Idaho Bucket List works to share local gems, support small business

From the crystal clear waters of Blue Heart Springs to the smooth rocks of Black Magic Canyon, it's no secret that Idaho has lots of local gems to explore--and Monica McCue is on a mission to explore them all.

Monica, or Mo to her friends, loves the Gem State. When her now-husband moved here, she was eager to show off all her home state had to offer.

"Idaho is in my blood! It's just such a great place to be and it's so underrated," McCue said. "It was just a lot of fun exploring and after repeating the stories to my coworkers, I thought 'I should just write this down!'"

That's why she started documenting their adventures. Eventually, it turned into the Idaho Bucket List: an online resource for those who want to explore Idaho.

"There are so many things that are right in our backyard, that I never knew existed. I was just blown away," McCue said.

By day, McCue works as an anesthesia tech at the local hospital, but in her free time, Mo and her little family (including one-year-old "potato princess" Bailey) are some of Idaho's biggest adventurers.

"I'm stoked to have her along with our explorations this year. We can't wait to take her kayaking--she's our little potato princess," McCue laughed.

McCue has been running the Idaho Bucket List for several years, but she says she never fails to find something new to explore--especially in Twin Falls.

"A lot of people tell me they've been to Twin and there's not much to here and I say 'Well then you didn't look around,'" McCue said.

Idaho Bucket List is also rooted in supporting local businesses.

McCue says it's a big part of the reason she started the resource in the first place.

"I love to promote locally-owned businesses! That's what our community thrives on, so I love to promote those and Idaho-owned," McCue explained.

McCue has her own little shop where she sells Idaho-themed merch as well. You can check it out here.