Moving to Boise for school (Caldwell: cliquey, apartments, renting)

[OsideNative]

Hi all. After much searching, I didn't REALLY find an answer to the questions I am wondering about. And I apologize ahead of time if this comes out a little long-winded but I will try not to be.

I am a 24 year old female planning on moving up to Boise either this coming summer or next summer to attend Boise State. I currently reside in Oceanside CA (otherwise known as The Last Ghetto on the Beach) which is about 35 miles north of San Diego. I just recently moved back to Oceanside after living in Eugene OR for the last 4 years. I was back 2 weeks before realizing how much I truly hate Southern California and have been planning my next move ever since. I can honestly say that the LAST place I ever thought I'd be considering is Boise but lately it's been making more sense. My boyfriend lives in Ontario OR and BSU was the closest college I could find to it. And as I read through most of the threads and look at a ton of truly beautiful pictures, I get kind of excited about the idea of living there for a little while.

So here's where my questions come in.

1. I wonder about the overall outlook towards African-Americans. I was reading some things about race in Boise and I already know it's not the most diverse place. I didn't expect it to be. But I guess I just want to know how people are and whether the "N bomb" gets dropped. You'd be surprised how often I heard that in a city so "open-minded" as Eugene.

2. I'm a little confused on the neighborhoods. Where exactly are the boundaries? I see apartments and such listed online with areas like Boise Bench and North End, but I have no idea where they are nor what the areas are like. I see that a lot of recommendations have a lot to do with school districts and such. But as I have no children and don't plan on having them anytime soon, that doesn't really affect me. What places would be good for a mid-twenties college student, preferably near BSU?

3. Is the city hilly or is it mostly flat? I ask because I ride my bike places a lot and the less amount of large hills, the better. And how about bike safety? I lock up my bike all the time but I know that sometimes they still disappear.

4. What about organic foods? I know there isn't a Trader Joes (which kind of makes me want to cry) nor a Whole Foods in the state of Idaho. So how are the supermarkets and farmers market when it comes to fresh fruits and veggies? Oh and really good meats.

5. How is the student body at BSU? Is it mostly young kids fresh from high school or is there a good sized population of nontraditional students as well?

6. How easy or hard is it to meet new people? I will know no one when I move up there and it'd be nice to have some semblance of a social life. I know the nightlife isn't like San Diego and believe me, I don't want it to be.

7. Speaking of activities, I see there are a ton of outdoor things to do, which is awesome. But are there an equal amount of indoor things to do as well? Sometimes you just want to stay inside, you know?

8. What about a really good breakfast place? Like a place that is horribly greasy and you know that you shouldn't be eating there, but you have to because it's so good after a night out with a bit too much alcohol. Or any other type of breakfast place too. I just love diner type places.

9. At last but certainly not least, how is the drive from Boise to Ontario? Is it pretty flat and boring, hilly and winding, or something in the middle? I will be doing this drive at least once a week, so it'd be nice to know what I'm getting myself into. How is it during the winter too?

Thanks for all your help :]

[Torrie]

I will try and answer as many of your questions as I can....I might have to cut it short as I have company coming any minute, but I will come back later and try to finish.

1. I've been here 6 years and have never heard the N word being dropped, and I hope I never hear it as I find it rude and distasteful. I don't think you will have a problem here. I've never seen or heard any racists remarks from anyone that I can recall since we've lived here. I don't know why, but people for the most part just behave. I'm sure like anywhere else there are ding dongs out there that say stupid things.....I don't feel you will find that to be the norm, if at all in Boise.

2. I have a great map that will help you understand where the different neighborhoods are. I'd be happy to email it to you; just send me a direct message with your email address and I can forward it. The north end is close to downtown and Boise Bench basically sits up on a Bench looking down on the city and parts of Boise River. There really aren't any bad areas in Boise so you don't have to worry about that as much as you would in other parts of the country. You will probably prefer living in the bench area as it's closer to BSU. Email me and I'll send the map- it will make it much easier for you.

3. Boise is built on benches so you will see varying heights throughout the terrain. The lowest point would be down by the river, and you will notice certain roads will begin to climb up till you get to a "bench". There are different benches thoughout the metro area. Some people might think of it as a plateau. Anyways hope that explains it somewhat. There are lots of bike trails that run down by the river and yes bikes do get stolen here. I thought I remembered reading something about that not too long ago. Probably the best thing to do is contact the police department and make sure to get your bike registered, that way if it does get stolen they have a record of it should it pop up somwhere. They could probably tell you things to do to best protect your bike. You can find them at Welcome to the City of Boise.

4. We're due to get a Whole Foods by 2009 or 2010. The date was pushed back because of the slow economy. There's a Boise Co-op in the North end that sells organic and believe it or not, a lot of the grocery stores here have organic sections. I don't think they do that in California. Farmers Market is great and I believe it starts up in April....you will be able to get fresh produce there and even organic meat. Some of the farmers come out with it all packaged and ready to go. You can even order different types of cuts and they will have them ready for you the following week and the Farmers Market or....some will even deliver the meat to you.

