The city of trees or better know as Boise, Idaho is a fascinating city, with its own unique culture and vibe. This city has countless historic landmarks and interesting tourist attractions that make this city unique. With so many choices it was so difficult to only choose six landmarks that represent Boise. Although I have them picked and I will be taking you on a tour of this amazing city and giving you a taste of what it has to offer.

Perched on a hillside you will find a beautiful white building with a large clock and a red clay roof that the sun hits perfectly to make it shine no matter what time of day it is. On the backside of the building you can see the original stone and lamps that were used on the platform. And as you get closer to the building you will start to see the cracks, marks, and weathered stone that show the history of this building. A history of blood, sweat, and hard work to make a living in the west. This building represents what the city of Boise was built on during the last years of the wild west in which it was still trying to become developed, which was using trains to sell and transport materials. Outside the building is a large black train surrounded by a fence and a historical Union Pacific marker next to it. This train was one of the originals used in this depot. This historical value of this site shows where Boise came from and represents the city well.

Walking into an alley way off 8th street you will be surprised when you find one of the greatest treasures in Boise. Those being the murals and works of art found in the freak alley gallery.The alley is covered from wall to wall with all kinds of works of art from light to dark to simple to complex. For example a mural of a young woman in an astronaut suit surrounded by planets and stars is next to a painting of two blue monsters where one is giving a bouquet of flowers to the other. This gallery brings in all walks of life around the world because it does not only show off one style of art, instead shows every style that art has to offer. This creates a bond and community between artist and people that are passing by. Whether it is mid day or late at night, this gallery shows off the talent and craftsmanship that Boise represents.

As you enter the property gates you smell the sweet aroma of the flowers and pollen. The air is fresh, crisp, and rejuvenating. You can hear the birds chirping and the bees buzzing as they fly around from flower to flower. As you walk along the cobblestone path you see the well manicured and well thought out flower arrangements.Complementing the arrangements are the water features and landscaping to give the garden a natural feel. Scattered along the path are castle looking sitting and viewing areas. These gazebos allow for a excellent place to be enveloped by the environment created by this botanical garden. These flowers and plants represent Idaho and countries around the world and shows their natural beauty. Along with showing the beauty the botanical garden teaches about conservation and ways that a person can improve the environment by planting. This botanical garden is a work of art and showcases Boise perfectly by showing off its natural beauty as well sharing an environmental mindset.

As you pull into the parking lot you will notice a large building that looks like a medieval castle. From a distance the dark and gloomy presence can be noticed from the dark colored windows and stone. Once you get closer you can notice the dirt and rust embedded into the cracks of the stone that show off the 101 years that this penitentiary was used. While you tour and walk around this facility the dark and gloomy presence proceeds especially when you get to the prison cells. These cells looked no bigger than a 6ft by 6ft room and as you look into them you saw the rusty beds and dirt covered concrete floors that would send a coolness up a persons spine. Although as you step out of the cells and into the prison yard the mood lightens up. In this yard you can see a large place where the inmates can exercise and socialize. Surrounding this yard was a few buildings that were almost half way destroyed but in these buildings displayed photos and signs that showed the history of inmates working and interacting kindly with the prison guards. This facility is very old and has a dark presence but it shows some unique history of Boise.

Cutting through half of the city of trees is a magnificent river. On this river you can find the nature Boise has to offer, from squirrels running along the tree line to the ducks and geese swimming. Excellent architecture can also be admired from this river. For example, the large arched red bridge near the water treatment center and the friendship bridge near Boise State University. This river is home to countless activities that connect the citizens of Boise to nature. For example every summer you can find this river littered with people fishing as well as people floating down it in large inner tubes and kayaks. Also, towards the end of the river you can even find people surfing the rapids near Quinn’s Pond. Surrounding the beautiful river is the Boise greenbelt. This running path allows people to get out of their house and enjoy the outdoor beauty. The Boise river is a natural beauty and is a unique landmark of Boise.

For over 63 years a large white cross has been posted on a large hill in the Boise foothills. As you look up from the city you can see this cross stand out from the brown rocks and be lit up but the sun. Although the real view is when you take the trail up to the cross. This trail is very popular and starts at the State Penitentiary and leads you on a dirt path through the sagebrush and foothills till you reach the top of the plateau. At the top you can see the whole treasure valley and really see the city of trees. Almost every major landmark can be seen from the top, from the Train Depot on the west side to the Idaho State Penitentiary on the east side. Looking over the city during the day is an amazing view, but my favorite time to climb to table rock and look over the city is at night. At this time you can see every light in the city and you can see the whole street grid illuminated by the street lights. This view I can almost compare to looking up at the night stars. The landmark of table rock is another way that makes Boise unique because every time you see that cross on top of the plateau, you know you are in the city of trees.