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Rebecca’s Private Idaho

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” –Ernest Hemingway Embracing the Idaho spirit. What attracted Hemingway and so many others to the splendor of Idaho is the wide open space, the mountain vistas and the community.  The feeling of small town and big life is what drew me in as well.  I launched Rebecca’s Private Idaho to share what Hemingway and I already know about bicycles and about Idaho.  As a professional racer, I ride in some of the most sublime places on the planet.

Legendary Rafting in Idaho: Adventures for Every Skill Level

Idaho is ranked #1 in the U.S., and often in the entire world, for whitewater adventures by outdoor magazines. River sports can be taken to the extreme here in the Gem State and if you think you’ve experienced all that whitewater has to offer in the lower 48, think again, and pack your bags for Idaho.

5 Family-Friendly Waterfall Adventures

This is a sponsored post. Beyond Idaho's gorgeous mountains, sparkling rivers, and pristine lakes lie another hidden gem, waterfalls! There are dozens of amazing waterfalls just waiting to be explored all over the state.

3 Adventures to Do with Your Kids Before School Starts

This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. The end of summer is quickly approaching, which means a new school year is just around the corner. It seems every year that summer vacation gets shorter and shorter, and we struggle to find the time to check everything off the list that we wanted to do.

Planning a Historical Family Vacation in Idaho

Just because summer is in full swing doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. While kids may love to just relax all summer long, as parents, it’s great to still see your kids learning new things even during their break from school.

Experience Boise Like a Local

This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. Those who have journeyed to Idaho know how much we enjoy our outdoors, this fact especially rings true in the Gem State’s capital. Boise is praised for its vibrant culture, lively crowd, and active community on a regular basis, in fact, Forbes named the City of Trees No.

Whitewater Adventures on the Salmon River

This is a sponsored post. Nestled along the Salmon River in North Fork, Idaho is where we find the Wagonhammer Campground.  This luxury RV campground is an ideal spot for those who are seeking exciting Idaho outdoor adventures or for those who just want to get away from it all in a relaxing location.  This beautiful campground is located on the banks of the Salmon River, adjacent to Highway 93 and in the heart of the Central Idaho Rocky Mountains.

Idaho’s Local Gems

At first glance, Idaho may not seem like a major vacation destination. Or at least that that's what I thought. After a few short days in The Gem State, I had my perception flipped upside down. What I once thought was a barren state of high desert turned out to be an oasis of outdoor sports!

A Day’s Ride at Jug Mountain Ranch

This is a sponsored post. The sweltering summer heat was in full effect causing me to run for the hills to find a little reprieve in the mountains. I set my sights for McCall, but being the height of summer, the busy tourist atmosphere of the town did not appeal to my thirst for nature.

Taming the 960-mile Idaho Centennial Trail in 30 Days

"960 miles through some of Idaho's most remote, wild, and scenic country," is a simple way to describe the Idaho Centennial Trail. Since its creation in 1990, only a handful of people have completed a through-hike of the entire trail and many of them took months to do so. That's where Andrija Barker and Taylor Neal come in, crazy (some might say) and ambitious.

Pokémon Go Reveals Idaho’s Hidden Gems

Pokémon Go is taking the globe by storm, and even that seems like an understatement. Everywhere you look, people have phones in hand on the hunt for Pokémon. For some Pokémon trainers, this quest to "Catch 'em all" has inadvertently sent players on another kind of journey, one that allows them to explore their city as they've likely never explored it before.

Mountain Biking in Pocatello is Challenging and Terrific

This is a sponsored post. I hooked up with two locals from Pocatello in May, and we pedaled up a narrow singletrack trail from the Gibson Jack parking lot into a lush landscape -- beautiful tall grass waving in the stiff breeze, a variety of yellow, red and purple wildflowers, tall shrubs and an occasional pine tree.

