Updated November 4th, 2026 by Aaron McFarland

Boise doesn’t get a lot of snow in town, about 17 inches in a normal winter, but it has a 2,600-acre ski area 16 miles up the road, hot springs under an hour away, and a holiday season that fills every weekend from the first market in early November to the Potato Drop on New Year’s Eve. The trick is knowing what’s close, what’s worth the drive and when it actually happens.

Here are 31 things to do around Boise and the Treasure Valley this winter, grouped by type, with 2026-27 dates, prices and addresses verified in late October and early November. A few organizers hadn’t posted this year’s dates yet; those are marked, and we’ll update them as they come in.

Boise’s nonprofit home mountain is 16 miles up Bogus Basin Road, close enough for a weeknight after work. It has 2,600 acres of downhill terrain, Idaho’s largest night skiing operation, an 800-foot tubing hill, 37 km of Nordic trails and the Glade Runner mountain coaster, all on one hill.

Highlights

• Lifts now spin at 9am every day, and night skiing runs until 9pm Sunday through Thursday and 10pm Friday and Saturday
• Two new black-diamond groomed runs in the Pine Creek zone this season
• The Outpost, a new 250-seat lodge and bar at the Pioneer base, is slated to open this winter
• Tubing hill with a conveyor lift (riders must be at least 38 inches tall)
• Season passes have no blackout dates this year; a Night pass is $129

Good to Know

Opening weekend usually starts with a small beginner area on manmade snow and cheap tickets, then expands as storms roll in. A $10 bus runs from Boise on peak weekends and daily over the holiday break. Our Idaho ski resorts guide covers Bogus, Brundage, Tamarack and the rest in detail.

Getting There

2600 N Bogus Basin Rd, Boise. About 40 minutes from downtown. Carry chains or have snow tires; the last 16 miles are switchbacks.

The easiest snowshoeing near Boise is at Frontier Point Nordic Lodge at Bogus Basin, which has dedicated snowshoe trails, rentals and free guided tours. For a quieter day, the four Park N’ Ski areas on Highway 21 north of Idaho City have more than 50 miles of trails between them.

Highlights

• Free guided snowshoe tours at Bogus every Saturday at 11am and Sunday at 1pm from Thanksgiving weekend through late March, with $10 rentals and a $10 trail pass for tour guests
• Themed naturalist walks (animal tracking, winter ecology, winter survival) January through early March
• Banner Ridge is the most popular Park N’ Ski area, 23 miles north of Idaho City, with 22 miles of trails and yurts nearby
• Whoop-Um-Up is the closest and best for beginners; Gold Fork connects to Banner Ridge

Good to Know

Snowshoe rentals at Frontier Point are $17 for adults and $14 for juniors. In town, the Boise State Outdoor Rental Center at 1515 University Dr rents a snowshoe package to the public for $24. Park N’ Ski permits are required November 15th through April 30th and sell at Idaho Parks and Recreation. The foothills trails are open all winter too, but Ridge to Rivers asks you to go only when they’re frozen or dry. If you’re leaving tracks, turn back.

Getting There

Frontier Point Nordic Lodge at Bogus Basin is about 40 minutes from downtown. The Park N’ Ski areas are 18 to 25 miles north of Idaho City on Highway 21, about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half from Boise.

Gateway Parks builds a snowmaking tubing hill inside Eagle Island State Park every winter, with a conveyor lift back to the top and a small ski and snowboard hill with rails for beginners. Sessions are 90 minutes and tubes are included.

Highlights

• Monday through Friday 2:15pm to 9pm, Saturday 10:45am to 9pm, Sunday 10:45am to 5:30pm, with 9am openings during holiday weeks
• Multiple tubing lanes plus a terrain park lane that usually opens after Christmas
• Season passes and group rates are sold online

Good to Know

Book sessions online ahead of time; they sell out on snow days and holiday weeks. The state park charges its normal vehicle entry fee at the gate. Note that this is the last season of Gateway’s current agreement, and Idaho Parks and Recreation is picking a new winter operator for 2027-28, so check the site before you go.

