This year, we have had record-breaking heat waves throughout the Treasure Valley. As someone who isn’t a big fan of high temps, I am always looking for ways to get out of the house and have fun, but also to stay cool. Luckily, Boise has a lot of cool, unique indoor activities, whether you are looking for fun for the whole family, or maybe more grown-up fun. In this blog post, I will be sharing with you 10 great places to beat the heat and explore Boise. 

Treasure Valley Skate

Roller Skating is a great way to get some exercise and have fun! Treasure Valley Skate has a wide-open roller rink, with disco lights, and music from a live DJ at every session. This is especially a great place to check out if you have kids as they host private and public birthday parties for all ages. On top of all the roller skating fun, you can also enjoy arcade games and great food! To see their hours and rates, check out the Treasure Valley Skate website here.

Fast Lane Indoor Kart Racing

If you are looking for thrills and excitement, Fast Lane Indoor Kart Racing is the place for you! Open seven days a week, this establishment is Idaho’s best indoor kart racing experience with both kids and adult kart racing, all experience levels are welcome. This is the perfect place to just hang out or to host birthdays, parties, etc. Grab your friends and family and race each other at speeds excess of 80 miles per hour. To learn more about Fast Lane’s packages, pricing, karts or anything else, be sure to visit their website here. 

 

Big Al’s Bowling

Big Al’s is my favorite bowling spot in the Treasure Valley. Located in the Village outdoor shopping center in Meridian, Big Al’s is a sports bar and entertainment center where you can bowl, play arcade games, drink with friends, and even throw parties. They have all kinds of fun for all ages, and offer daily deals like “Margarita Mondays”,  “Two Buck Tuesdays” and “Wings Wednesday”. This is a great way to spend the night and escape the heat. 

 

Escape this Boise- Premier Escape Room

Escape rooms are a super fun way to put your mind to work while solving a mystery with your friends or family. Escape This Boise offers six exciting, unique, and challenging puzzle rooms to escape your way out of. You can pick from the Jungle Adventure, Santa’s Workshop, Pirate Ship, Wild West Saloon, The Wizard’s Final Exam, or Zombie Escape. The creators of this venue recommend ages 12 and up to come to the escape room, as young children will likely need parental help to solve the puzzles. To learn more about the unique rooms and to book your escape, visit their website here. 

 

Flicks Movie Theatre

Indie film lovers definitely need to check out this unique to Boise experience. 

Flick’s is located at the Inn at 500 Hotel in downtown Boise. The theatre showcases independent, foreign and art films, including some Hollywood favorites. Inside of Flick’s you will also find Rick’s American Cafe which specializes in signature salads, burgers, soups, as well as desserts, coffee and espressos, and a variety of alcoholic beverages. You can either enjoy your food and drinks in the theatre or in their patio garden. If you prefer watching movies at home, Flick’s has a movie rental section with DVD’s, Blu-Rays, and even some films on VHS. To purchase tickets ahead of time and to check out what movies are being shown this week, click here.

 

Spacebar Arcade (+21 up only)

The Spacebar is a really unique venue in Boise, which makes it a must to check out if you are 21 or older. This indoor arcade/bar has a ton of nostalgia with over 30 classic arcade cabinets, pinball, and a collection of original game systems like the Gamecube. The Spacebar also has card games and board games that you can play with your friends while enjoying their wide array of craft beers, wines, and cocktails. The Spacebar is open Sun-Thursday from 4pm-11pm and on Fri-Sat from 12pm-1am. Be sure to check out their website here, and their instagram here to see all the fun. 

 

Altitude Trampoline Park

If you are a family with kids, visiting a trampoline park can be a super fun way to 

get out of the heat, and get some exercise while having fun. Altitude Trampoline Park has 35,000 square feet of indoor trampolines and other attractions, which makes it perfect for dodgeball, freeplay, or any of the other fun activities that this park has to offer. Depending on the day and time, you can find a session that fits your needs, like Toddler Time, which is exclusively for children six and under, or you can visit during their open session time which includes all age groups. This is a great place to visit on Friday nights when they offer admission for $17.95 which includes three hours of jumping, pizza, and bottled water. To learn more, visit their website here.

 

One of my favorite things about Boise is all the places that there are to explore. I hope this list gives you some ideas for how to escape the heat this August, and to have fun with your friends and family. As always, if you check out any of these places, be sure to let me know if you enjoyed them. I hope everyone has a fantastic and safe weekend!