Adventures in Eastern Idaho

Situated near the western gateway to Yellowstone National Park, eastern Idaho is an unexpected paradise for families looking to experience the diverse beauty of the Rocky Mountains and Snake River Plain.  From the spectacular views of the Grand Tetons, to the picturesque downtown of Idaho Falls and the feeling of a bygone era, there are countless opportunities for an active family to explore and make new memories. While I’m proud to be the Director of Idaho Commerce – tasked with promoting our amazing state to everyone from businesses to tourists to international investors – I’m also a proud mom of two boys, ages 3 and 5.  So I fully understand the realities of travel as a family (my mom says, “traveling with children can sometimes be better classified as a trip rather than a vacation!”)  but still I try to take my children with me on the road whenever I can so they can experience the wonders of our own backyard and build their own childhood memories.

4 Hidden Outdoor Adventures in Idaho

This is a sponsored post. When we were gearing up for our yearlong journey back in January, Idaho wasn’t at the top of our list of outdoor destinations. To be honest, we thought we’d spend a day in Idaho and continue west from there to a state that’s “better” for outdoor activities.

Idaho’s Wildest Rodeo and the Wild Beyond

This is a sponsored post. Nestled in the shadow of Idaho’s tallest peaks, the Mackay Rodeo has enough action for locals and visitors alike. Mark your calendar for the 3rd weekend of June to experience “Idaho’s Wildest Rodeo,” then stay to enjoy Mackay’s rich historic and natural heritage.

Instagram-able Idaho

This is a sponsored post. As a lifelong Idahoan, I thought I had seen most of what my home state had to offer, but it wasn't until I got into photography that I really began to appreciate its beauty. There are so many things to photograph here, from amazing waterfalls to majestic mountains to the awe-inspiring night skies.

Backpacking Through the Beauty of the Selkirk Range

This is a sponsored post. After moving from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest three years ago, I quickly fell in love with the gorgeous and diverse outdoor scene here. For reasons unknown, however, it took me almost three years to visit and explore the great Idaho Panhandle.

Epic Paddle Boarding at Shoshone Falls

Summer is here, and it's time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Don’t get me wrong, I love winter activities, but sometimes the chilly weather forces us to develop patterns: wake up, coffee, work, gym, dinner, Netflix.

Prairies to Peaks: Traversing the Panhandle on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes

A quick note: we chose to ride the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes both directions, beginning in the west, staying overnight near the Montana border and returning the next day for a total distance of 144 miles. Many riders prefer to ride just one direction and there are shuttle services that will accommodate this, returning you and your bike by van to your starting point.

5 Idaho Destinations for First-Time Family Backpacking

This author is a paid content writer for Idaho Tourism. I grew up with parents who took us into Idaho’s backcountry regularly. Thus, my love for being in the great outdoors has always been a top priority when warm weather hits.

Where to Celebrate the 4th of July in Idaho

The fourth of July is just around the corner and if you haven't come up with a plan to celebrate Independence Day, don't worry, you've still got time to figure it out. Here's a look at some of the celebrations happening around the state to help inspire your plans.

Experience Thousand Springs State Park on a SUP

John Webster worked in Partnership with Visit Idaho to create this travel tip. An Idaho hidden gem lies between Mountain Home and Twin Falls, an oasis in the desert if you will. Thousand Springs State Park offers gorgeous views as thousands of gallons of water flow from below ground, cascading down the volcanic cliff faces. Once you experience this unique location you’ll know that Idaho is simply different in the best way possible.

City of Rocks: Idaho’s Other City Life

Steve Graepel worked in partnership with Visit Idaho to create this Travel Tip. The high-desert landscape takes on a hue of blue as the sun sets behind the Albion Mountains. A distant truck rambles down a lonesome desert road kicking up an orange plume of dust that hangs in the air.

Hiking in Hells Canyon Provides a Spectacular Experience

Steve Stuebner worked in partnership with Visit Idaho to create this Travel Tip. Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America at over 7,000 feet, is a gnarly canyon that straddles the Oregon-Idaho border for more than 100 miles.

10 Jaw-Dropping Moments from Idaho’s North Fork Championship

Crazy. Out of their minds. Insane. Those might be just a few of the words used to describe the world-class kayakers that stare down the raging waters of Idaho's North Fork of the Payette River and live to tell about it during the North Fork Championship (NFC).