# Visiting Boise with toddlers and little kids: the plan

> Boise is compact. Julia Davis Park holds the Zoo and the State Museum, the Discovery Center is a few blocks away and the Greenbelt ties it together. Here’s how we’d spend one or two days with nap in the middle.

- Last checked: 2026-10-18
- One- and two-day plans with a nap in the middle
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- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/boise/index.md
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## Top 5 can’t-miss spots

- **Discovery Center of Idaho** (Downtown, 131 W. Myrtle St.): Start your first morning here. Sensory kits are available if you ask. Cost: $18 kids, $27 adults. Site: https://www.dcidaho.org/
- **Zoo Boise** (Julia Davis Park): Small enough for an after-nap visit, and the State Museum is a short walk away. Site: https://zooboise.org/ In their words: On Laura the wolverine: “it was just amazing to see her in the flesh because you look at this animal and you think, it's pretty cute and it's pretty cuddly, but then you see her scale a tree in her habitat” (Mónica Esquivel, Boise State Public Radio, on Idaho Matters (Boise State Public Radio): “From meerkat babies to a wolverine: What's new at Zoo Boise”, Feb 2026: https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/show/idaho-matters/2026-02-11/new-zoo-boise-animals)
- **World Center for Birds of Prey** (South Boise, off Cole Road): Up close with falcons and eagles. Kids under 4 are free, and it’s open Tuesday through Sunday most of the year. Cost: $9 kids, $14 adults. Site: https://peregrinefund.org/visit
- **Julia Davis Park** (Downtown, along the river): Walk the Solar System Trail or the rose garden between the Zoo and the museum. Cost: Free. Site: https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks/julia-davis-park/
- **MK Nature Center** (East of downtown, 600 S. Walnut St.): Little kids love peering through the underwater windows at the fish. The paths are open dawn to dusk. Site: https://idfg.idaho.gov/visit/mknc

## If you have one day

1. **MORNING**: Discovery Center of Idaho (Go at opening · Downtown, 131 W. Myrtle St. · $18 kids, $27 adults). https://www.dcidaho.org/
2. **LUNCH**: Boise Fry Company (Fries front and center · Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell). https://www.boisefrycompany.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: Zoo Boise (Julia Davis Park · Julia Davis Park). https://zooboise.org/

## If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

1. **MORNING**: World Center for Birds of Prey (Tuesday to Sunday · South Boise, off Cole Road · $9 kids, $14 adults). https://peregrinefund.org/visit
2. **LUNCH**: Flying Pie Pizzaria (Build your own pie · Several Boise-area locations). https://www.flyingpie.com/
3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
4. **AFTER NAP**: MK Nature Center (Underwater windows · East of downtown, 600 S. Walnut St.). https://idfg.idaho.gov/visit/mknc

## Where to stay

- **Downtown** (best for first-timers): Walk to the Discovery Center, the library and Julia Davis Park. Near Discovery Center of Idaho, Julia Davis Park, Zoo Boise and Idaho State Museum.
- **East End** (for nature): Near the Botanical Garden and the MK Nature Center. Near Idaho Botanical Garden and MK Nature Center.
- **West Boise** (for easy parking): Close to The WaterShed, with a straight drive into downtown. Near The WaterShed.

## Easy restaurants near the big stops

- **Boise Fry Company** (Burgers and fries, Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell): . https://www.boisefrycompany.com/
- **Flying Pie Pizzaria** (Pizza, Several Boise-area locations): . https://www.flyingpie.com/

## Rainy-day backup plan

- **Discovery Center of Idaho**: Hands-on science downtown.
- **Idaho State Museum**: Indoor exhibits in Julia Davis Park.
- **The WaterShed**: More than 25 indoor exhibits.
- **Downtown Library**: A free indoor stop.

## Practical tips

- Parking, Discovery Center of Idaho: Free in the lot right next to the building, with street parking nearby.
- Parking, Zoo Boise: Park lots have a two-hour limit. If you’ll stay longer, get an extended visitor pass when you buy your ticket.
- Parking, World Center for Birds of Prey: The lot is at the top of Flying Hawk Lane, off South Cole Road.
- Pair the Zoo and the museum: Zoo Boise and the Idaho State Museum are both in Julia Davis Park.
- Watch the two-hour limit: Julia Davis Park lots are two hours unless you get an extended pass with your ticket.

## Free and cheap wins

- **Julia Davis Park**: A free riverside park.
- **Kathryn Albertson Park**: A free wildlife park.
- **Downtown Library**: Free.

All free things to do in Boise: https://littlesweekly.com/boise/guide/#free


## Happening this week

- **Great Pumpkin Giveaway at the Children’s Museum of Idaho** (Sat 10am–1pm) at Children’s Museum of Idaho. Included with admission: $13 ages 2–64, $5 ages 12–23 months; under 12 months free. https://littlesweekly.com/boise/#e-great_pumpkin_giveaway_at_the_childrens
- **Scarecrow Stroll at Idaho Botanical Garden** (Daily 9am–5pm) at Idaho Botanical Garden. $15 adults, $9 youth; kids 3 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/boise/#e-scarecrow_stroll_at_idaho_botanical_gard
- **Pumpkin Palooza in Meridian** (Mon–Thu 4–9pm; Fri–Sun 9am–9pm) at Pumpkin Palooza. $5 entry; 2 and under free; rides extra. https://littlesweekly.com/boise/#e-pumpkin_palooza_in_meridian
- **Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch at Lowe Family Farmstead** (Mon–Thu 4–9pm; Fri–Sat 10am–9pm) at Lowe Family Farmstead. $12 Tue, $16.99 Mon/Wed/Thu, $21.99 Fri, $24.99 Sat; 3 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/boise/#e-corn_maze_and_pumpkin_patch_at_lowe_fami
- **Harvest Festival (Library! at Cole & Ustick)** (Sat 11am–1pm) at Library! at Cole & Ustick. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/boise/#e-harvest_festival_library_at_cole_ustick

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/boise/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Boise: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/boise/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Boise for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/boise/christmas-lights/index.md)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
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## FAQ

### Is Boise kid-friendly?
For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Boise guide lists 13 places we checked for little kids, plus 3 free places and 4 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 2 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 2 library systems. This week’s list has 29 dated outings for ages 0–6. See [free things to do in Boise](https://littlesweekly.com/boise/guide/#free) and [this weekend’s list](https://littlesweekly.com/boise/).

### Where should we stay in Boise with little kids?
Downtown. The Discovery Center, Julia Davis Park, the Zoo and the State Museum are all close.

### How many days do you need in Boise with a toddler?
Two days: downtown and Julia Davis Park on one, and the Birds of Prey center and the MK Nature Center on the other.

### Where can we park in Julia Davis Park?
The park lots have a two-hour limit. Get an extended pass when you buy Zoo or museum tickets if you’ll stay longer.