I left New Jersey for 34 hours and found America again in Boise

Over the past few years Jodi and I have enjoyed traveling around the state and the country, visiting small towns that really define the great culture of our country.

What started because of my opposition to the outrageous, unnecessary and egregious government overreach during COVID, has continued in weekend getaways.

This past weekend, we took a cross-country trip to a place we've heard a lot about but have never been, Boise, Idaho.

First, let's clear up the pronunciation confusion. Locals say "BOY-see." If you say "BOY-zee," you're immediately ID'd as an out-of-towner.

A rough start in Philly, but a smooth landing in Boise

Of course, traveling these days with air traffic delays, now made way worse with the government shutdown, is anything but uneventful. Our day started with a 1 p.m. flight to Dallas, which was scheduled to land in plenty of time to have a couple of hours for lunch before the flight to Idaho.

The delay in Philly had us literally having to run through DFW to catch the connection as it was boarding. We landed in Boise around 9 p.m. and caught an Uber to our hotel.

Our expectations were that we'd be out of luck on dinner as it was too late for a small city of less than 250,000 people. What we experienced was pleasantly surprising.

Although we missed the original dinner reservation, the hotel bar had a kitchen open until 11 p.m. The rooftop bar, The Highlander, exceeded expectations! The food, the staff, the service, all A+.

We were undecided and the bartender chimed in and recommended an order; it was a hit. Fried artichoke hearts, not breaded, so light and crispy with a garlic and Meyer lemon sauce. Wagyu sliders and Ahi tuna rounded out the late-night meal. Perfect.

Safe streets, good food, and a taste of old-school America

After spending the morning with friends looking at property, we enjoyed a lunch on North 8th Street. There were two sides to the outside set up from the pedestrian street closed to car traffic. We picked the side serving brunch at the Red Feather Lounge.

I had a ham and egg sandwich with gruyere cheese on sourdough. Wow. Perfect with a side of crispy potatoes. That night, walking around the city, super safe and super clean, after stopping in to make a visit to a huge Catholic cathedral, we found a British pub tucked off the main road in an alley.

Imagine feeling safe enough to find an alley restaurant! You know you're not in New York, or any East Coast city, for that matter!

Tiner's Alley is a must-visit if you find yourself in Boise. I had a duck confit appetizer that was good enough to lick the plate. I went old-school with my drink order and took them up on the Tiner's Alley special, Rob Roy. Basically, a Manhattan with scotch; it was a perfect nightcap.

Lessons from a 34-hour getaway

Thirty-four hours, three great meals, an outstanding and affordable hotel and a fantastic flight experience on American Airlines through Philadelphia, including a valet parking service that was less than what I've paid for the same time parking at Newark.

Two things from this weekend: first, Boise is a great town. Secondly, if you're traveling and have a choice of PHL or EWR, choose wisely.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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