Idaho reaches beyond its rugged wilderness into hospitable towns built around lakes and old main streets. Sandpoint pairs Lake Pend Oreille with the Panida Theater. McCall brings Payette Lake, Brundage Mountain, and its Winter Carnival. Wallace keeps silver-mining history alive beside the Route of the Hiawatha. Driggs opens into Teton Valley, while Stanley sits beneath the Sawtooths near Redfish Lake. The towns ahead combine outdoor access with festivals and welcoming downtowns that make each trip feel easy.

Sandpoint

Sandpoint serves as a premier example of Northern Idaho hospitality, balancing a tranquil lakeside atmosphere with a creative arts scene. The town sits on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and provides a friendly environment for families. After spending a morning boating or swimming in the largest lake in the state, visitors often head to Schweitzer for skiing or mountain biking. This outdoor energy carries over into the local culture at the historic Panida Theatre, which acts as a hub for live performances. To round out the day, the Cedar Street Bridge Public Market includes boutique shops and cafes for those seeking community warmth and water-based recreation.

McCall

McCall is a mountain resort known for its friendly “lake life” culture and alpine scenery. The town remains a popular destination for those seeking nostalgia and modern recreation, starting with Ponderosa State Park. Here, travelers find diverse hiking trails and beaches for swimming in Payette Lake before attending the McCall Winter Carnival. This popular annual event showcases snow sculptures and festive parades that celebrate the season. Beyond the winter festivities, Brundage Mountain Resort is a favorite for its consistent powder. For a different perspective, McCall Lake Cruises gives a guided sightseeing tour that shares the history of the region while drifting across the water.

Driggs

Driggs embodies the authentic Western spirit, serving as the commercial heart of the Teton Valley. It gives a relaxed, community-focused alternative to busier resort areas, particularly for guests visiting the nearby Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming. Known for deep snow and a family-oriented vibe, the resort is a major draw, yet the local culture shines during the annual Driggs Plein Air Festival. This event invites artists to paint the landscape outdoors, while the nearby Teton Geo Center has interactive exhibits on regional history. To see the valley from above, the Teton Aviation Center allows enthusiasts to take scenic glider rides or visit the on-site museum to view historic aircraft.

Wallace

Wallace is a historic silver mining town that prides itself on a quirky personality and well-preserved architecture. The entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, allowing guests to step back in time. On the Sierra Silver Mine Tour, visitors travel underground on a trolley to learn about mining heritage before cycling the Route of the Hiawatha. This rail-to-trail mountain bike path crosses the Bitterroot Mountains, leading back to a landmark manhole cover downtown that marks The Center of the Universe. To finish the historical journey, the Wallace District Mining Museum houses artifacts detailing the Silver Valley and the Great Fire of 1910.

Moscow

Moscow offers a welcoming college-town ambiance, driven by the presence of the University of Idaho. It is frequently referred to as “Fest City” due to a calendar packed with community performances and events. The University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden has walking paths through diverse plant collections, which provide a bridge to the award-winning Moscow Farmers Market. Held every Saturday, this market features local produce, crafts, and live music. Musical heritage continues at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, which brings performers to the area. Additionally, the Appaloosa Museum celebrates the history of the horse breed and its cultural ties to the Nez Perce people.

Bonners Ferry

Bonners Ferry is often cited as one of the friendliest towns in the state, with a calm environment near the Canadian border. Nature lovers typically begin at the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, which gives exceptional opportunities for birdwatching and spotting moose. After exploring the refuge, the Boundary County Museum downtown displays artifacts from the Kootenai Tribe and early settlers. The town is also a key stop on the International Selkirk Loop, a scenic drive that displays the views of the Cabinet Mountains and Selkirk ranges. Nearby, the Kootenai River is a local focal point, popular for calm-water fishing and photography from the community’s many historic bridges.

Stanley

Stanley is a remote mountain town that offers a warm welcome to travelers passing through the rugged Sawtooth Mountains. Redfish Lake has a historic lodge and white-sand beaches with views of Mount Heyburn, serving as a gateway to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. This paradise for backcountry travel has over 700 miles of hiking trails for every skill level. Between hikes, the Stanley Baking Company and Cafe is a local institution where residents mingle over homemade pastries. For a different experience, Boat Box Hot Springs has a riverside soaking tub made from a repurposed mining cauldron, giving a viewpoint to admire the wide river views.

Sun Valley

Sun Valley is a world-renowned destination that maintains a tight-knit, walkable feel. The Sun Valley Resort, site of the world’s first chairlift in 1936, offers skiing and summer golf, but the local culture reaches far beyond the slopes. Fans of literature can visit the Ernest Hemingway Memorial near Sun Valley Lodge and Hemingway’s grave at Ketchum Cemetery to pay their respects. For music lovers, the Sun Valley Pavilion is an outdoor venue that hosts free orchestral concerts during the summer months. To conclude a trip, a visit to Bald Mountain, known locally as “Baldy,” offers challenging ski runs and panoramic views of the skyline, making it a primary cultural destination.