5. Haven't been to BSU before-graduated from Long Beach State quite some time ago, so I'm outta the loop on that one. Someone else can probably answer that question for you.


Ok, company is here, so I gotta run, I will try and come back later to answer the rest of your questions.

[boisefan88]

Originally Posted by OsideNative

Hi all. After much searching, I didn't REALLY find an answer to the questions I am wondering about. And I apologize ahead of time if this comes out a little long-winded but I will try not to be.

I am a 24 year old female planning on moving up to Boise either this coming summer or next summer to attend Boise State. I currently reside in Oceanside CA (otherwise known as The Last Ghetto on the Beach) which is about 35 miles north of San Diego. I just recently moved back to Oceanside after living in Eugene OR for the last 4 years. I was back 2 weeks before realizing how much I truly hate Southern California and have been planning my next move ever since. I can honestly say that the LAST place I ever thought I'd be considering is Boise but lately it's been making more sense. My boyfriend lives in Ontario OR and BSU was the closest college I could find to it. And as I read through most of the threads and look at a ton of truly beautiful pictures, I get kind of excited about the idea of living there for a little while.

So here's where my questions come in.

1. I wonder about the overall outlook towards African-Americans. I was reading some things about race in Boise and I already know it's not the most diverse place. I didn't expect it to be. But I guess I just want to know how people are and whether the "N bomb" gets dropped. You'd be surprised how often I heard that in a city so "open-minded" as Eugene.

I don't think you'll have a problem. In my experience any racism you might encounter or sense is latent or hidden. Yes, the locals will crack jokes and use racial epithets, but that's mostly based on what they see on TV. In other words, they have no clue.

Boise isn't the most diverse place, and an African American will naturally feel out of place in some sense because of that. I know that some of my African American friends do feel that people here are stand-offish, and they originally thought that was because of their race, but I explained that's just the infamous "Northwest reserve" that is particular to places like Boise and Seattle.

There is a good rapport among African American's at Boise State. For the most part I think they enjoy the place a whole lot, and find plenty of support and similarity should they need it. However, most do acknowledge that "it's not like home."

It just depends on what type of person you are. If you're independent and don't mind a conservative and relatively quiet place, you'll enjoy Boise just fine.

2. I'm a little confused on the neighborhoods. Where exactly are the boundaries? I see apartments and such listed online with areas like Boise Bench and North End, but I have no idea where they are nor what the areas are like. I see that a lot of recommendations have a lot to do with school districts and such. But as I have no children and don't plan on having them anytime soon, that doesn't really affect me. What places would be good for a mid-twenties college student, preferably near BSU?

I would start with University housing and move on from there. Most students live on the Bench or in Southeast Boise. Some live in the Northend as well, but tend to be a bit more "hippie."

The Bench generally runs from the interstate on the South edge to the Connector on the North, from Curtis St. on the East to Vista/Federal Way on the West.

The Southeast Boise area that most college students live generally runs from the Boise River on the North to the Interstate on the South, from Vista/Capitol on the East to ParkCenter on the West.


3. Is the city hilly or is it mostly flat? I ask because I ride my bike places a lot and the less amount of large hills, the better. And how about bike safety? I lock up my bike all the time but I know that sometimes they still disappear.

It's mostly flat and a great place to ride a bike. There are places with hills to ride, like from Southeast/Central Boise to the Bench, or up towards the foothills. But the Boise State / downtown area is certainly flat.

Bike safety near the University is an issue. Just register your bike and lock it up and hope for the best. Most students get by fine if they take precaution, but my son has had 2 of his bikes stolen.

4. What about organic foods? I know there isn't a Trader Joes (which kind of makes me want to cry) nor a Whole Foods in the state of Idaho. So how are the supermarkets and farmers market when it comes to fresh fruits and veggies? Oh and really good meats.

Supposed to be a Whole Foods coming, but we do have an incredible (but pricey) Co-op, and Albertsons has a decent organic section.

5. How is the student body at BSU? Is it mostly young kids fresh from high school or is there a good sized population of nontraditional students as well?

A good mix of both.

Boise State has been traditionally a commuter school with a small on-campus population, but the campus scene is getting better. It's not the University of Oregon by any stretch of the imagination, but I think most students actually like being able to get lost in the city. Downtown is a huge attraction for the younger students, and Boise State football games are extremely well attended. Boise is pretty much in football fever from August to January, so I hope you like football.

It seems like in the past 5 years Boise State has been getting a tremendous amount of California kids fresh out of high school.

6. How easy or hard is it to meet new people? I will know no one when I move up there and it'd be nice to have some semblance of a social life. I know the nightlife isn't like San Diego and believe me, I don't want it to be.

Depends on you.

It's a little tougher in Boise because people are a little cliquey and reserved, but the town is so small that it's hard not to see the same people around.

I know that my son met friends fine, between Boise State and the downtown nightlife.

7. Speaking of activities, I see there are a ton of outdoor things to do, which is awesome. But are there an equal amount of indoor things to do as well? Sometimes you just want to stay inside, you know?

