center for Birds of Prey The World Center for Birds of Prey is the headquarters of The
Peregrine Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to raptor conservation and captive
breeding. The Peregrine Fund developed from the shared concern of students and associates
that the Peregrine Falcon might go extinct in the wild if nothing was done. The group’s initial work was to learn how to
breed falcons in captivity with the idea the young could be released in the wild, to
re-establish the Peregrine in the eastern United States where it was already gone and to
bolster the greatly diminished western populations. The
Velma Morrison Interpretive Center offers visitors a unique opportunity to learn about
birds of prey and how the Peregrine Fund breeds endangered birds in captivity in
preparation for reintroducing them into the wild. Visitors
to the Center will see falcons, eagles and California Condors and enjoy interactive
displays, multi-media shows and an original art display.
Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area The Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area is home to the largest concentration of nesting raptors in the lower 48 states. The majority of visitor use is land-based, including sightseeing, horseback riding, hiking, hunting and recreational shooting, mountain biking, picnicking and camping. From March through June, sightseeing and nature study related to nesting birds of prey attract local, national and international visitors. A guided float trip offers a good opportunity to see nesting and fledgling raptors in the canyon. These spring months are also the peak use period for hikers, mountain bikers and float boaters (rafts, kayaks and canoes).(208-384-3300) Old Idaho
Territorial Penitentiary Built in 1870 and used until 1973,
the Old Idaho Territorial Penitentiary
housed many Wild West desperadoes in its time. The
Old Pen, one of only four territorial penitentiaries still standing in the U.S., is open
for daily tours. The penitentiary grew from a single cellhouse into a complex of several
distinctive buildings surrounded by a high sandstone wall. Convicts quarried the stone
from the nearby ridges and completed all the later construction. Over its century of operation, the penitentiary
received more than 13,000 convicts, of whom 215 were women.
After the Penitentiary closed, the site was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places. A visit to the Old Pen
can begin with a video presentation recalling prison history, notorious inmates and daily
prison life. Once inside the Yard, visitors can imagine life in the foreboding sandstone
cellhouses, see the contrasting beauty of the historic rose gardens and view the effects
of the 1973 riot. Visit Solitary Confinement, known as "Siberia," as well as
Death Row and the Gallows. (208-334-2844) http://www.idahohistory.net/oldpen.html Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial "Today, we celebrate the
realization of a dream,” said Idaho’s Governor Dirk Kempthorne at the opening of
the memorial in August, 2002. “We are witnesses to what can happen when a community
and an entire state come together for a cause. This memorial, the first in the United
States to honor Anne Frank, will have a lasting impact on generations of Idahoans who come
here to learn about courage, strength, dignity of human spirit and the value of the rights
of all men and women." The Idaho Shakespeare Festival
The Idaho Shakespeare Festival was born with the production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at an outdoor restaurant in downtown Boise in 1977. Today it is recognized as Idaho's premier professional, repertory theater company with annual audiences of more than 48,000. The Festival’s 30th anniversary season begins June 2, 2006 with a command performance of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Stephen Sondheim. Its season runs through September with performances held at an outdoor amphitheatre on the banks of the Boise River. (208 336-9221) www.idahoshakespeare.org Urban Raft Trips Perfect for adults and young
children looking for a calm river experience. If you want to take a raft trip,
but aren't interested in whitewater, the drive to the launch point, or an overnight
campout, here are two ways to enjoy nature at its finest, but not necessarily its wildest.
Boise River Tours offers three-hour float trips on a section of the Boise River between
Boise and Eagle. This gentle float introduces guests to the history, geology and riparian
community along the river - the wilderness in our own backyards. Halfway through the trip,
a stop at Eagle Island for a light snack and leg stretching insures you return to your car
rested and relaxed. (208-333-0003) www.boiserivertours.com Closer to downtown Boise, Cascade
Raft and the Boise Tour Train have teamed up to offer their Raft and Rails trip. The trip begins with a one-hour historical tour of
Boise aboard the Boise Tour Train- a motorized 1890s style puffer-belly replica. When you arrive at river’s edge,
Cascade’s river guides will load the rafts then share river lore as you calmly float
along without getting your feet wet. (208-342-4796) www.boisetours.net |
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