In our hyper-connected world, it’s hard to unplug. While we hope that getting away from it all is exactly what you do on your next trip to Sun Valley, Idaho, sometimes other responsibilities beckon. If that happens, we’ve got you covered. Check out these five places to catch up on work so you can get back to enjoying your vacation
Sun Valley Bike Path Sightseeing Tour
The Wood River Trail aka “the bike path” runs over 20 miles between the Wood River Valley from Bellevue up to Sun Valley. The area encompassing Ketchum and Sun Valley is full of unique and historical sights, all easily viewed in a day by foot, bike, or any other way you choose to explore the bike path! We’ve put together a Sun Valley bike path sightseeing tour guide with all of the must-see spots along the scenic byway. There are a number of ways to go about this sightseeing tour. We’ll leave the navigation up to you! Spur Sculpture Located just off the bike path between St. Luke’s hospital and Ketchum, John Grade’s sculpture Spurwas commissioned in 2016 by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts with significant support from the City of Ketchum as part of a larger project celebrating Craters of the Moon National Monument during the 2016 National Park Service Centennial. Spurwas located at Craters during that summer before relocating to its current long-term site. Based in Seattle, artist John Grade visited Craters of the Moon several times before beginning work on Spur. He was fascinated by the park’s extraordinary geology, and using a technology called LIDAR, he digitally mapped …
Dog-Friendly Guide to Sun Valley & Ketchum
Bobby and Alli here, from Traveling Newlyweds! When you think of Sun Valley you probably immediately think of skiing, epic scenery, award-winning restaurants and friendly locals. At least, that’s what we always think of! We’d always heard people say that Sun Valley is dog-friendly, but we had never thought of bringing our pup with us. This summer we decided bite the bullet and let our big, sassy fur ball named Sally come with us to Sun Valley… and see if it REALLY is as dog friendly as we’d heard. Let’s just say it blew our expectations out of the park! (Dog park, if you will.) Here’s our Dog-Friendly guide to Sun Valley, because if you have a dog, you have to bring them with you. End of story. Stay The Limelight Hotel We can’t rave about this new hotel enough. Located right in the heart of Ketchum, The Limelight is modern, classy, and unbelievably dog friendly! From the goodies they give you at check-in (frisbee, treats, water bowl, etc.) to the dog-friendly lobby (the human food is amazing – and your pet will feel like a VIP!), it really is something special. We didn’t want to leave! Knob Hill Inn On past …
A Quick Guide to Fall in Sun Valley, Idaho
There’s something special about fall in Sun Valley. While there are all of the nostalgic things that come with fall such as the vibrant leaves and pumpkin spiced lattes, it is the slower pace, and the unique festivals that really make for a special time of year. Take a quick spin through the highlights that fall has to offer here in Sun Valley with our video below. More Fall Inspiration For more inspiration on things to do in Sun Valley this fall, check out a few of our favorite stories from our blog. Fall Festivals You Have to See From iconic music to herds of sheep running down Main Street, Sun Valley’s festivals are designed to delight your senses. We invite you to experience how we celebrate fall in the mountains. But be careful, you may just find it hard to leave. Top 8 Fall Mountain Bike Rides Among the 400+ miles of singletrack in the area, several mountain bike trails hit the fall-riding sweet-spot. We’ve outlined top trails that optimize sweeping singletrack through the vibrant fall leaves located at lower-elevation exposed to sunshine maintaining tacky, yet drier dirt. 5 of the Best Fall Hikes We’ve compiled a list of our top-five best …
Top 8 Fall Mountain Bike Rides
The air expresses a distinct chill and the golden glow of autumn is illuminating the landscapes of the Wood River Valley – the famed “Two Wheeled Nirvana.” Among the 400+ miles of singletrack in the area, several mountain bike trails hit the fall-riding sweet-spot. We’ve outlined top trails that optimize sweeping singletrack through the vibrant fall leaves located at lower-elevation exposed to sunshine maintaining tacky, yet drier dirt. Fox Creek Loop Difficulty: Moderate Miles: 5.6 Ascent: 728ft Descent: 677ft Access: Fox Creek, Lake Creek or Hulen Way Trailheads Description: The Fox Creek Loop is a prime trail for any season with stunning open views of the valley, surrounding mountain peaks, and ample swaths of golden aspen groves. To optimize the downhill flow, bikers should ride counter-clockwise. After the one small creek crossing, the mellow climb gradually winds up through burned forest from the fire in 2007. The vibrant colors emerging from regrowth are fascinating to witness. At the top of the climb, refuel while enjoying scenic views of snow capped peaks in the distance. The next segment of the trail is a fast flowy singletrack with some slightly rocky parts as it weaves through aspen clusters with glowing yellow leaves. After the …
Five Reasons to Love Fall in Sun Valley
Fall is Sun Valley’s secret season, that perfect time when the crowds have left yet the days are still warm. Here are some of our favorite things about fall in this mountain town.
