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I spent nearly 35 years of my life in SoCal, nearly 10 of that in the IE. Used to live off I-15/215, and spent a lot of years commuting through the Riv/Sbdo area. I live in NID but have visited Boise several dozen times for up to a week at a time for sports, so I'll give you my $.02.
Boise isn't like Riverside. It's more like the Irvine/Tustin spread if it were a larger/flatter valley. Has more of a farmland feel to it. For example, if you head west out of town, as soon as you get clear of Eagle/Meridian, you're in farm country, not in rocky desert area. If you head north, you're into the hills and mountains. I've never gone south or east out of Boise. So, you're right that compared to NID, Boise is warmer, much dryer, and flatter in general (but you DO have water and mountains in driving distance).
Thanks all for your input. You've really given us some great insight as to what to expect in Idaho when we make our visits there next year. Because were looking for a distinct climate & landscape change, among the other things I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm drawn more and more to the CDA area, as the Boise area summers & landscape sound a lot like what we want to escape. That doesn't mean Boise is out by any means. Hoping my wife feels the same about NID as I do, once she sees it.
If there is anything else that has been missed or somebody wishes to expand upon between the two areas, please feel to continue this thread. More information and insight is better than not enough. Thanks again.