In the early 1800s, French-Canadian fur trappers declared the name for Idaho’s capital. Boise, also known as the “City of Trees,” served as a beacon of hope for the group, which had just endured a long journey through the area’s foothills and high desert.
When they emerged from the parched land and set their eyes on the Boise River and the lush greenery that surrounded it, they shouted, “Le Bois! Le Bois!”, French for “the woods.”
Boise’s name encapsulates the city’s natural roots quite literally. Planners can tap into those historic roots by immersing their attendees in what the city’s DMO, Visit Boise, proclaimed as “Outdoor USA,” because in Boise, there’s no shortage of outdoor adventures, and many of them are perfect for groups.
“The setting itself makes for an outdoor mecca,” said Andrew Heidt, vice president of sales, Visit Boise. “One thing that sets Boise apart is our true access to the outdoors and nature...[and] we’ve got activities for all ability levels.”
Boise’s Beauty
Boise’s true outdoorsy atmosphere is what ultimately inspired Heidt to move to the “City of Trees” in the first place, as it features more than 85,000 public trees, according to a community forestry project by the City of Boise.
“Getting outdoors here, it’s not an add-on type thing. You’re literally sitting in the middle of nature in Boise. You’re immersed in [it],” Heidt said. “You can access the Boise River[within] a five-minute walk from your downtown hotel.”
And transportation to the river, foothills and hiking trails is accessible by biking or a 15-minute walk.
“Lots of the hotels have bike rentals to get around, and tons of companies [are] doing bike tours now,” Heidt said.
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Miles of Opportunities
Situated in a high-desert valley at 2,730 feet, Boise boasts many foothills and mountain trails for walking and hiking.
“The Boise River Greenbelt runs 26 miles on both sides of the Boise River,” Heidt said. “You can be on that path right on this gorgeous river downtown and take it for 26 miles. And that’s on both sides [of the river], which is really neat.”
Four additional trails include:
- Table Rock Trail is a 3.4-mile trail with a 994-foot gain in elevation. Located in Boise’s East End, the trail takes up to three hours to complete.
- Stack Rock Trail is a moderately difficult 8.2-mile trail with an elevation gain of 1,263 feet. This four-to-five-hour hike offers shaded forests, towering pines, sage-covered foothills and panoramic views of the Boise area.
- Military Reserve Park Trails offers shade and gentle elevation. The 734-acre plot—previously known as Fort Boise—was home to military operations beginning in the 1860s. Now, the outdoor recreation and wildlife preservation is an easier trail to take and a popular choice amongst hikers and joggers.
- Hulls Gulch Reserve Trails is a two-part, 12.6-mile trail throughout Upper Hulls Gulch and Lower Hulls Gulch. Hikers can expect the hike to take up to eight hours and gain in elevation of 2,246 feet.
Visit Boise recently hosted a tech group on a hike at Camel’s Back Park.
“They had about 110 people that wanted to go, and so we just split into groups and we walked from a downtown hotel and did a beautiful three-mile hike that was a skill level for everybody,” Heidt said. “Then you’re at the top and Camel’s Back overlooks the whole city.
“Taking that technology group was eye-opening because they’re all one-on-one, next to each other for an hour and a half,” he added. “It’s just easy networking.”
Networking in Nature
“I think people want different networking,” Heidt said. “People still love the happy-hour receptions and they’ll never go away, but you can change it up [by] adding activities that are outdoors in nature.
“I think [attendees] want something different than what we’ve always done, and different than having to make small talk in a ballroom, right?”
[Related: Good Networking Drives Reconnection in Boise, Idaho]
Boise opens the (out)doors and offers attendees the opportunity to branch out and bond in a different environment.
Breaking out of the box and changing connectivity at events becomes one of Boise’s biggest benefits.
“People are going to events for new connections, and I think doing these activities in nature is one of the best ways to get people to connect and bond,” Heidt said.
“For example, [when you’re] whitewater rafting, you’re on there with six other people and you have to work together. It’s just a true bonding experience,” he added. “[When it comes to] making new connections for business, [outdoor activities] really help facilitate that. I think the No. 1 thing is networking in a different kind of environment.”
Outdoor Venues
Two outdoor dining establishments and venues—Sunnyslope Wine Trail and Mother Earth Brew Co.—offer attendees a taste of Boise.
Sunnyslope Wine Trail offers more than 21 vineyards with views of the Owyhee Mountains and Snake River. Its group offerings include wine tastings and tours.
The 40,000-square-foot production facility, Mother Earth Brew Co., also has a tasting room for groups. Mother Earth Brew Co.’s flagship location opened in Vista, California, in 2010 and expanded to Idaho in 2016. The venue offers outdoor seating on its patio and private behind-the-scenes tours. In the past, Visit Boise has hosted outdoor receptions with live music at the brewery.
Another outdoor option for groups of up to 1,000 is Basque Block. which is in the heart of downtown Boise.
Boise has one of the largest concentrations of people of Basque descent per capita in the U.S. In the late 1880s, many immigrants came to Idaho from Basque Country—a region located between northern Spain and southwestern France.
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Basque Block is home to The Basque Museum and Cultural Center, restaurants with an authentic taste of Basque culture, and the Basque Market and Basque Center, which hosts community events, dances and gatherings.
Basque Block and Basque Center are available for private events throughout the year.
“We close off the street and bring in paella pans,” Heidt said. “We just did a big event out there and [it] really brings the Basque culture to [meetings and events]. All the venues that are outdoors can be accessed easily by groups walking, and Visit Boise provides services to get groups to these venues.”
Outdoor Excursions
From whitewater rafting to fly fishing, Boise offers a wide variety of outdoor excursions led by expert guides.
On the Payette River, Cascade Raft and Kayak is a family establishment owned and operated by the Long Family. Kyler Long works at the rafting company with his family and is recognized as a kayaker on the global stage. In 2023, Long qualified for the Pan American Games in Santiago.
At Cascade Raft and Kayak, groups can choose from “chill” or “thrill” rafting excursions. Rides vary in duration from three to eight hours. The river is a 45-minute drive from downtown, and Visit Boise can help arrange motorcoach or shuttle transportation for groups. After the rafting is complete, “...we do a nice riverside dinner with the sun going down. It’s pretty special,” Heidt said.
Fly fishing takes place in the Boise River, a five-minute walk from guests’ downtown hotel. Guides also offer fly fishing lessons for groups.
“You’re standing in the river literally in an urban destination, but you don’t see any buildings or anything,” Heidt said. “The big thing overall is the quick access from your hotel to these activities; it’s tough to beat.”
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Bogus Basin is a nonprofit, year-round recreation area that has been serving Idaho since 1942. Located 16 miles from downtown, Bogus Basin is anchored by Shafer Butte. The recreational resort offers teambuilding activities such as yoga on the mountain. In addition, the mountain will soon be home to a new event space for larger groups.
Bogus Basin offers activities for snowy season and warmer weather, including snowboarding, skiing, tubing, hiking, frisbee golf, a climbing wall, mountain coaster and more.
Heidt said attendees walk away from these excursions with a unique, adventurous perspective.
“People leave here, and we’ll see them years down the road, and they’re still talking about that experience in Boise,” he said. “To build relationships for future business, I really think that bonding through the outdoors is the best way to do it.”
