Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Idaho! Hopefully this page and its information helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Idaho.
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Idaho used to be a sleepy kind of place, but the secret is out. People now know that Idaho is more than just potatoes. Outdoor adventures abound in Idaho. There's jagged mountain peaks (e.g. the Sawtooths), two renowned rail trails, several world-class waterfalls, and dozens of hot springs. I would encourage you to visit soon before things like permits and quotas start appearing like they have in some of the nature parks in neighboring states.
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TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN IDAHO
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Are you short on time or struggling to choose something to do or see in Idaho? Here are my selections for the top 10 attractions or experiences in Idaho, in no particular order:
✮ Cycle one of Idaho's famous long-distance rail trails (e.g. Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes or the Route of the Hiawatha)
✮ Drive the Sawtooth Scenic Byway in central Idaho
✮ Relax in one of Idaho's excellent hot springs resorts
✮ Take an epic multi-day whitewater rafting trip (e.g. Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Snake River through Hells Canyon, etc.)
✮ Go skiing or snowboarding at Sun Valley
✮ Head to Coeur d'Alene, dubbed the "honeymoon capital of the Northwest"
✮ Throw on a backpack and head deep into the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Hop in one of Idaho's hot springs resorts
✮ Explore an other-wordly volcanic landscape at Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
✮ Visit one of Idaho's world-class waterfalls (e.g. Shoshone Falls or Upper Mesa Falls)
If I could select only one place to visit in Idaho, I would choose the Ketchum area so that I could explore the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here.
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5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN IDAHO
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Here is my opinionated list of 5-star attractions in Idaho. I believe each of these attractions should be on your Idaho state bucket list since they are all noteworthy from a national perspective:
Northern Idaho (including Coeur d'Alene)
✮ Coeur d'Alene - "the honeymoon capital of the Northwest"; don't miss cycling on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene; lake activities
✮ Crystal Gold Mine, Kellogg - offers fun underground guided mine tours
✮ Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood - stay in a guesthouse that is shaped like a giant beagle dog; a classic roadside attraction
✮ Lake Coeur d'Alene - a scenic lake beside its gateway city (Couer d'Alene); great boating and cycling
✮ North Idaho Centennial Trail - a 24-mile paved recreational path
✮ Route of the Hiawatha - a 15-mile bike path with ten tunnels & seven high trestles; one of the top 25 bike paths in the U.S.
✮ Schweitzer Mountain, Sandpoint - this 92-trail resort is the largest ski resort in Idaho
✮ Seven Stars Alpaca Ranch, Coeur d'Alene - a ranch offering guided experiences with many farm animals, including alpacas
✮ Sierra Silver Mine Tour, Wallace - ride a trolley & then walk into an underground mine
✮ Silverwood Theme Park, Athol - the best theme park in ID and one of the highest rate in the U.S.; more than 70 rides and attractions
✮ Timberline Adventures, Couer d'Alene - awesome zip-lining tours
✮ Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes - a 72-mile scenic paved rail trail; one of the top 25 rail trails in the U.S.
