How to Get Connected in Idaho Falls, ID

iStock.com/Sanghwan Kim

If you’re looking how to get connected in Idaho Falls, ID, then get to know these high school sweethearts. Brady Bloxham and his wife grew up in Idaho, but after college, the pair moved all over the country, living in cities like Annapolis, Maryland, San Antonio and near Salt Lake City. But they wanted their children to have an upbringing similar to their own, with more space to explore and a slower pace of life.

The couple and their five children – ages 18, 15, 12, 8, and 6 – went from a house with a quarter-acre yard to a 10-acre property in Idaho Falls.

“I think having more space and more of a rural upbringing similar to what we had was a big appeal. We have family in the area, which was also a draw to come back to Idaho,” Bloxham says. “There’s a saying ‘You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy,’ and being back in the countryside with some acreage and providing that lifestyle to my kids as they’re growing up was ultimately what drew us back.”

Bloxham shares how he and his family got connected in Idaho Falls, what groups they became a part of both personally and professionally, what that process was like, and advice they have for newcomers.

What was the transition process like for your family, moving to Idaho Falls from a bigger city?
There wasn’t much of an adjustment for my wife and me moving to Idaho, but the biggest adjustment was for our kids, moving from an area that was more of a city to an area with acreage where we can ride dirt bikes and four-wheelers and go play paintball outside.

Along with all that fun stuff comes a lot more work, from mowing a small grass yard to mowing a yard that’s probably one acre, along with all the other chores to do around the property was an adjustment for them.

But ultimately, they really enjoy the benefits of the lifestyle.

What groups did you get involved with locally to build community when you first got there?
We’re involved in our church, and that introduced us to a lot of great people. In addition to that, it just so happened that the office that I rented was in downtown Idaho Falls, and I crossed paths with Teresa McKnight, the CEO of REDI (Regional Economic Development for Eastern Idaho).

We got to talking, and she ultimately invited me to a cybersecurity group for people in Eastern Idaho, which gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of great people in my field. That was a gateway to conferences and meeting more people. Teresa puts together these small groups she calls “alliances” in different industries so that people can get to know each other and share knowledge and information.

What were some of the things you did when you first moved to Idaho Falls to explore your new town?
I’m kind of a foodie, so I’ll go online and look for restaurants with high reviews, and my wife and I will go on dates and experiment with different restaurants in the area. So far, we’ve actually found some pretty good Thai and Indian restaurants, and we have a great sushi restaurant, so that’s been fun!

What kind of volunteer opportunities would you suggest to people who are moving to the area?
I think one thing that helped me was volunteering at our kids’ schools. I’ve had the opportunity to go in on a couple of different occasions to talk to students. They have what’s called a “Game of Life” day, where people go in and talk about their careers, and the kids choose a career and navigate through things like homeownership or the stock market and learn about life.

It was a great experience because I met other parents. Even at small events, you never know what kind of big things can happen just from meeting people. Over time, it just snowballs. Our real estate agent ended up becoming a good friend, too, and he’s very well-connected in the community and has connected me with lots of people socially.