We have a decent mall, a good downtown to shop and eat.

To me this is a weak point in Boise. It seems to me that during the winter months all that Boise does is go out and eat. It seems that every restaurant is crammed packed on Friday and Saturday nights.

But you'll find plenty of shopping and malls here. I don't know what else you'd want, besides the inside of your house, I guess.

8. What about a really good breakfast place? Like a place that is horribly greasy and you know that you shouldn't be eating there, but you have to because it's so good after a night out with a bit too much alcohol. Or any other type of breakfast place too. I just love diner type places.

Goldies, the Trolley House, and Addies are infamous.

9. At last but certainly not least, how is the drive from Boise to Ontario? Is it pretty flat and boring, hilly and winding, or something in the middle? I will be doing this drive at least once a week, so it'd be nice to know what I'm getting myself into. How is it during the winter too?

It's about 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the traffic. Right now the commute from Boise to Caldwell is absolutely dreadful, so be prepared for that.

It is a flat, straight drive, however. But beware - I84 is really bad for terrible traffic accidents. I don't know what it is. Often it's the snow/rain/ice, but a lot of times it involves semis and drivers that are trying to pass them.

If you're only doing it once a week, say on a Saturday morning, you'll be fine. Just avoid it during rush hour on weekdays.

Thanks for all your help :]

Yes.

[boi2socal]

I never heard the n word used in Boise. Some people may be a little ignorant about race or ethnic history but there are very few true racists around.

[pll]

1. I have never heard any racist comments in the 15 years I've lived here. Boise was a very "vanilla" community when we first moved here from San Diego. I'm glad to see it changing and becoming more diverse.
2. It won't take long for you to learn the bounderies in this town. It's a small town compared to Oceanside. People are very helpful. If I were a college student I would live downtown. There is a lot more to do for a person your age.
3. The downtown area has some hills but it's mostly flat. You will see a lot of people on bikes when the weather is nice.
4. About 22,000 people attend BSU. I know young and old people that attend so there is a mix. BSU is known for its athletics so there is a lot of proud BSU football fans and other sports fans as well.
5. I'm not sure about the nightlife. I can promise you it is nothing like SoCal. Also, the police have a strong presence in this community especially where drinking/driving occurs. They do keep law and order which is why it is pretty safe to walk downtown at night.
6. People are friendly but reserved. They are pleasant and say "hi" when you see them but they keep to themselves. As BoiseFan88 stated they are cliquey or maybe just shy. (I am comparing them to SoCal types).
7. Indoor winter entertainment would include: going to movies, the mall, eating and more eating, starbucks, parties. The music scene has improved. Better bands are coming to town. Downtown has the theatre too if you're into that. Also, you will see a lot of people going to the gym during the winter.
8. Elmers is popular.
9. 45-1 hour I think.
I hope this helps. Good Luck!

[kristinl5]

I can help with the BSU question sort of, as I went there, but I was not in my 20's and married with kids...but there are a lot of young students there and lots of activities on campus..I think you'll really enjoy it there!
When looking for places to live you'll see listed as close to BSU, you're going to want to look for areas off of Broadway and Vista, and Boise Bench would not be bad either, there are older neighborhoods there but lots of young people renting there also. Plus with being on the bench you'll be close to Albertson and Ann Morrison park.
As for the place you just want to eat at but feel guilty about later, I'd say Elmers, you get some really good food nice place to eat.
hope this helps and good luck!

[boi2socal]

I had some friends of a friend visit LA from Boise and although there are more options in LA, they said people actually party harder in Boise. Don't know if that is good or bad for you.

Actually, Boise itself is more populous and covers more land than Oceanside. The Boise Metro has a similar population to Oceanside-Carlsbad-Vista Area at about 600,000. Of course, much smaller compared to the whole San Diego Area.

[pll]

Originally Posted by boi2socal

I had some friends of a friend visit LA from Boise and although there are more options in LA, they said people actually party harder in Boise. Don't know if that is good or bad for you..

That is sad to know.

[STRMCSR]

First of all, I would like to say welcome and congratulations for making Boise your choice!!

It's been several (20+) years since I attended BSU, but I have followed the sports forever, like most Boise residents. I have a nephew that attends BSU and plays in their marching and pep bands. Be prepared for some fun when attending football or basketball games. Always a great time.

I have not heard and negative/racial remarks either (I have lived here since 1970) and the town has definitely changed over the years. Some bad, but mostly good points. There is definitely more to do entertainment wise than back in the 70s.

Weather is spectacular most of the year and allows you to be outside alot. I am a hot weather person (love the summers, but tolerate the winters). I don't mind the snow, just wish we had more. If it is going to be cold, I like it to be snowing. Anyways, last couple of years have been pretty good. Not as much fog or inversions the last few years either.

To end, most of the folks I know that have moved here from other places just LOVE IT! Not everyone stays, but more do then leave. I think the only factor really is the job market for some industries, but you find that it is tougher all over the place.

Anyways, congrats for making Boise your choice. My guess is you will enjoy it.