Central Idaho (including Boise, Idaho Falls, Ketchum, and the Sawtooth Mountains)
✮ Bayhorse Ghost Town, Challis - drive a dirt road to reach one of the best ghost towns in the Pacific Northwest
✮ Boise River Greenbelt, Boise - an excellent 25-mile long, mostly paved bike path
✮ Challis Hot Springs, Challis - enjoy thermal baths at a developed hot spring resort
✮ Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, Arco - scenic and otherworldly volcanic landscapes; lava tubes you can enter/explore
✮ EBR-I Atomic Museum, Arco - an atomic/nuclear energy museum
✮ Fall Creek Falls, Swan Valley - a 60-foot waterfall that drops into the Snake River
✮ Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness - a premier wilderness area in the U.S. that offers excellent backpacking
✮ Goldbug Hot Springs, Salmon - take a moderate hike to an excellent set of hot springs
✮ Hells Canyon National Recreation Area - North America's deepest gorge; world-class multi-day whitewater rafting
✮ Idaho Botanical Garden, Boise - beautiful high-desert gardens
✮ Idaho Falls Temple & Visitors Center - a stunning Mormon church
✮ Museum of Idaho, Idaho Falls - a medium-sized history and science center
✮ Old Idaho Penitentiary, Boise - tour a decommissioned 1872 prison
✮ Redfish Lake - largest lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area; excellent fishing, boating, and swimming; trailhead for several hikes
✮ Roaring Springs Waterpark, Meridian - the best water park in Idaho
✮ Sawtooth National Recreation Area - one of the premier mountainous areas in the U.S.; world-class hiking and backpacking
✮ Sawtooth Scenic Byway - the finest paved scenic drive in Idaho
✮ Spud Drive In, Driggs - beloved drive-in movie theater near Wyoming border
✮ Stanley Lake - beautiful lake with stunning mountain views
✮ Sun Valley, Sun Valley - the first major ski resort in the US; loved by celebrities
✮ Upper Mesa Falls / Mesa Falls, Ashton - beautiful 114-foot tall block-style waterfall; one of the top 25 waterfalls in the U.S.
✮ World Center For Birds of Prey, Boise - exhibits & demonstrations of various birds of prey
Southern Idaho (including Pocatello and Twin Falls)
✮ Bruneau Dunes State Park - hike up and/or sand-board down the best sand dunes in Idaho; good camping; cabin rentals; sky-gazing programs
✮ Castle Rocks State Park, Almo - world-class rock climbing plus scenic hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails; great camping
✮ City of Rocks National Reserve, Almo - world-class rock climbing on granite monoliths and oddly-eroded rock
✮ Gooding City of Rocks, Gooding - colorful volcanic rock hoodoos
✮ Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot - small museum idolizing the state's most famous crop; a giant potato statue in front is a great photo op
✮ Kirkham Hot Springs, Boise National Forest, Lowman - one of Idaho's best hot springs
✮ Lava Hot Springs - one of Idaho's best commercial hot springs
✮ Museum of Clean, Pocatello - quirky museum with antique vacuums, washers, trash cans, toilets, etc.
✮ National Oregon/California Trail Center, Montpelier - living history museum with focus on famous historic traveling routes
✮ Perrine Bridge, Twin Falls - one of the most beautiful bridges in the US; very popular with BASE-jumpers
✮ Shoshone Falls, Shoshone - 212-foot tall, 1,000-foot wide massive waterfall; one of the biggest and best waterfalls in the U.S.
Whitewater rafting is a popular activity on many rivers in Idaho. I didn't bother including these rivers in the lists above because there are simply too many to them (there's roughly a dozen or so of them).
Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Idaho? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.
For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links:
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BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN IDAHO
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These towns and cities in Idaho are generally regarded as the most interesting to travelers:
✮ Boise - this capital city has awesome green spaces and offers a ton of nearby outdoor activities
✮ Coeur d’Alene - a small city known for its outdoor recreation, including boating, golfing, and cycling (e.g. Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes)
✮ Ketchum - a small mountain town with world-class skiing/snowboarding at Sun Valley; gateway to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Wallace also looks like it might be a nice small town, but I haven't visited it yet.
If you want to visit the Sawtooth Mountains region, stay in or near Ketchum.
Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire USA.
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WHAT IS IDAHO FAMOUS FOR?
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Here are some things that Idaho is famous or well known for:
✮ backpacking
✮ canyons
✮ fly-fishing
✮ gem mining (e.g. topaz, star garnet, etc.)
✮ gold mining history
✮ ghost towns
✮ hot springs
✮ lava tubes
✮ lentils
✮ national forests
✮ onions
✮ potatoes
✮ rail trails (e.g. Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, Route of the Hiawatha)
✮ rock climbing
✮ scenic landscapes
✮ scenic rivers
✮ trout fishing
✮ waterfalls (e.g. Shoshone Falls, Upper Mesa Falls)
✮ whitewater rafting
✮ wilderness
Click here if you'd like to learn what other U.S. states are famous for.
