Oh What Do YOU Do in the Summertime?

Every year, I have this obsessive habit of wanting to plan a million activities to do with my kids during the summer. So I search the internet looking for those great unknown spots or activities in Southeast Idaho. I decided that a lot of cool things are only found by word of mouth. So I am compiling a list of things to do around this area. When we do them, I will post a picture and write a review. Feel free to tell me about your own ideas. :)

So THIS is what we did this year. We did a ton of stuff last year, too, but Sam told me we didn't do anything last year. So this summer, I was sure to document it all.

National Parks
Days of free admission into park: 
January 15-17 (MLK Jr. Birthday weekend)
April 16-24 (National Park Week)
June 21 (1st day of summer)
September 24 (Public Lands Day)
November 11-13 (Veteran's Day weekend)


Craters of the Moon
Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone National Park


Free Fishing day Saturday, June 11 (Idaho Falls--Freemen Park)


Hikes & Water
Cress Creek (Heise, Idaho)


Darby Wind Cave hike (Grand Tetons)
This is such a beautiful hike! If you go late summer, the wildflowers are out. If you go in July, the waterfalls are out. All the boys did GREAT on the hike (dare I say, even better than the Young Women when I took them last year), even though it was a long hike. Bryn, on the other hand, made it to the trailhead before she asked to be carried. :) The wildflowers were everywhere. It was a beautiful day.

Okay, so not everyone was happy the whole time. 

Table Rock (Grand Tetons)


Hell's Half Acre (Rest Area between Idaho Falls and Blackfoot)
We went here over Memorial Day weekend, and it really was fun! The hike is about a mile, and is paved so you can bring a stroller. It was simple and fast and probably gets really hot in the summer months. My brother & brother-in-law found a geo-cache there, but it was being guarded by a rattlesnake!

Mt. Borah (near Mackay, Idaho)


Jenny's Lake (Grand Teton National Park)
We do this hike every year as a family. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth!


Mesa Falls (near Ashton, Idaho)
Taggart Lake Trail (Grand Teton National Park)
Shoshone Falls (Twin Falls, Idaho)
Quake Lake
Bruneau Sand Dunes


Seeing
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Nevada City & Virginia City
Lewis and Clark Caverns
Playmill Theater (West Yellowstone, MT)
Mack's Inn & dinner show  (Island Park)
Pocatello Zoo (buy a yearly family pass for $55 and get into select other zoos free, including I.F.)
Idaho Falls Zoo
Soda Springs geyser
Bear Lake
Idaho Potato Museum (Blackfoot)
Bingham County Historical Museum (Blackfoot)
Paris Historical Museum (Paris, Idaho)


Fort Hall Replica & Frontier Town (Ross Park, Pocatello)
This was actually pretty cool. I realized how much I didn't know about Fort Hall even though I've lived next to it for most of my life. The boys were able to do some scout merit badge requirements, too.

Hummingbird Festival 
Museum of Idaho
BYU-Idaho Carl Bloch display


Swimming
Ross Park (Pocatello)


Jensen's Grove
We had the best day with my sister and brother and their kids. My sister said this is what kids are supposed to do all summer: be outside and play and play and play.

Ammon Pool 
http://WWW.activityreg.com/selectactivity.wcs
THe secret: If you take the first session of swimming lessons, it's less crowded and the pool is heated.

Layton City Surf 'n Swim (Layton, UT)
http://www.laytoncity.org/public/SurfnSwim/default.aspx
My sister showed us this fun pool in Layton where they turn on the waves every 15 minutes or something. It is covered in the winter, and it is a good price. And the showers in the dressing rooms have hot water. :)


Green Canyon
Lava Hot Springs
Rexburg Splash Park


Lagoon
We try to do this every year with the Andersons. The best way to do Lagoon is with cousins because then your kids can go off and do the rides that you don't want to do with other people! If you have more than 25 people, you get the group rate and you can use the tickets any day you want.

Movies
PTO Summer Movie Series
http://www.royaltheaters.com/pto.php
Buy 12 passes for $8


Edwards Theater Free Summer Movies


Activities
Free Summer Food Program (click link for map of participating schools)
http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/cnp/summerFoods/map.htm


Planet Arts for kids (June 8-July 29)
http://www.idahofallsarts.org/art_education.html
These classes are at The Willard Arts Center in downtown Idaho Falls. They are just once a week for 1 hour. I love them because they are only $3/class, and you can just sign up for the ones you want. I drop off the boys and explore the shops downtown with Bryn in the stroller while they are there. It is fun time for me every week.


Ping Pong Ball Drop (June 4, Blackfoot, Idaho)


BYU-Idaho Planetarium

Boise Attractions

Word Center for Birds of Prey

Old Idaho Penitentiary

Discovery Center of Idaho

Kathryn Albertson Park

Boise Train Depot

Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center
This is free! And it is SO Idaho-ish. The kids loved it, especially seeing the giant sturgeon in the pond at the end. I think they said he is like 70 years old or something. The boys called it a dinosaur-fish.

Greenbelt bike ride

Idaho Botanical Garden

Floating the Boise River

Camel's Back Park

Hyde Park

Capitol Building

Art in the Park (Sept. 9-11)


McCall, Idaho
We stayed in a beautiful cabin with all of Nate's family. Our room had a walk-out balcony and a huge bathtub.