Getting There

165 S Eagle Island Pkwy, Eagle, inside Eagle Island State Park. About 25 minutes from downtown Boise via State Street or Highway 44.

When it snows in town, Camel’s Back in the North End is where Boise goes. The steep hill on the north side of the park is tall enough for a real run, and the city wraps straw bales around the trees at the bottom every November, which has become a small Boise tradition of its own.

More Sledding Hills

• Simplot Hill on Bogus Basin Road above Harrison Boulevard: big, fast and free, but watch the road at the bottom
• Ann Morrison Park, 1000 S Americana Blvd: gentle slopes and easy parking
• Military Reserve, 750 Mountain Cove Rd: short hills for small kids
• Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve, 5301 N Maple Grove Rd, in west Boise
• Kleiner Park, 1900 N Records Ave in Meridian, next to The Village

Good to Know

It gets crowded on snow days, so walk up the side of the hill, wear a helmet on the little ones and watch for people at the bottom. Parking is on the street in a residential neighborhood. Restrooms are open all winter.

Getting There

1200 W Heron St, Boise, off 13th Street next to Hyde Park.

A $10 Forest Service permit lets you drive up into the Boise National Forest and cut your own tree near Idaho City, Garden Valley, Lowman or Mores Creek Summit. It’s a half-day trip that ends with a tree on the roof and snow on your boots.

Highlights

• Buy the permit on Recreation.gov, print the tag and attach it to the tree before you leave the woods
• Trees up to 12 feet tall; cut within 6 inches of the ground and take the whole tree
• No cutting within 300 feet of a highway, in Park N’ Ski areas or in the Pioneer Fire burn scar

Good to Know

Permits are also sold at the Boise National Forest office at 1249 S Vinnell Way and at shops in Idaho City, Garden Valley, Horseshoe Bend and Emmett. Bring a saw, rope, gloves and a shovel; forest roads aren’t plowed, so a 4WD helps once there’s snow. If you’d rather not cut your own, Idaho Sleigh Rides in Garden Valley pairs a wagon ride with a pre-cut tree (see below).

Getting There

Most people head up Highway 21 toward Idaho City, about 45 minutes from Boise, or up Highway 55 to Garden Valley, about an hour and 15 minutes.

Idaho Sleigh Rides runs draft-horse sleighs through Garden Valley meadows where a wild elk herd winters, with a hot drink and a snack at the lodge afterward. Before the snow settles in, the same route runs as a wagon ride paired with picking out a Christmas tree.

Highlights

• About a 45-minute ride; the elk are wild, so sightings are likely but not guaranteed
• Dutch oven dinner rides with live music for groups, with 24 hours notice
• Rides start at 10am and the last one goes out at 5pm; closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Good to Know

Reservations are required, and weekends in December fill fast. If snow is thin the sleighs switch to wagons on the same route. Kids 3 and under ride free.

Getting There

1099 Banks Lowman Rd, Garden Valley. About an hour and 15 minutes from Boise up Highway 55 and the Banks-Lowman Road.

Groomed Boise National Forest trails start a little over an hour from town. Rent a sled in Garden Valley and ride to Silver Creek Plunge hot springs, or rent in Cascade for the Warm Lake Road loop and the West Mountains.

Highlights

• Ridgetop Rentals in Garden Valley rents 9am to 5pm, with discounts for three or more days
• Intermountain Powersport Rentals in Cascade has two-up sleds and tracked side-by-sides
• Burgdorf Hot Springs north of McCall is snowmobile-only in winter, a 23-mile groomed ride each way with reservations required

Good to Know

Idaho requires a snowmobile registration sticker, which rentals include. Check avalanche conditions before riding off groomed trails, and don’t plan on cell service.

Getting There

Garden Valley is about an hour and 15 minutes from Boise; Cascade is about an hour and 45 minutes up Highway 55.

The Idaho Botanical Garden strings about 900,000 lights across the garden for its biggest fundraiser of the year, now in its 30th season. It’s the one holiday light event in Boise you walk through, with a cookie and hot chocolate included.

