Sun Valley, Idaho

We made a quick trip to Sun Valley Idaho this month and discovered a small, charming ski town right out of a picture. Sun Valley's downtown area is adorable, with a variety of art galleries, shops and restaurants. Idaho is a dream location any time of the year, and it's name, the Gem State, fits! If you're traveling with little ones, there's a few things we added to the list for visiting with kids.

In cold months, like January, kids will enjoy sledding on numerous hills around town , or skiing/snowboarding on Dollar or Bald Mountain. There's also an open air ice skating rink, with hot cocoa served by a fire, and sleigh rides to Trail Creek Cabin for dinner.

For a break from the great outdoors, try a drop in art class at The Burrow, an art studio, with classes for ages 1-18+. They have open studio on Saturday's from 11AM - 1PM, where kids can do art projects or stay in the Wood Nook play area, complete with it's own teepee. Parents stay with kids 3 and under, children over age 4 can be dropped off.

Sun Valley Bowling is another great way to spend an afternoon if you're taking a break from the slopes.

If a movie sounds like a plan for the evening, check out Merlin's Magic Lantern in downtown Ketchum to see what's playing.