Cute Idaho Town Named the Best for Main Street Shopping in the State

We’ll never understand why more Hallmark movies aren’t set in Idaho. There are so many charming small towns full of charming little shops that would make the perfect backdrop for the big city girl falling in for the hunky small town guy. 

There really is something adorably romantic about going shopping on a quaint main street and you probably feel like you’re in your own Hallmark movie when you do it. A national publication went searching for towns across America that give you that warm fuzzy feeling and put together a list of the “Best ‘Main Street’ Shopping Districts in All 50 States.” Which Idaho town stood out to Cheapism? 

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Not the one that we immediately thought of! In order to make their list, towns had to have a population of less than 90,000 which would’ve made our choice eligible for the list. We honestly thought it would’ve been Downtown Coeur d’Alene. If you’re staying at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, your shopping trip starts right on the property at the Resort Plaza Shops, From outdoorsy shops like Finan McDonald, boutiques like Santosha and Figpickles Toy Emporium, a toy store that’s equally fun for both kids and adults, there’s something for everyone in there.

Once you wander into Downtown Coeur d’Alene you have 125 stores, restaurants and professional businesses to visit and almost every single one of the main streets takes you to a beach along the lake or a park. 

Plus, CDA is the one Idaho town that WAS featured in a Christmas movie! The movie didn’t air on Hallmark Channel. It was aired on rival GAC, but all of those movies are so similar. A Match Made at Christmas featured scenes shot at Collective Kitchen, Blackwell Hotel, Castaway Fly Fishing Shop and Fort Sherman Chapel in Coeur d’Alene plus The Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center in Post Falls. 

So, if Cheapism didn’t pick CDA, who did they pick? A small town that attracts some big names. In fact, Bruce Willis basically tried to buy the town back in the ‘90s. His ex, Demi Moore, still has property there. Yup, they picked Hailey. In doing they said: 

Hailey is a quintessentially scenic Western town of about 9,100, and among the state's most historically significant. The center of town is crowded with landmarks, along with restaurants, shops, and boutiques. At the Hailey Holiday Market, a two-day event, local artists and artisans sell crafts, food, and gifts.

Based on your travels, do you agree with the pick? We’ll be completely honest. We’ve spent more time in Downtown Coeur d’Alene than Hailey. And McCall’s one of our favorite places in the state, so we would’ve thrown Downtown McCall into the mix too!