cool/hip/walkable areas to live in twin falls (Boise: homes, neighborhood)

[bear]

My husband and I are parents of a now two year old and are considering a move in another year to Twin Falls. We are coming from NYC and are used to walking everywhere. Is there an area to purchase a decent home and is walkable? I am also a big runner and am used to running outside year round. Is that possible? We're going to visit this summer and don't have a lot of time therefore we want to target our search as much as possible.

[boisefan88]

Twin Falls is the exact opposite of walkable. Period.

There are areas which you can drive to and walk for a little bit - the canyon rim has a path, there are a few trails into the canyon, if you can find those that aren't private. Downtown is a single road that spans a few blocks, and still isn't even walkable.

Honestly, the most walkable area there is the mall.

I'm not even sure you can run there year round, unless you don't mind a lot of wind (which is fine during the summer/fall, but extra cold during the winter and spring).

[TohobitPeak]

Twin Falls has a nice little historic downtown area that is walkable and has a narrow main street that spans a number of blocks and has shops and restaurants and connects to an older neighborhood with historic homes.
Here is a link that gives you an idea of the downtown area.

Historic Downtown Twin Falls


It is not a big city, rather small so it would be a huge adjustment from NYC.
I would not really term Twin Falls as hip but it is nice clean little town. The College of Southern Idaho has an excellent planetarium.
http://herrett.csi.edu/faulkner_overview.asp

Most of the main shopping and grocery stores are on main thoroughfares that have a lot of traffic and is not as walkable as the downtown area is.
The winters are cold, the summers are nice, and the Snake River Canyon has trails to run.

Have you considered Boise? Boise seems to fit your desires.

[Perkinst]

Originally Posted by bear

My husband and I are parents of a now two year old and are considering a move in another year to Twin Falls. We are coming from NYC and are used to walking everywhere. Is there an area to purchase a decent home and is walkable? I am also a big runner and am used to running outside year round. Is that possible? We're going to visit this summer and don't have a lot of time therefore we want to target our search as much as possible.

Check out Ketchum, very walkable, spring, summer and fall. Cross country skiing in winter. Its well worth the 80 mile trip up to visit.