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Arts & Culture, Fall

Fall Festivals You Have to See

From iconic music to herds of sheep running down Main Street, Sun Valley’s festivals are designed to delight your senses. We invite you to experience how we celebrate fall in the mountains. But be careful, you may just find it hard to leave.

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Biking, Fall, Fly Fishing, Hiking

Five Reasons to Love Fall in Sun Valley

Fall is Sun Valley’s secret season, that perfect time when the crowds have left yet the days are still warm. Here are some of our favorite things about fall in this mountain town.

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Fall, Family, Spring, Summer, Wellness, Winter

The Wood River is Not Your Typical YMCA

It’s Fun to Visit Our YMCA! Much like everything else in our small mountain town, our local YMCA is not your average gym; it’s not even an average YMCA where typically concrete abounds and people are looking to get in and get out rather than stay a day. The Wood River YMCA is so much more than just a gym, it’s a community center, an activity hub, and a truly integral part of life in the Valley. Whether it’s working out and doing group classes, catching free screenings of movies, giving kids an area for after-school, or learning new gardening skills, the YMCA offers more than just dumbbells and yoga mats. What They Offer Opened in late 2007, the YMCA has been offering family-friendly workouts, equipment and more for over 10 years in the Valley. The gym itself is open Monday through Friday from 6am-8pm, Saturdays 7am-6pm, and Sundays 10am-6pm. During that time, access to the upstairs gym is always available where you’ll find a mix of cardio machines including elliptical, treadmill, stair master, erg machine, and stationary bikes. Strength training machines are set up for easy transitioning between sets and there is a dedicated space for free weights and benches. Yoga …

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Dining, Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

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 out starts at Grumpy’s or Lefty’s for “real food,” before diving down Sun Valley Road to The Cellar for evening drinks. Once you’ve imbibed and remembered how good at dancing you are, walk down to Whiskey Jacques. 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. Whiskey Jacque’s When it comes to lineups and lines out the door, Whiskey’s is a standard favorite for cutting the rug. The classic bar and dance floor has a wild west cowboy flare but is no stranger to strobe lights and regular DJs. Play it safe and dress for an occasion between the two (#discocowboy). Upcoming Events Summer Concert Series When it …

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Biking, Bucket List, Dining, Fall, Spring, Summer

Tour de Suds: Sun Valley’s Bike-to-Brewery Tour

Bikes and beers go together like bacon and eggs, Batman and Robin, or hot summer days and ice cream cones. Like most ski town dwellers, Sun Valleyites have a penchant for cold brews, especially after a long, hot bike ride in one of the surrounding five mountain ranges. Sun Valley and the surrounding areas offer a plethora of places to quench a hard-earned thirst with local beers. So grab your bike and make your own Strava segment to and from these thirst-quenching locales. For the ultimate tour de suds, we suggest starting in Ketchum and making your way to Hailey.

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Fall, Hiking, Summer

9 Epic Trail Runs in Sun Valley, Idaho

The hundreds of miles of trails in and around Sun Valley are a well known to hikers and mountain bikers. Sun Valley has an embarrassing wealth of buttery singletrack, incredible views, and uncrowded trailheads. If you’re inclined to hit the trail in running shoes instead of hiking boots, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re after a scenic cruise or a high elevation training run to punish your lungs and legs, look no further than these nine epic trail runs in Sun Valley.

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Fall, Spring, Summer, Wellness, Winter

The Best Outdoor Hot Tubs and Pools of Sun Valley

Growing up in Ketchum, there was no greater joy in the winter season than grabbing a few friends and sneaking into a heated pool or hot tub, making as little noise as possible and hoping not to grab the attention of the owners or worse, the police. But with so many great options for (legally) getting your “aahhh” on in Sun Valley, there’s no reason not to do a “tub-crawl” at one of these great outdoor heated pools and hot tubs in the area. After a long day of enjoying Sun Valley via skiing, mountain biking or any of the numerous physical activities the area boasts, there’s no better way to relax than a nice soak. Whether your muscles are sore or you just want to bask with some friends and relive the day, these are the best spots in town for gorgeous views and delightful temps. Hotel Ketchum While Hotel Ketchum is located on Main Street at the north end of town with easy access to all the great things Ketchum has to offer, the hotel’s complex that includes shops, dining, Hangout Lounge, and a great outdoor heated pool and hot tub is so complete you may never leave. …

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Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Choosing Where to Stay for Your Visit to Sun Valley

When choosing where to stay in Sun Valley, the obvious choice seems like it would be…well, Sun Valley. But the “Sun Valley” area actually encompasses four distinct towns—Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley—all with their own distinct places to stay, restaurants for dining, sites for visiting, and room to explore. Ketchum The heart of it all, Ketchum will give anyone staying here the feel of what it’s like to really live in this area. Whether summer or winter, the close proximity to Bald Mountain allows visitors quick access to skiing, hiking, mountain biking, or even just a gorgeous gondola ride to the top. Ketchum is also easily walkable so no need to rent a car to explore the town. And while the price for accommodations here might be a little higher, they’re definitely worth it. Hotel Ketchum Ketchum’s newest addition to the hotel scene, Hotel Ketchum is a modern, boutique hotel located on Main Street within walking distance of all that Ketchum has to offer. The completely remodeled building now features beautiful community spaces including bar “The Hangout”, a fitness center, year-round outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub and is home to events like pop-up shops and live music …

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Arts & Culture, Fall

Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival

Born in 1989, the annual Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival on the third weekend in October delivers five straight days of live music. The event draws between 5,000 and 6,000 jazz connoisseurs from each of the 50 states and several foreign countries. This year’s festivities will run Oct 16-20, 2019 at venues including the Limelight Ballroom and Continental Room at Sun Valley, the Opera House, Satchmo’s, and the River Run Lodge. Forty bands with performances by over 200 musicians will play a variety of music genres from vintage jazz to swing to big band, zydeco, blues, gypsy and more. A festival kickoff party will take place Tuesday the 15that the Limelight Ballroom with a “Roaring ‘20s” theme. Free dance lessons will take place over the weekend at the River Run Lodge including dances like the Lindy Hop and Charleston.  History of the Festival The Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival was started by Tom Hazzard, a southern California boy who grew up listening to musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and others of the jazz genre. After attending a jazz festival with his wife in 1988, Hazzard was driving back home to Boise when he came up with the …

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Fall, Family

Kids Will Fall for Autumn in Sun Valley, ID

The biggest challenges for kids isn’t deciding what to do, it’s deciding what they’d love to do first. Biking or bowling, hiking or fishing, skate boarding or swimming, ice skating, mini-golf or the playground, they’re all easy to do in and around Sun Valley. And the best part about playing around here in the fall is that it often feels like you’ve got the whole place to yourselves.