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There is only one national park in Idaho, but there are many other federally-managed parks and properties in the state, including:
National Parks
✮ Yellowstone National Park - take note that only a small portion of the park is in Idaho (most of the park is in Wyoming)
National Monuments
✮ Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve - otherworldly and scenic volcanic landscapes; lava tubes you can enter/explore
✮ Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
National Recreation Areas
✮ Hells Canyon National Recreation Area - North America's deepest gorge; world-class multi-day whitewater rafting
✮ Sawtooth National Recreation Area - one of the premier mountainous areas in the U.S.; world-class hiking and backpacking
National Forests
✮ Bitterroot National Forest
✮ Boise National Forest
✮ Caribou-Targhee National Forest
✮ Clearwater National Forest
✮ Idaho Panhandle National Forest
✮ Kootenai National Forest
✮ Nez Perce National Forest
✮ Payette National Forest
✮ Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Sawtooth National Forest
✮ Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
✮ Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
National Historical Parks / Other National Parks
✮ California National Historic Trail
✮ City of Rocks National Reserve, Almo - granite monoliths and oddly-eroded granite; world-class rock climbing
✮ Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
✮ Minidoka National Historic Site
✮ Nez Perce National Historical Park
✮ Oregon National Historic Trail
For more information on Idaho's national parks, visit the Idaho page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here.
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Idaho has more than 25 state parks. Many would agree that these represent Idaho's finest state parks:
Flagship / Premier State Parks:
✮ Castle Rocks State Park, Almo - world-class rock climbing plus scenic hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails; great camping
✮ Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes - a 72-mile extraordinarily scenic paved rail trail; one of the top 25 rail trails in the U.S.
Other Notable State Parks:
✮ Bruneau Dunes State Park - hike up and/or sand-board down the best sand dunes in Idaho; good camping; cabin rentals; sky-gazing programs
✮ Farragut State Park - famous for its aerial adventure park and exceptional camping
✮ Harriman State Park - 22 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails; good fly fishing
✮ Thousand Springs State Park - beautiful canyon views and waterfalls
To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here.
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Idaho has an estimated 250-350 natural waterfalls. Some of the best waterfalls in Idaho include:
✮ Devils Washbowl in Thousand Springs State Park
✮ Falls Creek Falls in Caribou-Targhee National Forest
✮ Jump Creek Falls in Jump Creek Recreation Site
✮ Minnie Miller Springs in Thousands Springs State Park
✮ Niagara Springs in Thousand Springs State Park
✮ Perrine-Coulee Falls in Twin Falls
✮ Shoshone Falls in Shoshone Falls Park, Twin Falls
✮ Upper Mesa Falls in Caribou-Targhee National Forest
For a listing of all known waterfalls in Idaho, visit the World Waterfall Database.
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BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN IDAHO
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Here is a list of the best scenic drives in Idaho:
✮ City of Rocks National Reserve roads - the dirt roads within this federally-managed park offer great views; there's a good nearby byway too
✮ Craters of the Moon National Monument Scenic Loop - a 7-mile paved loop that travels through the heart of the national monument
✮ Salmon River Scenic Byway - a 161-mile paved route from Stanley > ID-75 > US-93 > north to the Montana/Idaho border near Gibbonsville
✮ Sawtooth Scenic Byway - a 115-mile paved route from Shoshone to Stanley along the Sawtooth Mountains
✮ Thousand Springs Scenic Byway - a 67-mile paved route from Bliss to Hansen via Twin Falls using both US-30 and US-93
Other notable scenic drives in Idaho include the Payette River Scenic Byway, Peaks to Craters Scenic Byway, and Pend Oreille Scenic Byway.
For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here.
