Where to Eat, Stay and Explore on an Idaho Road Trip of Idaho Scenic Byways

Where to Eat in Sandpoint, Ponderay, and Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Over the Fourth of July holiday, many of the shops at Schweitzer Mountain Resort were closed.  Some were closed just for the three or so days around the holiday, and some for the season.

• There is a Walmart at the base of Schweitzer Mountain Resort.  We stocked up on breakfast items and snacks here.
• The best ice cream in Sandpoint is at Panhandle Cone and Coffee.
• We ate a delicious Mexican lunch at Fiesta Bonita on our way to Lake Pend Orielle.  Cheap, quick, and authentic.
• In Sandpoint, we loved getting beers at Idaho Pour Authority.  There were so many drinks to try, and you could even buy individual beers, four, or six packs to take home with you. For brews with live music, try MickDuff’s. 
• Venture into the Cedar Street Public Market to see local artisans selling their wares.
• We asked locals where to eat in Sandpoint.  They recommended The Fat Pig, which has a great patio and shares a building with Pend d’Orielle Winery.  We also ate at Baxter’s on Cedar, which we both enjoyed.

Related: What to Wear For 10 Days in Idaho

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Idaho Road Trip Day 5: Lolo, Montana

The next part of our Idaho road trip actually took us to Montana! The drive from Sandpoint to Missoula, Montana is the most beautiful drive I’ve ever experienced. I believe it is the most gorgeous of all Idaho scenic byways.  It was stunning mountainous cliffs next to the glittering blue sheen of the Clark Fork River.  We decided to stay in Lolo in lieu of Missoula because I really wanted to stay in a cabin in the woods.

What we did with Less than 24 Hours in Missoula and Lolo:

• We walked around the University of Montana campus to see some of the interesting buildings and the stadium.  As it was a weekend in July, the campus was dead and most buildings were closed.
• Obviously we had to check out Big Sky Brewing Company to get some Moose Drool!
• Locals recommended that we eat at Taco del Sol when we visited.  To be honest, it was sort of average, but I can see why a college student would love it!
• The log cabin where we stayed had a pretty tricky trail behind it.  After stumbling over a full skeleton of a deer or elk, we got a bit spooked and found another trail.  We instead used the AllTrails app and found a nearby trail with an unexpected guide.
• We had the most hearty and fabulous meal at an old truck stop, River City Grill.

Idaho Road Trip Days 6-8:  Salmon, Idaho

Our few days in Salmon, Idaho were our favorite.  We were surround by nature, in a gorgeous bed and breakfast, and bonus: there were cats!  We stayed in the Bitterroot Room at the Syringa Lodge, which I cannot recommend enough! The Syringa Lodge is a bed and breakfast in Salmon that has delicious breakfasts, gorgeous common rooms, and balconies on every room.  The views are stunning, the coffee is plentiful, and the kindness of the owners is unforgettable.

How We Spent Three Days in Salmon, Idaho:

• We hiked to natural hot springs in Elk Bend, Idaho. It was a moderate hike that is flat until the last quarter mile, when it is precipitously steep. There were only three other people there, and the views were spectacular.
• In the 100ºF sun of the high desert, something about cold beer couldn’t be beat.  We stopped each night at Bertram’s Brewery for some food, drinks, or huckleberry ice cream.
• A vacation isn’t a vacation without a round of golf! Eddie and I rented clubs and played nine holes at Salmon Valley Golf Course.  It was fairly affordable, quite beautiful, and we enjoyed our time.
• The Salmon River is known as the starting point to the Frank Church Wilderness. It is great for rafting, fishing, and general wildlife.  We did a full day rafting with Rawhide Outfitters.  It was family friendly and fantastic.
• We ate at Junkyard Bistro twice because the food was so tasty!

Idaho Road Trip Days 7-10: Boise

We spent the last leg of our trip in the state capital.  Because it was the longest drive of our time in Idaho, we split it up by making a quick lunch stop at Redfish Lake in Stanley, Idaho.  It was incredibly crowded, and incredibly beautiful.  When I tried to get a room at Redfish Lake Lodge, our dates were sold out by February. It was quite crowded when we stopped, so I was glad that our plans took us elsewhere.

How We Spent Three Days in Boise:

• We ate our way through Boise. The food scene is awesome, and just like the Idaho license plates say, we had “Amazing Potatoes.” Places we really enjoyed were Txikiteo, Boise Fry Company, St. Lawrence Gridiron, and Richard’s.  We made a reservation three months in advance at State and Lemp (sadly, closed) and it was totally worth it.  Instead, try Capitol Cellars for their great food and outstanding wine list!
• One of the best parts about staying at Inn at 500 Capitol was that the cost of a night includes access to their bicycles.  We road around the Green Belt Line exploring Boise and the urban Boise wineries.
• We couldn’t be in Boise and not visit “The Blue” at Boise State University.
• The Idaho Shakespeare Festival is so much better than I imagined.  We saw Misery and even with only two actors, we were spellbound.
• Eddie golfed again at Banbury Golf Course while I spend the day in Caldwell, Idaho exploring the Sunnyslope Wine Trail.
• Freak Alley is a can’t miss.

All in all, it was the ideal honeymoon for us.  Of course, if I had the chance to do it again, I’d change some things.  I wasn’t disappointed in anything that we did, but there were some places that stood out.

Things I Would Have Done Differently:

-I would have extended our boat rental in Sandpoint, ID to a half day so that we could have anchored in Hope and gotten some lunch.  It seemed like the thing to do!

-I would have driven straight through from Sandpoint to Salmon so that we had an extra day on the Salmon River for fishing or a two day raft trip.  We didn’t have enough time to enjoy Lolo or Missoula, but could’ve used an extra day in Salmon.

-I would have brought a collapsible cooler bag. We ended up buying one while we were there, but already had one at home.

-I might have cut one day off of Boise to add a night in Stanley to hike the Sawtooths.

If nothing else, our trip made us fall in love with the state of Idaho, every bit of it.  I can’t wait to go back, and would love to see it both in the winter, and again in the summer.