Things to do, places to eat, June 2008

We are staying in a vacation home in Island Park 3 nights in mid June this summer and there is very little info out there that looks current about where to eat, things to do, etc. while staying there. Is there anyone who can give some updated info for me on good restaurants and anything to do with kids 9 and 11? I understand there might be tubing at Macks Inn and lots of fly fishing ops. Is there anywhere you can rent a pole and just try fly fishing without going to the time ad expense of renting a guide and doing the whole fly fishing day thing? How about renting boats or canoes on any of the nearby lakes? My boys like to try new things but typically are done and on to something else in a hour tops!

Thanks!!

Things to do, places to eat, June 2008

anyone? I swear it is virtaully impossible to get any current information on Island Park! I%26#39;m starting to wonder what I%26#39;ve goten myself into!!!

Things to do, places to eat, June 2008

snorkelgirlie: Island Park is not exactly a mecca for restaurants. I%26#39;ve been through it a number of times traveling between home (Twin Falls) and Yellowstone, and I%26#39;ve NEVER eaten a meal there. What I HAVE done is to check out the sand dunes near St. Anthony (40 miles south) and drive the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway near Ashton (10 miles south). There%26#39;s a great boardwalk that goes right on top of the Falls. Near Ashton you can also drive into the remote southwestern entrance of Yellowstone. Very few tourists there. The road ends at Cave Falls and is often a good place to see wildlife. There%26#39;s lots of fishing at the lakes around Macks%26#39; Inn and Island Park, and although I don%26#39;t have personal experience with it, I would think you could find a place to rent equipment. Then again, this is Idaho...it doesn%26#39;t cater to tourists the way many other states do...

now i am curious, how did you pick island park??maybe family near there???

We will be finishing up a 2+ week vacation there and the thinking was to have a space to ';chill'; away from the crowds. We got a beautiful vacation home with a hot tub on the deck. After all the moving around a lot prior to that, I just thought it would be a quiet place to relax and chill. I still feel that way, but maybe stocking up on groceries in West before heading out to Island Park is a good idea! By then we%26#39;ll probably be tired of restaurant food anyway!

We%26#39;ll cover the west side of the park from here, it%26#39;s only a 1/2 hour drive to the gate. If I had it to do over now, I probably would have stayed closer, but I think we will also welcome the solitude after a long trip with lots of moving about. I hope so!

Hey cdudley, you missed an opportunity for some good food. Granted, it%26#39;s nothing that comes served in a paper wrapper with a side of fries!!

Island Park is beautiful, and on the way from Idaho Falls to Island Park, you simply must take the Mesa Falls loop. It%26#39;s really spectacular.

Your best plan for planning is to go to www.yellowstoneteton.com and sign up for their monthly newsletter. That way, you%26#39;ll know just what is going on before you get there.

Take a warm jacket and maybe some gloves for morning. You%26#39;ll be in the high country and it can get nippy. Maybe something fleecy too.

Full disclosure, I%26#39;m with the state tourism office. But I really like the area and I hope you will too.

Cathy

Can you elaborate on restaurants in Island park or the drive from there to West Yellowstone, Cathy?

I was just in Island Park the other day and Angler%26#39;s Lodge has a really good restaurant. Tell Dave Eby Hi. I made note that there are a couple other restaurants and a Subway near Sawtelle Mountain Resort. I can%26#39;t remember the names of the other restaurants, just that they were there. For 9 and 11 year olds I would recommend renting a couple ATVs. Since Island Park is such a snowmobile mecca, it becomes a great ATV route in the summer with miles and miles of routes. There was a whole group I saw with helmets, just riding. Nothing extreme, just cruising the trails. If not old enough I%26#39;m sure there are bicycle rentals for all those trails. West Yellowstone 22 miles away has the Imax theater as well as the Grizzly and Wolf Center if your boys get done with nature. Big Springs is a good place to see and hike to Johnny Sacks cabin.

acne