Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Eagle, ID

  • Published 2023/02/07

Eagle, Idaho, is an old-fashioned, fast-growing suburb set in the Boise Foothills, located northwest of Idaho’s state capital.

It is in a natural, rural environment carrying a storied past, and it is home to almost 20,000 citizens.

The city has taken care to provide recreation to its growing population.

Residents often go biking and walking the Green Belt beside Boise River, fishing, and riding horses in the foothills.

Eagle Island State Park is open for picnicking, hiking, swimming, and zip-lining, while the Ada/Eagle Sports Complex provides bicycle tracks, skateboarding, roller skating, and snow activities.

Every Saturday, you will see vendors setting up their wares in Heritage Park for the Eagle Saturday Market, and each month, live music dominates at the Eagle Gazebo Concert.

You can enjoy dining options in Eagle in the form of Italian restaurants, brunch spots, and wine bars.

You can also relax in any of its beautiful city parks or have a tee time on its golf courses.

At Eagle, there is an open space with an appealing western architectural theme and tree-lined streets with old street lights conferring an old-time allure.

If you’re ready to discover the charms of this unique urban location, follow this list of the best things to do in Eagle.

Admire the Idaho State Capitol Building

Exterior of Idaho State Capitol Building

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The Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise, a 16-minute drive from Eagle, is the most treasured building in Idaho, built between 1905 and 1920.

Within its walls, they pass laws, debate issues, and safeguard citizens’ rights and have been doing so for nearly a century.

It contains the Attorney General’s office and the Idaho Legislature and is used to house the Idaho Supreme Court.

The building is clad in sandstone quarried from Table Rock and constructed from red, green, gray, and black marble.

Closer view of Idaho State Capitol Building's exterior

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It is a Classic Revival monument with a Baroque-style dome that crowns a rotunda lifted by Corinthian columns.

View beautiful art pieces in the Capitol, such as the Winged Victory, which France gifted to the United States after World War II.

See a statue of George Washington by Charles Ostner on the south side of the rotunda, bronzed in 1869 and covered with gold leaf in 1966.

Also here are multiple old-growth trees planted by several Presidents that were turned into objects for a display to preserve them.

Interior of Idaho State Capitol Building

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Sip Wine at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards

Idaho has a growing wine scene that only keeps increasing in profile.

You can find one of the best American Viticultural Areas nestled in the foothills of the Boise Mountains.

Owners Martha and Gary Cunningham planted the first vines at 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards in the 2000s.

The volcanic ash, granite pebbles, and sandy loam in the soil proved perfect for the Rhone and Bordeaux vines that would eventually grow in the Sawtooth mountains north of Eagle.

Today, 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards is the largest family-owned winery in Idaho.

The Cunninghams choose natural methods to grow the richest and the strongest grapes possible

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards grows a good portion of its grapes, including Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The head winemaker, Corey Sprott, brings his signature passion and knowledge to the art of winemaking.

The vineyard is truly a great destination for wonderful wines, delicious foods, and amazing views of the Eagle Foothills.

Stroll through the Boise River Greenbelt

A pathway lined with trees at Boise River Greenbelt

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The Boise River Greenbelt traces the winding path of its namesake river, a nearly all-paved path connecting an entire community.

It connects to an extensive network of paths and trails stretching almost 50 miles from Lucky Peak Dam to Eagle.

It is a beloved and well-used green corridor where families stroll and bike together.

Visitors flock to the “Ribbon of Jewels,” a series of wide and lush parks nestled on the shore of the Boise River.

The river at Boise River Greenbelt

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In the fall, the trees along the river turn a series of warm hues, and the autumn breeze tempts you for a run along the carpet of leaves.

In the winter, the greenbelt is a quiet pathway for outdoor pursuits.

Year-round, visitors can see ducks, Canada geese, great blue herons, songbirds, and bald eagles in the winter.

All season, visitors and residents use the greenbelt for running, walking, cycling, in-line skating, fly-fishing, and outdoor recreation.

Sunny day at Boise River Greenbelt

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Bring Your Family to Heritage Park

Heritage Park is a community park in the heart of downtown Eagle, a quaint plaza that serves as a jumping point for community life.

It is the key setting of many Eagle happenings throughout the year, and its crown jewel is the gazebo from which events take place.

On sunny days, it is the ideal location for a picnic in the shade from the many food trucks and restaurants surrounding it.

You can bring a chair or a blanket to enjoy the fresh breeze after work while your kids and pets splash around in the fountain.

During the summer, it hosts the Gazebo Concert Series, where local acts play live music you don’t want to miss, and concession stands provide refreshments.

