Boise When To Go and Weather

Summer is hot, but it’s still the best time to visit Boise and, fortunately, there are plenty of ways to cool down in and around the city. Some of the best views of downtown can come from a tube floating down the Boise River. There is whitewater rafting an hour from downtown. Off the water, restaurant patios and summer concerts make it easy to enjoy Boise’s evenings. Because of Boise’s location at the far western edge of the Mountain Time Zone, in June and July the sun doesn’t set until 10PM.

Unless you’re a skier, winter is probably not the best time to visit Boise since this season can be tough. Boise weather gets cold and dreary in the winter and the city doesn’t usually get enough snow to make everything pretty. Still, the Greenbelt and the city’s other parks are peaceful places to hike and it’s nice not to have to strap on cross-country skis or snowshoes to do it. If you’re a skier or snowboarder, Bogus Basin won’t keep you occupied like a major destination ski resort would, but it’s a great place to spend a few days. Even if you’re not a snow bunny, the 16-mile drive up to the ski area is still worth doing. Most metropolitan areas just don’t have that kind of scenery right out their backdoors. You can leave Boise and, less than an hour later, be lobbing snowballs.

A good April and May in Boise will have you picnicking outside, whereas a bad spring will have you shoveling snow. When it’s good, though, there are few experiences cooler than hiking in the Birds of Prey NCA, checking in on all the big birds and their little chicks. Walking along the Eighth Street Marketplace, the energy of about-to-graduate BSU students is infectious. Fall in this northwestern city is absolutely beautiful, which makes it the best time to visit Boise if you love the vibrant colors of autumn. Remember, this city was named for its profusion of trees, and plenty of trees make for plenty of fall color. Days are no longer in the 90s (and 100s), as they often are in the summer, and nights are deliciously cool.