Highlights

• New this year, the Lake of Lights on Outlaw Field, part of the garden’s newly opened space
• The 21-and-over Yuletide Bar on select nights, a lodge-style bar that replaced the old Snow Globe Bar
• Silent disco under the lights, lighted hula hoops and the Jerome the Gnome scavenger hunt
• Candy Cane Forest, Gumdrop Grove, the gingerbread house exhibit and the model trains
• Santa’s North Pole gathering place on select nights, with a letter drop

Good to Know

Entry is timed and peak nights sell out, so buy online ahead. Most nights run 6pm to 9pm, with 5pm to 8pm on Santa and discount nights (select Wednesdays and Sundays) and 6pm to 8pm from December 27th to 30th. It’s closed most Mondays and on Christmas Day. Parking is free in the garden’s new Parking Garden at the entrance, with a shuttle to the ticket kiosks, but the garden has also pointed visitors to the Table Rock Trailhead lot behind the Warden’s House, so check the event page the day you go.

Getting There

2355 Old Penitentiary Rd, Boise, about 10 minutes east of downtown.

Downtown Caldwell wraps Indian Creek in well over a million lights, and they stay on every night from the opening weekend in November through mid January. Opening weekend brings Santa, carriage rides, carolers, fire pits and a 60-vendor artisan market along the creek.

Highlights

• New this year, the winter market runs Saturday and Sunday from 3pm to 9pm on opening weekend
• Free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides and a candy cane train
• Reindeer Games on December 19th adds skating and family activities
• The ice ribbon opens the same night, November 20th

Good to Know

There’s no single lighting ceremony this year; organizers spread the crowd across three identical nights, so Sunday is the calmest. After opening weekend, the lights are a quiet walk any evening. Our Christmas lights guide has the rest of the valley’s displays.

Getting There

120 S Kimball Ave, Caldwell, about 30 to 35 minutes west of Boise on I-84.

Thanksgiving weekend is when downtown Boise flips the switch. The Downtown Boise Association lights a 40-foot-plus spruce with more than 5,000 lights on the Grove Plaza on Friday, and the Boise Holiday Parade rolls through downtown on Saturday morning.

Highlights

• Live music, a candle-lighting ceremony and the mayor flipping the switch around 5:35pm on the Grove
• The tree doubles as the Giving Tree for the Women’s and Children’s Alliance; grab a gift tag
• The 76th Boise Holiday Parade runs Saturday, November 28th at 10am; this year’s theme is Christmas is for Giving
• About 350 wrapped streetlights and snowflake swags stay up downtown through the season

Good to Know

The 2026 tree lighting runs 5pm to 6pm, so get to the Grove a little early for a spot near the tree. Saturday is also Small Business Saturday downtown, and the Festival of Trees is a block away at Boise Centre the same weekend. Parade details are at boiseholidayparade.org.

Getting There

The Grove Plaza, 827 W Main St, downtown Boise.

The Village turns its Fountain Square into the valley’s most photographed holiday scene, with a 50-foot tree, a Santa’s House, fountain shows set to holiday music and an outdoor skating rink that runs into January.

Highlights

• Tree lighting and Santa’s arrival with live music the Thursday before Thanksgiving
• Santa’s House visits by online reservation, plus a mailbox for letters that get a reply
• Snowman scavenger hunt with 15 hidden snowmen and a checklist at the concierge
• The rink ran November 14th to January 19th last year, with 30-minute skate slots booked online

Good to Know

The 2026 dates hadn’t posted when we checked; they usually go up in early November. Rink hours last year were weekdays 3pm to 9pm, Saturdays noon to 9pm and Sundays noon to 6pm, with longer hours over school breaks.

Getting There

3597 E Monarch Sky Ln, Meridian, at Eagle Road and Fairview, about 20 minutes from downtown Boise.

Scentsy wraps about 450 trees on its Meridian headquarters campus in more than 900,000 lights, with a 250-foot walk-through light tunnel and a 75-foot Christmas tree. It’s free to stroll every night, and the season opens with a public lighting ceremony and a line of food trucks.

