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Family, Summer

Summer Fun for Kids in Sun Valley, Idaho

It’s the first morning of your Sun Valley vacation and the kids are ready for an adventure. Don’t panic; you’re in the land the family fun. Here are some of the best experiences for kids this summer in Sun Valley.

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24hrs with a Local, Summer

24hrs with a Local: Mike McKenna, July

In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. And just like that, summer is here! From north to south throughout the Valley, visitors and locals are getting out to enjoy the area’s uncrowded trails, tasty dining, and cultural activities. It seems that everyone is determined to make the most of our socially distanced summer, and we invite you to join us in experiencing everything the season has to offer. For this July edition of 24Hrs Sun Valley, we caught up with Mike McKenna, the Executive Director of The Chamber of Hailey & the Wood River Valley. Mike is an award-winning journalist and author, passionate fly fisherman, and youth sports coach. He explores the Wood River Valley with his wife Brooke and his two sons, Jack and Sam. What does Mike’s perfect July day look like? Hint: it involves more than one round of fly fishing! Read on to learn more about Mike’s favorite spots in the Valley. What’s for breakfast on your perfect July day? I’d order a Bowl of Soul and “The Usual” (a toasted bagel with cream cheese, tomato, and …

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Hiking, Summer

Guide to Hiking Sun Valley – Part II

With hundreds of miles of trail within easy reach of downtown, Ketchum and Sun Valley are a hiker’s paradise. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly hike that you can finish before lunch, or an all-day epic that will make you earn your schooner of beer from Grumpy’s, we have you covered. Here are some of our favorite hikes in and around Sun Valley. Hikes Close to Sun Valley White Clouds Loop The White Clouds Loop was built in 2008 by Sun Valley Resort, and the trailhead is located across the street from the Sun Valley Lodge. The loop starts out with a climb to an overlook of Ketchum, then rolls over gentle hills with stellar mountain views. The last part of the loop is along the paved Trail Creek Path. Taylor Canyon Taylor Canyon is close enough to town to run over for a quick hike after lunch, but far enough that you won’t see many people. The loop begins as a gentle climb through an open canyon before making big, lazy switchbacks up to a ridgeline with great views of Bald Mountain.  Titus Lake Just before reaching the top of Galena Pass you’ll notice a crowded parking area on the …

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24hrs with a Local

24hrs with a Local: Chris Leman, May

In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24hrs in Sun Valley during the month of May. Happy May, friends!  Chris Leman, the Wood River Valley Trail Coordinator for the Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD), knows a thing or two about how to enjoy a spring day in Sun Valley. In addition to maintaining a site that every local trail-lover visits daily—the BCRD Summer TraiLink—Chris does trail maintenance and public outreach, works closely with the BLM on trail design, and writes the BCRD Summer Trails blog. If there is something to know about the dirt trails in and around Sun Valley, Chris knows it. So, what does that ideal May day look like for Chris? It’s full of great food, epic trails, and maintaining that sense of community that we all love about Sun Valley. What’s first on your perfect May day? I’d let the cat in, make coffee, and water the vegetable garden. I love hanging out in our backyard, so an ideal breakfast would find me there, eating homemade pancakes made with fresh, stone-ground Hillside Grain flour. How would you spend your morning? Since it’s May, and …

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24hrs with a Local, Spring

24hrs with a Local: Hunger Coalition’s Kristin McMahon, April

In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley – April edition. This April isn’t quite what we expected. Far from skiing the corn on the Baldy Bowls and drinking Bloody Mary’s at River Run, here in Sun Valley, we are sheltered-in-place and trying to make the most of our new reality. For this special edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley – April, I caught up with Kristin McMahon, the Communications and Development Supervisor at The Hunger Coalition. The Hunger Coalition “builds a healthy community through access to good food and addresses the root causes of food insecurity in collaboration with key partners.” Over the past few weeks, The Hunger Coalition has served twice as many people as usual at their curbside Food Pantry, which is open three times a week. Kristin and I chatted about what her typical day sheltered-in-place looks like, and how The Hunger Coalition is supporting the community during this uncertain time. With the shelter-in-place order in effect, what do you do first thing in the morning? I made sure to stock up on coffee, so I start out …

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24hrs with a Local, Winter

24hrs with a Local: Sun Valley Film Festival’s Candice Pate, March

In this monthly series, we check in with one of our adventurous locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. March is one of our favorite times in Sun Valley — the corn skiing is on point, spring breakers are in town, and most importantly, the Sun Valley Film Festival turns Ketchum into a raucous mix of films, celebrities, and iconic mountain town parties. With the Festival right on the horizon, we checked in with local resident Candice Pate, the Director of the Sun Valley Film Festival, to see how she would spend her perfect March day in Sun Valley. Here’s what she said. (Psst! There’s still time to grab your Festival pass!) What would you do first thing? I’d get up, get the kids to school, and head to IdaYOGA for a flow class with Beth Stuart.  After that, I’d get a cup of Gorongosa Coffee (which supports the restoration of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique) at a Sun Valley Film Festival’s Coffee Talk and settle in. Coffee Talks are always great and give an intimate insight into the ins and outs of the entertainment industry. What is next on your perfect day? I’d do some spring skiing on …

