Idaho you are one fine mammacita.

I love the times where I am able to fully appreciate all the natural beauty this state has! My husband and I went camping in the Falls Creek area of Swan Valley, Idaho a few weeks back and had an amazing time.

Falls Creek has individual campsites and group sites to reserve, as well as individual spots available first come, first-served. We went for the individual sites just down Falls Creek Road. There are a lot of great spots down that way! Most of them have places to start fires (although, I am not sure if you can right now). Ours had a wonderful tree-covered place to put our tent and a little creek flowing behind. It was so nice to look at all the stars and sing around the campfire at night.

TIP: Make sure you bring bug spray! The campsites next to the creek have so many mosquitoes.

I love Palisades, because there is just so much to do.

We went hiking on the Lower Lake Trail – it’s about 4 miles one way. Or, if you are feeling particularly great, you can hike to the Upper Lake (6.2 mi. one way). The Upper is a beautiful, enclosed lake that you can swim out to an island from. The water was really chilly when I went!

However, the Lower Lake has plenty of awesome wildlife (moose, eagles, etc), and is beautiful no matter what time of year you go see it. I hear the fall leaves are gorgeous though!

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Related: While you are in Swan Valley go to Rainey Creek for square ice cream!

We like to take the 40 min. or so trip and head in to Victor and then onward to Jackson (about an additional 40 min.).

My favorite stops in Victor:

• Brakeman Grill
• Big Hole BBQ
• Knotty Pine
• Grand Teton Brewing

Also, if you are there on a Thursday, the Music on Main summer series is so much fun!

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My favorite stops in Jackson:

• Cowboy Coffee
• Made
• Valley Bookstore
• Moo’s Ice Cream
• Snake River Brewing
• Toystore with the Range

Related: SUPER coffee and hang out day in Jackson and Rendezvous Fest

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Where are your favorite places to eat, camp, and hike in Palisades, Victor, Jackson area? What is your go to summer trip in Idaho?

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Jackson is one of those fantastic places that make me feel like I am on vacation when I am only a couple hours from home. I absolutely love it there and this time specifically I needed that away from home feeling. An unfamiliar place can do wonders for your creative side!

The main purpose of this trip was to go see Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats at  Rendezvous Fest in Jackson.  Live music is one of my absolute favorite things.  I have no problem driving to Jackson, Boise, SLC, (last year TN!) to go see and support it. This year I was trolling all the different festival lineups and saw that Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats were on almost every lineup. So, I had to check em out!  Rendezvous Fest was the perfect place to do it since they had a few days of concerts lined up (most of them free!) Yes. Practically unheard of!

The concert was outside close to the little park in downtown Jackson. It was a lovely, frigid, but sunny day. When that sun went down though…it was really freezing! I kept comparing it to the Dawes concert in Park City earlier this year though, and next to that it was damn near balmy. There is something really cool though about a bunch of people braving the cold to listen to music they might have never heard before.

When my friends and I arrived at the festival a DJ (part of a duo called Head to Head) out of Jackson was playing. He did a really fantastic job. His mash-ups were great and he definitely got some of the old dudes dancing (well, him and beer got them dancing!).

Following was Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys. This band had so much energy! I don’t know how long their set was (LONG!), but they absolutely powered through. Big Sandy has an awesome stage persona and that really got people going.

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats! They were absolutely wonderful live. They have this old timey Americana/Blues sound, which is on point. Also, they are just fun. I am so excited that music like this is getting some attention.

The next day I spent the majority of my time in a really great coffeeshop: Cowboy Coffee.

This shop has a fantastic atmosphere. I love the rustic wood, and the hanging twinkling lights. Here are some of my favorite photos from my time here. THIS PLACE WAS SO PHOTOGENIC!

I ordered a Huckleberry MudPot, which is a drinkable version of a huckleberry truffle. It was the best thing. I also had a bacon, avocado, and cream cheese sandwich. SO GOOD. If you are in Jackson or going to visit soon absolutely stop by Cowboy Coffee.