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Family

Mountain Humane: Not Your Average Animal Shelter

Mountain Humane in Sun Valley, Idaho is not your average animal shelter. This no kill shelter goes well above and beyond merely helping lost and abandoned animals. See what this leader in animal care brings to the community.

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Arts & Culture, Family, Wellness

Idaho BaseCamp: An Outdoor-Oriented Learning Oasis

Located halfway between Ketchum and Mackay up Trail Creek is Idaho BaseCamp, an oasis for both children and adults to explore the outdoors through education, workshops, and experiences, all while staying in one of the camp’s funky yurts or camped out in the maze that winds through the riverfront property. Founded in 1998 by Mathew Gershater, Idaho BaseCamp is an educational non-profit specializing in the building of one’s knowledge of environment, community and individual impact upon nature.  In our modern world, connecting to nature has become even more of a priority, something that Gershater and Idaho BaseCamp recognize and seek to remedy through group and individual experiential and academic study. 5thGrade Outdoor Adventure Program      While Idaho BaseCamp is a resource for people of all ages, the camp is particularly dedicated to educating our youth. Their 5th grade outdoor adventure program is free to every 5th grader in the Blaine & Cuter County School to make sure that youth in the area can have a chance to create a connection to Idaho’s wilderness and work on BaseCamp’s core values: personal responsibility, courage, and respect for all. Students spend three days and two nights at BaseCamp, starting the day with morning mindfulness in …

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Family, Summer

Galena Lodge: Where You Should Take Your Family This Summer

Galena Lodge has all the ingredients for an awesome and memorable family day in the mountains. Take advantage of mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, great food, cool vibes and breathtaking views all at the special Galena Lodge. 

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Family, Winter

Planning the Family Ski Vacation to Sun Valley

If you have a family that loves to ski, then Sun Valley is the place to be. From the endless terrain options of two ski mountains to all kinds of fun off the mountain to the ease of getting here and getting around, it’s awfully tough to beat America’s original ski resort. Here’s a rundown of activities to make the most out of your family’s ski vacation to Sun Valley. It’s Easy to Get Here Flying into Sun Valley has never been easier.  Nonstop flights to Sun Valley are now available from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle. And better yet, it’s only a 20 minute ride from the airport in Hailey to the slopes in Sun Valley, meaning you can literally fly into town and be on the lifts in practically no time! Plus, Alaska, Delta and United airlines offer various deals throughout the season for everything from discounted flights to special deals on ski lessons, lift tickets and rental packages. It’s also an easy drive of just over two-hours from Idaho’s biggest—and booming—city of Boise. The drive is even shorter from the smaller regional airports in Idaho Falls (serviced by Delta/Skywest, Allegiant Air and United …

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Family, Winter

5 Winter Walks for Families in Sun Valley

5 fabulous winter walks in the Sun Valley area suitable for everyone from families to dog walkers. 

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Family, Winter

A Dozen Family Fun Activities for the Winter

It’s school vacation time and you’re lucky enough to be in—or at least a short, scenic drive away from—Sun Valley.  So what do you next? Pretty much whatever you want. This is America’s original ski resort, for crying out loud! Crying is just about the only thing that we don’t really allow around this fun-filled place, unless, of course, they’re tears of joy. To help make your family time in Sun Valley more joyful, here are a dozen ideas. Go Sledding In our mountainous section of Idaho there are oodles of places to go sledding during the winter months. The popular “Sledding Hill” across from the Sun Valley Stables is usually a good spot, but Sun Valley is literally surrounded with the two main ingredients for great sledding action: hills and snow. There are places to sled from Hailey up to Galena Lodge and lots of local shops sell a variety of sleds.  Sledding also gives you a great excuse to get some hot chocolate afterwards—add some peppermint schnapps and make into a “Ski Lift” for mom and dad. Go Nordic Skiing Nordic or cross-country skiing is a surprisingly enjoyable activity for active families. It’s easy to learn. It’s a great way …

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Fall, Family, Summer, Uncategorized

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 …

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Family, Winter

Kid-Friendly, Adult Approved Winter Activities in Sun Valley

Winter can be a challenging time of year when it comes to entertaining the kids. Sun Valley, Idaho rolls out the red carpet when it comes to delivering kid friendly, adult approved winter activites that will please the whole family. We’ve compiled a list of our must-do’s for the season to take the stress out of the equation. 

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Fall, Family, Spring, Summer, Wellness, Winter

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 7am-6pm, 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 …

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Dining, Family

Sun Valley Family Dining Guide

Sun Valley offers a plethora of dining options, sure to please even the pickiest of palates. Here’s a quick guide to family-friendly eats in the Valley.