On Saturdays from May to October, the lovely Eagle Saturday Market comes to life, featuring local produce, one-off arts and crafts, freshly prepared food, and plenty more.

Catch the Thrill at Firebird Raceway

Far view of the Firebird Raceway

Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Firebird Raceway is a motorsport racing venue, a quarter-mile hot rod track running parallel to Highway 16.

Bill New and his wife, Ellanor, founded Firebird Raceway back in 1968.

Today, the second generation of the New family operates the raceway, striving to provide a clean and first-class venue for spectators to appreciate the sport.

They will create action-packed and affordable fun for the entire family and form the quintessential Firebird experience.

The end of Firebird Raceway

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Racing runs from April to October and is open to anyone who wants to drag race their vehicle.

There are events for the professional and amateur racers and for folks who just want to race cars against friends.

Many annual events are almost five decades old, such as Napa Ignition Opener, the Nightfire Nationals, and the Fox Hunt.

Firebird always offers a wide variety of classes and types of races that suit anybody’s needs.

Let Your Imagination Fly at VR1 Arcade

VR1 Arcade is the first virtual reality arcade in Idaho that lets you step beyond the usual dimensions and explore your imagination.

It is a modern-day arcade that transports you into explosive visuals and realistic worlds, even helping you get a great workout and break a sweat.

VR1 hosts the world’s first VR competitions; brings training programs in physics, history, astrology, and anatomy; and explores a unique program that lets you burn calories.

It introduces full-scale movies where you’re part of the action, lets you travel and visit the places of your dreams, and provides a safe environment for your kids.

You’ll find yourself defending towns from the forces of evil; experiencing the wonder and majesty of unexplored frontiers; and immersing in art, history, and mythology.

Inspire, teach, or play with students at the arcade, bring corporate teams for bonding experiences, or work with builders and architects on future projects.

Spend Quality Outdoor Time at Eagle Island State Park

Scenic sunrise at Eagle Island State Park

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Eagle Island State Park is a much-loved 545-acre park of stunning greenery on the west side of Eagle, bordered north and south by the branches of the Boise River.

It was originally for agricultural purposes as grazing land for hogs and cattle and operated as a penitentiary farm until 1977.

In 1983, Idaho developed it as a park with a water slide, concessions, restrooms, swimming areas, and trails.

Signage of Eagle Island State Park

Kencf0618, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Today, it is popular for visitors who like to swim in the lake, trek the many trails, play disc golf, go picnicking, and engage in many types of recreation.

In the summer, rent paddleboards for a river trip or ride some of the longest zip lines in the state.

In the winter, there are terrain parks and tubing hills if you’re looking for cold thrills.

For more thrills, you can cross the Indiana Jones-style suspension bridge and go on a Quick Jump off their 55-foot tower.

Learn to Play Golf at Banbury Golf Course

At Eagle is a top-rated golf course nestled in the river valley on a lovely expanse of land and embracing the south channel of the Boise River.

Designed by John Harbottle III, Banbury Golf Course successfully merges golf with the native habitat, including eagles, cranes, ospreys, foxes, deers, and raccoons.

Harbottle skillfully carved a Scottish-style course with strategically placed bunkers and dramatic mounding around bent-grass greens.

All 18 holes have the challenging obstacle of water: ponds, lakes, the rippling Boise river, and grass-filled wetlands.

The name Banbury is from a town in England outside of London with very early ties to golf.

Banbury is a challenging 6890-yard par 71 course, consistently rated among the top 10 courses in Idaho.

Banbury teaches both youths and adults the etiquette of golf and gives them the tools to play and practice on the course.

Show Athletic Prowess at Ada/Eagle Sports Complex

On the northeast side of Eagle in the Boise Foothills is the Ada/Eagle Sports Complex, one of the largest facilities of its kind in the United States.

It stretches across over 200 acres of dry rolling terrain and has basketball courts, a 12500 square foot skate park, an inline hockey rink, picnic areas, and restrooms.

It has a vast network of trails connecting to the Ridge to Rivers trail system, and bikers can ride from Eagle to Lucky Peak Reservoir.

The complex is renowned for its 27 biking paths that appeal to different kinds of riders, from beginners to experts.

Features include trails for scenic cross-country riding, 14 light green circle trails, and five blue square trails.

Others are thrilling downhill trails, black diamond trails for downhill bikers, three jump trails, and two tracks for BMXers.

More features include a pump track, free ride jump lines, dual slalom racecourse, dirt jumps, mountain cross racecourse, and other world-class mountain bike trails.