Highlights

• The 250-foot light tunnel is the photo everyone takes
• The lighting ceremony runs 6pm to 8pm with a countdown around 6:15pm and a dozen or more food trucks
• Lights stay on from sunset to sunrise every night through January 18th

Good to Know

The ceremony night draws thousands and parking spills onto side streets; any other night you can walk the campus with almost no one around.

Getting There

2901 E Pine Ave, Meridian, about 20 minutes from downtown Boise.

A mile-long drive-through light show in the Roaring Springs parking lot, synced to music on your car radio, with about a million lights and a 700-foot light tunnel. The whole thing takes about 30 minutes and is priced per car, not per person.

Highlights

• Open 5pm to 9:30pm, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
• Holographic glasses included, which make every light a snowflake or snowman
• An optional $15 party pack adds snacks and glow gear

Good to Know

Reservations are required and popular nights sell out, so book a timed slot online. It moved here from Expo Idaho in 2024.

Getting There

400 W Overland Rd, Meridian, about 20 minutes from downtown Boise.

Boise Trolley Tours runs an hour-long holiday lights ride on its Jolly Trolley, rolling through Boise neighborhoods to see the home displays with Christmas music playing. Someone else does the driving and finds the good streets, so all you have to do is look out the window.

Highlights

• About 60 minutes on board, with departures by the hour on tour nights
• Holiday music for the whole ride
• Private trolley tours for groups and parties are booked through the same company

Good to Know

Tickets are sold by time slot and popular nights sell out, so book ahead. Bring your favorite warm drink and dress warm.

Getting There

The departure point is listed when you book. Questions go to Boise Trolley Tours at (208) 433-0849.

Shindig Farms in Nampa turns its straw maze into the valley’s only walk-through Christmas light maze, with more than a million lights, a giant tree, zip lines, mega slides and a kids’ mini maze. Santa and the Grinch both make appearances.

Highlights

• New for 2026, a $5 lighted wagon ride
• Activity tickets are $1 each or 12 for $10 for the swings, mechanical bull, axe throwing and corn cannon
• Food trucks on site; closed Christmas Day

Good to Know

It’s a farm, so dress for mud and cold and expect to be outside the whole time. Weekends before Christmas are the busiest.

Getting There

Highway 45 and Scism Rd, Nampa, about 30 minutes from downtown Boise.

Lighted floats roll down Main Street in downtown Meridian on the first Friday of December, followed by the city tree lighting with the mayor and Santa at Main and Idaho Streets. There’s free hot cocoa and the tree stays lit at Generations Plaza all season.

Highlights

• Lighted float parade down Main Street with the tree lighting right after
• The Children’s Winterland Festival follows at Meridian Homecourt on Saturday, December 12th from 10am to 2pm
• Free shuttles have run from nearby lots in past years

Good to Know

Streets around Main close early, so arrive by 6pm and bring a blanket. Nampa does its own tree lighting at the train depot the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with free carriage rides and s’mores. Caldwell’s lighted parade is the next night: the Treasure Valley Night Light Parade rolls through downtown Caldwell on Saturday, December 5th at 6pm, with a Winter Lights Market at 7th Avenue and Arthur Street from 4pm to 9pm.

Getting There

Main Street, downtown Meridian, about 20 minutes from downtown Boise.

Boise Centre fills with professionally decorated trees, wreaths and tabletop displays up for auction, plus Santa, live choirs and a kids’ village. It’s a downtown tradition the week of Thanksgiving, and the proceeds fund Saint Alphonsus clinics.

Highlights

• Santa during all public hours with a free courtesy photo
• North Pole Village crafts, a scavenger hunt and an IdahoLUG LEGO display
• Senior Day on Wednesday, November 25th is $5 at the door for seniors

Good to Know

Hours are Wednesday 10am to 8pm, Thanksgiving Day 2pm to 6pm, Friday 10am to 9pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm. New this year, the festival is card-only, no cash. Breakfast with Santa isn’t on the 2026 schedule.

In Canyon County, the Canyon County Festival of Trees fills the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa November 27th to 29th to benefit Canyon County Meals on Wheels. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and kids 4 to 12, and Cookies with Santa and Breakfast with Santa are ticketed separately.

