Idaho's capital city lies at the foot of the Boise Front of the Rockies -- a desert town close to the peaks and the treed slopes of the Boise National Forest. Lying on both sides of the Boise River, this city is a green space in sagebrush country with parks along the river and an enviable lifestyle. The city has many outdoor activities, from skiing at Bogus Basin Ski Resort to biking on the Boise River Greenbelt to boating at nearby reservoirs. The Boise area has all of the outdoor locations - desert, rivers, mountains and lakes for hiking, camping, kayaking, river rafting, hunting and fishing and Boise's climate is so agreeable that it is possible to golf in the city and ski at the nearby ski hill on the same day.

Boise is the commerce, banking and government center for the state. Many large regional, national and international companies are headquartered here, including Simplot Corporation, Boise Cascade, Albertsons, Micron Technology and Hewlett Packard.

The community was established in 1863 as a staging area and service center for the mining camps including Idaho City, the largest of the gold and silver mining areas. The area previously had been home to several Indian tribes and the fur trade exploited the area during the 1820s. From the time of the first mineral discoveries in 1860, the region boomed, giving way to forestry as the gold and silver dwindled.

Boise is also home to Boise State University, the state's largest university with an enrollment of over 15,000 students.