Planning things to do in Idaho with kids led our adventure travel family on a road trip filled with lava fields, ice caves, waterfalls, fossils, and frontier history. Idaho surprised us at every stop, offering wide open spaces, hands on learning, and jaw dropping scenery without the crowds. This journey proved that Idaho is packed with family adventures that keep kids curious and parents inspired from start to finish.
Day 1 Driving From Jackson Hole Into Idaho
Day one of our adventure officially began as we crossed from Jackson Hole into Idaho, and the shift in scenery was immediate. Leaving behind the dramatic peaks of the Tetons, the road opened into wide valleys and rolling farmland that felt calmer but no less beautiful. This first stretch set the tone for everything that followed and eased our adventure travel family into Idaho’s slower, wide open rhythm.
Driving through eastern Idaho gave the girls space to look out the windows and actually see the land changing. The mountains softened. Fields stretched farther. Small towns appeared quietly along the route, each one hinting at Idaho’s agricultural roots. Compared to the busy energy of Jackson Hole, this drive felt relaxed and almost meditative, which was perfect for the start of a family road trip.
One of the best parts of this day was how manageable it felt with kids. The drive was scenic without being overwhelming, and it allowed everyone to decompress after our time in Wyoming. We talked about how rivers, farms, and irrigation shaped this region and how different Idaho already felt from the national parks we had just explored.
- Family Tip: This is a great day to keep snacks handy and let kids narrate what they see outside. It turns a drive into part of the adventure.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Soda Springs and Along the Oregon Trail
One of the lesser known things to do in Idaho with kids is stopping in Soda Springs, a town shaped by mineral water, westward expansion, and industry. Soda Springs became an important stop along the Oregon Trail, drawing travelers who believed the mineral springs had health benefits. Even today, the town’s identity is deeply tied to those bubbling waters and its geothermal past.
We stopped to see the famous geyser, only to learn it is no longer naturally active, despite still being listed as a local attraction. What truly stood out, though, was the atmosphere of the town itself. Soda Springs later evolved into a phosphate mining center, with Monsanto historically serving as the main employer. Housing, schools, and daily life were built around that single industry, giving the town a classic company town feel.
When we visited, the entire town was shut down for a Monsanto company picnic. Streets were empty, businesses were closed, and the quiet felt almost eerie. For kids, this stop becomes a powerful storytelling moment. It opens conversations about how towns form, how industries shape communities, and how places can feel frozen in time. While Soda Springs is not a traditional attraction heavy stop, it adds depth and perspective to an Idaho family road trip.
- Family Tip: Use this stop to talk about the Oregon Trail and ask kids to imagine wagon families stopping here for water.
Day 2: Volcano Fields and Ice Caves
Day two of our Idaho adventure started after a restful overnight in Pocatello, a city that quietly bridges comfort and history. After a full first day of driving from Jackson Hole, Pocatello felt like the perfect place to pause, reset, and get everyone ready for the more rugged landscapes ahead. For our adventure travel family, it offered exactly what we needed before diving deeper into Idaho’s wild side.
Pocatello has long been an important crossroads in the American West. Once a major railroad hub, the city grew as travelers, goods, and ideas passed through southeastern Idaho. That sense of movement still lingers, making it a fitting stop on a family road trip. We enjoyed slowing down here, grabbing a good meal, and letting the girls recharge after several days on the road.
Staying overnight also made the next morning far more enjoyable. Instead of rushing through a long drive, we were able to start fresh and fully appreciate what lay ahead.
- Family Tip: An overnight stop here breaks up long driving days and keeps everyone in better spirits.
Driving Idaho’s High Desert to Craters of the Moon With Kids
Some of the most memorable things to do in Idaho with kids happen right from the car window. Leaving Pocatello, we crossed Idaho’s high desert, where sagebrush stretched endlessly and mountains hovered on the horizon. The emptiness felt dramatic and peaceful, making the drive itself part of the adventure.
Along the way, we passed the turnoff for Atomic City, a tiny settlement tied to the Idaho National Laboratory during the atomic age. Once bustling with scientists and workers, it now feels almost abandoned. Only a handful of residents remain, and empty buildings stand like a Cold War time capsule. Hills marked with numbered signs caught our attention, indicating areas where nuclear and radioactive waste lies buried underground from decades of research.
