Beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho is a favorite vacation spot for families and celebrities alike. With ski areas, hiking trails, golf, and ice skating, this resort area attracts visitors all year round. But where to stay when visiting Sun Valley? Those unfamiliar with ski resorts will be tempted to stay at the Sun Valley Lodge or Inn. However, staying at a nearby condo or house might save you money and keep all your guests feeling comfortable.
There are two main benefits for staying in a condo or house: space and food. Hotel rooms are tiny, so you need multiple rooms when inviting more than your one friend. Condos and homes can house fifteen guests if you'd like, and nobody is cramped. And the very best part? You'll have a kitchen! Sure nobody wants to cook on vacation, but buying food and cooking it saves you a bundle of money. Think about how much you'll save not eating out, just on breakfast alone! Since you can now invite all your friends on the trip, cooking can be fun and involve everyone.
So, you've wisely chosen to rent a condo or home during your stay at Sun Valley, Idaho. Good for you! Now you have to choose which area to stay in. The most obvious is the actual town of Sun Valley. This is where you'll find the Sun Valley Lodge and Inn, but they also offer condos and cottages within walking distance.
Sun Valley's condos sit in a half circle around Sun Valley Lake. In close proximity are tennis courts, an Olympic sized pool and Jacuzzi, and an expansive golf course. The Lodge and Inn are close, and both have restaurants, if you get tired of eating inside your luxurious condo. The Ram Restaurant (for elegance), Konditorei (for a great dessert), and Bald Mountain Pizza & Pasta (for the whole family) are also waiting for you in the village nearby. This whole area is quite small, so getting around is easy by car or walking- if the weather is suitable.
To the southwest are Elkhorn and Ketchum. In Elkhorn, most condos and houses sit near the golf course. Elkhorn is farther from downtown, but has its own shopping and is closest to Dollar Mountain. The condos usually have pools and outdoor activities, and shuttles to Bald Mountain. Ketchum offers 5 star privately owned condos, smaller condos in downtown, and houses near the Baldy ski lifts. Ketchum is like Sun Valley for activities: great food (try Ciro Restaurant), live entertainment (try Whiskey Jacques), movies, and during Labor Day weekend, the Wagon Days festival is fun for some cowboy history.
No matter where in Sun Valley you stay, you'll find what you're looking for. The area is small enough that you can visit all three parts in the same day. And the choices for condos and houses are endless, so you might decide location simply on which mountain you'll be spending the most time at. Hemingway loved Sun Valley, and so will you!
This guide to the vacation lodging available to you in Sun Valley was brought to you by Melissa Townsend.