9 Things to Do in Twin Falls Idaho

I grew up most of my life in a little town in Southern Idaho called Twin Falls. It’s situated about 2 hours south of Boise and about an hour away from Sun Valley, Idaho.

Twin Falls is a typical Idaho town with a population of about 50,000 people. It’s mainly popular because of its vicinity to the Snake River Canyon and the famous Shoshone Falls. Many people also drive through Twin Falls on their way to Yellowstone National Park, Boise or Salt Lake City. The town itself is surrounded by the Snake River Canyon, lots and lots of farmland and cattle, and smaller farm towns like Filer, Jerome, and Kimberly.

Since I now live in Boise and get to live closer to Twin Falls, I decided to put together a little list of things to do in Twin Falls. Hopefully, this will be helpful if you’re visiting Idaho or ever find yourself driving through the town and looking for some fun things to do in Twin Falls.

While we’re at it, let’s be friends on Instagram @travelingspud and Tiktok!

9 Things to Do in Twin Falls Idaho

1 – Check Out Shoshone Falls and Paddle the Snake River

Shoshone Falls are actually some of the most amazing falls I’ve ever seen in the United States and I grew up right next to them! What’s even cooler is they are 212 feet higher than Niagara Falls. People actually call them the “Niagara of the West”! From the lookout, you can actually feel the spray of the falls and the view is pretty mesmerizing. There’s also a large park next to the falls, Shoshone Falls Park, so you can bring a picnic and hang out here. Next door to Shoshone Falls is Dierkes Lake and Bass Lake (mentioned below) so you really can make a whole day out of hanging out in that area.

If you’d rather get a bit more adventurous, I recommend kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding the Snake River to Shoshone Falls. You’ll go under the Perrine Bridge and get spectacular views of the canyon. The entire route is a 7.5-mile round trip and took me about 5.5 hours and that’s with stopping for snacks, photos, and portaging across Pillar Falls which can take a while. If you’d rather just go to the Perrine Bridge and back it will be about a mile. You can also rent all of your gear at AWOL Adventure Sports in Centennial Waterfront Park. My kayak rental was $25 for the day. 

2 – Visit the Perrine Bridge and Perrine Coulee Falls

This bridge has become famous due to it being a popular spot for BASE jumping and base jumpers. People from all over the world come here to jump off of it! It also is the main connector to get into Twin Falls if you’re coming from Boise or one of the farming towns like Jerome.

When you drive across the bridge to get into Twin Falls you’ll see the newly remodeled Twin Falls Visitors Center. I actually recommend parking in their lot and then walking over to the Snake River Canyon Rim Trail along the canyon. These are going to be some of the best views of the canyon you’ll see in Twin Falls! The trail goes on for a while and you can walk under the bridge if you want to also. It’s a great spot for a leisurely stroll or a jog with amazing views.

Not far from the Perrine Bridge is the Perrine Coulee Falls. You can either view it from the top of the canyon, drive to it, or hike to it. I personally like to drive down to it via the Centennial Falls canyon entrance. When you see the large curve in the road with parking spots alongside the left of the road, you’ll be able to see a small opening to walk down to Pillar Falls. You can even walk behind the falls! 

3 – Go Inside the Snake River Canyon

One of my favorite things about Twin Falls is probably the Snake River Canyon. There are a ton of great hikes, places to go boating, areas for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, golfing, and canoeing. Some people rock climb and others BASE jump off the bridge. Dierkes Lake and Bass Lake are the most popular lakes in the canyon and perfect places to go swimming and fishing in the summer. Bass Lake is part of the Blue Lakes Country Club so you technically need to be a member to go, but Dierkes Lake is open to the public and a little larger. These are both great places to hang out and swim.

Golfing is also popular in the canyon and the Canyon Springs Golf Course and Blue Lakes Country Club are both great spots.

4 – Go to Happy Hour at Elevation 486 (for the views)

There are quite a few new hot spots popping up in Twin Falls for food and drinks, but if you’re visiting for the first time, you must go to happy hour at Elevation 486 for the view! Come here on a warm summer evening to watch the sunset and enjoy an Idaho Lemonade or a Corona’Rita. Happy Hour is from 3-6 pm every day! If it’s too busy here, then you can go to the fancier restaurant on the canyon, Canyon Crest for another great view.

5 – Visit the Herrett Center for Arts and Science and the Faulkner Planetarium

I grew up going to shows at the Herrett Center’s Faulkner Planetarium and just loved them. It’s a great activity for the entire family and the shows they put on are amazing. Another fun activity, especially on a rainy day, is visiting the Herrett Center’s museum. These are all owned by the College of Southern Idaho and are fun for the whole family. 

(via Visit Idaho)

6 – Get breakfast at the Buffalo Cafe

If you want to have a down-home Idaho breakfast, then head over to the Buffalo Cafe. It’s usually pretty crowded on the weekends, but so worth it. Make sure you get the home fries…you are in Idaho after all!

7 – Visit downtown Twin Falls for shops, food, and drink

When I grew up in Twin Falls, the downtown was a bit run-down. Nowadays it’s the place to be! With new breweries and restaurants popping up all, over it’s a great mix of new with the old.

Best Eats:

Twin Falls Sandwich Company – This is a great lunch spot with awesome fresh sandwiches and soups.

Slice – A hip pizza spot with great pies and slice options.

Yellow Brick Cafe – Come here for healthier farm to table grub and amazing coffee.

The Cookie Basket – This cookie shop has been here since I was a little girl. I love their selection and it just reminds me of a Grandma’s cookie shop.

Glanbia Cheese Marketplace – Go here and try the many different cheeses they offer. Glanbia makes a lot of the cheeses you can try and most are made locally!

Milner’s Gate – This is actually inside an old ballroom building and is so cool. They do drinks and a great brunch, but also serve lunch and dinner as well.

Best Drinks:

O’Dunken’s- This is a classic Irish pub that’s been around for a long time. It’s super fun on St. Patrick’s Day, or any day for that matter!

Koto Brewing – This is one of the only breweries in Twin Falls and is really neat! Go here for great pub food and beer.

Anchor Cafe – This isn’t actually located downtown and is located on one of the busiest streets in town, but is a fun bar and restaurant that I had to add!

8 – Zipline in the canyon

This zipline was added a few years after I moved away from Twin Falls. Zip the Snake allows you to zipline in the canyon. It doesn’t take you clear from one side of the canyon to the other, but it still has to be a thrill. Next time I’m in town I have it on my list to try!

(via)

9 – Take a day trip from Twin Falls, Idaho

All of these places are really close to Twin Falls and fun for an overnight or just a day trip! I grew up going to all of them and actually miss living so close to all of these. You could even rent a Suboverland and take a Southern Idaho road trip. Here are some great stops to make along the way!

Shoshone Ice Caves

Hagerman Fossil Beds

Miracle Hot Springs

City of Rocks

Craters of the Moon

Bruneau Sand Dunes

Thousand Springs State Park

Blue Heart Springs

Vinyard Lake hike (a true locals secret)

Sawtooth National Forest (near Stanley, ID)

Pomerelle Ski Resort

I also have a list of my favorite places to visit in Idaho here.