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Highest-rated free things to do in Idaho by visitors

·Stacker

r.classen // Shutterstock
r.classen // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Idaho.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Idaho using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#28. Centennial Waterfront Park

Tripadvisor

3 / 30

#28. Centennial Waterfront Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (128 reviews)
- City: Twin Falls
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Coeur d'Alene City Park and Independence Point

Tripadvisor

6 / 30

#25. Coeur d'Alene City Park and Independence Point

- Rating: 4.6/5 (262 reviews)
- City: Coeur d Alene
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial

Tripadvisor

12 / 30

#19. Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (294 reviews)
- City: Boise
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. City Of Rocks National Reserve

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. City Of Rocks National Reserve

- Rating: 4.6/5 (211 reviews)
- City: Almo
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Snake River Greenbelt

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Snake River Greenbelt

- Rating: 4.6/5 (525 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. North Idaho Centennial Trail

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. North Idaho Centennial Trail

- Rating: 4.7/5 (188 reviews)
- City: Coeur d Alene
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center

Tripadvisor

24 / 30

#7. Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center

- Rating: 4.6/5 (161 reviews)
- City: Boise
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Idaho Falls River Walk

Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Idaho Falls River Walk

- Rating: 4.7/5 (340 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Tubbs Hill Nature Trails

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Tubbs Hill Nature Trails

- Rating: 4.7/5 (846 reviews)
- City: Coeur d Alene
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Idaho Falls Temple & Visitors' Center

Tripadvisor

28 / 30

#3. Idaho Falls Temple & Visitors' Center

- Rating: 5.0/5 (989 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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