When on vacation anywhere, the best advice anyone can give or take is to live like the locals do; they know the best food and drink spots, the best ways to navigate town, and by living like they do, you’re sure to get the best experience of that place. Ketchum is no different and while the tourist economy is how this town survives, it’s the locals that make it thrive. Take a few tips from us and by the time you leave, fellow locals will be asking you, “Don’t I know you from somewhere?…” Ditch the Attitude People enjoy small towns for a reason and it’s that small-town-charm. Give yourself a dose of it and you’ll find that a little goes a long way in Ketchum. Slow down, be nice, ditch the attitude. Be humble, polite, tip your bartenders, servers, and baristas, have some patience, don’t honk your horn, be aware of your surroundings when using the crosswalk, smile. And don’t park like an idiot, otherwise you might end up on Ketchum’s Facebook group “Ketchum Elite” that makes fun of those who think they can park on sidewalks and going against traffic. Keep it Ketchum Casual  There’s no need for …

Unpredictable Weather They say in the Wood River Valley…and well, a lot of places, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. At times it can work out handsomely in your favor yet it can also have a less desirable impact if you’re flying in and out of the Sun Valley area. We’re fortunate to have Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) located right here in the heart of the Valley, complete with nonstop commercial flights from 6-major cities. However, this amazing geographical location coupled with the unpredictable nature of weather in the mountains can interrupt the best laid air travel plans. We’ve compiled the ultimate guide to preparing for a possible weather-related delay or diversion when flying to and from Sun Valley. New Flight Approach Procedures The result of a multi-year collaboration between the Federal Aviation Administration,  Friedman Memorial Airport, Flight Tech Engineering LLC, and SUN commercial carrier SkyWest and their partner airlines, Delta, and United, the new proprietary approach procedure is now in use. This allows flights to land with much lower ceiling and visibility than permitted by SUN’s past approach procedures. Alaska Airlines has used similar technology at SUN since 2016 and has seen a dramatic drop in their number of weather-related flight diversions. However, it is important to remember, this does not …

There’s something about going sledding that screams “Winter Fun!” Flying down a snowy slope on a sled brings out the giggling kids in all of us. So if you’re looking for a good place to have some sledding fun then you’re in luck. Sun Valley has all kinds of places to go sledding. To help you make the most out of it, here some Sun Valley sledding basics.   photo: Sarah Keefer Where to Get a Sled The best bets in to pick up some sleds in Ketchum are Sturtevant’s, Chateau Drug or The Toy Store, which also has a shop in Sun Valley. Just a short stroll down the Sun Valley Village from The Toy Store, Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports also sells sleds during the winter months. The local thrifts stores, The Gold Mine in Ketchum and the Barkin’ Basement in Hailey, also usually have selections of used sleds to choose from.    What to Wear The key to any outdoor fun during the winter in Idaho is to be dressed properly. Layers are the way to go, especially wearing outers layer that can handle moisture.  Good gloves and solid winter boots are also a must.  Sun Valley and Ketchum offers all kinds of shops to buy everything …