11 Fun Things to Do in Idaho Falls: Summer Weekend Travel Guide

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If I’m being completely honest, I never planned to go to Idaho Falls. But, fate has a way of steering you where you least expect it. I had decided to spend a summer road tripping from Oregon to Wyoming (and Montana) for two weeks of National Parks and the great outdoors. Of course, Idaho is between Oregon and Wyoming, so I’d naturally have to pas through. I wasn’t too keen on driving from Boise to Jackson, WY in one go. So I decided to make a pit stop in one of the cities on the state border – Idaho Falls. But were there even any fun things to do in Idaho Falls?

I was determined to find out.

Even though I couldn’t find MUUUUCH, I did ultimately have a pleasant two day stay in Idaho Falls, which was more than I expected anyway so I was happy haha. Hopefully, this post on my experience will help you plan your own trip to Idaho Falls! Whether you’re just passing through or you intend to stay for a while, this post will at least give you some springboard ideas of things to do in Idaho Falls!

But first – let’s zoom through a few of the basics, yeah?

Idaho Falls, Idaho: The Basics

• State: Idaho, USA
• Population: 64,618
• Ancestral land: Shoshone-Bannock
• Nearby major cities: Boise, Idaho
• Best season to visit (in my opinion): Summer
• Vibe: Peaceful
• Price range: Affordable to moderate
• Transportation: Vehicle strongly recommended

Where to Stay

I am a loyal member to the Hilton hotel chain (Platinum in fact heyyoo), so I stayed at the Tru By Hilton in Idaho Falls. Since I have the Hilton credit card, I even got extra bonus points. (Hit me up if you’d like a referral to the credit card, we’d both get extra miles! Email me at awktravels@gmail.com!)

Tru by Hilton was super cute and not at all far away from the things to do in Idaho Falls. I mean…the city is already pretty small, but you know what I mean. It was quiet but with a youthful atmosphere.

BUUUUT if you want to stay at somewhere other than a hotel, here are some homestays/Airbnb/VRBOs that you might like!

• 1 Bed/1 Bath (wheelchair accessible)
• 1 Bed/1 Bath
• 3 Bed/2 Bath
• 4 Bed/3 Bath

As long as you have a car, you can really stay anywhere and still be within 5-10 minutes of…anywhere in town. If you are flying in with no car rental, there IS Lyft and Uber, as well as electric scooters around town, but it might be more convenient to stay on the East side of the river where most of the restaurants and shops are walkable.

What to Eat

Ahhhh yesss…honestly, my favorite activity in ANY city, but specifically one of the best things to do in Idaho Falls. In small towns, my opinion of my trip really comes down to the food. I can’t knock it for not having huge stadiums or theme parks or exciting wild tours…BUT I CAN JUDGE THEIR TASTE BUDS OKAY??

Since I was only here for two days, I didn’t originally plan on writing a blog post about things to do in Idaho Falls, so forgive my lack of food pictures.

Breakfast

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I obviously couldn’t try everything, but I really enjoyed waking up to meals at Abracadabras and Smitty’s Pancake & Steak House. I also ate at Great Harvest on my way out of town…buuuut that’s a chain so I won’t go too much into Great Harvest. Don’t get me wrong though, it was still good haha. Abracadabras is absolutely delicious, with AMAZING quality for my two favorite breakfast staples: french toast and orange juice.

As the name suggests, Smitty’s is the place to go when you want pancakes or steak and eggs. I ordered an omelet, so I can personally vouch for the eggs they source – DELISH.

Lunch

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Yoooo, you might not think you can find good Mexican food in Idaho Falls, but let me help you get your taco fix. Morenita’s Restaurant. Y’all KNOWWWW I love carne asada tacos (if you don’t, hi I’m Kay I love carne asada tacos), and I was not disappointed. Their enchiladas are great too! There is usually a line, but it moves fast so don’t be alarmed.

Also, if you know me AT ALL, you’ll know I love hot dogs. So, if you have a hankering for a good ol’ fashioned dawg, hit up The Dogfather, It’s only open on the weekends, and is literally just a hot dog food cart (think NYC hot dogs), but it’s solid. Or, if you’re craving pizza, Pie Hole is THE PLACE to go. Plus, you can order by the slice!

Dinner

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Dinner was my favorite meal in Idaho Falls, mostly because there were SO MANY DANK DINNER RESTAURANTS. That said, I have to start by mentioning THE BEST restaurant in Idaho Falls: Grandpa’s Southern BBQ. Seriously. It’s that mind blowing. And it’s not just me that thinks so either; it won the Idaho Falls Dining Award and it is a community staple, serving up plates for more than twenty years.

