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If you’re anything like me, you probably associate Idaho with potatoes. But in reality, there is so much more to the state. It is absolutely packed with hidden gems. Southern Idaho is around 2 hours from Salt Lake City, Utah, making it a great place to visit to explore the outdoors without having to drive too far. There are so many things to do in Southern Idaho and Twin Falls is a great home base for your activities. We have explored Southern Idaho twice during different seasons, but we are already itching to return.

Disclaimer: This post was completed in collaboration with Visit Southern Idaho.

How to get to Twin Falls, ID

There are several options for how to get to Twin Falls. Keep in mind you will want to have a car with you to explore the area.

1. Drive from Salt Lake City. This is a 3.5 hour drive and what we did both times.
2. Fly into Twin Falls, ID (TWF).
3. Fly into Boise, ID (BOI) and drive to Twin Falls, ID – a two hour drive.

Where to Stay in Twin Falls, ID

Both times we visited Twin Falls, we had Dex (our dog) with us. This did limit our options from a hotel perspective.

• Townplace Suites by Marriott – Marriott happens to be my hotel chain of preference. This is a relatively new hotel that is pet friendly where we stayed in early 2020. In this post, you can learn more about how I use travel hacking to stay for free at a lot of different hotels around the world on Marriott points. Check out the specific credit card I use here.
• Quality Inn – For a more budget friendly option that also accomodates pets, this would be a good choice. It has a great location very close to the visitor center.
• Camping – There are also several campgrounds if you are looking for a super-budget friendly option. Visit this link to help you search.

Where to Eat in Southern Idaho

• Koto Brewing – Tasty brewery spot. “It’s good” according to Austin.
• Millner Gate Brewing – Sister restaurant to Elevation 486 so shared a few menu items.
• Twin Falls Sandwich Shop – Casual spot for lunch with great sandwiches and salads.
• Elevation 486 – If you’re feeling fancy, this is your spot. Located on the canyon rim, it’s a great place to watch the sunset while you are eating.

One Week in Twin Falls

Now for the good stuff – the activities. There are so many things to do in Southern Idaho that you could easily spend longer than one week. I’ll suggest some additional activities if you have a bit longer at the end.

An important note: we did all activities in our Ram Promaster Van that is front wheel drive and not high clearance. However, road conditions can change based on weather and other factors. Be sure to check this in advance.

Day 1 – Almo, ID and Oakley, ID

City of Rocks National Reserve

As we were driving in from Salt Lake City, it made sense to start the trip off with City of Rocks National Reserve. If you are a rock climber, go ahead and plan to spend the entire day here. However, as we arrived midday in the summer it was a bit hot for many activities. Instead we opted for two very short hikes with excellent views and drove around the park. Window Arch and Bath Rock Trail. Both of these took under 20 minutes total (not including our stops for pictures). There is no cell service in the park as well as minimal information, so make sure to have your maps and trails decided and downloaded in advance of your visit.

Lower Goose Creek Reservoir

Not too far from City of Rocks and on the way to our next destination was Lower Goose Creek Reservoir. We saw people kayaking and fishing in the reservoir, however we just decided to hang out in the area as the breeze felt nice in the hot afternoon.

Teepee Rocks

When planning my trip, visiting Teepee Rocks was on my must-do list of things to do in Southern Idaho. This area was pretty far out there, but even still, we were pleasantly surprised to have this area all to ourselves at sunset. I do think sunrise might be better timing to shoot this area as we didn’t get the best sunset or colors, but we were still very impressed. It is such a unique area.

Day 2 – Twin Falls, ID

Perrine Bridge, Visitor Center

One thing you can’t possibly miss on your trip to Twin Falls is the Perrine Bridge. As you have to cross this bridge to get from I-84 to downtown Twin Falls, you will probably drive over it as well. To learn more about the history of the bridge, check out the visitor center on the south side of the bridge.

Base jumping is legal without a permit from the Perrine Bridge and if you hang out for more than just a few minutes, you will likely see several people jumping. Evel Knievel attempted to jump the canyon in 1974 (unsuccessfully) and you can see the sight where he made his launch to the east of the bridge.

You can also access the Canyon Rim Trail from the visitor center. As it is paved, this is a good option for urban hiking, biking, walking or running and would make a great half-day activity.

Perrine Coulee Falls

Not far from the visitor center is Perrine Coulee Falls. This waterfall reminded me of waterfalls in Iceland, without the extreme cold. You can see this waterfall either from the top or from the bottom – where you can even walk behind the falls. As a bonus, we went in the morning and there weren’t any other people there.

Shoshone Falls

This is another must-do on your list of things to do in Southern Idaho. Shoshone Falls are incredibly impressive, even when they are flowing halfway like they were when we visited in the summer. (They are probably a skip in the winter when nothing is flowing at all though.) These falls are often referred to as the “Niagra of the West” and are actually 45 ft higher than Niagara Falls itself.

Day 3 – Twin Falls, ID & Buhl, ID

Centennial Waterfront Park

Kayaking and stand up paddle boarding (SUP) are popular activities to do on the Snake River and odds are that you saw several people doing this yesterday from above. At Centennial Waterfront Park you can rent kayaks or SUP and make your way under the bridge to Pillar Falls (2-4 hours). If you are feeling super adventurous and have some extra time (6-8 hours), you can even kayak all the way to Shoshone Falls. However, this does require carrying your vessel overland at Pillar Falls.

Balanced Rock

If you only spent a half day kayaking, consider visiting Balanced Rock State Park with your extra time. The sight is exactly how it sounds – it’s a balancing rock. Austin said it was “cooler than he thought it would be”, so I’m counting that as a win.

