If you are new to Pocatello, Welcome!!! Pocatello is my home town, and I’m proud of that! It’s a great place to raise a family. The cost of living is also much lower than any place we have lived. Moving 13 times in the last 10 years made me realize how much I love Idaho and Pocatello specifically.
Scout mountain is only 30 min away with very affordable camping options. I missed this a TON when we lived other places. It took us at least an hour drive with our littles to get to a camping spot like this everywhere else we lived. They have tent and RV sites with lots of vegetation for shade. I think last time we went it was 10 bucks per night and it is first come first serve.
Kiwi Loco has kid cups your child can cram full for only 2 bucks each! Super awesome deal. Make sure to ask at the counter for them-they are kept behind the counter a lot because the stack of small cups is always falling over. This offer is good for children ages 12 and under.
The Soda Barn is fairly new on Chubbuck road and has really fun options for kids like their “shark attack” which is cherry 7up with shark gummies in it, and “life guard” which is blue soda with peach ring gummies in it. Most people go to the drive through but we always sit inside at one of the tables together. Our kids adore this place and for less than 2 bucks a drink, we have gone there a few times. A different place we lived had a similar business, but they charged a lot more and we never went back.
The Pine Ridge Mall has an indoor play area free to kids. Kids over 5 years old aren’t supposed to play there because of the safety issue it poses for little crawlers and toddlers, but as long as my kids are playing safely and aren’t being crazy I still let them play. Otherwise they sit on the bench by me. Next to the play area is a clump of those rides that cost quarters. To me it’s horrendous to charge 1.00 per ride so I just let my kids sit on them for a bit if they want and then we go pick a gumball for everyone down the mall a bit for a quarter each. There is one game I let my kids play on a special occassion and it’s the claw game for rubber ducks because you can play it until you win something. They let you try over and over again until the motion sensor sees something drop down the chute from the claw so it’s worth the dollar to me as a special treat. The mall also has an arcade area where kids can stomp on reactive lights for free or play arcade games for money.
Mckees pet store is another great addition to our town! There are two locations where you can go gawk at the animals but the Chubbuck location is fantastic. It has a small petting zoo outside where you can walk on the path and see all sorts of animals like goats, llamas, chickens, pigs, rams, emus, and ponies. There is a donation box to keep the petting zoo open and you can also pay a quarter to get some food from the food dispenser to feed the baby goats. We put a couple dollars in once in a while. We go at least 6 times a year because they constantly have different animals having babies and they get their chicks, ducklings, and baby bunnies in the spring time that are super fun to see. The giant turtle is cool but my son is super scared of it so I have to show him where it is right when we go in or he’ll think it’s wandering around the store (the workers let it walk around sometimes). They even had a camel for a few years. In the winter time we will look mostly at the new puppies they have, the birds, and any new kittens or guinea pigs.
Tastee treat has ice cream that can’t be beat by any other fast food store I’ve been to, but whenever we have gone to it since moving back the service is about 3 times longer than expected so we don’t go as often. Their most popular use for our family is their waffle cone wednesday when the ice cream in a waffle cone are only 1.00 each.
There are a lot of fast food places with play structures in them around town. Two of them are Carl’s junior on Yellowstone in front of Winco and McDonald’s on yellowstone. We like to go get a milkshake to share or maybe some fries just so we can play on the toys and have a good time.
There are two libraries, one in Pocatello called Marshall Public Library and one in Chubbuck called the Portneuf Public Library. We go get the monthly schedule and attend the music and movement at the Chubbuck library with our preschool aged kids. It’s the best one in my opinion, and if he participates in the class I let him play with the train tracks, magnets, and other toys in the kids area for a bit. You will need your ID and proof of address (power bill) to get a library card.
To find out about events in general, facebook is our key! We make sure to like the Pocatello District 25 facebook page so we can follow the events posted there. Make sure to like your children’s school facebook page as well to stay in the loop as much as you can with that.
There is an amazing parade the day after Thanksgiving in downtown Pocatello that happens at NIGHT! It’s called the Light’s Parade because each float is decorated in Christmas lights and they have Santa at the very end. VERY fun, worth the wait, worth the cold! There really isn’t anywhere to go to the bathroom though so I highly suggest bringing a child’s potty in your car. Make sure everyone tries to go before you leave. Yes, they do throw candy and sometimes glow sticks. We bring hand warmers, a couple chairs, wear coats, hats, and gloves. Pocatello is COLD in November, people! Hot cocoa in a thermos wouldn’t hurt either haha!
The downtown shops offer family events for holidays. Examples include a candy cane hunt, egg hunt, or trick or treating in a safe environment. In these events you will go from shop to shop hunting or participating. They like having events to promote you spending money at the local businesses instead of all the shopping online. These events are always free though! It’s a great chance to see what downtown has to offer, as well as a super fun time for the kids!
Home Depot is right next to the AMC theatre and the mall. They have a free workshop for kids on the first Saturday of every month from 9-noon. One of our faves! It’s on the left side of the building walking in. Each child gets a wooden kit. They provide child height tables, hammers, garbages, and paint so you are provided with everything you need. It’s free and they get to bring something they made home! My younger kids like the painting a ton so we have to make sure we set aside enough time to let them paint their birdhouse or whatever it is! They offer kid aprons so you don’t get paint on clothes, as well as project completion pin. Sometimes they have popcorn on Saturdays at Home Depot as well.
There is a Reel Theatre in Pocatello! Tuesdays and Wednesdays are 2.00 movie tickets, 2.00 drinks, and 2.00 popcorn. It plays movies that have just come out on DVD. A very affordable and fun experience! Our kids ages 5 and up seem to make it through a movie well.
