Whether you’re celebrating a new graduate or the commencement of summer, the Treasure Valley offers a lot of ways to bring loved ones together to have a lot of fun. We have a few ideas.

If you have out-of-town company coming into Boise for your big event, here are a few good lodging options:

• Starting in Boise, just a short ride from the airport and in the midst of charming downtown are a few great lodging options, The Grove Hotel being one of them. It also has Trilium, which offers an Idaho-inspired fine dining experience. 

• The Inn at 500 is a boutique hotel offering beautiful and spacious guest rooms. At its base is  Richard’s, which offers a legacy of menu items. Chef Richard Langston is known in Boise for his dishes, being a 2014 James Beard Nominee for our region. 

• Hotel 43 has a contemporary flair and also offers pet-friendly rooms.  The in-hotel restaurant, Chandlers, is notorious for its great steaks, seafood and other food favorites, as well as a chic lounge offering smaller plates and signature cocktails. 

• In nearby Garden City is The Riverside, a hotel next to the lovely Boise River and Greenbelt. The Riverside is known for its heated outdoor pool and access to Garden City’s Live Work Create District which is an up-and-coming cultural hub with a hive of inspiring artist studios, wineries, breweries and restaurants. 

For you locals and/or your visitors, there is something for everyone to enjoy:

• Botanical Gardens: one of Boise’s most gorgeous stops is its Botanical Gardens. At the base of the Boise foothills, the Gardens offer an impressive amount of landscapes and plants within a small amount of grounds.  The Gardens are also the home of Outlaw Field which brings in some of the most amazing musicians the music business has to offer. 

• Basque Block: Per capita, Boise has the most people of Basque lineage, aside from Spain Basque country. This rich culture has given our city a richer culture with its art, food, dance and overall heritage.  With that, downtown Boise has the Basque Block with restaurants, historic boarding houses and a Basque Museum. Be transported into a fusion of cultures by visiting this wonderful corner of the City of Trees.

• Sunnyslope: This is Idaho’s Wine Country. A lush landscape outside of Nampa, Idaho is old, green and formerly volcanic. With the rich soil are farms, orchards, and, of course vineyards. You can get a ride around to tour the various wineries, or take yourself. Some of the wineries host great music in the summertime, so plan a picnic and take yourself into this leisurely paradise. 

• Bear Valley Rafting: From the end of April through the beginning of September, Bear Valley Rafting has experienced guides who lead half-day and full-day adventures through the Main Payette, South Fork Payette and North Fork Payette. With stunning scenery and exhilarating rapids the Payette River is something to experience. Just about an hour outside of Boise Bear Valley Rafting is situated in sweet Banks, Idaho. If thrill is part of your pleasure, don’t miss this experience. 

• Base Camp Pong and Ax: A bit closer to downtown is another establishment that takes physical recreation to an indoor arena. Housing spaces for not only ax throwing and ping pong, this venue offers lunch, dinner, cocktails, wine and beer. Get a few friends or co-workers together to decompress, and also keep in mind that Base Camp caters to larger, corporate events as well. 

• Discovery Center of Idaho: The Discovery Center is a family-friendly option with rotating exhibitions, a Classics Collection, which showcases hands-on activities, and also offers classes and camps. Just on the edge of downtown, DCI is a local favorite, bringing science, technology, engineering, math and art together, creating a memorable experience for all ages.

• Wahooz: Wahooz Family Fun Center is located in Meridian, Idaho just outside of Boise, along I-84.  Wahooz offers indoor and outdoor entertainment including bumper-cars, bumper boats, laser tag, miniature golf,  bowling, an arcade and more: year-round fun for all ages.

• Top Golf: Also just off the interstate in Meridian, Idaho is Top Golf, a venue that keeps gold enthusiasts happy all year long, offering climate-controlled hitting bays, and even miniature golf for a more light-hearted putting experience. Top golf even has an in-house sports bar and restaurant for those who would like to take a break and take in sports of multiple types on their multiple televisions. 

Whatever your form of recreation, Boise and its surrounding areas have it all.  For more information, take a gander at visitboise.com, which provides more information about the City of Trees and its pleasant amenities.