Things to Do in the Treasure Valley in November, Weekend by Weekend

Reviewed by Garrett Pancheri and Dustin Cagle
Team Leaders, Living In Idaho | LPT Realty | View Profile

The best things to do in the Treasure Valley in November are the last days of the Scarecrow Stroll in Boise (through Nov 2), the Holiday Makers Market in Nampa (Nov 6 and 7), goose season at Lake Lowell, Caldwell's free Winter Wonderland opening (Nov 20 to 22), Festival of Trees at the Boise Centre (Nov 25 to 29), the Boise Holiday Parade (Saturday, Nov 28 at 10 a.m.), and Winter Garden aGlow, which opens Thanksgiving week. Bogus Basin opens when the snow says so.

These are the things to do in the Treasure Valley in November that are actually worth your Saturday, in the order the month happens. November in this valley has the same shape every year. Three quiet weeks of cold mornings and short afternoons, and then the weekend before Thanksgiving, somebody in Caldwell flips a switch and a million lights come on. We put this list together for buyers relocating to Idaho who want to see the valley the way locals actually spend the month. Most of it is free or close to it. A few things need a ticket. One thing needs snow, and nobody can promise you snow.

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What Are the Best Things to Do in the Treasure Valley in November?

Early November is markets, music and the last of the fall colors. Mid-November is the birds at Lake Lowell and dinosaurs at Expo Idaho. November 20 belongs to Caldwell. Thanksgiving week belongs to downtown Boise. Winter Garden aGlow picks up from there and runs to New Year's Eve.

Key Takeaways

1. Scarecrow Stroll ends Nov 2: last chance for fall at the Idaho Botanical Garden.
2. Holiday Makers Market, Nov 6 and 7: local makers fill the Nampa Civic Center.
3. Geese peak at Lake Lowell: Deer Flat refuge trails are open daily during daylight.
4. Caldwell lights up Nov 20: Winter Wonderland opening weekend is free.
5. Thanksgiving week downtown: Festival of Trees Nov 25 to 29, Boise Holiday Parade Nov 28 at 10 a.m.
6. Bogus Basin depends on snow: check the snow report, not the calendar.

Table of Contents

• Quick Answer
• Key Takeaways
• Things to Do in the Treasure Valley in November, Week by Week
• The First Week of November
• Geese at Lake Lowell
• Mid-November in the Valley
• Caldwell Winter Wonderland
• Thanksgiving Week in Downtown Boise
• Winter Garden aGlow
• Is Bogus Basin Open in November?
• What November Tells You About Moving Here
• November 2026 Dates, Side by Side
• Deer Flat Refuge Key Facts
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Things to Do in the Treasure Valley in November, Week by Week

The things to do in the Treasure Valley in November split cleanly into two halves. The first half is quiet, outdoors and cheap. The second half, starting November 20, is lights, parades and parking lots that fill up early. The full calendar is in the dates table further down, so you can see what lands on which weekend.

A couple of details had not been published yet when we wrote this, like Jurassic Quest showtimes and the exact time of the downtown Boise tree lighting. We are not going to hand you a time nobody has posted. Check the venue before you load up the car.

The First Week of November

Three things, and you can do all of them in one weekend if you are motivated:

• Scarecrow Stroll (through Nov 2): the Idaho Botanical Garden is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., last admission at 4. Adults are $15, seniors and students $13, youth $9, and kids 3 and under get in free. The garden's lot is temporarily closed, so park at the Table Rock Trailhead behind the Warden's House and walk over. Nobody tells you that until you are already circling.
• Holiday Makers Market (Nov 6 and 7): formerly the Craft and Chocolate Affaire, at the Nampa Civic Center on 3rd Street South. Friday 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Confirm admission with the Civic Center before you go.
• The Planets (Nov 7 and 8): the Boise Philharmonic at the Morrison Center. If you have never heard a full orchestra in that hall, this is a good first one.

Geese at Lake Lowell

This is the one most people who just moved here have never heard of, and it sits right on the south edge of Nampa. Lake Lowell is inside Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, one of the oldest refuges in the country. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the goose population peaks in November, and September through December is the best stretch for seeing the widest variety of wildlife.

You do not need a boat. You actually cannot use one, because the lake closes to boating every year from October through April to protect the birds. The geese seem fine with that arrangement. Hours, the visitor center address and the driving tour are in the refuge table below.

One honest caveat. The refuge has warned visitors that they may come across sick or dead waterfowl during disease outbreaks. Look, do not touch, and keep dogs leashed.

Mid-November in the Valley

• Jurassic Quest (Nov 13 to 15): the life-size dinosaur exhibit at Expo Idaho in Garden City. Showtimes had not posted when we checked. It is an all-ages, indoor option for a cold weekend, and it books up.
• The foothills: Table Rock and the trails around Camel's Back Park give you the whole valley from above, and November is good hiking weather if you dress for it. One local rule: if the trails are wet, skip them. Muddy boots tear up the foothills.
• The Greenbelt and MK Nature Center: when the trails are too soft, walk the Boise River Greenbelt and stop at the MK Nature Center instead.

Caldwell Winter Wonderland

Caldwell's Winter Wonderland Festival opens November 20, 2026 and runs through November 22. The city wraps Indian Creek in downtown Caldwell in more than a million lights, and the festival itself is free.