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BEST RAIL TRAILS IN IDAHO
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Here is a list of the best rail trails (or similar cycling paths) in Idaho:
Northern Idaho (including Coeur d'Alene)
✮ Route of the Hiawatha - widely considered one of the very best rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes - widely considered one of the very best rail trails in the U.S.
✮ North Idaho Centennial Trail
Central Idaho (including Boise, Idaho Falls, Ketchum, and the Sawtooth Mountains)
✮ Boise River Greenbelt
✮ Idaho Falls Greenbelt
✮ Weiser River National Recreation Trail
✮ Wood River Trail near Ketchum
For detailed information on all known rail trails in Idaho, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website.
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BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS IN IDAHO
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Idaho only has a few notable amusement parks. The best amusement parks in Idaho include:
✮ Olympic Swimming Complex, Lava Hot Springs
✮ Roaring Springs Waterpark, Meridian
✮ Silverwood Theme Park, Athol
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Idaho has a few excellent museums. The best museums in Idaho include:
Central Idaho (including Boise, Idaho Falls, Ketchum, and the Sawtooth Mountains)
✮ EBR-I Atomic Museum, Arco - unique atomic/nuclear energy museum
✮ Museum of Idaho, Idaho Falls
✮ Old Idaho Penitentiary, Boise - tour a decommissioned 1872 prison
✮ Warhawk Air Museum, Nampa
Southern Idaho (including Pocatello and Twin Falls)
✮ Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot
✮ Museum of Clean, Pocatello - antique vacuums, washers, trash cans, toilets, etc.
✮ National Oregon/California Trail Center, Montpelier - living history museum with focus on famous trails
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Idaho has many spectacular hiking trails. Here are some of the best day hikes in Idaho:
Northern Idaho (including Coeur d'Alene)
✮ Chilco Mountain Trail, Idaho Panhandle National Forest
✮ Middle Ridge National Recreation Trail
✮ Scotchman Peak Trail, Kaniksu National Forest
✮ Stevens Lakes Trail, Idaho Panhandle National Forest
Central Idaho (including Boise, Idaho Falls, Ketchum, and the Sawtooth Mountains)
✮ Alice Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Borah Peak via Southwest Ridge, Challis National Forest
✮ Cervidae Peak, Lucky Peak State Park
✮ Fishhook Creek Trail, Sawtooth National Forest
✮ Goat Lake, Sawtooth Wilderness
✮ Goldbug Hot Springs, Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Merriam Lake, Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Pioneer Cabin, Sawtooth National Forest
✮ Sawtooth Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Shower Bath Hot Springs, Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
✮ Standhope Peak
✮ Thompson Peak, Sawtooth Wilderness
Southern Idaho (including Pocatello and Twin Falls)
✮ Bruneau Dunes Loop, Bruneau Dunes State Park
✮ Castle Rock State Park trails
✮ City of Rocks National Reserve trails (e.g. the short walk to Window Arch)
✮ Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve trails (including hiking down into lava tubes)
✮ Gooding City of Rocks, BLM land
The highpoint of Idaho is Borah Peak (12,662'). A difficult hike and rock scramble (class IV) is required to reach the summit (12,662'). Many people will turn around when they reach the famed "Chicken-Out Ridge".
To find more hikes in Idaho or to learn more about the hikes I've listed above, I recommend purchasing hiking guidebooks on Amazon (or from your local retailer). Another option is using alltrails.com, but you have to be very careful when using that website as its information is often wrong or incomplete. Published hiking guidebooks will likely always be significantly better than the information you find online.
