#1: Porter Park

Located right by campus!

Here, you’ll find:

• Picnic tables with Shelters
• Playground (great for kids and but I prefer them for ninja tag!)
• Tennis Courts
• Basketball Court
• Kids water part playground
• Soccer fields
• Jogging path
• Plenty of trees that offer shade
• Slack lining

The most special part of Porter Park is its antique carousel. It’s one of the 170 antique carousels remaining in the United States!

#2: Nature Park

A perfect spot for running and biking!

Here, you’ll find:

• Jogging Paths along the Teton River
• Playground (in case you want to release your inner child yet again)
• Fishing Ponds
• An “in town” escape
• Ducks to feed… lots of them!

This park stretches over 15 acres of land! Also worth mentioning for all you sk8rs is the Clair Boyle Skate Park packed with all sorts of stuff to give you, and your board, a rad time.

#3: BYU Idaho Gardens

Like an Eden in Idaho!

Here, you’ll find:

• The “laboratory” of the Landscape Horticulture  department. In other words…
• 750 varieties of annual flowers
• 200 varieties of perennial flowers
• Numerous kinds of trees and shrubs
• Beautiful features like a waterfall.
• Orchards and vegetable gardens.
• Volleyball area
• Picnic area

The Gardens hosts many summer activities including weddings and social occasions. They are open year round until dark.

(Hey, Guys! Maybe take a date here for a daytime picnic.)

#4: Smith Park

The most popular park of the Rexburg Community!

Here, you’ll find:

• Gazebo (Can be reserved but costs a fee)
• Picnic areas (Can be reserved but costs a fee)
• Baseball fields
• Tennis Courts
• Kiddie Park
• Playground Equipment
• Antique steam engine
• Barbecue areas

Smith park does a lot in the summer activities from concerts to art displays.

And, Finally #5: Community Park

Open especially for athletic activities!

Here, you’ll find:

• A park adjacent to the Madison High School baseball fields
• An open field to play football

This park doesn’t have much to offer but it would be a key place to play some football, baseball or maybe capture the flag.

For more info, parks, and pictures visit this link.

About the Author:

Andrew Davis is a graphic designer, techno musician, creative writer, and dreamer. He’ll be attending BYU Idaho as a freshman this fall.

Overview

Had enough of classes and homework? You burned out two weeks into the semester??? You need to get out and run around! BYU Idaho provides means for many different pick up games to be played up to midnight, most nights of the week. You’ll find it is a perfect outlet after studying and school work on any given night. Around Rexburg people gather to play football, basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer and more. Below you’ll find information on where you can find some of these weekly events!

Soccer

Normally played in the field-house twice a week (tuesdays and thursdays I think…) You won’t need cleats as it is an indoor facility.

Football

Played at various times of the week but especially on Friday night and Saturdays. Usually you can find a game on the football field or the upper fields.

Basketball

Played every night of the week except Sundays (obviously). Played on all of the campus courts (In the Hart, Field House, New Auditorium courts)

Note: During the intermural basketball season there are numerous times where the courts will be occupied.

Ultimate Frisbee

My personal favorite! Groups play multiple nights of the week on the football field, upperfields, Porter Park and during the winter in the field house and local schools.

Volleyball

There are volleyball courts in the fieldhouse and you usually can find games there during weeknights.

Tennis

You can find tennis courts across from the Hart building and next to the health center. Though more of a summer activity, sometimes people play in the field house during the winter.

About the Author

Robby Myers is an BYU Idaho Alumni and currently is attending BYU in Provo. He is single and anxiously awaits the day that he finds the right girl

(He does accept referrals….)

If you have anymore specific information for when any of these events are played, please leave a note below

Love snowboarding? Ready to take it to the next level?

I personally suffered from what I’ve deemed “flailing cat syndrome”… You know. I launch off my feet – flail like a cat – then land on my head. Lol!  Last season, after getting fed up with not nailing my spins, I finally just started pitiching them every chance I got. It was a pretty brutal experience. Honestly… IT HURT! Which is why this video might be extremely valuable to you. It explains spinning in a logical and helpful way.

Eventually I started to smoothly land my 180’s and 360’s almost every time. So if your not one of the “naturals” that makes it look easy… Watch this video. Educate yourself. And start  sticking your spins. But DON”T do what I did. Spare your body : )

Happy riding!

Advanced Spinning Part 1 (Regular) from SnowboardAddiction.com on Vimeo.

HERE’s the second half of the Video.

Board and Card Games. Usually more of a group thing, board and card games are a fabulous way to have fun when the weather isn’t cooperating. If you are willing to spend a little money, start the night by picking and buying a new game from the store.

