Tag Archives | Idaho

Sun Valley: The Couple’s Playground

By: The Fighting Couple

Sun Valley Idaho has long been the playground of the rich and famous.  Hollywood starlets and hunks alike are drawn to the challenging slopes and inviting hospitality offered by the small alpine hamlet located in sun drenched central Idaho .   Even though the small airport

Sun Valley is the perfect place for a couple's weekend.

Sun Valley is the perfect place for a couple’s weekend.

is always lined with private jets shuttling in the well-heeled to enjoy the gorgeous scenery and make billion dollar deals: we have a secret for you.   You don’t have to be a millionaire to go to Sun Valley to see the same sights and do the same things on a plebeian budget.   We are going to show you how.

While the area is famous for world-class alpine and Nordic skiing in the winter, our favorite time to go as a couple is summer. The Sun Valley area is perfect for couples!  It boasts the ideal combination of outdoor activities to do together paired with slow-paced, intimate dining choices. Even if you only have two days, you’ll leave feeling relaxed and ready to take on the workweek.  You might even like your spouse by the time you are ready to leave.

Get the full Sun Valley view from the Gondola for only $15 a person.

Get the full Sun Valley view from the Gondola for only $15 a person.

Let’s start at the top. Take the Gondola: For only $15 a person, take the Gondola up Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain. The Gondola will take you up to the Roundhouse where you can have a lunch at 9150 feet overseeing the Valley. If you can’t get enough of the hills, panoramic views, and overabundance of wildflowers, take the ski-lift up even higher to the top of the mountain. There’s a spot at a look out station that you can’t beat for pictures. There’s an easy hiking/biking trail back down to the Gondola. It takes about 45 minutes to hike down to the Gondola.

See the Ice Show: Hands down-You will get to see the best ice skating, with the best seats at the best price at the Sun Valley Ice Show. Try seeing the caliber of ice skating at any venue in America and you’ll need binoculars for a $38 ticket. But at the Sun Valley ice rink, every ticket is literally front row. The ice rink, directly behind the resort boasts an ice show every Saturday evening during the summer. The resort brings in a headliner to join the already stellar cast of Olympic and US medalists and world champions. The cast members will wow you with flips and splits on the ice, the

This is what you'll see hiking down from the ski lift. It's an easy hike on the knees and on the eyes.

This is what you’ll see hiking down from the ski lift. It’s an easy hike on the knees and on the eyes.

Pamchenko from the Cutting Edge movie, and skating with fire.  We saw the flamboyant and ultimately flexible Johnny Weir perform. He was even kind enough to stay after the show for autographs and pictures. What a guy!

Eat chocolate: The area around the Sun Valley resort has a Swiss Village feel along with a Diane von Furstenberg store and several restaurants. But our favorite store is the Sun Valley Chocolate Foundry.  You’ll find the delicious Sun Valley Chocolate as well as every other kind of delectable candy known to man. Buy and then eat the chocolate.  It heals every couple.

Paddle Your Way: What better way to burn off some chocolate than to paddle around Sun Valley Lake. The Lake, more like a pond, is a three-minute drive from the resort.  For $12 for 30 minutes or $15 for an hour, you can paddle around the lake and enjoy the sunshine. It’s also a bit romantic watching the ducks on the lake while your sweetie does most of the paddling.

Golf is one of Sun Valley's best activities.

Golf is one of Sun Valley’s best activities.

Golf: While skiing is famous at Sun Valley, the golf is just as good.   The resort now offers three great venues for golf: the Elkhorn, Trail Creek, and the new nine-hole White Cloud course.  In typical Sun Valley fashion each course is manicured from tee to green.  Each has its own unique personality.  Don’t miss the amazing vistas offered by the White Cloud course.  Simply breathtaking!  The golf offers challenges for almost every skill level.