Day 4 – Thousand Springs State Park

Thousand Springs State Park can be a bit confusing as it is actually made up of 7 different units instead of one large area. It costs $7 to enter for the day and is cash/check only.

Box Canyon

Box Canyon Springs Trail is a 4.3 mile loop (or also can be done as an out and back) to beautiful, clear, blue-green water that will make you want to jump right in. The water is VERY cold so you might not want to attempt unless it is a very hot day.

Box Canyon itself is also beautiful to enjoy from the viewpoints at sunset, no hiking required.

Niagra Springs

This is an accessible portion of Thousand Springs State Park with a beautiful waterfall and fish hatcheries. We did not re-visit this portion of the state park on our summertime visit but went when we visited in the winter.

Malad Gorge

Malad Gorge is a quick stop off from I-84 and can be done on the way to Boise if you plan to continue your trip that direction or if you flew into Boise. Keep in mind the hours of the Malad Gorge unit vary seasonally and when we visited it closed at 4pm.

Day 5 – Buhl, ID

Miracle Hot Springs

Idaho is famous for its hot springs. Miracle Hot Springs is one of the nicer commercialized hot springs that I have visited. If crowds aren’t your thing, they even have private pools you can check book for a quieter experience. Miracle Hot Springs was recently renovated so if you opt to only visit one commercialized hot spring, this might be a good choice.

Banbury Hot Springs

Banbury Hot Springs is another option about 5 minutes away from Miracle Hot Springs. It also has private pools that you can book, however there are less than at Miracle and these were booked when we visited. If you are camping on your trip both Miracle Hot Springs and Banbury Hot Springs have sites as well as lodging.

Kayak to Blue Heart Hot Springs

Another highlight of the trip was a visit to Blue Heart Springs. You can rent kayaks from Banbury Hot Springs and paddle downstream (from the Banbury dock this is left – the river was incredibly slow when we visited and it was hard to tell) to Blue Heart Springs. It was about 50 minutes each way. As we went late in the day on a weekday, there were only a few others there when we visited and they left right after we arrived. However this place definitely gets crowded because of how beautiful it is.

Day 6 – Fairfield, ID

Worswick Hot Springs

If commercialized hot springs aren’t your thing or if you loved the day yesterday and want some more heat, consider venturing about 2 hours from Twin Falls to beyond Fairfield, Idaho for some natural hot springs. These in particular were nice because you can park basically right at the springs and there are tons of small pools to enjoy with varying heat levels (the farther up the mountain you go, the hotter they get).

This is a nice time to remind everyone to practice leave no trace. Don’t leave any trash and pick up any that you see during your visit. Keep these hot springs pristine for the next people to enjoy.

Skillern Hot Springs

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can continue deeper into the mountains for a visit to Skillern Hot Springs which requires a 6 mile roundtrip hike. During the route, you will see options for a low and high trail. The low trail crosses the (very cold) river 4 times but has less elevation gain. Be aware that there were lots of horse flies at this hot spring, but it was still unique and beautiful. There also was not anyone there when we were.

Soldier Mountain

If the hot springs are closed for the season, you could go skiing on Solider Mountain. Or in the summer, you could go mountain biking. As we were pretty exhausted from the earlier activities, we only drove by and looked at the area which was under construction. It does seem like an adorable little mountain that would be quite fun in the winter.

Day 7 – Head Home

If you are headed back through Utah, consider checking out these 21 places to visit in Utah that aren’t national parks or try one of these day trips from Salt Lake City.

Other Fun Things to Do in Southern Idaho

Visit the Herrett Center for Arts and Science

Dive headfirst into the vibrant cultural and historic scene of Twin Falls at the Herrett Center for Arts and Science.

Located at 315 Falls Avenue, you’ll pay $6.00 so that you can stare through the cosmos or explore different facets of anthropology.

Moreover, the planetarium show is a must-see since you’ll embark on a journey through the stars that’ll make you feel connected to the vast universe.

Therefore, stop by and check out one of the best things to do in Southern Idaho.

Best Things to do in Southern Idaho FAQs

1. Is Twin Falls Idaho worth visiting?

Yes! Twin Falls, Idaho is a must-visit since the rugged terrain here offers stunning views of the area’s amazing mountains and rock formations.

Plus, even with one waterfall dammed by a hydroelectric company, the remaining falls still make it a stunning place to behold.

2. What is Twin Falls Idaho Known for?

Twin Falls is known as the Niagara of the West and is where you can Shoshone Falls.

Standing at 212 feet tall – making it bigger than Niagara Falls – and spanning 900 feet in width, this waterfall is one of the biggest natural waterfalls in the United States.

3. Is Twin Falls Expensive?

In Twin Falls housing is 15% cheaper than the national average, and utilities are 18% below the national average. However, transportation costs are higher than the national average.

Overall, though, Twin Falls is a cheap place to visit.

4. Can you Swim at Twin Falls Idaho?

If you want to swim in Twin Falls then head to Dierkes Lake Park. Once an apple orchard, it is now an all-American swimming haven where you can go swimming, fishing, and hiking.

It’s only open seasonally, so plan your trip accordingly.

5. Can you Drink the Water in Twin Falls?

You can drink the water in Twin Falls. There are eight pumping stations and six well systems that perform testing to ensure the water is high-quality.

6. Does Twin Falls Get Snow?

Yes, Twin Falls gets snow. The city receives around 18 inches of snow per year which transforms the city into a winter wonderland where you can sip hot cocoa by the fireplace.

Additional Things to do in Southern Idaho

If you don’t feel quite complete with this one week Twin Falls itinerary, other things you could consider doing are:

• Visiting Craters of the Moon National Monument
• Castle Rocks State Park
• Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park

With that, let me know – is Twin Falls on your list? Which of these things to do in Southern Idaho sound the best to you? Let me know in the comments.

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