I – OF COURSE – got the BBQ, with a side of cornbread and greens. Now, I’m EXTREMELY picky with my collard greens, but they HIT! If there’s ONE thing to do out of all the things to do in Idaho Falls, make sure you eat at Grandpa’s Southern BBQ.

My second top recommendation for dinner would be Smokin’ Fins. It’s right on the water and has incredible seafood. PLUSSS, there’s great options for people who aren’t the biggest fans of seafood. Deviled eggs? INCREDIBLE. The scallops? AMAZING. Crab? JUICED. And the dessert??? You seriously can’t go wrong here.

Don’t ask my why, out of both of these restaurants, I only took photos of the deviled eggs. Because I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense, and yet here we are.

Dessert

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Regardless of whatever else I eat in the day, I can devourrrr dessert. For all things cupcakes, head to Love at First Bite. The sell cupcakes, but they ALSO sell….everything else. It’s a strange mixup of souvenirs and clothing and cakes…it’s weird, but it works. You can find excellent ice cream at Pop’s and La Michoacana.

Pop’s Ice Cream is your classic ice cream spot right downtown so you can get a cone and continue to window shop. La Michoacana Ice Cream Palace is a Mexican ice cream shop, but it also has the usual bomb Mexican snacks like elote, paleta, mangnadas, and agua frescas.

Things to Do in Idaho Falls

Okay, we’ve finally gotten to the MEAT of this post. Things to do in Idaho Falls! If you think you might find amusement parks and large amphitheaters and giant instagrammable art instillations in Idaho Falls….imma need you to lower your expectations a bit. Remember, Idaho Falls is a relatively small town. SO, the things to do in Idaho Falls will reflect that. Thankfully, there are still a good amount of things to do in Idaho Falls that will give you both a reprieve for your boredom AND help you learn more about the city!

Walk Along the River

This is one of the most basic things to do in Idaho Falls, but once you get there, you’ll see why. The Snake River is pretty much HALF of the whole city. The riverfront is well paved with plentiful shade and frequent benches and rest spots along the path (5 miles of it to be exact!). You might also come across a few lil vendors along the riverfront, like Tropical Sno for snowcones, or if you visit on a Saturday you can hit up the Saturday Farmer’s Market to score some awesome local produce and crafts.

The Snake River wasn’t always so pleasant and quaint though. Back in 1883, the river was described as a “crack in the
earth between solid walls of lava rock. It dashed upon the rocks, foamed and roared.” It was…quite a concern for the new white settlers in the area.

Coincidentally, this was juuust after the Native Americans (Shoshone and Bannock) who originally lived and cared for the land now called Idaho Falls (and the surrounding areas) were violently stripped from their homelands and forced to live within the boundaries of the Fort Hall Reservation, established in 1867. Which left about twenty years are so for enough white settlers to arrive in Idaho Falls and “claim” it as a totally brand new city founded by them. But, unsurprisingly, they had no idea how to handle the giant river running through town.

So. They dammed it.

Now, I’m no expert on dams, but there are definitely consequences. The Snake River was dammed (and diverted) in the 1960s, which made the Snake River in Idaho Falls (where white people now lived) more controlled and pleasant, and also created a more fertile and lush agriculture environment for white farmers. It turned Idaho Falls (and the surrounding areas) into Idaho’s agriculture cash cow.

But – it wrecked the salmon population. And the steelhead population as well. And yanno, the NATIVE PEOPLE (Newe) POPULATION. The Snake River dams severly impacted Shoshone and Bannock tribes, as it is an integral part of their culture, spirituality, and our way of life. The Tribes have been working endlessly for over half a century, but it was only THIS YEAR (2021) that a standing Idaho Congressman, Mike Simpson, announced a Columbia-Snake River Initiative that would finally remove the Lower Four Snake River dams and help restore Native fisheries and Tribal culture.

It IS America though, so I’m not holding my breath on their end.

In any case, it’s something to think about as you walk along the calm riverfront.

See a Show

Although I didn’t get a chance to catch a show, the Idaho Falls Arts Council has some incredible shows, galleries, and performances throughout the year. They usually have a least one event going on each month, from concerts by both small and large artists, to hosting traveling national tours, to even setting up for the local battle of the bands. There are also lots of gallery exhibitions for visual arts too. It’s just a nice way to get off of your feet and ingest some art. Especially on a rainy day!