Bookworm Date. Visiting local book stores can be a perfect way to spend a cold day.  Browsing through different book titles can help you get to know each others interests while also providing amusement and enlightening on different subjects.   Finish the night by stopping at the Cocoa bean on your way home!

Do a Puzzle: Puzzles are a fun, low key and creative way to get to know a person. Be ready with things to talk about, sitting in silence can be rather awkward!

Go bowling. Bowling is a great way to get to know someone in a fun low pressure environment. There is no shame in putting up the bumpers if you are a little rusty!

Home Cooked Goodness!: Impress your date with your awesome cooking skills! Spend the night buying, cooking and eating dinner together at one of your apartments. Get creative with it for example try eating with no utensils, or spaghetti without plates. Post your own successes and ideas in the comment section.  Don’t forget desert!

Have an Indoor Picnic: Lay a blanket in the living room and have a basket full of fun picnic foods. Come up with different ideas on how to make the room appear like summer.

Craft Fair: Doing Crafts are an excellent way to stay entertained when you don’t want to be outside. Bust out the crayons, markers, finger paints, glue and paper and other critical supplies as you create your masterpieces.   As long as everyone involved is having a good time, it really doesn’t matter what you do or make.  A great site for unique craft ideas is Craftster.org. You might try visiting an art gallery to compare.

Visit a Museum or Art Gallery: Looking at art can be a fun yet relaxing date. This can be expecially good if one or both of you knows a little about art and the humanities. Spend the night teaching each other about the different things you see.

Have a Photo Shoot: Put on the most ridiculous clothes you can find, then take time taking pictures of it. This can be especially fun at Desseret Industries or Goodwill. After you take the pictures have fun enhancing them using Photoshop or similar software. Post your pictures on facebook or another blog.

Go to a play or other live performance: Almost everywhere you visit you can find live performing arts. A relaxing way to enjoy yourself as someone else provides the entertainment!

Overview

The Rexburg Tabernacle is a local historic Gem. It was originally build as a meeting place for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but was recovered by the City of Rexburg shortly after the Teton Flood. The Tabernacle Features a large stage, pipe organ and seating for over 1,000 people, including the balcony. It plays hosts to numerous local groups on various nights and weekends. Probably one of the most popular groups seen here is Rexburg’s Barbershop Carousel which features different local men singing barbershop music. The basement of the Tabernacle houses the Teton Dam Flood Museum. Here you can relive that destroyed the valley years ago. Whether you visit the tabernacle or the museum it makes for a enjoyable night out.

Directions

Cost

For Museum:

Adults $2.00
Youth (12-18) $1.00
Children (under 12) $0.50

You may want…

Dress Clothes if you are going to a concert

Helpful Resources

Teton Museum
http://www.rexburg.org/play/localattractions/floodmuseum.aspx
Rexburg Tabernacle
http://rexcc.com/thingstodo/attractions/tabernacle.html

About the Author

Robby Myers is an BYU Idaho Alumni and currently is attending BYU in Provo. He is single and anxiously awaits the day that he finds the right girl

It’s challenging to stay active during Rexburg winters. And none of us like feeling like an idle “tub of lard” so… Here’s a list of climbing gyms! It’s fun, affordable, WARM, active, and social!

If you climb please share your thoughts on each gym in the comments below. Your feedback is valuable.

If you aren’t a climber…. what the heck is wrong with you! You’ll love it! And this winter is the perfect time! Ask anyone that climbs. It’s the perfect addiction : )  It works your body, mind, and builds your confidence.

This makes a great date or family/group activity. Go do it… then come back and share!

Regional Rock Walls

Author’s Review

Regional Rock Walls is the only indoor climbing gym in Rexburg with longer routes. I like this place because there’s a good variety of climbing. You end up paying more for it, but it’s still pretty cheap.

More about Regional Rock Walls – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Sticks and Stones

Author’s Review

Sticks and Stones climbing gym is great if you like “bouldering”. Bouldering Definition: Short, hard climbing routes using no rope.

Sticks and Stones offers great traverses, about a 30 foot bouldering roof, and the cheapest Rexburg area prices. You can still rope up, but it’s limited. I have bought a climbing pass here.

More about Sticks and Stones – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Stonewalls Rock Gym

Author’s Review

The YMCA owns Stoneswalls Rock Gym. It’s located in Idaho Falls. There are dozens of high climbs to rope up for, plus a great bouldering area. It’s offers the most and naturally is the most expensive. But it’s still pretty cheap… especially if you are a YMCA member.

More about Stonewalls Rock Gym – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Game Overview

Ever got stuck with a group of people you just met. This game help you cut through the awkwardness and has a good time : )  You can play it with stranger or friends. Either way… it gets creative and fun.