Getting There

Boise Centre, 850 W Front St, downtown Boise, a block from the Grove.

Boise’s holiday market season runs from the first weekend of November through the Saturday before Christmas. Wintry Market at Boise Centre is the handmade standout, the Boise Christmas Show at Expo Idaho is the biggest, and the Boise Farmers Market moves into a heated tent at the Idaho Botanical Garden this winter.

Highlights

• Wintry Market, November 20th and 21st at Boise Centre West, with more than 100 regional makers
• Boise Christmas Show, December 4th to 6th at Expo Idaho, with 225-plus vendors
• Boise Farmers Market winter market, Saturdays November 7th to December 19th at the Idaho Botanical Garden
• The Basque Christmas Market on the Basque Block, December 6th

Good to Know

We keep a full list of 20 markets with dates, hours and admission in the Guide to the Best Boise Holiday Markets.

The Treasure Valley has three very different places to skate: Idaho’s only outdoor ice ribbon in downtown Caldwell, the outdoor rink in The Village’s Fountain Square, and two NHL-size indoor rinks at Idaho IceWorld that run all year.

Highlights

• Indian Creek Plaza, 120 S Kimball Ave, Caldwell: the ice ribbon winds along the creek under the Winter Wonderland lights, with fire pits, free helmets and a bar overlooking the ice; kids 5 and under skate for $8
• The Village at Meridian, 3597 E Monarch Sky Ln: outdoor rink with 30-minute slots booked online, about $7 with skates
• Idaho IceWorld, 7072 S Eisenman Rd, Boise: indoor public skate sessions on the activity calendar, $9 adults, $8 kids and seniors

Good to Know

Holiday skate sessions at Indian Creek sell out, so reserve ahead; a 10-pack with rentals is $145 and a season pass with skates is $227. Glide on Grove, the free downtown Boise rink, ended after the 2024-25 season and hasn’t been replaced.

Getting There

Indian Creek Plaza is about 30 minutes west of Boise; Idaho IceWorld is 15 minutes southeast of downtown off the Gowen Road exit.

The Steelheads’ Teddy Bear Toss is the loudest night of the hockey season at Idaho Central Arena. After the first Boise goal, thousands of stuffed animals rain onto the ice, and all of them go to local charities.

Highlights

• Bring a new stuffed animal to throw; the pile on the ice takes a while to clear
• Military Appreciation Weekend is November 20th and 21st
• The Steelheads are on the road most of mid December through February, so December home dates are scarce

Good to Know

Idaho Central Arena is downtown, so make a night of it with dinner within walking distance. Teddy Bear Toss sells out most years.

Getting There

233 S Capitol Blvd, Boise, downtown.

The Boise Curling Club runs two-hour Learn to Curl sessions at Idaho IceWorld that end in a short game. It’s the cheapest way to try an Olympic sport in town, and the club runs a novice league afterward if it sticks.

Highlights

• About 20 minutes off the ice, then 90 minutes of instruction and a game
• Recommended for ages 12 and up; mobility aids are available
• The club also hosts the Sawtooth Outdoor Bonspiel on Stanley’s outdoor rink in mid January

Good to Know

Wear warm, stretchy clothes and clean sneakers. Sessions are capped and fill up, so register early.

Getting There

Idaho IceWorld, 7072 S Eisenman Rd, Boise, 15 minutes from downtown.

Boise’s 1927 Egyptian Theatre runs a holiday movie marathon from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, usually with Home Alone, A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas Vacation, The Polar Express and a White Christmas sing-along, plus Die Hard for the people who insist.

Highlights

• Family matinees of The Polar Express on weekends
• Beer and wine at the concession stand, and the theatre organ before some shows
• One of the last Egyptian Revival theatres still operating in the country

Good to Know

Last year’s run was November 28th to December 24th with about a dozen titles. Tickets are sold online and at the box office, (208) 387-1273.