Take Part in Outdoor Sports at Bogus Basin Ski Resorts

A person skiing down Bogus Basin Ski Resorts

CSNafzger / Shutterstock.com

Bogus Basin Ski Resorts, a winter mainstay for almost 80 years, is a 15-minute drive from Eagle at the end of a long and winding road.

It is one of the non-profit recreation areas in the country, dedicated to providing affordable, accessible, and fun mountain education and athletics all year.

There are 91 runs in 2600 skiable acres, evenly divided between “most difficult,” “more difficult,” and “easiest.”

Sunset over Bogus Basin Ski Resorts

CSNafzger / Shutterstock.com

Alpine snowboarding and skiing will take you uphill on a lift, followed by a downhill ride on the mountain’s trails.

Winter tubing brings merry groups down Tubing Hill, an 800-foot downhill thrill ride with a conveyer lift so you can go as many times as you want.

The Glade Runner Mountain Coaster is Idaho’s only mountain coaster that will take you screaming, cheering, and twisting through 4300 feet at top speed, no matter what time of year.

In the summer, Bogus Basin’s mountain landscape is also ready for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding adventures.

Chairlifts at Bogus Basin Ski Resorts

CSNafzger / Shutterstock.com

Have a Spa Day at Two Rivers Salon and Spa

Two Rivers Salon and Spa is a luxurious escape in the heart of Eagle.

Located just a few feet away from the Boise River, Two Rivers took inspiration from the river’s tranquility and gives visitors a treat unique to the Valley.

Indulge in their array of amazing services, including revitalizing massage and body treatments, soothing pedicures and manicures, beautifying hair and make-up, and rejuvenating skin care services.

Make your escape today for a spa getaway and let the professionally trained staff work their wonders.

Receive luxurious nail service; let them enhance your natural beauty with makeup; and indulge in design, treatments, color, and blonding for your hair.

Get specialized facial treatments for your skin type, such as signature and deluxe hydrafacial; or diamond, collagen shock, and O2-express.

Be soothed with massages such as deep tissue massage and riverstone massage.

Indulge in body treatments like the cocoon, the firm, and the sugar body polish.

Have Snowy Fun at Gateway Parks

During the colder months, a mini-resort right in the middle of Eagle Island State Park gives everyone an outstanding taste of winter sports.

Gateway Parks is a snow park built from scratch each season with its terrain for tubing, skiing, and snowboarding.

As the snow falls, you can head on over to Gateway Parks to zoom down any of their five professionally created tubing hills and lanes that you’ll see nowhere else.

Hear shouts of glee and cheer as people whizz down on their inner tubes and repeat the thrill all over again as they hop the magic carpet lift back to the top.

You can get together with your friends and make different configurations in the tubes and then spin downwards in a thrill ride.

After you’ve had your rides, head to the fire pit for a cup of hot cocoa and coffee and some chips, candy, and nachos to warm up.

Have a History Lesson at Idaho State Museum

Exterior of Idaho State Museum

Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At this newly renovated museum located 18 minutes from Eagle, learn about the state’s grand history and walk through interactive exhibits sharing the stories of Idaho.

Idaho State Museum provides an engaging and interactive experience where people from different walks of life come to explore Idaho’s past.

The Museum looks at how Idaho’s landscapes have shaped the people’s experience and showcases the profound relationship between its land and its people.

Its exhibits display a collection of 20000 archaeological items, 50000 artifacts, 10000 maps, and endless documents and photographs.

Entrance of Idaho State Museum

Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

See the Origins gallery that introduces Idaho’s five federally recognized tribes and identifies their roles in contemporary land stewardships.

View the Idaho: The Land and Its People exhibit that showcases the lakes and forests of North Idaho, the rivers and mountains of central Idaho, and the canyons and deserts of South Idaho.

Seek the History Explorer gallery that encourages exploration into the grinding gears of history, connecting your story to the inspiring tales of native Idahoans.

Through its artifacts, exhibitions, and educational programming, the Museum helps residents and visitors explore Idaho’s story.

Attend the Blues and Bones Festival

The blues always carry a story in every chord progression, whether it’s from past regrets or a failed relationship.

However, the genre can also be transformative and loop back full circle to become a musical celebration of life.

At the Blues and Bones Festival, an annual family-friendly event in Eagle, crowds everywhere gather to hear regional blues artists.

From lightning-quick guitarists to melancholy singers, they all come together to share their melodious stories.

The ‘bones’ refers to the slow-cooked barbecue that is a festival staple, wherein a group of food vendors gives their signature seasonings to pork, beef, and chicken.

