With its scenic mountains, beautiful lakes, and breathtaking landscape it’s no surprise that Idaho is becoming a popular family vacation destination. There are many incredible Idaho vacation spots for families, but this list is dedicated to our top 3 Idaho Resort Towns close to Boise.
McCall, Idaho
This Idaho resort town is probably the most popular amongst families living in Boise, and many residents have second homes here. McCall is a scenic 2.5-hour drive from Boise and an outdoor recreator’s dream! No matter what season you visit, you’ll have a wide variety of activities within minutes.
McCall is nestled next to Payette Lake and is surrounded by mountains with peaks topping 8000ft in elevation. Brundage Mountain Resort is only 10-minutes outside of town and offers incredible skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain biking and hiking in the summer.
Downtown McCall has lake views and an easy-to-access main beach area. Within steps of the beach and main downtown strip, you’ll find plenty of local breweries, restaurants, boutiques, ice-skating rink, and during the summer the famous Ice Cream Alley with the largest cones I’ve ever seen!
McCall Idaho Lodging
There are many options available for lodging in McCall. Many families choose vacation rentals for space needs, with a wide range of options to satisfy your need to be surrounded by trees in the woods, prefer the access and activity of downtown, or enjoy the classic lake views that inspire your soul. Additionally, there are several cozy hotels to choose from in McCall. My absolute favorite place to stay and splurge is the Shore Lodge — which sits right on the lake (with a private beach), has upscale dining, nightly s’mores, a shuttle to skiing, and a world-class spa. To read more about Shore Lodge, click here.
The Shore Lodge is only minutes from downtown, but if you want walkable access to downtown with your family, then check out Hotel McCall. It’s a charming hotel located in the center of downtown with an indoor pool, great restaurant, and has condo-style rooms perfect for families.
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is one of the most iconic ski destinations in the country, and only a 2.5-hour drive from Boise. However, if you want to fly directly into Sun Valley there is an airport (SUN) 13-miles away with flights from Alaska, Delta, and United.
It’s no surprise that Sun Valley, Idaho is such a popular mountain destination for travelers around the globe. The stunning landscape seems almost endless! Beautiful mountains, streams, and trails abound, are complimented with world-class dining and high-end boutiques.
The Sun Valley area is a four-season destination with some of the world’s best skiing and mountain biking. But there’s so much to do if you aren’t necessarily an adventure seeker. Just being surrounded by the scenery here is both relaxing and magical. If you want to learn more about our recent weekend trip to Sun Valley read this post.
Sun Valley, Idaho Lodging
Sun Valley isn’t lacking in the variety of lodging options. There is a huge selection of vacation rentals, hotels, and resorts. But for some reason every time we visit, we gravitate to our two favorites: The Limelight Ketchum and the famous Sun Valley Resort.
We love to travel with our pup, Cooper, so we usually stay at the Limelight Ketchum because they are 100% dog friendly. This hotel is modern, bright, and features an incredible lounge where great drinks flow easily, and dogs and kids are welcome. If you want to read more about our experience at the Limelight, then check out this post.
If you’re traveling without your furry, four-legged family members, then the Sun Valley Resort might be the perfect choice. There’s so much to do here that you might not need to leave the property. There’s a bowling alley, ice-skating rink, boutiques, restaurants, and so much more!
Tamarack Ski Resort, Donnelly, Idaho
Tamarack is the most visited place for me and my family. We stay and play in Tamarack 5+ times each year. It’s a small resort town in Donnelly, Idaho, located about 2.5-hours outside of Boise. Tamarack feels secluded due to its location but has just enough amenities and dining to keep you and your family happy. What we love most about Tamarack is that everything is easily accessible. Most of the lodging is either ski-in/ski-out or within walking distance to the lifts. And we barely utilize our vehicles while staying here and walk pretty much everywhere.
We love this resort and all it offers. Our days are balanced with outdoor activity, great food, relaxing by the fire, and enjoying either the pool or hot tubs. Want to read about our top things to do in Tamarack during the winter? Then read this post.
Tamarack Resort Lodging
Lodging at Tamarack Resort includes condos, cottages, chalets, or larger estate homes. You can book directly through the resort or a variety of vacation rental websites. The unique part of staying here is that almost all lodging options include a kitchen, washer, and dryer — and many have garages or covered parking.
Bringing a dog? Many units are dog friendly — just make sure to check in advance. With trails and miles of terrain, your furry companion(s) will be so thankful to join in the adventures.
Thanks for reading! I hope you’re inspired to plan your own Idaho family vacation. And no matter what Idaho resort town you select, you’ll have a wonderful time creating new memories with your family — kids and dogs included!
