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I'm trying to plan a trip to visit Boise in mid January. I'm also trying to figure out whether it would be more cost effective to fly out of Portland, OR or to drive from Salem, OR. I was curious if there was free parking if I were to drive, or if things (mainly around the university) were within walking distance? What are gas prices like? Here in Salem, we're around $3.40-3.50/gallon.
Thanks for any advice, can't wait to visit!
What's the purpose of the visit? If it's the check out downtown and the university area, you could get around on foot just fine. If you want to visit the entire Boise area, you'll want a car. The drive isn't bad but in January, you can hit some nasty weather coming over the Blue Mountains between Pendleton and La Grande. If you have some flexibility to watch the weather and plan your trip accordingly, you should be just fine. Gas prices are similar here--maybe a bit higher but not enough to impact the cost of your trip assuming you drive a typical car and not a truck or SUV.
Personally, if it were me, I would fly in and rent a car. You can get some good deals combining hotel/airfare/car rental online. You might find a package that's pretty affordable. Good luck!!
Thanks for the info. I'm planning on visiting the university, town, and surrounding towns as well. I just want to get a feel for the area before I bring my wife out. Unfortunately I'm planning meetings with professors on campus and once those get cemented I have to go regardless of the weather.
Are the streets and towns fairly navigable with either a map or GPS? I am kind of directionally challenged so that is another concern as well.
Are there any can't miss attractions that I should see while I'm there?
Thanks!!
I wouldn't drive over the Blues in the winter without a very serious need, and chains, a 4 wheel drive, and a clear day. If I needed to visit someone who was dying on the other side, and the airlines were all shut down, then I would think about it. Otherwise, I would fly. Since it sounds like you can't time your trip to good weather, I would definitely fly.
And I would rent a car with GPS. Some areas of town are fairly easy to navigate, with streets laid out in a nice N-S and E-W grid. And some areas have numbered streets. But a large part of downtown is one way roads, and even as a lifetime resident of Boise, I still get lost when I go somewhere new downtown. (I am also directionally challenged). I always joke that I tend to find the places where 4 one way roads all meet, and there is no way out. Of course, they don't really exist, but downtown Boise always feels that way to me.
I think that flying will probably be best, I'd rather not chance getting stuck or anything worse than that. Around the campus, are things within walking distance? Since I'm only 24 I have to pay extra to rent a car, so I only want to have one for as short of time as possible. Since I want to check things around town and into Meridian also, getting a car is inevitable. What I'd like to do is get a hotel close to campus and just walk around to things if it's possible.
I really can't wait to come to Boise, all I've heard is good things and that people love it!
Here's a link to search engine for hotels near BSU. The closest ones say they are about .5 miles from campus. Yes, things ARE in walking distance, but wear your walking shoes as the campus is pretty spread out.
I'd say a car is essential if you want to see Meridian. Here's a ink with info on that as well, but I believe you need to be 25 to rent a car with most agencies. You might want to check with them directly and see if you can work with them.
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