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BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN IDAHO
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Idaho offers several amazing backpacking opportunities. Some of premier backpacking routes in Idaho include:
✮ Alice Lake-Toxaway Lake Loop, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Big Boulder Lakes, Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Boulder Chain Lakes, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Hells Canyon-Snake River Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and Hells Canyon Wilderness
✮ Lost River Range Traverse, Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Sawtooth Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
✮ Seven Devils Loop, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
✮ Ship Island Lake, Frank Church-River Of No Return Wilderness
✮ Standhope Peak, Salmon-Challis National Forest
✮ Thompson Peak, Sawtooth Wilderness
✮ White Cloud Peaks Loop, Sawtooth National Recreation Area
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CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN IDAHO
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Idaho offers many excellent adventures, including these classics:
✮ Backpacking in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (e.g. Alice-Toxaway Loop)
✮ Backcountry skiing in the Sawtooth Mountains
✮ Backcountry skiing near Sun Valley
✮ Base jumping off Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls
✮ Bouldering the Channel
✮ Bouldering Dierkes Lake in Twin Falls
✮ Cross country skiing starting from one of the state's "Park N' Ski" locations
✮ Cross country skiing the North Valley Trails system
✮ Cycling the Route of the Hiawatha
✮ Cycling the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
✮ Day hiking Alice Lake
✮ Day hiking Borah Peak - Idaho state highpoint; a challenging day hike with class IV scrambling is required (e.g. "Chicken Out Ridge")
✮ Day hiking Sawtooth Lake
✮ Day hiking Thompson Peak
✮ Exploring lava tubes in Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
✮ Jet skiing on Lake Coeur d'Alene
✮ Mountain biking the Eagle Bike Park
✮ Mountain biking the Galena Grinder - designated by IMBA as an "epic" mountain biking trail
✮ Mountain biking the Silver Mountain Bike Park
✮ Mountain biking the Tamarack Bike Park
✮ Para-sailing on Lake Coeur d'Alene
✮ Rock climbing in Castle Rock State Park
✮ Rock climbing in City of Rocks National Reserve
✮ Rock climbing Dierkes Lake in Twin Falls
✮ Rock climbing Elephant's Perch
✮ Rock climbing the Fins
✮ Rock climbing in the Sawtooth Mountains
✮ Rock climbing the Shoshone Lava Tubes
✮ Tubing the Boise River
✮ Tubing the Portneuf River
✮ Tubing the Warm River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Bruneau River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Clearwater River-Middle Fork
✮ Whitewater rafting the Lochsa River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Moyie River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Payette River-South Fork
✮ Whitewater rafting the Salmon River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Selway River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Snake River/Hells Canyon
✮ Whitewater rafting the St. Joe River River
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UNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN IDAHO
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Here are some unique / specialty foods to try while you are in Idaho:
✮ basque dinner
✮ finger steaks
✮ giant potatoes
✮ huckleberries (e.g. huckleberry milkshake)
✮ ice cream potato
✮ potato fudge
✮ potato vodka
For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Idaho (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website.
For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here.
For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Idaho (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website.
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OTHER KEY IDAHO INFORMATION
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Here is some helpful key information about Idaho:
State Capital:
Boise
Major Airports:
Boise Airport (BOI); you can also fly into Salt Lake City, UT or Spokane, WA and then drive into Idaho
Largest Cities:
Boise (241,686), Meridian (126,143), Nampa (103,928), Idaho Falls (66,418), Caldwell (62,748)
Primary U.S. Interstates:
I-15, I-84, I-86, I-90
State Highpoint:
Borah Peak (12,662'); a very difficult hike and class IV rock scramble is required to reach the summit
Professional Sports Teams:
None
Funny or Unique Town/City Names:
Good Grief and Sugar City
Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here.
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dirt road near City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho
Shoshone Falls, Idaho
Window Arch in City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho
Castle Rocks State Park in southern Idaho
City of Rocks National Reserve in southern Idaho
one of many natural hot springs in Idaho
Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, Idaho
exploring lava tubes in Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, Idaho
views from a trail above Sawtooth Lake in Idaho
Upper Mesa Falls in Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho
Perrine Bridge in Jerome, Idaho
In addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
 
 
 
 
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MORE U.S. STATE TRAVEL GUIDES
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Did you enjoy this state travel guide? If so, here are links to more of my comprehensive U.S. state travel guides:
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As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
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