As my daughters and I made our way across southern Idaho, Pocatello was meant to be a stop-over on our way to Lava Hot Springs. We knew very little about the town and weren’t expecting too much. What we found, however; was a city of about 50,000 people that was both quaint and modern.
Historic Downtown Pocatello
Our first stop was to the historic district. Beautiful old buildings lined the street. We parked the car and set out to find an alley with murals painted on the walls. They were colorful and fun to look at so we took our time browsing and posing for pictures.
As we turned the corner, I saw a window full of “Alice.” Haha. We did some window shopping in a vinyl shop filled with records and memorabilia, and a small shop selling knickknacks before our stomachs started telling us we needed some lunch.
Thai Paradise Cuisine
We ate at Thai Paradise Cuisine, which was not bad, but also not quite what we were expecting. My daughters ordered Thai iced tea, so they were happy. The proprietress appeared to be working alone: seating guests, taking orders, cooking, and serving. Luckily, perhaps, there weren’t many guests. Although touted as a Thai restaurant, the food was a mixture of Asian food, including satay, pho, potstickers and yakisoba. The restaurant decor consists of wooden tables and chairs, a bright, colorful feel, and a menu brimming with variety. If I were to rate it, I would probably give it a 7 out of 10. It wasn’t the best Thai food I’ve ever eaten, but then Thai food is always good!
Museum of Clean
Our final planned visit was to the Museum of Clean. I was wondering how such a place could be fun, but it turned out to be very entertaining. Established by Don Aslett in the 1980s, the museum contains collections of vintage cleaning supplies, even old vacuum cleaner race cars. The second floor holds kids’ activities and a stage. My kids found some hand puppets on the stage and were filming themselves being… kids.
When we arrived at the museum the manager kindly told us about the founder and the purpose of the museum, and he handed us a list of items to find while we were exploring, a treasure hunt of sorts. There was a lot to see so we spent quite a bit of time looking around before heading for our hotel.
The hotel was an upgrade with many unexpected amenities. We played in the swimming pool for a while to cool off, then set out for a restaurant called Jakers.
Jakers
Jakers was amazing! Little lights twinkled outside. Inside, the warm wooden tables gleamed. Our server was charming, and the restaurant felt warm and inviting. We started with some fries, sprinkled with green onions and gorgonzola cheese. We were hungry, as usual, and the fries vanished in record time.
My daughters ordered burgers and I got a salad. Every dish was as tasty as it was beautiful. I would give this one a 9 out of 10 because it was pretty near perfect but there’s always room for improvement! That meal was the perfect way to end a busy, fun-filled day.
The three of us decided that if we were to move to Idaho, Pocatello would be our first choice!
For more information about Pocatello, Idaho and the destinations in this blog, here are some websites you might find interesting.
About Pocatello on Wikipedia
Museum of Clean: Exemplifying the Idea and Value of Clean
Jakers Bar and Grill in Pocatello
This is a great! I have thought about going to Pocatello a few times.
I had no idea it was going to be of such interest! Do you know that we even drove there one day while we were in Lava Hot Springs, just to eat?? The restaurants in Lava were so crowded that we drove to Pocatello and ate at the Red Robin. LOL
These Gorgonzola fries look absolutely, mouthwateringly awesome! Alice… they stand with her; tiara, battle dress, cyber sword and all? Then they’ve been visited by little Awesome, who told them about his digital, yet often very real friend.
They were very yummy! I got a kick out of that “Alice” sign and I bet your Alice would have been doubly amused. 😀
So cool! I think I drove by Pocatello once! If I’m out that way again I’ll make sure to stop in.
I hope you do! If so, make sure you look at the historic downtown area. I noticed that there is a part of Pocatello that is full of chain stores and restaurants: Home Depot, Red Robin, Starbucks. There’s another part of town, out by the airport, that my daughters called “sketchy.” We had an hotel reservation in that area and cancelled it because we were uncomfortable there. That’s what I meant when I said we had an unexpected hotel upgrade. 😉
Loved the image of the different types of brooms Alice. Almost look like large art tools.
Never been there, never even heard of it, but the way you described it, it sounds like a great place to spend the day.