Though both places preexisted Sun Valley, the two old mining and sheep-ranching towns of Ketchum and Hailey have more or less lost themselves in the upmarket resort aura of their famous neighbor. Ketchum (pop. 3,873), the more touristy of the two, has wall-to-wall art galleries and T-shirt shops lining its traffic-jammed streets. It also supports dozens of very expensive resort hotels and restaurants that cater to Sun Valley’s country club set, plus a handful of more interesting and affordable places along Main Street. Whiskey Jacques’ (208/726-5297), at 251 N. Main Street, serves good pizzas and has frequent live music. The Harley-friendly Casino (208/726-9901) is a local institution, serving beers and burgers in one of Ketchum’s oldest buildings at 220 N. Main Street. There’s a very good coffeehouse, Java on Fourth, a block west of Main Street at 191 4th Street.

  Most central and affordable of Ketchum’s accommodations is the Bald Mountain Lodge ($65 and up; 208/726-9963 or 800/892-7407), a rustic former hot springs resort at 151 S. Main Street. For more listings, stop by the handy visitors bureau (208/726-3423 or 800/634-3347) at 4th and Main.