“What If?” create laughs, inside jokes, and hilarious memories all thanks to a pen and paper (per person.) This is a superb game to break the ice and see the zany side of maybe the most serious person.

Where to Play

ANYWHERE where there’s a supply of paper and pens

How to Play

It’s simple, actually. Here are your steps:

1. Get a bunch of people and sit them in a circle.
2. Give them slips of paper and something to write with/on. (aka a pen, pencil, and hey! what the heck- maybe a crayon…though, I don’t reccomend that.)
3. Once everyone is asking “what the heck is going on?” as a group pick one person in your group to be what you could call the “victim.”
4. Have everyone write a “what if question” about the person.Examples:
   • What if Joel was Catholic?
   • What if Jenny was a brunette?
   • What if Katie was president?
   • What if Matt was good at math?
   • What if Andrew wasn’t a ladies man? (ho ho ho)
5. Now that you have your what if questions written down, everyone puts the slip of paper in the middle.
6. Mix up the pile of paper slips
7. Have everyone grab one. DO NOT GRAB YOUR OWN
8. Now, answer the questions starting with the word “then.” BE CREATIVE/FUNNY!Examples:
   • What if Andrew wasn’t a ladies man? Then he’d have to date his textbooks.
   • What if Joel was Catholic? Then he would find the church tomorrow.
   • What if Bob was mayor of Utah? Then Ashley Tisdale would shake his hand.
9. Okay. Now that the questions are answered, have every one put the slips back.
10. Shufflem up!
11. Have everyone take one again. DON”T GRAB YOUR OWN!
12. Start with the person/victim chosen in step 3. Have them read ONLY their QUESTION aloud.
13. Have the person to their right read their answer aloud. (This is NOT the victim’s answer)
14. Then have that person read their question aloud.
15. Continue this pattern of people reading their answer and then their question until the victim is the last to read and reads their answer as the answer to the question of the person to their left.
16. After everyone has read save/toss the slips. You can say which questions you answered or which you asked.
17. Repeat another round! It’s a lot of fun so play again. There’s no competition! Just LAUGHS!

If played right you all of you may be shocked that the juxtoposition of answers to questions makes legit SENSE. This is really funny too.

(If you are too cool for random humor then go read your Einstein Standup Comedy books and don’t read this post anymore. )

Here’s an example of what will happen in a typical game (…notice the order):

• What if Andrew wasn’t a ladies man? Then Ahsley Tisdale would shake his hand.
• What if Joel was Catholic? Then He’d have to date his textbooks.
• What if Bob was mayor of Utah? Then he’d find the church tomorrow.

Wacky, huh? Now that you get it, give it a try TONGIHT!

Game Overview

Do you like being sneaky?

Here’s a game that will keep you entertained…

A group is on a park playground. The person that is “it” keeps their eyes closed. The three others try not to get tagged. If you aren’t it, you have to be sneaky like a ninja!

It’s fun to get close to the person that’s “it” and sneak past them. But watch out, if they hear you….

… you may be toast!

Where to Play

Rexburg’s Park Playgrounds:

• Porter Park
• Smith Park
• Elementary Schools

How to Play

1.)   4 or more people is best…

2.)   The person who’s “it” has to keep their eyes closed and try to tag the others

3.)   Those who aren’t “it” try to not get tagged

4.)   Once someone gets tagged, they become “it”

It’s more fun if you try to sneak by the person who is “it”! It brings out your inner ninja.

This is a great game for double dates, groups, and families. It’s active, social, and fun (if you are willing to get into it). You can play it outside during the winter or the summer.

Imagine trying to quickly fetch a ball faster than your competitor. Oh yeah… there’s one catch… you’re blind : )

You have to fetch the ball quickest, but you have to close your eyes. The only guidance you have is your partners verbal directions. So I hope you’re a good listener…

Where to Play

You can play “Blind Fetch” anywhere in Rexburg that is wide open. Ideal places include: city parks, baseball fields, and football fields.

How to Play

1.)   Blind Fetch requires at least 4 people to play.

2.)   Two people to a team (There can be more than 2 teams if desired)

3.)   The “Fetchers” (one from each team) FIRST close their eyes

4.)   THEN the ball or frisbee is thrown out a distance (30 yards or so) by any player that still has their eyes open.

5.)   Next, the count down from 5 to 0

6.)   At 0 the goal is to for each team to work together and fetch the ball first.

7.)   The blind person has to remain blind and should be led to the ball ONLY by verbal directions from his or her partner.

8.)   First team to fetch the ball and return to the starting point (always remaining blind) wins!