Also see: Boise Attractions and Accommodations - Peaceful and Active City

Cascade is located on the southeast shore of Lake Cascade, formerly known as "Cascade Reservoir." With the introduction of the Tamarack Resort in 2004, the name was officially changed to sidestep the negative marketing connotations of "reservoir." It was formed by the completion of Cascade Dam, on the north side of the city. Construction by the Bureau of Reclamation began in 1942, was halted during World War II, and completed in 1948.

The recreational city of McCall is 29 miles (46 km) north, and the village of Donnelly is a little over midway, via Highway 55. The shuttered Tamarack Resort (2004–09) is across the reservoir to the northwest.

The city of Coeur d'Alene has grown significantly in recent years in part because of a substantial increase in tourism, encouraged by several resorts in the area. Barbara Walters called the city "a little slice of Heaven" and included it in her list of most fascinating places to visit. On November 28, 2007, Good Morning America broadcast the city's Christmas Lighting Ceremony because its display is among the largest in the country. Coeur d'Alene is also located near two major ski resorts with Silver Mountain Resort to the east in Kellogg and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort to the north in Sandpoint. Coeur d'Alene is located on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, 25-mile (40 km) in length. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials: "CDA".

The people of Grangeville enjoy close access to scenic and wildlife areas. Whitewater rafting is a popular pursuit. The Clearwater River, Snake River, and Salmon River lie close by. Salmon and steelhead fishing is often a choice of recreation. Many residents of Grangeville hunt deer, elk, and turkeys in the nearby forests. Hiking is also popular in the Nez Perce National Forest, the Gospel Hump Wilderness, and Hells Canyon to the south of the city. The city operates the nearby Snowhaven ski area for winter recreation.

Many residents of Grangeville depend on the nearby forests for their livelihoods. In addition to timber harvesting, the U.S. Forest Service is a major source of employment in the region.

Grangeville's "Border Days" is a large public celebration on the weekend of July 4 (Independence Day), which features the state's oldest rodeo as well as parades, art shows, and dances.

Idaho Falls is the principal city of the Idaho Falls, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Idaho Falls-Blackfoot, Idaho Combined Statistical Area. Idaho Falls is the third-largest metropolitan area in the state behind Boise City-Nampa and Coeur d'Alene, but the second-largest independent economic and cultural center, due to Coeur d'Alene's reliance on and connection with the larger Spokane, Washington. In the past decade, Idaho Falls proper has been surpassed in population by the Boise suburbs of Meridian and Nampa, making it technically the fifth-largest city in Idaho.

The city is served by the Idaho Falls Regional Airport and is home to the Idaho Falls Chukars minor league baseball team and the Museum of Idaho. Its sister city is the town of Tokai-Mura, Japan.

Idaho Falls borders on Ammon, Idaho and serves as a hub to all of eastern Idaho and much of western Wyoming, including several surrounding communities such as nearby Ucon and Iona, as well as the larger communities of Shelley, Rigby, Rexburg, Blackfoot, and resort town Jackson, Wyoming.

Originally a logging community whose last sawmill closed in 1977, McCall is now an all-season tourist destination for outdoor recreation. The resort town is known for its Winter Carnival, extended winters, and the highest average snowfall in the state. Nicknamed "Ski Town U.S.A.", McCall is the home to many past winter Olympic athletes.