Getting There

700 W Main St, Boise, downtown at Main and Capitol.

Ballet Idaho’s Nutcracker is Idaho’s largest, with the Boise Philharmonic playing live in the pit at the Morrison Center for eight performances the week before Christmas. If you want something besides sugar plums, the valley’s stages are full from Thanksgiving on.

More Holiday Shows

• Boise Philharmonic, Elf in Concert, November 28th and 29th at the Morrison Center
• Boise State’s A Christmas Carol, November 19th to December 6th at the Danny Peterson Theater, from $25.50
• Boise Little Theater’s A Little Princess, November 27th to December 19th
• Broadway in Boise’s Beauty and the Beast, December 2nd to 6th at the Morrison Center
• Boise Ballet Academy’s Nutcracker, December 18th to 20th at the Nampa Civic Center

Good to Know

Ballet Idaho runs 1 hour 55 minutes with intermission and recommends ages 5 and up. Weekend matinees sell out first.

Getting There

Morrison Center, 2201 W Cesar Chavez Ln on the Boise State campus.

Nothing beats a hot pool with snow on the ground. The closest developed springs are under an hour from Boise, and a couple of the free roadside ones stay reachable all winter if you don’t mind a short walk in the snow.

Where to Go

• The Springs, 3742 Highway 21, Idaho City: pools and private tubs, Thursday through Monday 10:30am to 10pm, $30 adults for a 2.5-hour soak, reservations required; Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays are 18 and up
• Givens Hot Springs, 11309 Highway 78 near Melba: an indoor 100-degree pool open since 1881, noon to 9pm daily, $12 adults, $6 kids and seniors, no reservations
• Gold Fork Hot Springs, 1026 Gold Fork Rd, Donnelly: six terraced rock pools from 85 to 110 degrees with a heated deck, noon to 8pm, closed Tuesdays, $10 cash only, about 2 hours
• Kirkham Hot Springs, Highway 21 five miles east of Lowman: free-form riverside pools, $5 a vehicle, open year-round from the highway, about 1 hour 45 minutes
• Pine Flats, on the Banks-Lowman Highway near Lowman: the campground gate closes in winter, so park and walk about a quarter mile to the waterfall pools

Good to Know

Highway 21 has bridge construction at Mores Creek into 2027, so add 15 to 20 minutes to The Springs. Rocky Canyon Hot Springs near Crouch is not a winter trip; the road closes and you have to ford the river. Burgdorf north of McCall is snowmobile-only from December to April and books out, $20 a soak.

Getting There

The Springs, Idaho City is about 55 minutes northeast on Highway 21. Givens is about 45 minutes southwest through Nampa.

A dozen or so bald eagles winter in the cottonwoods along the Boise River between Lucky Peak and Glenwood because the water stays open. January and February are the best months, and the birds are used to Greenbelt walkers, so you can get close without spooking them.

Highlights

• Barber Park and the Greenbelt east of Eckert Road are the most reliable stretches, along with the river below Lucky Peak Dam
• Pair it with the World Center for Birds of Prey, open Tuesday through Sunday 10am to 4pm in winter with live raptor presentations at 11am, 1pm and 3pm
• The center’s California condors are the biggest birds you’ll see in Idaho

Good to Know

Bring binoculars and go in the morning. Give roosting eagles space and keep dogs leashed on the Greenbelt. The center is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Getting There

Barber Park, 4049 S Eckert Rd and 5668 W Flying Hawk Ln are each about 15 minutes from downtown.

Idaho’s only public state park observatory runs Saturday night winter programs: two short astronomy talks, then viewing through 25- and 27.5-inch telescopes under some of the darkest skies within an hour of Boise. If it’s cloudy, the planetarium runs instead.

Highlights

• 2026-27 nights: November 14th, 21st, December 5th, 12th, 19th, January 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th and February 6th, plus special programs November 6th and 7th
• Programs are capped at 25 people, so call (208) 366-7919 to reserve
• Hike the 470-foot dune, the tallest single dune in North America, before dark

Good to Know

It’s cold out there after sunset in the desert, so dress like you’re going skiing. Bring a red flashlight and arrive before 6pm.