The Wood River is Not Your Typical YMCA
It’s Fun to Visit Our YMCA! Much like everything else in our small mountain town, our local YMCA is not your average gym; it’s not even an average YMCA where typically concrete abounds and people are looking to get in and get out rather than stay a day. The Wood River YMCA is so much more than just a gym, it’s a community center, an activity hub, and a truly integral part of life in the Valley. Whether it’s working out and doing group classes, catching free screenings of movies, giving kids an area for after-school, or learning new gardening skills, the YMCA offers more than just dumbbells and yoga mats. What They Offer Opened in late 2007, the YMCA has been offering family-friendly workouts, equipment and more for over 10 years in the Valley. The gym itself is open Monday through Friday from 6am-8pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am-6pm. During that time, access to the upstairs gym is always available where you’ll find a mix of cardio machines including elliptical, treadmill, stair master, erg machine, and stationary bikes. Strength training machines are set up for easy transitioning between sets and there is a dedicated space for free weights and benches. Yoga mats …
Tour de Suds: Sun Valley’s Bike-to-Brewery Tour
Bikes and beers go together like bacon and eggs, Batman and Robin, or hot summer days and ice cream cones. Like most ski town dwellers, Sun Valleyites have a penchant for cold brews, especially after a long, hot bike ride in one of the surrounding five mountain ranges. Sun Valley and the surrounding areas offer a plethora of places to quench a hard-earned thirst with local beers. So grab your bike and make your own Strava segment to and from these thirst-quenching locales. For the ultimate tour de suds, we suggest starting in Ketchum and making your way to Hailey.
9 Epic Trail Runs in Sun Valley, Idaho
The hundreds of miles of trails in and around Sun Valley are a well known to hikers and mountain bikers. Sun Valley has an embarrassing wealth of buttery singletrack, incredible views, and uncrowded trailheads. If you’re inclined to hit the trail in running shoes instead of hiking boots, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re after a scenic cruise or a high elevation training run to punish your lungs and legs, look no further than these nine epic trail runs in Sun Valley.
The Best Outdoor Hot Tubs and Pools of Sun Valley
Growing up in Ketchum, there was no greater joy in the winter season than grabbing a few friends and sneaking into a heated pool or hot tub, making as little noise as possible and hoping not to grab the attention of the owners or worse, the police. But with so many great options for (legally) getting your “aahhh” on in Sun Valley, there’s no reason not to do a “tub-crawl” at one of these great outdoor heated pools and hot tubs in the area. After a long day of enjoying Sun Valley via skiing, mountain biking or any of the numerous physical activities the area boasts, there’s no better way to relax than a nice soak. Whether your muscles are sore or you just want to bask with some friends and relive the day, these are the best spots in town for gorgeous views and delightful temps. Hotel Ketchum While Hotel Ketchum is located on Main Street at the north end of town with easy access to all the great things Ketchum has to offer, the hotel’s complex that includes shops, dining, Hangout Lounge, and a great outdoor heated pool and hot tub is so complete you may never leave. …