Boise/Meridian, ID

We've been halfheartedly looking for places to cut, and almost bypassed Boise entirely after learning that Idaho has the fastest population growth of all the states and since we've had to implement a sped-up schedule to get from Utah to Washington for the winter holidays. However, Boise is exactly on the way, and I remembered liking it a lot for the two days I visited for a work trip five-ish years ago. Meridian was a second place in the areas that we did cut, largely because it's just a suburb of Boise, but mostly because we did a drive by and were not wowed. 

Because of the expedited nature of our trip, we probably didn't give Boise its full due, but despite having written it off, I wanted to spend more time there. We only spent two hours in downtown on a Sunday morning (meaning many spots were closed), after an evening bumming around the city's outskirts. Population-wise, Boise is on the larger size for our list (~236,000 people), but likely one of the more diverse spots because of it. We had a hearty Ethiopian meal and a sellable east coast bagel breakfast, and there were plenty of other restaurants we passed that were tempting. 

The Good

• An accessible airport, centrally located for family visits, plus it's far enough south that my fears about seasonal depression are less pronounced. 
• Lots of natural beauty and corresponding activities in the nearby vicinity. The Boise hillsides aren't stunning, but the landscape is varied and we wouldn't have to go too far to be deeper into proper mountains. 
• Adequately funky city that feels lively. I liked the art and architecture, and even though we were visiting on an off day, there were still plenty of people about doing morning things: running, mingling with friends at a coffee shop, visiting the gym, and grabbing bagels before heading to Bogus Basin, the nearby local ski area.
• Large city amenities, and presented in a way that feels accessible. Not to harp on Salt Lake City, but SLC feels like you need to dig to find anything cool, but Boise readily presents it's good side to you. For example, when I looked up good restaurants the Ethiopian place was listed as #1, and when we went downtown we were immediately drawn to the large climbable rope pyramid and five-story slide.
• Downtown felt bike and pedestrian friendly, but I expect that sentiment extends beyond downtown. There were lots of parks, both near downtown, but also in the surrounding areas. These included a nice urban trail system and a whitewater kayaking park. 

The Bad

• Fast (and probably unsustainable) population growth – what you see now is not what you'll get in 5+ years. I think native Idahoans are weary of the growth (which is partially natural, but mostly immigration from other states), and I don't want to start off on a bad foot with our potential future neighbors by being more non-native invaders.
• Really hard to find public bathrooms. This is partially a winter thing, but in the city it seemed like you'd only find a toilet if you are giving a business your patronage. 
• Boise is a liberal bubble within a wider "red" area. I don't mind this so much, but a friend of mine from Boise once said that it can feel very isolating once you cross over the city boarders. 

The Verdict

Yes. If there was a guarantee that it would stay exactly as-is then it might even be a strong yes, but I'm under no illusion that that's a possibility. In fact, I almost concluded that Boise should be a "maybe" because the extreme population growth is so off-putting to me. However, at the end of this I think there is a strong possibility that we will do additional research about Boise's surrounding areas to see how viable our long-term lifestyle goals are here. 

A very standard-looking capitol building sits a few blocks off of downtown.

I'm generally neutral about renal bikes and scooters, but I especially liked the below-street level businesses. I think these were a big contributor to Boise feeling like a European city.  

All of the large-scale art downtown was super cool. 

I mean look at that mural! Also, a few of the cross streets were blocked off to be pedestrian-only.

This is the Idaho Black History Museum, which I think is pretty cool to have.

We also bypassed the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial.

This rose garden is "the second oldest in the Northwest and the largest in the intermountain region."

Their interurban trail system goes along the Boise River for about 10 miles. 

I was so curious about Jack's Urban Meeting Place. If they had been open on Sundays, we would have surely gone inside to see what other fun JUMP has in store. 

From the outside exhibits and large-scale playground-esque features, it seems like a really cool place.

Of course we climbed to the top of the rope pyramid.

Christmas decorations were up around town. I appreciate the general good vibes of the "peace" message, rather than something particularly religious. 

There were lots of banners for Bogus Basin, and plenty of people stopping by the bagel shop who were planning to spend the day there.

I'm not positive if the businesses listed here are current or historical, but I doubt there was a "Jimmy John's" and "Boost Media" here more than a decade ago. 

There are lots of park areas extending beyond downtown. Esther Simplot Park houses the Boise River Park.

Cameron was really impressed with the River Park's layout and five wave spots.