Getting There

27608 Bruneau Sand Dunes Rd, about an hour and 15 minutes southeast of Boise.

Zoo Boise drops admission to $3 every Thursday from November through February, plus the Friday after Thanksgiving and a stretch between Christmas and New Year’s. Red pandas, the indoor Gorongosa exhibits and the new Small Animal Kingdom are the winter draws.

Highlights

• Sand cats, meerkats, tortoises and tamarins in the new Small Animal Kingdom
• Breakfast with Santa on a mid December Saturday, $40 adults and $25 kids for nonmembers, usually sold out by early December
• Red pandas are most active in the cold

Good to Know

The 2026-27 $3 schedule hadn’t posted when we checked; last year it ran every Thursday from November 6th to February 26th, plus November 28th and December 20th to 31st. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Getting There

355 Julia Davis Dr in Julia Davis Park, five minutes from downtown.

Boise’s answer to the ball drop: a 17-foot glowing potato hoisted at 6pm and lowered at midnight with fireworks, live music, a downtown rail jam and food and drink. After 13 years at the Capitol, the 2026 event is moving to a new location that hadn’t been announced when we checked.

Highlights

• The GlowTato rise at 6pm and the drop at midnight
• A main stage of live music and a snow-packed rail jam with skiers and snowboarders
• This year’s theme ties into the country’s 250th anniversary

Good to Know

Organizers say the 14th annual drop is happening in Idaho on December 31st, 2026, and they’re vetting downtown-area venues after the move away from the Capitol. Check the website in December for the location and the fireworks plan.

Getting There

To be announced. Past events were at Cecil D. Andrus Park across from the Capitol.

Make-A-Wish Idaho’s polar plunge at Lucky Peak is now in its 24th year. Several hundred people in costumes run into the reservoir at Spring Shores Marina to raise money for Idaho kids’ wishes, and nearly as many show up just to watch.

Highlights

• Costumes are encouraged and judged; last year’s plunge raised $130,000
• No fundraising minimum, just a donation of whatever is meaningful to you
• Idaho Rivers United runs a smaller $7 plunge at Quinn’s Pond in late January

Good to Know

It moved off New Year’s Day a couple of years ago; it’s now the second Saturday of January. Bring a robe, a towel and shoes you can wear into the water.

Getting There

Spring Shores Marina, Lucky Peak State Park, about 30 to 35 minutes east on Highway 21.

Two hours north, McCall’s Winter Carnival fills a town of 4,000 with about 60,000 people over 10 days for snow sculptures, a torchlight parade, a Mardi Gras parade and fireworks over Payette Lake. The 2027 theme is Sharlie’s Wild West, after the lake’s resident monster.

Highlights

• Snow sculptures unveiled the first weekend, lit at night all week
• Children’s Torchlight Parade on Friday, January 29th
• One lakeside fireworks show this year, after the Mardi Gras Parade on February 6th
• While you’re there: ice bumper cars at Manchester Ice Centre ($10 a ride) and $30 night skiing at the Little Ski Hill

Good to Know

Lodging for the second weekend sells out months ahead; look at Donnelly, Cascade or New Meadows if McCall is full. Roads close for the parade, and the city asks drivers to wait an hour after it ends before leaving. Our McCall Winter Carnival guide has the full rundown.

Getting There

McCall is about 105 miles and two hours north on Highway 55, a canyon road that needs snow tires in winter.

Lake Cascade has produced multiple state-record yellow perch, including a 3.22-pound fish pulled through the ice in 2021, and Idaho Fish and Game’s latest survey found the best perch numbers in over a decade. The ice usually sets up by early January and holds into March.

Highlights

• Perch, trout, coho and kokanee often sit a foot under the ice
• The Hardwater Classic derby has run out of the Cascade American Legion in late January
• Horsethief Reservoir, six miles east of Cascade, is stocked with rainbow trout and quieter

Good to Know

Fish and Game no longer posts routine ice reports, so call a Cascade tackle shop before you drive up. Rent an auger and a pop-up shelter if you don’t own them, and never trust ice near inlets.

Getting There

Lake Cascade State Park, Cascade, about an hour and 45 minutes north on Highway 55.