Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

[dustted]

Planning a trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in late September & need vacation ideas, as we have never been there. We are flying into Spokane & staying in a rental house on the Lake Coeur d'Alene. Any suggestions for sight seeing, things to do, restaurants, fishing guides, etc.?

[ptb]

Hi dustted: I spent a couple of weeks there last summer. As you make the short drive from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene, stop at the welcome center and you can pick up maps, hiking trail ideas etc. All the restaurants are right there in town and easy to find. It'll be getting chilly by late September - so dress accordingly! There's a beautiful trail from from the Lake which you must do called Tubbs Hill which gives you great views of the lake. Another called Caribou Ridge where the vistas are worth the walk. North form Coeur d'Alene is Lake Pend Oreille -- we took a boat cruise on that lake which was quite nice. Right near Lake Pend Oreille, is Schweitzer Mountain -- the ski area. You can take the lift up for some nice views -- and if you're a hiker, you can walk down (if not, just ride the lift down)!

[ptb]

Dustted: I almost forgot to tell you about the most amazing thing of all -- about an hour east of CdA near or just over the Montana line, is a bike ride called the Route of the Hiawatha Trail. This is a rails-to-trails conversion so it's quite flat and not a difficult ride. But it's some of the most remote and stunning scenery you can imagine. It'll be even chillier over there than in CdA. I was so amazed by it that had I been alone I think I would have gone back and ridden it again the next day!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum. I really like Sandpoint, in particular the concerts at the park, but they will done by then.

I'll be back later -- gotta leave the office.