10 Best Places to Visit in Idaho — Must-See National Monuments, Ski Resorts, and Quaint Hidden Gems Included, According To Reddit
Idaho is the American West's best-kept secret — and Reddit is slowly giving it away. When travelers ask on r/Idaho and r/travel where to go in the Gem State, the threads explode with enthusiasm. Locals and visitors describe volcanic moonscapes, world-class ski mountains, turquoise alpine lakes, and ghost towns frozen in the 1880s — all within a few hours of each other.
Here are the 10 places Reddit consistently names as unmissable in Idaho.
1. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Location: Near Arco | Entry: $25 per vehicle
Make it Craters of the Moon. This 618,000-acre lava landscape of black cinder cones, lava tubes, and spatter craters looks genuinely like another planet — NASA has used it to train astronauts. Drive the 7-mile loop road, descend into the caves with a headlamp, and camp beneath some of the darkest skies in the western US.
Reddit verdict: "Craters of the Moon is the most surreal place I've been in America. It's completely free of crowds and looks like Mars."
2. Sun Valley and Bald Mountain
Location: Sun Valley | Lift Tickets: From $155/day
Sun Valley is the ski resort Idaho is famous for — and it earns every bit. Bald Mountain rises 3,400 vertical feet with runs Reddit's skiing community describes as some of the finest groomed corduroy in North America. Beyond the slopes, the neighboring town of Ketchum is charming year-round: galleries, excellent restaurants, and Ernest Hemingway's final home all within walking distance.
Reddit verdict: "Sun Valley's grooming on a bluebird morning is as good as it gets. The mountain is enormous and it never feels crowded."
3. Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Redfish Lake
Location: Near Stanley | Entry: Free (camping fees apply)
The jagged granite Sawtooth peaks rise dramatically from alpine meadows, and Redfish Lake at their base is the kind of turquoise mirror that makes photos look artificially enhanced. Go in September — aspens turn gold, peaks dust with early snow, and crowds disappear. Kayak the glassy morning water and hike the Alpine Way Trail for views that will rearrange your sense of what Idaho looks like.
Reddit verdict: "The Sawtooths in mid-September are the most beautiful thing I've seen in the American West. Nothing prepares you for Redfish Lake."
4. Shoshone Falls — "The Niagara of the West"
Location: Twin Falls | Entry: $5 per vehicle (seasonal)
At 212 feet high — 36 feet taller than Niagara Falls — Shoshone Falls is one of the most impressive natural waterfalls in the United States. Visit during spring runoff (April–June) for peak flow. The nearby Perrine Bridge, a 486-foot arch over the Snake River Canyon, is one of the few places in the country where BASE jumping is legal year-round without a permit.
Reddit verdict: "Shoshone Falls is jaw-dropping in spring. Stop there even if you're just driving through Twin Falls."
5. Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Location: Sandpoint | Lift Tickets: From $109/day
Redditors who ski multiple Idaho mountains consistently name Schweitzer their personal favorite. The resort receives over 300 inches of snowfall per season, and the tree skiing through north-facing old-growth glades is exceptional. Sandpoint, 11 miles from the base, is one of Idaho's most appealing small towns — lakefront restaurants and a relaxed vibe that feels nothing like Colorado resort crowds.
Reddit verdict: "Schweitzer has better tree skiing than anything I've found in Colorado at a fraction of the price. Sandpoint is worth the trip alone."
6. City of Rocks National Reserve
Location: Near Almo | Entry: Free (camping fees apply)
Granite spires and monoliths rise 60 stories from the high desert of southern Idaho. Pioneers on the California Trail carved their names into the rock in axle grease — some 1840s inscriptions are still legible today. Reddit's climbing community loves its 600+ routes, but hikers and photographers find it equally spectacular. Its remote location keeps it gloriously uncrowded.
Reddit verdict: "City of Rocks is Idaho's secret. It's spectacular, almost nobody goes there, and the stargazing is incredible."
7. Coeur d'Alene and Lake Coeur d'Alene
Location: Northern Idaho | Entry: Free
Coeur d'Alene sits on a pristine 25-mile lake that National Geographic named one of the five most beautiful in the world. Reddit threads about northern Idaho road trips almost always start here. Walk the world's longest floating boardwalk, rent a paddleboard, and watch the sun set over the water from Sherman Avenue. In summer the warm, clear lake is the destination.
Reddit verdict: "Coeur d'Alene is the prettiest lake town in the Pacific Northwest. The water is impossibly blue."
8. Kirkham Hot Springs
Location: Near Lowman | Entry: Free
Redditors who've sampled Idaho's many hot springs keep returning to Kirkham. The pools along the South Fork of the Payette River are free, naturally heated, and surrounded by pine forest and granite walls. In winter, steam rises from the water while snow sits on the rocks — a scene that consistently tops Idaho's most-shared travel photo lists. Arrive early on weekends; weekday mornings feel genuinely private.
Reddit verdict: "Kirkham Hot Springs is the best free experience in Idaho, full stop. Go on a weekday morning in winter and you might have it to yourself."
9. Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park
Location: Near Mountain Home | Entry: $5 per vehicle
The tallest single-structured sand dune in North America — 470 feet — rises from the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho, and most Idahoans don't know it exists. Rent a sandboard, swim in the adjacent lake, and stay after dark for excellent stargazing at the on-site observatory.
Reddit verdict: "I drove past Bruneau Sand Dunes for years before stopping. I couldn't believe I'd been missing this. It's bizarre and beautiful in equal measure."
10. McCall and Ponderosa State Park
Location: Central Idaho | Entry: $5 per vehicle
McCall sits on Payette Lake ringed by national forest, with terrain that transitions from ski slopes in winter to hiking trails in summer. Ponderosa State Park extends into the lake on a peninsula of old-growth pines — some of the most peaceful camping in Idaho. Reddit recommends it year-round: the February Winter Carnival fills the town with ice sculptures, and July wildflower meadows are extraordinary.
Reddit verdict: "McCall is the perfect Idaho mountain town. Ponderosa State Park in summer is one of the best campsites I've ever stayed at."
The Bottom Line on Idaho Travel
What unites all ten of these destinations is something Reddit users keep coming back to in their threads: Idaho rewards the traveler who is willing to leave the interstate. The state has almost no tourism infrastructure designed to funnel visitors toward a single obvious attraction — and that is exactly what makes it extraordinary. Every mile you put between yourself and the main highway in Idaho tends to reveal something you won't find anywhere else in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to visit Idaho?
Late spring through early fall (May–October) for outdoor activities, national monuments, and lakes. Winter is ideal for ski resorts — Sun Valley and Schweitzer both open by Thanksgiving and run through April.
Do I need a car to visit Idaho?
Yes. Almost all of Idaho's top destinations require a vehicle. Boise has a regional airport, and renting a car from there puts most of the state within a half-day's drive.
What is Idaho most famous for?
Beyond potatoes, Idaho is known for extraordinary wilderness — the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness (the largest roadless area in the lower 48), its ski resorts, and the volcanic lunar landscape at Craters of the Moon National Monument.