7 Quirkiest Idaho Towns To Visit In 2025
Nicknamed the Gem State, Idaho lives up to its name, but not all of its treasures are the kind you might expect. Throughout the state, you will find natural, cultural, and historical gems, and in some towns, those gems take a quirkier turn. Sheep-themed festivals, a giant beagle, and thermal hot springs are just a few of the surprises that await. If you are ready to explore Idaho’s more eccentric side in 2025, these seven towns are a great place to start.
Lava Hot Springs
Lava Hot Springs is home to some of the state’s best thermal pools, ranging in temperature between 102℉ and 112℉. Travelers can soak in the World Famous Hot Springs year-round, located at 430 East Main Street. More than 2.5 million gallons of water flow through the springs each day, ensuring that the springs are in a clean and pristine condition.
If you are looking to cool off during the warmer months, the Olympic Swimming Complex is a great option, featuring a seasonal outdoor pool area with waterslides and a year-round indoor pool. If you prefer to stay on dry land, consider visiting the Sunken Gardens, which has free admission and exhibits an impressive variety of both native and imported plants.
Hailey
If you are looking for a quirky festival to attend this fall, you will want to have Hailey on your radar. This county hosts the iconic Trailing of the Sheep Festival, a beloved tradition that celebrates the annual journey of moving sheep from mountain pastures in summer down to the valley in winter. Activities during the festival include a sheep parade, with over 1,500 sheep marching down Main Street in the neighboring town of Ketchum, national qualifying sheepdog trials, a sheep folklife fair, and a variety of lamb culinary events.
Besides attending the festival, travelers can also spend an afternoon at Heagle Park, which sits along the Big Wood River, or grab a beer at Sun Valley Brewing Company, which serves 12 locally produced beer varieties.
St. Anthony
St. Anthony is famously home to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, a 10,600-acre preserve with rolling, white quartz sand dunes that reach up to 400 feet tall. There are lots of outdoor recreational opportunities to enjoy, with off-roading, hiking, horseback riding, and camping being a few of the most popular. To dig into your artistic side, spend an afternoon at the Idaho Art Lab, where you can sign up for a pottery class or paint your own pottery in the center’s ready-to-paint ceramics studio. If you are looking for a unique place to lodge during your time in town, check out the Silver Horseshoe Inn. This historic property dates back to 1910, and it is today functioning as a locally owned inn, saloon, and steakhouse.
Driggs
At the beginning of each July, the skies of Driggs fill with colorful balloons during the annual Teton Valley Balloon Rally. For four mornings, the festival brings in around 25 hot air balloons, all of which launch from the Teton County Fairgrounds.
To continue your exploration of the sky, consider visiting the Teton Aviation Center Museum, which exhibits an impressive variety of aircraft, including MiGs and Warbirds. Hungry after a day of exploration? Stop to dine at Forage Bistro & Lounge, which is located in the Aviation Center, serving mountain comfort food. A few of the dishes on the menu include lamb enchiladas, Idaho rainbow trout, and Kurobuta pork chop.
Cottonwood
Dog lovers from across Idaho will want to stop by Cottonwood, home to the World’s Largest Beagle! This giant beagle, which is part of the Dog Bark Park, stands prominently at about 30 feet tall. Until 2024, travelers were able to lodge inside the enormous dog. However, the park’s owners retired in early 2025, with the neighboring gift shop now operating as a museum, open to the public sporadically or by appointment.
After grabbing a photo of the famous beagle, make your way over to Saint Gertrude's Monastery, which features an extensive museum that tells the story of the Nez Perce people, the Benedictine sisters, and other interesting local figures. For a good meal, travelers can enjoy a burger at The Hangout, a beloved burger joint that also serves hand-breaded chicken strips and milkshakes.
Salmon
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the town of Salmon has developed a reputation in the area for its fishing opportunities. Travelers can sign up for a fly fishing or rafting excursion with Solitude River Trips, which offers six-day-long adventurous excursions down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. The town celebrates its position along the Salmon River each year during the Salmon River Days festival, a four-day event in July that features an art show, parade, duck race, quilt show, demolition derby, and other quirky activities.
Those interested in history will also enjoy a visit to the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center, which explores the role of Sacajawea, Lewis and Clark, and the Agai’dika Shoshone-Bannock Tribes that shaped the area’s heritage.
Montpelier
If you are a fan of Wild West tales, Montpelier should be on your travel itinerary. This town is home to the Butch Cassidy Museum, located in a former bank in Montpelier that Cassidy once robbed. Today, the building has been transformed into a museum where you can learn about the heist and stand in the very spot the legendary outlaw did. Travelers can also check out Montpelier’s natural beauty at the Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, which covers about 18,000 acres of marshes, flooded meadows, and open water. To finish the day, grab some pizza at Studebaker's Pizza, a mouthwatering, deep pan pizza joint in town.
There are plenty of quirky places to explore in Idaho, and these seven towns are just a few of the most notorious. To experience a piece of the Wild West, travelers can head to Montpelier to check out the Butch Cassidy Museum, while other towns, like Driggs, host unforgettable balloon rallies. All you need is a creative spirit and a sense of adventure to make it a trip to remember!
