Where To Play Bocce Ball in Boise, Idaho
Updated October 20, 2020
Every bocce ball player needs a cool bocce shirt.
Boise, Land of Bocce
Bocce Ball has been a popular sport in Boise for years, proven by the fact that there is a book on the history of bocce in the area - add it to your non-fiction reading queue!
Buy your own bocce ball set and play anywhere!
Some like to play bocce in the sunshine, but in Boise, you can also play bocce at night with glow in the dark bocce ball leagues, available in doubles and singles divisions. Check out these night time bocce players in action:
In addition to casual play in several city parks, Boise has a few Bocce Ball leagues to choose from. Check Game Day Sports for seasonal leagues, which have typically been on Wednesday nights. Teams from the Italian American Club compete on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the Idaho Bocce Ball Club.
Outdoor Courts
MUNICIPAL PARK
Municipal Park is situated along the Boise River with picnic sites and a bocce ball court available by reservation or on a first-come first-bocce basis. This park is part of the Boise River Greenbelt, and also houses the Morrison Knudson Nature Center.
JULIA DAVIS PARK
Lou Picotti, president of the American Italian Culture Foundation and owner of Capital Sports, funded the construction of bocce courts in Julia Davis Park with his wife Anne. The courts are near shelter #1 east of the zoo, and are available on a drop-in basis. These courts not only meet U.S. Bocce Federation Guidelines, they are filled with crushed oyster shells. The shells are the traditional material used in Italy and are meant to protect the integrity of the 2-pound 4.5” diameter bocce balls.
ANN MORRISON PARK
Ann Morrison Park has two United States Bocce Federation (USBF) regulation size courts located between to the softball field and disc golf courses. The Idaho Bocce Ball Club hosts a bocce league on Wednesday nights in Ann Morison Park. Check out their Facebook page or Meetup group for updates.
Watch out for the ‘Bocce Bombers.’
JULIUS M. KLEINER MEMORIAL PARK
When in Meridian, bring your bocce balls to Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park. Courts available near the basketball and sand volleyball courts.
THE RIVERSIDE HOTEL
Petanque is the French version of Italian bocce ball. Players throw the cochonnet (meaning little piglet) to determine the target, and the closest boules (balls) from each team score points. The winner reaches 13 points first. The Riverside Hotel has a Petanque court for guests