The ice ribbon at Indian Creek Plaza opens the same day. It is a skating path that winds through the plaza instead of a standard oval rink, and sessions can already be reserved. Skating is the one part you pay for.

Know what you are walking into. Opening weekend drew more than 30,000 people last year, spread across six blocks between Fifth and 10th avenues. If crowds are not your thing, the lights stay up for weeks afterward, and a Tuesday night is a completely different experience.

Few downtowns in this valley have changed as much as Caldwell's over the last decade, and this weekend is the easiest way to see why.

Same week, back in Boise: Boise State's new stage version of A Christmas Carol opens November 19 at the Danny Peterson Theater inside the Morrison Center, with November shows through the 22nd.

Thanksgiving Week in Downtown Boise

Downtown Boise stacks four things into one long week, and most of them are only a few blocks apart:

• Festival of Trees (Nov 25 to 29): Saint Alphonsus fills the Boise Centre with decorated trees and wreaths. Tickets are $16 for adults and $11 for kids 3 to 12, seniors and military, with short hours on Thanksgiving Day. It is the hospital's biggest fundraiser and has been going for more than 40 years.
• Holiday tree lighting: the Downtown Boise Association lights the tree on The Grove Plaza, traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving at 5 p.m. The 2026 time had not been announced when we checked. The free rink that used to sit next to it has been discontinued, so if skating is part of your plan, that is a Caldwell trip.
• Boise Holiday Parade (Nov 28): the 78th Boise Holiday Parade starts at 10 a.m. at Jefferson and 10th and runs about an hour and a half. Bring something to sit on. The curb is colder than you think at 10 in the morning in late November.
• Elf in Concert (Nov 28 and 29): the Boise Phil plays the movie score live at the Morrison Center. Parade in the morning, Elf at night is a pretty good Saturday.

Winter Garden aGlow

Winter Garden aGlow runs Wednesdays through Sundays from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve at the Idaho Botanical Garden. Every light is hand-strung by volunteers and staff, and last season the garden put up more than 800,000 of them.

Tickets are sold by date and time slot, and the good slots go fast. Walking up and hoping is a plan. It is just not a good one. This is the garden's biggest fundraiser of the year, so the ticket money stays local.

Is Bogus Basin Open in November?

Sometimes. Bogus Basin is roughly 16 miles up a real mountain road from downtown Boise, and opening day depends on snow, full stop. Some seasons it opens before Thanksgiving. Some seasons it does not open until December. Anybody who gives you a firm date in October is guessing. Check the mountain's own snow report the week you want to go, and check the road while you are at it.

What November Tells You About Moving Here

If you are deciding between towns, November is one of the most useful months to visit. You see the valley without the summer shine on it.

• Drive the real commute: at 5 p.m., when it is already dark.
• Walk the downtown on a weeknight: not just on festival weekend.
• See both versions of a town: Caldwell on November 20 and Caldwell on a random Tuesday are both real, and you want to know you like both.

If you are still comparing towns, our guide to the best places to live in Idaho breaks them down by price, commute and what is nearby.

Related reading: fall activities in the Treasure Valley

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to do in Boise in November?

The Scarecrow Stroll through November 2, the Boise Phil's The Planets on November 7 and 8, Jurassic Quest in Garden City November 13 to 15, Festival of Trees November 25 to 29, the Boise Holiday Parade on November 28, and Winter Garden aGlow starting Thanksgiving week.

What are family-oriented things to do in the Treasure Valley in November?

For all-ages outings, look at Caldwell's free Winter Wonderland opening November 20, Jurassic Quest at Expo Idaho, Festival of Trees at the Boise Centre, the Boise Holiday Parade, and goose watching at Lake Lowell.

When does Caldwell's Winter Wonderland start in 2026?

Opening weekend is November 20 to 22, 2026, at Indian Creek Plaza in downtown Caldwell. The festival is free, and the ice ribbon opens November 20.

When is Festival of Trees 2026 in Boise?

The public exhibition runs November 25 to 29, 2026 at the Boise Centre. Adult tickets are $16, and kids 3 to 12, seniors and military are $11.

When is the 2026 Boise Holiday Parade?

Saturday, November 28, 2026, at 10 a.m. It starts at Jefferson and 10th in downtown Boise and lasts about an hour and a half.

When does Winter Garden aGlow open?

It opens Thanksgiving week and runs Wednesdays through Sundays until New Year's Eve. Tickets are timed, so buy them ahead.

Is Bogus Basin open in November?

Only if the snow cooperates. Opening day changes every season, so check the mountain's snow report before you drive up.

Can you go boating on Lake Lowell in November?

No. Lake Lowell closes to boating from October through April to protect wildlife. The refuge trails stay open every day during daylight hours.

Conclusion

November here is slow for three weeks and then very busy for one. Do the garden, the market and the geese early, pick your weekend for Caldwell or downtown Boise, and buy aGlow tickets before the good slots are gone. Dates and hours move from year to year, so confirm details before you go. And if one of these trips has you wondering what living here would actually look like, Garrett Pancheri and Dustin Cagle at Living In Idaho are happy to walk you through it. Worst case, you get a straight answer about the things to do in the Treasure Valley in November.