A few weeks ago, I travelled to Boise, Idaho, for a FAM tour. If you’ve never visited Boise—or haven’t been in a few years—I strongly encourage you add it to your list of potential meeting destinations. Our group of approximately 25 planners and writers called The Grove Hotel home for three days, and the hotel staff was extremely gracious and accommodating. I even returned to my room one evening to find a handwritten thank-you note for my tip from housekeeping.
A big shot out for a well-planned trip to the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau group—Carrie Westergard, Terry Kopp, Lisa Edens and Alena Sheire—and to Mowbray Brown with the Red Lion Downtowner, who acted as our tour guide, pointing out landmarks and regaling us with stories of Boise, past and present. Also thank you to Mary-Michael Rodgers with Boise Centre for providing me with all the info I needed on the convention center’s new expansion (and sharing some delicious vegetarian recipes, to boot).
Thanks to the hotels who fed us and provided a tour of their rooms, amenities and meeting spaces: Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn & Suites, The Riverside Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Red Lion Hotel Boise Downtowner. Highlights included tours of:
* JUMP (Jack’s Urban Meeting Place), a very cool venue that encourages creativity through art, dance, music and cooking. The venue will soon include a multistory spiral slide that takes you from roof to plaza
* Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial—a humbling and inspiring outdoor plaza
* The Boise State University (Yep, we got to go right out onto the blue turf of the football field!)
* Wine tastings at Ste. Chapelle and Huston wineries
* Freak Alley—street art at its finest
* A stop at City Peanut Shop
* The Old Idaho Penitentiary (complete with ghost stories)
* The Basque Block—including The Basque Museum and Cultural Center, Basque Market and Basque dancers
The trip culminated with a whitewater rafting adventure down Payette River followed by a river-side meal, courtesy of Cascade Raft and Kayak.
Like Boise CVB’s tagline says, “It’s time to see it for yourself!”