For kids, this drive sparks curiosity and questions about science, history, and responsibility. The landscape shifts dramatically as black lava flows appear, signaling your arrival at Craters of the Moon National Monument. This park is one of the most unique things to do in Idaho with kids, offering otherworldly terrain shaped by ancient volcanic eruptions. We explored lava fields, caves, and cinder cones that felt like stepping onto another planet. You can read our full guide for exploring Craters of the Moon National Monument here.
Exploring Shoshone Ice Caves With Kids
After Craters of the Moon, our adventure travel family headed south to one of the coolest things to do in Idaho with kids, literally. The Shoshone Ice Caves are part of an ancient lava tube formed by eruptions from nearby Black Butte. These caves trap cold air and water, allowing ice to remain year round, even during hot summer months.
The cave stretches about 1,700 feet long, roughly 50 feet wide, and up to 45 feet high. Guided tours take visitors around 100 feet below the surface, where temperatures stay in the low to high twenties Fahrenheit. Massive ice formations cling to the walls, creating a natural refrigerator hidden beneath the desert.
Historically, the caves played a crucial role for the town of Shoshone. In the 1800s, before modern refrigeration, ice was harvested here and shipped by rail. Early modifications in the 1930s nearly destroyed the ice by disrupting airflow, but later restoration preserved the delicate balance that keeps the caves frozen today.
Kids love the contrast of stepping from summer heat into icy darkness. It is part science lesson, part history, and part pure wonder. This stop adds variety and excitement to any Idaho family road trip.
- Family Tip: Bring jackets even in summer. The cold hits fast once you step inside.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Minidoka National Historic Site
Minidoka National Historic Site is a quiet, meaningful stop between Craters of the Moon and Twin Falls. This site preserves the remains of a World War Two incarceration camp where more than 13,000 Japanese American men, women, and children were imprisoned.
For families, the site’s openness makes history approachable. Kids can walk the grounds, see building foundations, and stand where families once lived. It is a great way to introduce lessons about resilience, fairness, and history.
- Family Tip: Visit early to enjoy the grounds without crowds, giving kids room to explore thoughtfully.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids in Twin Falls
Emerging from the lava fields and ice caves, Twin Falls felt like a true oasis for our adventure travel family. After days of rugged terrain and wide open desert, this city along the Snake River brought a refreshing mix of comfort, greenery, and energy. Twin Falls was incorporated in 1905 and grew quickly thanks to irrigation projects connected to the Milner Dam, which transformed the surrounding land into productive farmland. That agricultural legacy still shapes the region today and gives the city a grounded, hardworking feel.
What makes Twin Falls especially appealing for families is how balanced it feels. There is enough city life to reset and relax, but nature is never far away. Parks, river views, and canyon overlooks are woven right into daily life. We enjoyed walking around, grabbing a good meal, and letting the girls stretch their legs after several long driving days. It was the kind of place where everyone could recharge without feeling rushed.
- Family Tip: Twin Falls is a great place to do laundry, restock supplies, and let kids reset before the next adventure day.
Day 3: Falls, Fossils and the Oregon Trail
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Shoshone Falls Park
One of the absolute best things to do in Idaho with kids is visiting Shoshone Falls Park, located just northeast of Twin Falls. We were completely unprepared for how stunning this area would be. Shoshone Falls plunges approximately 212 feet, making it taller than Niagara Falls, and stretches nearly 925 feet across the Snake River. It earns its nickname, the Niagara of the West, the moment you see the water thundering into the canyon below.
The falls were formed more than 14,000 years ago by massive floods from ancient Lake Bonneville at the end of the last Ice Age. Those floods carved deep into the basalt canyon, creating the dramatic landscape that still defines this region. Long before European American settlers arrived, Native American tribes, including the Shoshone, used this area as an important fishing and trading site.
Later, travelers on the Oregon Trail would detour north just to catch their first glimpse of the roaring water. Standing at the overlook, it was easy to imagine their sense of awe and relief after miles of dusty plains. For families, Shoshone Falls is especially rewarding because it is both breathtaking and accessible. Paved paths, viewpoints, and picnic areas make it easy to explore with kids while keeping the experience unforgettable.
