Idaho's City Near Boise Is A Mountain-Framed Gem With Waterfront Views, Orchards, And A Beloved Cherry Festival

Travel's often an exercise in choosing extremes. Travelers can dive into a big city and all the chaos that entails. Or they can avoid modernity and escape to a bucolic natural hideout. Somewhere between lies "townsizing," a trend that aims for a vacation free from the big crowds and stresses of a big city. Emmett, a small city about 45 minutes away from Boise, Idaho, offers that perfect balance. Framed by the mountains, this so-small-it-is-barely-a-city gem offers waterfront views and a beloved cherry festival supplied by its renowned orchards.

Its proximity to the Payette River, a historic ferry crossing, first made the small town a waystation for passersby, who'd toss back a drink and grub at Falk's Store. The roadhouse's booming business inspired permanent settlements, helping Emmett grow from a well-trodden passage into the town it is today.

Emmett still lives according to the river's flows, and views of the Payette remain one of the better draws. Visitors should see the Lower Payette River Heritage Byway to taste the area's full potential. Containing a smattering of museums, orchards, and beautiful nature, the byway offers a taste of the county's and Emmett's Greatest Hits. (And keep your eyes peeled for Emmett's most famous son: Aaron Paul, also known as "Breaking Bad's" Jesse Pinkman, was born there.)

The town enjoys a long history as part of a bountiful valley, which helped feed mining operations in the second half of the 19th century. Irrigation projects at the start of the 20th century helped expand its agricultural capacity. That tradition continues today, with the town's vaunted farmers market showcasing the so-called "Valley of Plenty" in a modern form. Held in Blaser Park, the market offers succulent fruits and vegetables, as well as crafts, meat, baked goods, and plants. This bounty comes from Emmett's orchards, which supply the farmer's market with tree fruits like peaches and apples. You can even pick your own apples or peaches. Or head over to downtown's Harvest Festival Street fair, held in the autumn, which embodies the ideal shindig for a small community of 8,000. With authentic local cuisine, arts and crafts vendors on offer, you'll find plenty to keep you busy. Pumpkin patches and hay rides can turn it into an outing even the youngest family members will enjoy.

Those same bountiful orchards are the source of Emmett's signature crop: cherries. The small red bombs of flavor hold such a sacred place that they earned their own festival. The town's annual Cherry Festival, held in mid-June since the 1930s, draws close to 60,000 visitors and should be your ideal time to visit. The four-day festivities include, yes, plenty of cherry-based goodies. Jams, pies, and bucketfuls of cherries abound, along with cherry pit spitting contests. Yet it isn't just dedicated to the red stone fruit. The festival includes carnival rides and parades to boot.

Travelers looking to fly into Emmett should book a trip to Boise Airport, which will leave you 45 minutes out of town. Emmett, being such a small locale, likely isn't enough to justify the trip. Luckily, your outing into Idaho offers a chance at a "townsizing" trilogy. Just half an hour away is the slightly larger town of Caldwell, the gateway to Idaho's wine country with farm-to-fork dining. The town of Weiser, about an hour's drive from Emmett, offers a second stop, with scenic trails and a huge music festival in the "Fiddle Capital of the World."

Emmett's diminutive size makes finding places to overnight a bit tricky. With just one motel and a smattering of private accommodations, expect to shell out about $200 a night in town. Be willing to swing by from larger places like Caldwell or even Boise, as you may have to compromise and sleep out of town. The two main harvest seasons — mid-June and fall — are the best times to visit to experience the Cherry Festival and Harvest Festival. Though really, there's no wrong time to visit.