Julia Davis Park

It’s not massive. It’s not flashy. But it’s a significant part of Julia Davis Park. What it lacks in acres of land or fancy displays it makes up for in simplicity. A nice covered pavilion sits in the center of the rose garden, big enough to pause under if rain or sun is too much to take. Fountains which have been in operation since at least the 1980s gurgle away with a quaint display. They color the water a vivid blue to add to the effect.
May is really when the roses start coming in. I went on a stroll through the ygrounds recently and admired the well-​kept plots of colorful roses. Little plaques share their names with visitors.
Later in the summer an art show takes place within the little rose garden. Sometimes quiet and picturesque is just what’s needed! Stop here if you want to soak in heavenly scents and smile. :)

This is one of the most fun parks in boise to visit. I especially love going when the rise garden is in bloom. It’s simply gorgeous! The park itself is rather large in size. What makes the park so fun is it’s location. Inside the park, you can go visit the zoo or take a paddle boat ride. Next to the park you can visit the art museum, idaho history museum, or the discovery center. Across the street there is a winco so why not grab some food for a picnic. It’s the perfect place to go spend the day with the kids. You also have easy greenbelt access for those that like to ride bike or walk. I remember loving field trips there as a kid and I still enjoy going back as an adult. It’s great for people of all ages to just go relax outside.

Julia Davis Park is Boise’s oldest park. It was created following the donation of 43 acres of land by Thomas Davis, one of the 20 original founders of Boise. The donation was made as a memorial for his wife, Julia.
Over the years, the park was enlarged and now covers 90 acres north of Boise State University. It is home to Zoo Boise, the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho State Historical Museum, the Discovery Center of Idaho and the Idaho Black History Museum.
Located next to the Boise Greenbelt, the park includes a duck pond, tennis courts, barbecue pits and large areas of grass. Parking is plentiful and the park is open from sunrise to sunset.
The park is also home to an extensive rose garden that began in 1939. About 2,400 roses bloom every year.

One of the best parks in Boise. This park can get packed, worse during a special event. Dang birds!

It’s a park. There’s grass and trees. On the positive side, there are minimal homeless folks (as opposed to Julie Davis Park). On the negative, it’s one of Boise’s few parks. Not my first choice to visit but when people suggest visiting it, I tend to not roll my eyes in disgust.

Wow this is an amazing park! Lots of parking, bicycle paths, lakes, and lawns (just be careful where you step!). It probably helped that it was such a beautiful day while we were strolling around. I think I’d like to take up ultimate frisbee if I lived here.

Such an amazing park! EAsy to get to, quite a bit of parking if you need it, easy access to the green belt, university, the other parks!
You get the zoo, the rose garden, the history museum, the science museum, the discovery center! All close to downtown!
It’s gorgeous, separated bike/​walking path, and the ability to get in a lovely walk (inclusding a giant statue of lincoln!)
I love this park since it is close to my hotel when i stay there!

Adjacent to Zoo Boise, BAM (Boise Art Museum), and the Boise river (therefore the greenbelt) – what’s not to love? It has a pond (with ducks and geese galore), a rose garden, and shade a-​plenty (in the city of trees… oddly several of my favorite parks aren’t shade-​centric – ie: Camel’s Back, Ann Morrison, Katheryn Alberson – Julia Davis is the exception). Julia Davis plays host to BAM’s annual Art in the Park, movies under the stars in the summer months, the occasional concert (it has a stage), and is the starting/​ending point of several 5k’s throughout the year. As with most of Boise, Julia Davis is dog friendly (on leash only), has a nice play area for the kiddos, and picnic tables for outdoor dining (one of my favorite things is to ride my bike here via the greenbelt, and enjoy a picnic, and lounge and read in the shade before riding home). If you come via car, there is parking along the road surrounding the park, in front of BAM, and in front of Zoo Boise. If you follow the loop, there is also an ample lot just past Zoo Boise. I have never had difficulty finding a spot – even during some of their events (though I’m sure it happens) – just keep following the loop around and you’ll find something! Plus, it’s downtown to boot… convenient! :)

Amazingly beautiful rose garden just waiting to be discovered in the Julia Davis Park!
Well maintained, plenty of places to sit and enjoy or meander and sniff!
Such a wonderful array of roses and all the scents! I was doing a quick walk around the park and it was nearly 9pm, so i didn’t stay too long, but there were a couple other families and people enjoying it at that hour as well.
Beautiful and worth a visit — and it’s free! How amazing to have such a beautiful place free for the public!

This park is a local gem, and one of the best city parks that I have encountered. Home to the zoo, lagoons, trails, rose gardens, and the cultural center it is both great for family outtings, personal contemplation, walking /​biking, or just bringing those from out of town to see while visiting. In the early morning you can hear the sounds of birds and monkeys from the zoo over the spritzing of sprinklers and it is an excellent place in the city to get away for a little bit and just stroll. Each area of the park has a bit of history and something to do. The grounds are almost always in pristine condition in spite of rowdy family gatherings, kids running amok in the summer, and heavy traffic on the trails in the afternoons.

Very nice park in the center of town. We had a five star experience from walking next to the river, watching kids play at the playground, geese watching and the paddle boat lagoon. It was the weekend so parking was unlimited. Weekdays, there is a 2 hour time limit. It cost $ 8/​half hour or $ 12/​hour to take a paddle boat out. They are very easy to drive and are not very deep. The water did look icky; would hate to fall in. The only complaint I have is the amount of geese poop on the grass. If you have an aversion to poop, you’d be horrified.

I’m just glad I have cousins in Boise because it gives me reason to go visit there and see some beautiful urban parks, like Julia Davis Park. You’ve got museums, a zoo, room to stretch, a river, and an amazing rose garden.
Basically the rose garden is the thing that is moving me to write this review and for the 5 star rave. Last time I was there my cousins and I had some red vino late at night and went there to sniff the roses and pick favorites — it’s a beautiful, life-​changing experience and I’d recommend this activity to anyone. Basically, there are some really sweet smelling roses, which is maybe like a metaphor for life or something, I don’t know I’m still trying to figure it out.
Oh yes, and the park (including the rose garden) is also really cool in the daytime too.

Pretty and fragrant rose garden, centered around a gazebo in one of the prettiest central parks in downtown Boise.
Check the Rose Garden on your way to spend time in the park or walk across the lawn to the entrance of the fun, shady and sweet Boise Zoo, for a relaxing summer visit under mature trees. The Rose Garden and Boise Zoo are right near one another.

I was visiting from Vegas and my friend new I wanted to experience some nature (not sand). We took a stroll through the rose garden, walked around the different areas of interest, took pictures with Abe. It was a great time and the garden looks like a gorgeous spot for special events.

Julia Davis Park in Downtown Boise is the home to Zoo Boise, a beautiful rose garden and several museums. Covered picnic areas and tennis courts are available by reservation. There are also paths for cycling and walking along the Boise River, as well as a small playground intended for toddlers. If you want a downtown park with a playground better suited for older children, I’d recommend Ann Morrison Park instead.
Julia Davis is spread out enough that it’s a great place to observe nature like ducks, geese and chipmunks without too many noisy children to scare them off. We saw a lot of geese and fluffy goslings today in particular. Feeding water fowl is discouraged to prevent them from becoming dependent on people, but not everybody complies. I’d avoid eating at the picnic tables near the lagoon and stick to more populated areas if you don’t want company.
Bare in mind that an abundance of water fowl also means an abundance of water fowl droppings so check your shoes and stroller wheels before packing up to go.