Have a craving for hot soup or cool art? You can find it all, and more, in the West End.

The Times-News is sending reporters to all corners of the valley to scout for prime get-out-and-do spots. Melissa Davlin scoured Buhl, Hagerman and Filer to find fun things to do - even in the winter months, when many would rather stay inside.

So get off the couch and discover what Magic Valley's West End has to offer.

Our "Get Out" series will run every Sunday through Feb. 17, and each week we'll give you the lowdown on attractions in a different area of south-central Idaho. Next week, keep an eye out for Ariel Hansen's picks in Wood River Valley.

Buhl Hotel

The second floor of the Buhl West End Senior Citizen Center hides the historical Buhl Hotel. You can't just wander upstairs by yourself, but you can request a guide to lead you through.

Follow your guide up the steep, solid-wood steps and into the dim hallway. You can almost hear the guests who kept the hotel alive from its opening in 1927 to its closure in the '70s.

Each room is painted a different vivid color. One room's bright tangerine walls contrast with the next room's lavender. Stories of bank robbers and ghost hunters give life to the tour.

Because the senior center doesn't have the resources to restore the building, the second and third floors are unfortunately unkempt. The floor is littered with piles of debris and a few unlucky pigeons that found their way into the building, but couldn't get back out. Don't be intimidated - the dirt adds to the tour's charm.

Once downstairs, take the old elevator to the basement and see the tunnel under Main Street. According to the guide, Buhl had an entire system of tunnels under the streets. Now, the tunnel leads only to storage for the senior center, but visitors can easily imagine what it looked like 70 years ago.

It's a fun, unusual way to kill half an hour and a great way to connect with the area's history.

Get there: 1004 Main St., Buhl.

Hours: Call 543-4577 for a reservation. Best times: 1 to 3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday.

Cost: A tour is free, but donations to the senior center are welcome - and deserved - for the tour guides.

Don't forget: A light jacket. There's no electricity or heat in the hotel.

- Melissa Davlin

Cosmic Jolt, Buhl

This quirky little coffee shop is a welcoming stop in downtown Buhl. Cosmic Jolt not only serves warm drinks, but cooks up breakfasts, hot sandwiches and soup.

Grub isn't the only thing that draws patrons. Bookshelves packed with old paperbacks and superhero memorabilia line the walls. Customers can sit in the shop and read or take a book home for 50 cents or a trade.

Another draw: the friendly atmosphere. The cook jokes with customers, the owner jokes with the cook, the customers joke with each other. The environment is just as warm and welcoming as the steaming bowls of tomato bisque.

Get there: 120 Broadway Ave. S., Buhl.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Cost: Drinks range from $1.50 to $3.50. A loaded omelette with toast will put you out a mere $6; you can get one at lunchtime if you sweet-talk the chef. Used paperbacks are 50 cents.

Don't miss: The 20-ounce raspberry smoothie for $3.50. Yes, it's made with syrup and half-and-half, but those are two real red raspberries atop the whipped cream garnish. This thick smoothie will fill you up.

- Melissa Davlin

Niagara Springs State Park

Get some fresh air and get out to Niagara Springs State Park, part of the Thousand Springs Complex near Hagerman.

As you cross a grate before entering the park, look to the left and see the shockingly beautiful springs flowing out of the Snake River Canyon walls. There's a tiny parking area within a quick walk of the falls.

Enter the park and drive past the bright blue river. If you're brave, venture out into the freezing wind and enjoy the amenities. Picnic areas are available at the park, and fishing is open year-round. If the weather's nasty, though, stay inside the warm car and just enjoy the view.

Caution: The steep dirt road into the canyon isn't recommended for motor homes or trucks pulling trailers and is best avoided by everyone in bad weather.

Get there: From Interstate 84, take exit 157 for Wendell. Travel south on Idaho Highway 46/Rex Leland Highway for 6 1/2 miles. When the road curves to the left and drops into the canyon, you're there.

Hours: Gates to the park are open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Visitors can see Niagara Springs, which lies outside the park, for free. You'll pay $4 per car to enter the park.

Don't forget: A thermos of hot chocolate and a camera.

- Melissa Davlin

Eighth Street Center, Buhl

The Eighth Street Center, popular for hosting events and wedding receptions, houses the gallery for the Buhl Arts Council. Visitors are welcome to wander in during gallery hours and take their time absorbing the works of talented local artists. In the middle of the day, the gallery is empty and quiet, inviting visitors to pause and reflect on the art instead of rushing through. The renovated former church's architecture is worth attention, too.

Exhibits rotate every couple of months. Until the end of February, Jackie Plastino's photos from Argentina grace the event center's walls.

Get there: 200 N. Eighth St., Buhl. The art gallery is right inside the front doors.

Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Cost: Free to view the exhibit. Plastino's photos cost around $75 to $175, and paintings in the foyer are more expensive.

Don't miss: Pause momentarily and observe the way sunlight filters into the building. It's a calm, serene place - perfect for an art gallery.

- Melissa Davlin

Hagerman Fossil Beds visitor center

A replica of a Hagerman horse's fossilized skeleton greets you at the visitor center for Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. Pose for pictures with the horse and make your way around the room for an archeological tour of southern Idaho's ancient history, including a 4 million-year-old turtle shell protected by glass.

Except for the turtle, most of the exhibits are replicas instead of fossils. Children are encouraged to explore and learn with their hands. A raised sand bed hides fake fossils for children to uncover, and fake mastodon skulls invite tiny hands to touch. (Resist the urge to touch the fragile Hagerman horse, though - it's against the rules.)

Don't just read about the exhibits, though. Ask questions and learn about the history of the Hagerman horse. For example, the fossils were first excavated by Smithsonian scientists and taken back to their labs in Washington, D.C. When Hagerman researchers demanded the fossils back, the Smithsonian refused - it had done all the work and wasn't about to give them up. These tidbits and more give new life to the dusty fossils.

The center is also the temporary home of the Minidoka Internment National Monument exhibit. Trace the history of the camp, which interned Japanese Americans during World War II, through photos and brief explanations on the walls.

Get there: 221 N. State St., Hagerman

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, through May.

Cost: Free.

Don't miss: A conversation with the park ranger on duty. Hit the ranger up for scoops on upcoming programs at the monument and fun things to do in the area.

- Melissa Davlin

Cedar Lanes, Filer

Cedar Lanes Bowling Alley may just be the hippest place to bowl in Magic Valley. The funky purple walls, the great food, the satellite radio, the air hockey and, oh yeah, the bowling make Cedar Lanes a great place to spend a winter afternoon.

Absent are the musty smells of old cigarette smoke and chalk. Cedar Lanes, which eliminated smoking before the 2007 bowling alley smoke ban, smells more like a restaurant. Aromas of pepperoni and relish fill the air and invite bowlers to the snack bar. Load up on curly fries or split a large pizza with your friends, then hit the lanes.

If you want to shake things up, visit Cedar Lanes on a Friday or Saturday night for Spectro Bowling. Black lights illuminate the pins and make for a great family outing or a fun date.

Get there: 405 U.S. Highway 30, Filer.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Spectro Bowling is 10 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, plus 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Cost: Open bowl is $3.50 per game. Shoe rental is $2.50. Spectro Bowling is $12 for two hours of unlimited bowling and includes shoe rental.

Don't forget: Call and check league times before showing up. Different leagues bowl at various times, so make sure there will be an available lane before heading to Filer.

- Melissa Davlin