Melaleuca Product Store

Ahahah well. If you don’t know Melaleuca…well, it’s a MLM company. Or “referral marketing.” Or, in layman’s terms, a pyramid scheme. It’s a company that recruits people to sell its (green and eco-friendly) products and recruit MORE people to actually get money as a salesman. And low and beyond, apparently their flagship product store and headquarters is in idaho falls.

I did NOT have that on my things to do in Idaho Falls bingo card.

Anyways, you can go inside, take a look at all the products, and even buy some if you don’t…feel weirded out in the store. By that, I mean all of the “be your own boss!” and “over x-new jobs created” propaganda posters on the wall. You’ll see what I mean when you go. It’s very interesting. That said, I HAVE tried their granola…it’s really good *cry emoji

Ghost Walk

Honestly, I was not surprised to hear the claims of Idaho Falls being haunted.

Like….I could believe it.

There is actually a ghost walking tour in Idaho Falls, aptly named Ghost Walk Idaho Falls, that’ll take you up close and personal with the ghoulish history of the city. Unfortunately, there were no tours when I was visiting, but based on the reviews I will definitely sign up for one the next time I’m in the area.

The tour is about 90 minutes and is wheelchair friendly – yay! They start promptly at 7pm!

Museum Day

Even if you’re not a big museum person, you’ll have to admit that Idaho Falls has some good ones. Like. SURPRISINGLY good. If you’re walking the riverfront, you’ll find the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho right past the Japanese garden. It has all of the usual art museum things, as well as workshops and classes for both adults and youngsters. I’m not the biggest art museum typa gal, but it’s a solid one.

Another museum you can check out is the Museum of Idaho. Even though their website is INFURIATINGLY slow, they actual museum is pretty dope. I love a good dinosaur and mammoth piece, and their “Out West” exhibition was actually co-created in collaboration with the Shoshone and Bannock Tribes to have accurate and appropriate representation and exposure for tourists (and locals tbh) to learn more. Fun fact, the large steel art piece inside the museum was created by a Shoshone artist, so that’s cool too!

And…if you don’t mind the drive, I’d highly recommend checking out the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center. It’s located in Salmon, Idaho about 2.5 hours outside of Idaho Falls. I would’ve included this in the day trip section but…I didn’t really do anything else there so my main draw was just the museum. If I could go back, I would plan a trip around the museum’s cultural events (Agaidika Gathering, Fall Frolic), but regardless of when you go there’s Interpretive Talks that tell Sacajawea’s life from a decolonized lens so that’s pretty cool.

Zoos & Aquariums

Or if you prefer ingesting your information with slightly less walls, Idaho Falls has both a zoo AND an aquarium! The Idaho Falls Zoo is very small, so they won’t have any of the HUGE animals, just something to keep in mind. But if you have kids, they probably won’t even notice. Something that is pretty cool is that it’s relatively simple to sign up to volunteer if you want a hands on experience. Mostly…cleaning exhibits and whatnot, BUT STILL. It’s something you might not have the ability to do at a larger zoo.

The East Idaho Aquarium is also relatively small, but it operates as a non-profit which is awesome. It’s truly a community effort, and it’s one of the things to do in Idaho Falls that really makes you feel like you’re traveling like a local.

Yellowstone Bear World

A step up from going to the zoo would be going INTO the zoo. I highly recommend checking out Yellowstone Bear World as one of the best things to do in Idaho Falls. Yellowstone Bear World is essentially a drive-thru wildlife park. So…you stay in the car and drive through huge enclosures where animals (elk, bison, deer, goats, moose, and of course bears) roam mostly free.

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This is a great way to spot some of the larger animals that live in the *~*great outdoors*~* that might be harder to spot if you’re not willing to wake up at 5am and camp out at the nearby watering hole hoping for a herd to come by. Plus, it’s definitely a more accessible option for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches. Or if hiking and camping is just not your thing. You can still see all of the cool big game too!

Since these animals are not really that wild, and will not be reintroduced to the wild (usually due to injury or rescued from circuses), any cubs birthed are kept with their mother in the park! Whiiiich means there are occasional opportunities to bottle feed the cubs! I didn’t, but it seems cool. There’s also a butterfly garden, which reminded me of the Dubai Miracle Gardens! It’s about a 30 minute drive from the city, so in terms of things to do in Idaho Falls, it’s an easy lil add on!

