Boise is a large city for its population, but it is fairly easy to navigate as the downtown and much of the city at large are laid out in a grid pattern and a major Interstate, I-84, runs right into the center of town. Getting around the city is made slightly easier by the ValleyRide public bus system, which has about 22 routes through all the major tourist areas and to the airport, although its scheduling and availability often leave something to be desired.

But getting around the city without the aid of a motor vehicle can be just as simple and a lot more fun. There is an extensive network of bike paths running throughout the metropolitan Boise area, including the Boise River Greenbelt , a verdant, picturesque stretch of bike and pedestrian paths winding along the riverbed, until a major cleanup initiative in the 1960s a dumping ground for trash.

For more fun on and around the rejuvenated river region, sign up with Boise River Tours , a firm that sponsors half-day rafting trips down the scenic river with guides to point out all the man-made and natural sites of the city along the waterway. Tours begin 10 miles west of the city every day at 8:45 a.m. during the summer months.