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24hrs with a Local, Winter

24hrs with a Local: Tiffany Larson, January

In this monthly series, we check in with some of our favorite locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. With the arrival of a new year — and a new decade! — it’s a good time to settle into your intentions and goals around wellness and self-care for the months ahead. There’s no better place to nourish your mind, body, and soul than here in Sun Valley, where living your best life is a part of our DNA. For this “Wellness Month” edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley we’re checking in with Tiffany Larson, the owner of The Mill SV. The Mill SV, located on Sun Valley Road in Ketchum, is a running studio and personal training gym. It has a reputation for challenging workouts and a fun, community vibe. Tiffany can be a tough coach, but she knows how to kick back and relax, too. Here is how she’d spend her perfect January day in Sun Valley. What would you do first thing? Every morning is a ritual at my house. The alarm goes off at 5:00 AM, and my partner Gary Tickner and I drive into the backcountry to exercise our five …

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24hrs with a Local, Winter

24hrs with a Local: Galena’s Don & Erin, December

In this series, we check in with some of our favorite locals to find out how they would spend a perfect 24 hours in Sun Valley. No trip to Sun Valley is complete without a day enjoyed at Galena Lodge, a community-owned recreation lodge nestled in the Boulder Mountains, 22 miles north of Ketchum. And no one knows Galena Lodge better than its proprietors, Erin Zell and Don Shepler. For 14 years, Erin and Don have welcomed Nordic skiers, backcountry skiers, snowshoers, mountain bikers, hikers, and sightseers to Galena Lodge. Visitors enjoy delicious, locally sourced meals in the restaurant, rental gear and lessons at their on-site shop, and a beautiful trail system in both winter and summer. For this edition of 24hrs in Sun Valley, Erin and Don share their perfect December day in the mountains. What would you do first thing? We’d start by waking up, having some tea, stretching, and eating a breakfast of eggs with avocado and toast in our cabin. We live across the street from Galena Lodge, and the beauty of it, for us, is that we don’t have to go far to have our perfect day off. It’s all right here. How would you spend …

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Skiing & Snowboarding, Uncategorized, Winter

Epic Pass Road Trip: Sun Valley, Snowbasin, and Park City

Sun Valley (and its sister resort in Snowbasin) are yet again one of the dozens of ski resorts around the world that are part of the Epic Pass family. The Epic Pass offers unlimited or limited, unrestricted riding at over 40 mountains for $999*. Here at Sun Valley, the Epic Pass is good for seven days of skiing or snowboarding with no blackout dates (after seven days, use your Epic Pass for 50% off lift tickets for the rest of the season!). There are other Epic Pass options. For all the details head here. The best part about using your Epic Pass at Sun Valley & Snowbasin is that you won’t need a reservation to ski here. With the two resorts being partners and not owned by Vail Resorts, they are not required to follow the same protocols that the other Vail owned resorts have instituted. For more information on Sun Valley’s winter operating procedures, head here. With our freshly minted Epic Passes in hand, we’re all-in for an Idaho-Utah Epic Pass road trip. Are you game? Here’s how you do it. *As of September 2020. Price subject to change. Day 1: Fly to Sun Valley Day 2: Ski Under Bluebird Skies …

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Winter

Plan the Ultimate Ladies Weekend in Sun Valley This Winter

When you’re overdue for some fun with your favorite squad of ladies, we have everything you need for a weekend away from it all. Luxurious accommodations, world-class art, innovative dining, relaxing wellness experiences, outdoor recreation, and wine (lots, and lots of wine) mix together to set the stage for three spectacular days with your best friends.  Book a ladies weekend in Sun Valley this year (we’re easy to get to!) and get ready for a little fun in the winter sun. Here’s how we’d do it: Friday Afternoon Arrive in Sun Valley, meet up with your favorite ladies, and check into your lodgings. The Limelight Hotel Ketchum is centrally located on Main Street and offers comfortable, sophisticated rooms and suites. They also have an airport shuttle to make your lives just that much easier. Pro Tip: Head to the Sun Valley Wine Company for an extensive selection of vino from around the globe. Once you’re settled in, ease into the weekend by checking out the vibrant art scene in downtown Ketchum. Don’t worry about needing a car, Ketchum is an entirely walkable town. Stop by Gail Severn, where you’ll find pieces by a mix of young, mid-career, and established artists working in …