Find style gold at the Gold Mine: On Walnut Street in downtown Ketchum is the thrift store, the Gold Mine. There is a reason it’s called the Gold Mine. I bought Dolce and Gabbana shoes for $28. There is lots of stuff, and a few treasures. It takes time to find them but when you do, it’s like you’ve struck gold. 1000 Fights likes the book section the most. You can pick up new releases for $7 and hardback books for $1. We’ve even found books signed by the author. Stocked by Sun Valley’s rich and famous, the proceeds of the shop fund the local library. Plan on taking time at the shop, you’ll never know what you’ll find.

This is a naked stranger I'd like to meet.

This is a naked stranger I’d like to meet.

Eat: No couple’s weekend would be complete without eating food you don’t have to cook at home. Sun Valley has quite a foodie scene. We like the Kneadery or Konditeri for breakfast. For our anniversary we tried a new place: Vintage. We were not disappointed. We ate outside surrounded by trees and Christmas lights. Our entrees were good: fish and steak, but the dessert made the trip worth it. We ate “Delights of a Naked Stranger.” Um. Yum. It was a flour less chocolate torte with a pecan crust served with caramel and chocolate sauces with a scoop of homemade banana ice cream. Heaven. I liked that naked stranger, a lot.

Sun Valley is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. While you can mingle with the 1 percent, you don’t have to be one to enjoy the nature, food, and amenities. Book a summer weekend trip to Sun Valley for your next romantic getaway; it’s got all the right ingredients.

White Water Rafting for Couples

We love to promote the beauty of our home state, Idaho!   Our state has it all: gorgeous mountains, winding cool rivers, and adventure at every turn!  Visitors come from all over the globe to partake of the sacrament of splendor and majesty that Idaho has to offer.   All four seasons offer amazing outdoor activities.  Idaho is truly that special of a place.

One of our favorite activities as a couple here is whitewater rafting.  It is a wonderful way to see wildlife, practice a little teamwork, and have a grand adventure!   We are excited to share with you this rare opportunity from Middle Fork Rapid Transit that could actually save you up almost $2,000 on the trip of a lifetime!

The Middle Fork Rapid Transit offers six day river rafting trips on the most magnificent river in Idaho, the Middle Fork of the Salmon… and right now, they are offering a very rare Buy One Get One FREE sale, where you can get a two person package, for the price that they would normally charge for ONE person. Head on over to their website here to read more about this awesome deal. *Because this is a “space is limited” adventure, this deal will only be available to 5 people, sign up quick if  you are interested!

About: Welcome to Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Did you know that Idaho’s whitewater rafting is some of the best in the world! And Middle Fork Rapid Transit offers whitewater rafting trips on the most magnificent of them all: Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River! If you’ve found our site, you seek something. You seek an adventure, an experience that’s out of the ordinary, a vacation that you’ll enjoy and relive for years. You’re looking in exactly the right place. Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River is one of the premier whitewater rivers in the world. On this hidden treasure, you’ll feel the thrill of running some of the most exciting rapids in some of the most spectacular country in America, and you’ll have the time of your life doing it.

2012 Summer Trip Dates

PRIME TIME (Couples trips earlier to family trips later)

July 22 – 27
July 30 – August 4
August 7 – 12
August 15 – 20

LATE SEASON (Fly fishing enthusiast)

August 23 – 28
August 31 – September 5
September 9 – 14
September 11 – 16

If you are interested in outdoor adventure, then I highly recommend liking the Middle Fork Rapid Transit River Trips Facebook page. This way, you can keep up to date on the latest photos and adventures that take place along the Middle Fork of the Salmon, honestly…one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Hit the Brick

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Hit the Brick

“There isn’t any trendy food in the Treasure Valley!”–WRONG!

One of the best kept secrets in Boise…isn’t in Boise.  Located just down the road from Boise in Nampa, Idaho, Brick 29 is one of the very best independent food joints in the valley.  Highlights include: Bread Pudding, lamb shank, and of course the specialty dessert:  “The Brick”  basically it is a chocolate heaven!

Located in an converted Masonic Lodge, the historic property offers both ambiance and a hint of fun for the Idaho history buff.

Reservations are highly recommend.

Brick 29 on Urbanspoon