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I interned for 10 weeks during the summer in Idaho Falls and next summer, I interned near Slidell. When it comes to the weather, the scenery, and the food, no contest. The Waffle Houses beat anything Idaho might have to offer.
Yes, Idaho Falls is only 2 hours from Yellowstone/the Tetons, but the city itself is flat and situated on a windswept, barren, un interesting high desert. Yellowstone was impressive, but a 2 hour drive? That's too far. And camping there was not fun. Waking up to 30 degree mornings in the middle of August in a tent, no thanks.
Yes, the entire state of Louisiana is flat, but who needs hills when you've got longleaf pine forests, bayous, bald cypress swamps, marshlands, lakes, live oaks with spanish moss, and white-sand beaches with 85 degree water? At that point you're in the Garden of Eden. And no, you don't have to drive two hours to enjoy it. Everywhere you go in Slidell, the moment you step outside, is surrounded with lush, green, dense vegetation.
Oh, and everyday I'd wake up to 75-80 degree mornings. Perfect for sunrise walks in nothing but shorts and sandals.
Not to mention Slidell was only 30 minutes from New Orleans while Idaho Falls is 2 hours away from anything interesting and 4 hours to Boise.
On the upside, Idaho Falls did have the nation's largest 4th of July fireworks west of the Mississippi.
For those of you who chose Idaho Falls or Slidell, would you comment on your choice? I found that I was very bored in Idaho Falls even when I took my car, while I had no car in Slidell (and counted on carpools), but even then I was never bored.
I think Idaho Falls, though, has a decent city light view if you go up the hills past the windmills. I am not trolling Idaho Falls; I can see why fans of winter weather and skiing would choose it over Slidell. But personally, being three hours away from the nearest major city and 2 hours from major attractions like Yellowstone, it feels very isolated. Would people rather take the cold of Idaho Falls over the humidity of Slidell?
Slidell, though, feels very Southern. Everywhere you go, it looks like Forrest Gump's hometown.
For those of you who chose Idaho Falls or Slidell, would you comment on your choice? I found that I was very bored in Idaho Falls even when I took my car, while I had no car in Slidell (and counted on carpools), but even then I was never bored.
I think Idaho Falls, though, has a decent city light view if you go up the hills past the windmills. I am not trolling Idaho Falls; I can see why fans of winter weather and skiing would choose it over Slidell. But personally, being three hours away from the nearest major city and 2 hours from major attractions like Yellowstone, it feels very isolated. Would people rather take the cold of Idaho Falls over the humidity of Slidell?
Slidell, though, feels very Southern. Everywhere you go, it looks like Forrest Gump's hometown.
It isn't 2 hours to major attractions. Sure, if you are thinking of Yellowstone, a half hour to local scenic attractions if you know where to go, but less than an hour to other attractions just as beautiful like Island Park, Mesa Falls, Swan Valley, (all of the previously mentioned are part of the Yellowstone Ecosystem), an hour to Craters of The Moon and the lofty Lost River Mountains, an hour to Lava Hot Springs, The Teton Valley (Idaho side with Driggs and Victor), etc.
Let me put it this way: If you, like me, were a college student from Southern California who got to intern in either Idaho Falls or Slidell, where would you choose?
Assume you're doing the same job in both, and paid equally, and you manage to find cheap places to rent in both.
For those of you who chose Idaho Falls or Slidell, would you comment on your choice? I found that I was very bored in Idaho Falls even when I took my car, while I had no car in Slidell (and counted on carpools), but even then I was never bored.
I think Idaho Falls, though, has a decent city light view if you go up the hills past the windmills. I am not trolling Idaho Falls; I can see why fans of winter weather and skiing would choose it over Slidell. But personally, being three hours away from the nearest major city and 2 hours from major attractions like Yellowstone, it feels very isolated. Would people rather take the cold of Idaho Falls over the humidity of Slidell?
Slidell, though, feels very Southern. Everywhere you go, it looks like Forrest Gump's hometown.
Idaho Falls is a no brainier for me.
What I will give Slidell is proximity to NOLA and the great Cajun food, besides that Idaho Falls all day.
The Waffle house comment is silly. You won't find a bigger fan of waffle house than myself but Idaho Falls has plenty of places that are better than Waffle House.
The thing is, Idaho Falls isn't really that cold as far as northern places go. The Midwest and North East are much more brutal in terms of snowfall and higher winter humidity. It gets cold, but not super cold.
Louisiana is humid and hot. Even compared to other hot humid places. It's like to heat/humidity what Buffalo is to snow. It's get out of the shower and never dry off all day humid. I think that doesn't appeal to alot of people, most will agree LA is too humid and hot.
4 seasons with a somewhat cold winter vs no seasons and some of the most oppressive humidity in the country. Unless you have absolutely no tolerance for cold, IF clearly has the better 4 season weather.
I don't think Idaho Falls is the most scenic part of Idaho, and wouldn't be my first, or second choice in Idaho, but it isn't that far from alot of great spots. You don't need to go 2 hours to find great hiking, biking or skiing. NOLA isn't even a 2 hour flight from skiing. IF is like, 40 min.
If you do feel so inclined to drive 2 hours you hike in absolutely world class areas.
My best guess would be you aren't a particularly outdoorsy type of person who gets cold easily. In that case, yeah, i could see how Idaho would be boring and have awful weather for you. If you absolutely need to be close to a bigger city like NOLA, I can see how it would be isolating.
I'm not hating on LA, one of my best friends is from Mandeville, but he will be the first person to say LA has wonderful people, great food, and NOLA is one the best, most unique cities in the country, and then tell you it has the worst weather in the country, awful bugs and is in the running as one of the ugliest 5 states.
Let me put it this way: If you, like me, were a college student from Southern California who got to intern in either Idaho Falls or Slidell, where would you choose?
Assume you're doing the same job in both, and paid equally, and you manage to find cheap places to rent in both.
100% Idaho Falls. But I'm not scared of the cold and like camping.
Slidell is still 45 min from NOLA which is the only real attraction of it. If the internship was actually in NOLA, this could be a contest.
100% Idaho Falls. But I'm not scared of the cold and like camping.
Slidell is still 45 min from NOLA which is the only real attraction of it. If the internship was actually in NOLA, this could be a contest.
Slidell is like 15-20 mins away from NOLA. Nowhere near 45 minutes, that's the southern suburbs of Baton Rouge.
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