Deleta Skating is a very fun place to take you family. I remember going to birthday parties and field trips there. My daughter just went to a party there and I saw they now have balance helps made from PVC pipe for little kids-kind of like a walker on wheels! Haha! Very cool and makes it possible with small-children-families to participate.
Outer limits has been a great addition to Pocatello! It’s an arcade game place that also has lazer tag and a mini blue-light golf course inside. The arcade games spit out tickets depending on how well you play the game. You can redeem your tickets for prizes when you’re all done! When we go as a family we spend 20 bucks on the token coins and split the coins between 4 cups for our kids. There are games for all age levels! Our 3 year old son likes to sit on the race car game and motorcycle without any tokens. His next favorite game that is popular with all of our kids is the game where you spear fish. The average game takes 3 tokens but they range from 1-4 tokens per game. Each child comes out with over 150 tickets to spend on little toys or candy at the end. Outer limits has food like pizza and things but we don’t ever eat there so I can’t give any insight on that part of it! I know they do offer party packages and that outside food is not allowed unless you purchase a party package. Once our kids are older I’m sure the 20 dollars won’t seem like enough becasue then our toddlers will want to participate in the games more.
I have to mention the new splash pad in Chubbuck at Stuart Park. I didn’t think we would ever get one! It’s a super fun activity and you don’t have to worry about the kids drowning because the fountains on the pad just shoot out and go down the drains in the cement pad. There aren’t many places to sit or have shade so I would suggest to bring a chair, hats, sunscreen, and towels! There is a bathroom pretty close to the splash pad which is a plus! One tip I have for tiny walkers or crawlers is to have them wear something like these leg protector warmers
If you are up to going to a good outdoor pool, Ross Park Swimming Pool is the place to be. It has a little kid area with water that gets about a foot deep and for older kids it has a water slide, lilly pads, a tide pool, etc. You can get a family pass there if swimming is your family’s thing! My kids still don’t know how to swim so the free splash pad at Stuart Park is our safest option unless Daddy can come with us!
Zoo Idaho is right across the street from Ross Park Swimming Pool and is pretty fun to stroll around but it’s definitely not the best zoo I’ve been to and has a ton of hills so keep that in mind in your preparations to go! My favorite part is when the peacocks spread their tails to show off, or when the trumpeter swan is around-it really does sound like a trumpet! My kids say they like the bear the best.
About a week after school gets out, the district starts summer lunch at parks around town. Free summer sack lunches at the park are served to kids ages 1-18. They must be eaten at the park and adults are not allowed to eat any part of a child’s meal but can be purchased for 3-4.00. My cuties love to eat at the park and play with other kids on the toys (and I love not having to make them lunch haha)! It does have its drawbacks with having to find shoes for everyone and if the park is more than a block or two away we are using the gas money to drive there, so we don’t go 100 percent of the time. BUT the option is SUPER nice and I really missed the program when we moved out of state.
I’m not sure if it’s because I grew up here, but my husband and I always felt a huge pull every year to come back for the Southeastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot. I’ve never been to one that I liked better, and we’ve lived a lot of places. You may have to pay for parking and pay to get in but just being able to look at all the animals undergoing competition, the activities, and booths they have is so memorable! Always a great time! Our kids look forward to riding the ponies every year as well as the other rides, and my husband and I look forward to the food! Try to look at the schedule and see what days and times they are having the best free activities so you can get the best bang for your entrance ticket!
Pocatello has a Costco. Their carts hold two cuties instead of one (BONUS)! I have specific things I buy there which saves us a lot of money. They have free samples of an assortment of things starting at noon every day and their gas is always the cheapest in town, along with the best return policy of 2 years satisfaction guaranteed. I haven’t even mentioned the food court yet! You can get a mouth watering 18” pizza for just 10 bucks and it’s really good, you guys! They also sell hot dogs and frozen yogurt for super cheap so it makes a great date or family pizza night. Yes, you can call ahead to order the pizza or order it there and walk around the store while you wait the 15 min. They discontinued their photo center-it’s only online now, but the best rates and our only choice for prints.
Arctic Circle is a great place for kiddie dipped ice cream cones that are only 20 cents each. Our oldest could eat a regular cone, but the others waste half of theirs. I can get five mini dipped cones for just a dollar! That is less than the price of one regular-size non-dipped cone so I LOVE this deal. Another option is to get a regular ice cream cone with their kiddie ones so I can give them “refills” from the big one as long as they save their little waffle cone.
This is a college community which means there are a ton of options on campus! The student union building (everyone calls it the sub) is the source of awesome cheap bowling and pool! Awesome family night or date night. They also have a bingo night every month when school is in session which is free to students but only 5.00 for anyone else to get in! The prizes are awesome and the atmosphere is super fun! It’s better to go as a couple or with kids who are able to shout out there own bingo with gusto since it’s a rule you have to yell out your own bingo. My 8 year old could totally do it.
One silly thing we love about Pocatello is that a siren goes off in the distance at 12:30. I’ve heard it’s the lunch siren for simplot but I never confirmed that. Our kids and I call it the “ghost of 12:30”. We hear it a lot in the summer at the free park lunches. I find it hilarious when my kids hear it and start dancing around squealing about “the ghost of 12:30!” (yes, they know it’s just pretend haha)
The newest thing around here is the Portneuf Wellness complex. It’s got a small sandy beach with a large pond you can fish at. It has bike/walking trails and play structures! There are soccer fields, tennis courts, and basketball shooting areas. We see people flying kites there, etc.
There is a small hike you can do that starts on ISU campus and goes up to the pillars at the top of the hill. Our kids call it “The hike to the ruins”, and it ends with a great view. It is an awesome little hike in the middle of town!
I’ll post these for now and add to it and add to it as more awesome thrifty things come along. I hope this post makes you feel excited to be in Pocatello. Make it a great day!
Jexi