Slack season is one of the secret times in Sun Valley. It’s a uniquely quiet moment when the crowds are gone, the hills are lush with greenery and the opportunities for spring rejuvenation are calling. We’ve compiled a go-to guide of how to maximize this unknown gem of a season that is spring in Sun Valley.
How to Get to Sun Valley, Idaho
Nonstop flights to Sun Valley, Idaho from 6 major cities! Yes, you read correctly, Sun Valley does have an airport and it is served via United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines. While getting to Sun Valley is part of the adventure, new non-stop flights have made it easier than ever to visit this little corner of winter paradise. Fly to Hailey’s Friedman Memorial Airport or land a bit further out and take the beautiful drive to Sun Valley. Either way, we’ll be waiting to welcome you.
Late Night in Sun Valley
Some say that Sun Valley is a sleepy town, but those folks are just the ones who go to bed early. What the area lacks in night clubs and velvet ropes it makes up for in pure, humble fun that keeps going after hours. Take a gander at this list of key locations. Just make sure you eat something before you go out. You know, to fuel the dancing. The Ketchum Crawl A typical evening starts out with a few drinks while eating some “real food,” from burgers and beers at Grumpy’s or Lefty’s to margaritas and baked potatoes at the Pio to cocktails and oysters at Michel’s Christiania. From there, it’s practically considered the law to start your late night at The Cellar for evening drinks, where you can enjoy one of their famous Moscow Mules in a copper mug, play some Buck Hunter or shuffleboard, and argue about whether you should head next to Whiskey’s on Main for some dancing or to catch a band. Once the band is done playing and the fat lady has sung, follow her onward to close the night at The Casino, Sun Valley’s legendary dive bar, where you can shoot pool, play darts, and make new friends …
Golfing Around Sun Valley, Idaho
“This is not all about golf,” is inscribed in a stone marker at the 5th tee box of Sun Valley Resort’s White Clouds golf course, words spoken by the Resort’s owner to commemorate his vision when he dedicated the parcel of land for the golf course. While the Sun Valley area is certainly not all about golf, it’s certainly holding its own in the department with three Sun Valley golf courses—Trail Creek, White Clouds, and Elkhorn—as well as Bigwood and The Valley Club courses. Read on to learn about which style of course will suit your fancy and which clubs have the best afternoon drinks and bites to soak up rays after hitting the links. Sun Valley Resort The Sun Valley Resort is home to three golf courses, each with their own terrain and appeal. Combined, these three courses offer up a total of 45 holes with two driving ranges and putting practice putting opportunities. Sun Valley golf was most recently recognized by Golf Digest as one of the Best Courses in the PNW. Trail Creek The Trail Creek golf course is located at the Sun Valley Club House and is the resort’s signature course. The 18-hole course was designed by Robert …
Fly Fishing in Sun Valley, ID – The Ultimate Guide
The Sun Valley area offers an incredible diversity of fly fishing opportunities for everyone from the casual novice to the ambitious expert. Time to buy a stack of postcards for Mom, because you’ll have plenty of fish stories to tell after wading our local waters.
6 Reasons the Sun Valley Film Festival is Better than Sundance
Sun Valley has been attracting Hollywood darlings since the 1930’s, when Averill Harriman invited his A-list Rolodex to hang out on the slopes of Dollar Mountain. On any given day you might run into Tom Hanks at the Elephant’s Perch or Jodie Foster at Java, but every March filmmakers and actors will descend en masse for the Sun Valley Film Festival. The Sun Valley Film Festival has attracted major sponsors and lauded film insiders. So does Sundance, you say? Yeah, we know. But we think we have a few things to set us apart. Come see if we’re right. Photo Courtesy of SVFF // Amanda Nagy Come as Yourself Filmmakers and movie lovers alike are welcome at the Sun Valley Film Festival. Whether you’re writing your first script, just wrapped a blockbuster movie, or simply like to binge watch Netflix, you’ll feel at home. Insiders and newbies mingle in theaters and lobbies throughout town. Red tape? We don’t really do that around here. But leave your selfie stick at home. Photo Courtesy of SVFF // Mark Davis – Getty Images Intimate and Laid Back The Sun Valley Film Festival is often described as intimate and laid back, …
The Greatest Golf Tourney On Earth – The Ketchum Wide Open
The official score card of destiny Harley’s for hangovers, Banks Gilberti must still be looking for his passport. It began nearly a quarter century ago as a way to pass time during spring slack season at a time of year when the tourists are not on tour and the locals are getting a little restless. It’s a basic yet brilliant concept: the bars and restaurants in town rally together and each creates a mini-golf hole to try and befuddle even the savviest golfer. Athletes congregate in teams of two and play a round of ultimate mini golf. Bonuses are awarded for various actions and everyone tries to make it all the way around town before the closing bell rings. Costumes are taken seriously in Sun Valley and the KWO as it is affectionately known brings out the best of the best. The Vikings and the Americans battle for the title in a previous year’s KWO. It’s no joke and if there was ever a winter of preparation to get ready for this event Sun Valley has got it. Spend hours upon hours at après and you are the finely tuned machine who will come and represent. Registration starts promptly at …
S.A.A. – Spring Activity Anxiety
An intertwined combination of spring & winter can lead to a potentially chaotic outbreak of Spring Activity Anxiety. Symptoms most commonly associated with S.A.A. include: severe indecisiveness, confusion, and obsessive over packing of vehicles with sporting equipment. Patients are urged to remain calm, analyze possible activities, and cram as many said activities as possible in to one day to quell bouts of insanity.
Locals Guide to Sun Valley’s Trails
With over 400 miles of trails spread across the Wood River Valley, from Bellevue all the way up north to Galena Lodge, it’s hard to know where to start. The area’s extensive, multi-use trails are fit for all kinds of recreation—biking, hiking, trail running, and horseback riding. Whether you’re new to the area or just new to the trails, there are some great starter trails in Hailey, mid-valley, and Ketchum. We talked to Sara Gress, the Executive Director of the Wood River Trails Coalition which works to create, maintain, and sustain the Valley’s network of trails to get her take on the best spots to try first. Hailey Sara: You have to ride Croy because it’s super fun for biking. The Two Dog Loop [6.7 miles] is fun and flowy, and you get some good views of the Pios, but it’s not butt-puckering. And it’s still enjoyable enough that if you’re an advanced rider, it’s still a really good ride. It’s a good place to hone your skills. I ride out there because it’s enjoyable and it’s not scary. People hike and trail run the trails out Croy and even ride horses sometimes too. Also try: Quigley Trails Park which …