Nampa
Nampa is Idaho's second largest city with a population of approximately 80,000. It is located in the Treasure Valley of Southwest Idaho.
Get in
By car
Nampa is located on Interstate 84 West between Caldwell and Meridian. It is about 20 miles west of Boise on I-84. It is about 40 miles east of Ontario, Oregon on I-84.
By bus
There is a Greyhound bus station at 3116 Garrity Boulevard outside of the city center. You can catch the 52 Valley Ride bus to the Nampa Downtown Inn in the morning. Take the 53 bus to the Greyhound Stop from downtown. If you arrive at night, you will need to take a taxi to go downtown.
By plane
There is a small municipal airport in Nampa, but the closest place to catch large commercial flights is the Boise Airport (BOI).
Get around
Nampa does not have much in the way of public transit, but the historic downtown area is very walkable.
Valley Ride has several routes that serve the city and some shopping centers outside. Buses run between 6:30AM and 7PM, Monday through Friday. Be aware that buses run every hour or two depending on the time of day.
See
- The Warhawk Air Museum, 201 Municipal Dr, ☏ +1 208 465-6446. A 20,000 square foot museum featuring World War II era aircraft.
- Nampa Train Depot Museum. A train musem inside a quaint, old-fashioned train station.
- The Curve. Nampa is fairly unique in that the streets in the historic downtown area are oriented to be parallel and perpendicular to the railroad tracks rather than to cardinal directions. Thus, at a certain point in town, the roads curve from a cardinal orientation the to the new orientation. The most obvious part of the curve is on 12th Avenue South and East Roosevelt Avenue, near the Hasbrouck House.
Do
- The Snake River Stampede. One of the 12 major rodeos recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. It is held every year in July. It is accompanied by a festival, Snake River Dayz.
- Nampa Farmer's Market. Every Saturday from 9AM - 1PM, Late April to Late October, in the historic downtown area.
- The Idaho Center. A major event center located near I-84. It hosts a wide variety of musical performances, athletic competitions, livestock exhibitions, and other events. It includes a 120,000 square foot arena, an outdoor amphitheatre, a 100,000 square foot sports center, and the 97.500 square foot Idaho Horse Park.
- The Nampa Civic Center. A smaller venue that hosts a wide variety of events, including plays and musical performances.
Buy
Downtown Nampa has three notable used book dealers, all within walking distance of each other:
- Twice Sold Tales. Specializing in rare and out-of-print books.
- The Yesteryear Shoppe. Old, used, and rare books.
- The Book Exchange. Many used paperback books.
Downtown Nampa also has a variety of other small shops and businesses.
- Treasure Valley Marketplace. A new outdoor mall with a Costco, Target, Kohl's, and Best Buy.
- Karcher Mall. A somewhat older mall on Nampa-Caldwell Boulevard that often seems to be struggling. It is undergoing renovations.
Eat
- Le Baron's Honker Cafe. An informal family restaurant in the downtown area that is particularly good for breakfast.
Drink
Sleep
- Hostel Boise, 17322 Can-Ada Rd, ☏ +1 208 467-6858, mail@hostelboise.com. Check-in: 5PM, check-out: 10AM. Quiet, friendly hostel located slightly in the country, with an authentic Idaho feel. Amenities include WiFi, breakfast fixings, a full kitchen, and very friendly staff. Dorm $21; Private $35.
- Nampa Downtown Inn (908 3rd St S), ☏ +208-466-3594.
- Shilo Inn Nampa Suites (just off of I-84 at Exit 36), ☏ +1-208-465-3250.
Connect
The local paper in Nampa is the Idaho Press-Tribune.
Go next
- Lake Lowell and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge - an 11,000 acre wildlife refuge, excellent for birding
| Routes through Nampa |
| The Dalles ← Payette-Fruitland ← | W   E
|
→ Boise → Twin Falls |