Priest River

Priest River is a scenic timber town situated where the Priest River meets the Pend Oreille River. Logging history built this community, and the Priest River Museum and Timber Education Center provides a deep dive into that heritage. After learning about the local industry, residents and visitors alike gather at The Mudhole for an afternoon of picnicking and swimming. Just a short drive north, Hill’s Resort on Priest Lake is a primary destination for those visiting the area for its traditional lodge feel. The nearby Selkirk Mountains have extensive forest service roads and trails for off-roading, hiking, and seasonal huckleberry picking in a largely undeveloped environment.

Preston

Preston is a thriving agricultural community in Southeast Idaho that rose to fame through the film Napoleon Dynamite. Visitors can follow a tour map to see filming locations, including the local high school, before shifting focus to the Preston Night Rodeo. This major highlight of the summer calendar provides entertainment for all ages. For those interested in regional history, the Bear River Massacre National Historic Landmark gives an educational look at a significant event in the West. Finally, Bear River Hot Springs, formerly Riverdale Resort, has hot spring pools and waterslides five miles north of Preston in the Riverdale Valley, providing a friendly atmosphere for families and road trippers.

The Heart Of Idaho Communities

The hospitable towns of Idaho demonstrate that the state is more than just a wilderness destination; it is a collection of welcoming communities. Lakeside retreats like Sandpoint and McCall illustrate how residents embrace their natural surroundings to create an inviting environment for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Meanwhile, historic centers such as Wallace and Moscow highlight a commitment to preserving local heritage and fostering a community spirit. These destinations show a blend of traditional values and modern amenities, proving that Idaho’s best assets are its people and their enduring spirit of neighborly kindness.

BY KAREN BOSSICK

Ketchum’s annual Wagon Days celebration received the prestigious Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society this week.

The award, named for Idaho’s state motto “Let it be perpetual,” recognizes individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving the stories, places and traditions that define the Gem State.

This particular award honors the region’s mining legacy and pioneering spirit preserved through Ketchum’s nationally recognized Big Hitch Parade with its museum-quality stagecoaches, freight wagons, and carriages. It also acknowledges Wagon Days’ full lineup of cultural programming that includes talks about the history of mining in the area, an afternoon of cowboy poetry, Sun Valley history bus tours, horsemanship demonstrations, Shoshone-Bannock dancing, close-up looks at the Lewis Ore Wagons that ferried silver and ore and a street dance featuring country western music.

“Wagon Days is one of Ketchum’s most treasured traditions,” said Ketchum Mayor Pete Prekeges. “It’s a unique opportunity for our community and visitors to come together and experience the history, culture, and spirit that define this valley.”

This year’s Wagon Days celebration, held Sept. 4 and 5 over Labor Day Weekend, will feature the Big Hitch Parade at 1 p.m. Saturday.

That will be followed by a Wagon Days Street Party at Ketchum Town Square featuring Susie Brown, a Billboard Top-15 hit songwriter and recording artist, who has shared the stage with such notables as Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood.

Originally from Alpine, Utah, she began playing fiddle at 4 and went on to master multiple instruments, including guitar, mandolin, ukulele, accordion and bass before achieving national prominence as the lead singer of The JaneDear Girls on their breakout hit “Wildflower.”

Reserved seating for the Big Hitch parade along Main Street near Sun Valley Road is now available for $30 a seat at https://www.wagondays.com/.

The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team became the first unit in the National Guard to transition from its armor unit to the new infantry squad vehicle.

It’s a transition spearheaded by the Army and new technology to get rid of the Abrams tank, Bradleys, and Paladins in favor of an off-road vehicle that can carry troops and equipment while also being light enough to be dropped out of a plane.

WATCH | See some incredible footage of the Abrams tank in action—

Idaho National Guard trades in tanks for modern war vehicles

“The idea behind this is to be quick and fast up to a line of departure where they would get out, and then the infantry would get to their objective,” explained Col. Jason Gracida.

The 116th has been a heavy armor unit since 1949. Col. Gracida became an armor officer in 2002 and deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom as one of the only tank companies in Iraq.

“I like to hold that near and dear to my heart,” said Gracida. “Knowing armor my whole career as an officer, it is kind of sad to see the tanks go, but I think this is helping us adapt to a faster, lighter, and more modernized military.”

The Idaho National Guard welcomed the public to the Warhawk Air Museum on Saturday as a farewell to the tanks and up-armored vehicles, and they got to check out the new infantry squad vehicle.

“This is a great experience my son has been in the Idaho National Guard, and we drove over from Idaho Falls,” said Don Dahl. “A few years ago, my son had the opportunity to be on deployment in this tank serving his country, so to actually come and see the vehicle that he was in during deployment was an opportunity for us.”

It’s the end of an era, as the tank used to be one of the deadliest weapons on the battlefield, but that battlefield has changed over the years with the addition of technology, drones, and long-range missiles.

It’s a tough transition for me to see, as I used to be a tanker from 2010 to 2013, and being inside the Abrams when it fires the main gun is an experience like no other, something Col. Gracida knows as well.

“The first time I ever fired that 120 cannon, there is nothing like it,” said Col. Gracida. “The firepower and the ability to reach out and touch your enemy at 3,500 meters. I always tell everybody it is the best job in the world.”

The 116th will keep its cavalry lineage that dates back to 1920. The 116th has fought in every major American conflict since, but now it will be a light infantry unit known as a mobile brigade combat team.