- Family Tip: Visit early in the morning for cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Thousand Springs State Park
Thousand Springs State Park is a hidden gem near Hagerman. Waterfalls pour straight out of canyon walls into the Snake River, creating lush green pockets amid the desert. The dramatic contrast between cliffs and rushing water delights kids and adults alike. Short walks and scenic overlooks make exploring easy, and the area feels like discovering a secret world.
- Family Tip: Pack a picnic and binoculars to enjoy the waterfalls and spot birds along the river.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock is a fun, quick stop near Castleford. This massive rock precariously balances on a narrow base, sparking curiosity and wonder. It requires very little walking but makes a huge impression. Kids love guessing how the rock stays upright and imagining what might eventually topple it.
- Family Tip: Take photos from multiple angles and let kids share their theories on how it formed.
Things to Do in Idaho With Kids at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
One of the most fascinating things to do in Idaho with kids is visiting Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. Located along the Snake River, this site protects one of the richest fossil deposits in North America from the Pliocene Epoch, dating back three to four million years. Standing here, it is hard to believe that this quiet landscape once supported an entirely different world filled with ancient animals.
Scientists have uncovered fossils from more than 200 species at Hagerman, making it an essential site for understanding prehistoric ecosystems. The most famous discovery is the Hagerman horse, Equus simplicidens, which is recognized as the earliest known member of the modern horse genus. Seeing where these discoveries were made gave the girls a whole new appreciation for how animals evolved and adapted over time.
Excavations began in the late 1920s after a local rancher stumbled upon fossilized bones. Large scale digs led by the Smithsonian Institution in the early 1930s uncovered remarkably complete skeletons, putting Hagerman on the global scientific map. For kids, this stop feels like stepping into a real life science book. Imagining horses, camels, mastodons, and saber toothed cats roaming Idaho sparks curiosity and makes ancient history feel alive.
- Family Tip: Talk through what Idaho looked like millions of years ago before arriving. It helps kids visualize the fossils.
Walking the Oregon Trail at the Hagerman Overlook
Just a short distance from the fossil beds, the Oregon Trail Overlook offers a completely different but equally powerful experience. This overlook sits along the southern route of the Oregon National Historic Trail, where emigrants traveled west in the 1800s in search of land and opportunity.
The terrain here tells its own story. The ground is dry and exposed, and the heat feels relentless even today. Deep wagon ruts still scar the landscape, carved by thousands of wagons grinding across the Snake River Plain. Standing at the overlook, it is easy to picture pioneering families pushing forward with children, livestock, and everything they owned.
For our adventure travel family, this stop became an emotional one. It created space to talk about perseverance, hardship, and the courage it took to cross such unforgiving land. Kids can physically see the marks left behind, which makes the history far more real than reading about it in a book. It is a simple stop, but one that leaves a lasting impression.
- Family Tip: Ask kids to spot wagon ruts and imagine how long it took families to cross this land.
Ending Our Idaho Family Road Trip in Boise
Our Idaho family road trip came to an end in Boise, the capital and largest city in the state. After days of lava fields, desert highways, and remote landscapes, Boise felt like a burst of energy and life. The city was named by French Canadian trappers for the Boise River, whose tree lined banks offered welcome shade and water on the otherwise arid plains.
Boise began as Fort Boise in 1863 during the gold rush era and quickly grew into an important regional center. Today, it blends historic roots with a vibrant modern culture. We loved how green the city felt, especially after so much time in stark desert environments. Walking around, enjoying the riverfront atmosphere, and soaking in the lively downtown gave us a chance to reflect on everything we had experienced.
Ending the road trip in Boise felt just right. It offered comfort, culture, and a sense of celebration after an adventure packed with learning and exploration. For families planning things to do in Idaho with kids, Boise makes a refreshing final stop that balances nature, history, and city fun before heading home.
- Family Tip: Boise is perfect for a final night walk and dinner out to celebrate the trip.
Family Verdict
When it comes to things to do in Idaho with kids, this road trip exceeded every expectation. Idaho delivers variety without crowds, blending geology, history, wildlife, and hands on learning. Our adventure travel family loved how each stop felt different yet connected. This is a destination made for curious kids and parents who crave meaningful family adventures.
Make sure to check out our nearby adventures in southern Montana, Beartooth Highway, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, Craters of the Moon National Monument, and southern Idaho. Follow along on our complete Old West family road trip and our other amazing family travel adventures at www.adventureisinoursouls.com.
