Pre-Trip Fun for Sun Valley, Idaho

"Napoleon Dynamite" -- Filmed in and around Preston, Idaho, this comedy has a huge following among tweens and teens. (Teens)

"Sun Valley Serenade" -- This 1941 film stars Olympic figure skating champion Sonja Henie, with spectacular scenes of the resort itself. (School-aged kids)

"Pale Rider" -- Clint Eastwood is a nameless preacher in this film, protecting the panners of a poor town from greedy miners. Primarily filmed in the Sawtooth mountains just north of Sun Valley, the scenic shots are breathtaking. (Teens)

Potatoes! -- Mashed, baked, fried, even raw, potatoes are hands down Idaho's favorite food.

Peppermint Patties -- Easy to make, even with the smallest children. Make the dough ahead of time if kids just want to do the fun (messy) part.

"P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet" by Stan Steiner -- Explores the lush land and treasures of Idaho, from the Appaloosa Steed to the Zinc Mines. (Preschool)

"Outlaw Tales of Idaho: True Stories of the Gem State's Most Infamous Crooks, Culprits, and Cutthroats" by Randy Stapilus -- Older kids will love reading these true stories about real life desperadoes of the wild, wild west. (Tweens and teens)

"For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway -- Hemingway wrote the last half of his greatest novel in room 206 of the Sun Valley Lodge. He liked Sun Valley so much, he stayed, and became a part-time resident of nearby Ketchum for the next 20 years. (Teens and adults)

Potato Faces -- Cut a potato shape from a brown paper grocery bag. Decorate it with features cut from construction paper to make a cute potato head.

Picabo Sweet -- Use candy and creativity to make a downhill skier in the likeness of one of Idaho's most famous natives -- professional skier Picabo Street.