National Parks

Aaaannddd on that note – you could go to an actual National Park! Although the state of Idaho has no official National PARKS (there are a few monuments but still), Idaho Falls is right on the state line between Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. So, as far as things to do in Idaho Falls, you could easily plan a day trip to one of the nearby National Parks!

The closest National Park, or rather the closest section of a park, is technicallyyy in Montana and dips a little into Idaho. Only about 1 hour and 45 minutes away, you can check out West Yellowstone! In West Yellowston, you’ll have great viewpoints of the Yellowstone River and rent equipment (paddleboards, pontoons, etc) for a day on the water at Hebgen Lake! Plus, there are some pretty good restaurants for lunch in the area, Las Palmitas and Campfire Lodge Resort.

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Just a bit further out at a 2 hour drive is Grand Teton National Park. In my opinion, you can see a lot of Grand Teton in one day, and you might be able to squeeze in a short-half day hike if you leave early enough! If you opt to go to Grand Teton, I would just recommend eating lunch in Jackson, Wyoming – or picking up a meal to go – since it’s right outside the park.

Craters of the Moon

Not quite a National Park, but pretty cool all the same, Craters of the Moon National Monument is about a 3 hour drive, so it is perfect for a pitstop on an Idaho road trip on the way to or from Idaho Falls. I actually included it in my Boise travel guide as one of the best things to do in Boise for a day trip – it’s pretty much right in between Boise and Idaho Falls.

That said, National Monuments are a lot less busy AND a LOT smaller than National parks. That makes it one of the best things to do in Idaho Falls for a day trip as well! I was able to drive around Craters of the Moon National Monument in about an hour – an hour and a half. It’s super small. But there was still plenty to see, with unique scenery. As the name suggests, Craters of the Moon looks like the surface of the moon, with slightly more sagebrush poking out in between the black remnants of ancient lava flows and jutting cinder cone islands.

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I did a few short hikes, so in total I spent about two hours at Craters of the Moon. One of the coolest things to do is to climb down into one of the lava caves. You can rent a free headlamp from the Visitor’s Center, just be sure to wear shoes that have NOT been in any other caves (to prevent cross infections for local bats). When I was there, they were actively adding ramps and paving trails so that they would be more wheelchair accessible. If you are interested in staying overnight, there are a couple campsites with facilities (flushing toilets as well I think!).

Geyser Park

If you want to see a reliable geyser, but don’t want to make the trek into the far depths of Yellowstone, there is actually a geyser not too far from Idaho Falls! Unlike Old Faithful in Yellowstone, however, the geyser in Geyser Park is literally SO WILD that it had to be regulated to prevent it from spray boiling hot water every second of existence. SO, the manipulated the geyser so that it has a cover and only erupts every hour on the hour.

So, it’s a super easy and predictable activity for things to do in Idaho Falls. That said…there’s not too much else going in the small town of Soda Springs, Idaho where it’s located, so make sure you don’t miss the time slot!

Pocatello

And last, but certainly not least, if you want to do an enriching day trip as part of your fun things to do in Idaho Falls, I’d suggest heading over to Pocatello and the Fort Hall Reservation. Pocatello is the fifth largest city in Idaho, right behind Idaho Falls, and is home to Idaho State University. While the city itself is named after Shoshone leader Chief Pocatello, if you want to learn more about Native American culture and history FROM Native Americans, head to the Fort Hall Reservation.

You can visit the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Museum, which features everything from photo-diaries to LIVE BUFFALO ROAMING AROUND (kidding, it is usually just one calm buffalo brought around from the Tribe’s herd). If you time your visit in the right month, HANDS DOWN one of the best things to do in Idaho Falls is to attend the annual Shoshone-Bannock Festival, held every August. It is actually Idaho’s largest powwow AND outdoor festival in the entire state.

There are also a few casinos to choose from, as well as gift shops and RV parks!

Things to do in Idaho Falls: Conclusion

So, there aren’t as many things to do in Idaho Falls than say…Dubai or something, BUT I did manage to stumble upon a few things to do in Idaho Falls that are interesting. And enough to keep you busy for a weekend!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Idaho Falls. The weather was beautiful (I went in August), the food was great, and the residents were really friendly. Which of these things to do in Idaho Falls would you want to do first? I can NEVER get enough bear time, personally, haha.

Did I miss any of your favorite things to do in Idaho Falls? Let me know in the comments below which things to do in Idaho Falls is right up your alley…and which you might skip!

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