There’s nothing like the raw tunes of blues music combined with award-winning tasty barbecue to leave a wonderful impression of a summer festival.

With the perfect combination of sound and flavor, make this event an annual summer treat.

Treat Yourself at Olive and Vyne

The Bruners and Nerudas of Eagle always have Mediterranean flavors in their meals.

They have a passion for collecting the very best balsamic vinegar and olive oils, which can transform ordinary meals into culinary delights.

In 2020, they wanted to share the joy with the community, so they opened Olive and Vyne.

Today, their shop is a landmark in Eagle and throughout the Treasure Valley.

They also develop and harvest their hearty recipes and make every day a culinary adventure.

One teaspoon of olive oil contains only 120 calories, 14 g of fat, and plenty of antioxidants.

Their range of olive oils offers a unique mix of infusions, from smoked hickory to citrus habanero.

They keep their balsamic vinegar in a low-pressure environment, then decant them in wooden barrels and leave them to turn into beautiful rich, dense balsamic vinegar.

Both white and dark balsamic vinegar leaves a refreshing and delicious taste to different dishes.

Watch the Colorful Displays of Art and Music at Eagle Art Walk

Have time on your schedule to go on a unique art excursion?

Then, keep Eagle Art Walk on your list of must-do activities!

This bi-annual event, hosted by the city and the Eagle Arts Commission, is a special arts festival that gathers local and national artists together to celebrate creativity in the streets.

Watch as downtown Eagle springs to life with numerous colorful and vibrant art displays of every medium.

One of the most anticipated parts of the festival is the live music from street musicians.

Get to talk to artists, too, and learn a thing or two about art styles, inspirations, and the like.

Eagle Art Walk is also one of the best free things to do within the city, so be sure to check it out!

You can start your art walk along 2nd Street and State Street until you reach 1st Street.

Host a Family or Business Gathering at Eagle Hills Golf Course

Within North Edgewood Lane, Eagle Hills Golf Course is your best bet for a grand golf time by yourself or with loved ones!

Featuring an 18-hole course designed in 1960, this facility eventually established its roots in 1967.

Part of what makes this golf facility eye-catching for many is its water-featured challenges.

With rolling fairways and a practice range complete with putting and chipping areas, golfers of every expertise level can easily have fun.

Its breathtaking lakefront venue and multi-faceted facility are also a hit among those planning to celebrate important milestones while in Eagle.

For your ultimate family or business gathering, anticipate high-quality catering, a full bar, and large additional suites at Eagle Hills Golf Course.

Admire the Art Landscapes at Eagle Plein Air Festival

While Eagle Plein Air Festival focuses on artists and their masterpieces, anyone is free to be part of the celebration.

And the best part is you have a whole week to do it!

This event helps professional and non-professional artists present their idea of Eagle, including its landscapes and culture within unique art demonstrations.

Many visitors come by to experience outdoor art lessons and artist discussions.

And after all the festivities, including a moonlight painting competition and historical lectures by the Eagle Historical Preservation, you can purchase any of the works in the collection.

Wine tasting is also one of its premier activities you can try out!

Eagle Plein Air Festival happens all throughout Eagle and its surrounding neighborhoods.

Take a Trip Back in Time through the Exhibits at the Eagle Museum of History and Preservation

Housed in a 1938 historic Catholic chapel, the Eagle Museum of History and Preservation stands as a heritage site for the city’s interesting past.

This museum opened in 2001.

It features a wide range of artifacts, archives, and historic photographs that narrate the development of Eagle from the 1880s to the present.

Expect to view vintage clothing, equipment, and special ancient collections all from different eras.

If you’re interested in knowing about Eagle’s historical legacy, head over to the Eagle Museum of History and Preservation on East Civic Lane.

Smell the Scent of Flora at JoAnn’s Iris Garden

JoAnn’s Iris Garden is one of the hidden treasures of Eagle.

This public garden houses at least 300 different iris bloom varieties.

This makes the place a common hang-out spot for gardening enthusiasts, artists, and photographers.

You can even purchase your own irises to add to your garden or to serve as your table centerpiece.

Don’t miss out on adding JoAnn’s Iris Garden on North Hesse Lane to your itinerary!

Final Thoughts

Eagle, Idaho, is a vibrant community and a fine spot for recreations you can pursue all year long.

It’s a perfect place to meet friends and enjoy historical displays, outdoor parks, athletic hubs, fine attractions, lively festivals, and culinary quests.

There is always something to pursue in Eagle, so do yourself a favor and make it your next holiday destination.

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