When I think of this little town I am in, Idaho Falls, it seems like a little “Podunk” town. Almost all of my friends left this town the second they could escape. My mom and I were talking about this town the other day. It could be considered a retirement town for people that want to settle. My grandparents settled here back in the ’80s when my grandfather was retiring from the Navy. My father graduated high school from here and then went off to the Air Force and lived practically everywhere.

Nonetheless, when he was given the opportunity to come back here, he did in a heartbeat.

We managed to acquire a house right across the street. This was the first time that I was able to graduate with the same kids, knowing a majority of them over the past four years. It was nice actually.

Again, it was more of a retirement town, so I left and went off to the big sprawling city of Boise. My brother went to Texas for school and now, I am back here in this small city of Idaho Falls.

Many questioned my decision, but I believe it was a great way to restart myself and make myself happy again. There are many things that are exciting around this town.

Don’t be afraid to take a chance on this little town.

1. Museum of Idaho

What is so neat about our Museum of Idaho is we are given opportunities to present exhibits that are rarely given to smaller museums. For instance, we have an exhibit called “Discover Steampunk.” It is a world premiere of this exhibit before any other museum! We are given exhibits that are usually not seen outside of the Smithsonian Museum. It is so amazing!

2. Bear World

Right outside of Idaho Falls, there is this little place called Bear World. If you don’t want to take the trip all the way out to Yellowstone National Park, it allows you to see bears, bison, and all sorts of deer as well! They even sometimes let you bottle feed certain animals. However, you do have to pay a hefty price, but it is well worth the trip!

3. Mesa Falls

Well, Mesa Falls is nothing like Niagara Falls. It is gorgeous nonetheless! I love going there with my family. It is a little bit farther out from Idaho Falls. It is about 16 miles away from Ashton while Ashton is an hour or so away from Idaho Falls. It is worth the trip though! It is one of the last waterfalls along the Snake River to resist human control. It is the remnants of a volcanic eruption as well. How cool is that?!

4. Gilmore, Idaho

If you are into ghost towns, there is a fun little place to visit right in between Idaho Falls and Salmon. There are actually quite a few of them around here since East Idaho stays pretty well preserved from too much technology and the crazy skyscraper buildings of the big cities!

5. Trophy Fly Fishing

If you are into fishing, why not try fly fishing? It is so much fun plus I think it keeps you more active than regular fishing as you are mostly wading in the water and flicking your rod!

6. Craters of the Moon

This has to be one of my favorite places near Idaho Falls! It is an ocean of lava flows from ages ago. Created between 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, this majestic field of lava rock mesmerizes people through the years. It stretches for miles and even has caves that you can crawl into to see the volcanic eruptions that still continuously happen!

7. St. Anthony Sand Dunes

If you have an RZR or off-roading vehicle, you will have an absolute blast on the dunes! With 10,600 acres of sand, it is the ultimate playground for enthusiasts of such! What is so interesting is during the winter, elk migrate through these dunes.

8. War Bonnet Rodeo

If you are a fan of cow roping and bull riding, you cannot miss Idaho’s oldest rodeo! Usually, around August, this rodeo brings cowboys and cowgirls from around the nation to compete.

9. Palisades Reservoir

Floating and boating are the names of the game! Whether you want to be in charge or just want to play, Palisades Reservoir is the place to go. Just right outside Idaho Falls, there are places for boat launches, campgrounds, and even picnic areas!

10. Mountain Biking Through Grand Targhee

Why not take your mountain bike through Grand Targhee Resort? It has been voted one of the best bike parks in the Northwest! There are so many bike trails that are tailored to every level of mountain bike rider!

Look at all of those reasons to visit this little town! There is so much more this town has to offer but that is just a glimpse of Idaho Falls.