Meridian sits in the Treasure Valley of southwestern Idaho, just west of Boise, a fast growing city that keeps its parks close. Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park gives residents a lake, trails, and open lawns in the center of town, and Settlers Park preserves open fields and paths on the city's edge. The Boise River Greenbelt, a long riverside trail system, runs nearby, and the foothills to the north frame the valley with high desert ridges. Meridian grew from a farming settlement into Idaho's second largest city, and its neighborhoods keep a practical, family first character.