Day Trips from Spokane, WA

1. Experience the Route of the Hiawatha

The Route of the Hiawatha is a fantastic experience, one of the American West's most scenic railroad route stretches! The 15-mile hiking and mountain biking trail is located near the city of Avery, Idaho. The historic railroad was the first American route to use electric locomotives during the early 20th century, extending through Idaho and Montana's Bitterroot Mountains region. Following the line's bankruptcy and abandonment in 1980, its route was purchased by the Lookout Pass Ski Area and converted into a passenger trail, named for the route's famed Hiawatha trains. Today, visitors can explore the route on foot or bike, which stretches between Avery and nearby St. Regis, Montana. 10 tunnels are located along the route, along with seven train trestles. After exploring, hikers can stay at the lovely skiing lodge at Lookout Pass, which showcases delicious restaurants and luxurious amenities. The route traverses the historic Milwaukee Road.

2. Visit the Kennewick Downtown District

Head to Kennewick which is a great jumping-off point for exploring the famed Lewis and Clark Trail. The downtown district is great if you like shopping, art galleries, breweries and wine bars. Kennewick is the largest community in Washington State's Tri-Cities region, located along the southwestern banks of the beautiful Columbia River near its confluence with the Yakima and Snake Rivers. The city serves as a great jumping-off point for exploring the famed Lewis and Clark Trail, which follows the route of the explorers' famed 1804-1806 journey through the newly-acquired Louisiana Territory to the Pacific Coast in Washington. Its downtown district is undergoing a rebirth transformation, home today to many specialty boutiques, art galleries, breweries and wine bars, and upscale dining destinations within its renovated historic buildings. Visitors can see Broadway musicals, big-name concert acts, and major sporting events at the Kennewick Three Rivers Entertainment District's Toyota Center. Other attractions include the fully-restored century-old Gesa Carousel of Dreams and the city's 9/11 Memorial, constructed with steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center wreckage.

3. Cross the Border and Check out Nelson, B.C.

If you don't mind crossing the border, Nelson is a lovely city set within the Selkirk Mountain range in B.C. Explore the town's beautiful restored heritage buildings, which date back to the area's 19th-century silver rush. There are some great art galleries in town as well. Marzano and Louie's Steakhouse serve great food. Nelson is located along the extreme West Arm of beautiful Kootenay Lake in British Columbia's Southern Interior region. The picturesque city is known as the "Queen City," named as Canada's top small-town arts community for its high concentration of artists and writers. During the summer and autumn months, several regular outdoor markets sell produce and artisan wares at the city's parks and downtown streets. The town is also known as a paradise for outdoor activities, ranging from hiking on the Nelson-Salmo Great Northern Trail to skiing at the Whitewater Ski Resort.

4. Seattle

Seattle is a city that needs no introduction. You can enjoy Seattle restaurants and unique diverse museums on your day out. Seattle is the Pacific Northwest's largest city, located along the banks of the scenic Puget Sound in western Washington State. The city is known throughout the world as a major mecca for technology, innovation, and independent music, launching the careers of internationally-recognized rock bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and the Foo Fighters throughout the early 1990s. Visitors can ascend to the top of the city's iconic Space Needle, a leftover of the 1962 World's Fair, or ride the Seattle Great Wheel, one of the United States' largest observation wheels. Cultural attractions include the unique Museum of Pop Culture, the family-friendly Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo, and the historic Pike Place Market, known as the birthplace of Starbucks. Nearby, numerous park access points offer hiking experiences throughout the picturesque peaks of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains.

5. Sandpoint

Sandpoint is a fun adventure city in northern Idaho, located along the banks of picturesque Lake Pend Oreille. Activities include river floating and hiking in Farragut State Park. You can enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Arboretum on a sunny day. The town was named as America's most beautiful small town by Rand McNally and USA Today, nestled at the confluence of three mountain ranges at the foot of the lovely Schweitzer Mountain ski resort. Visitors can enjoy year-round opportunities for skiing, biking, and hiking at the resort or swim at the lovely Green Bay swimming hole, which showcases crystal-clear waters and rock-lined shores. River floating experiences are offered along the Pack River, while a frisbee golf course is located within Farragut State Park. Other attractions include the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Arboretum and the Bonner County History Museum. Each year, the city hosts the eight-day Festival at Sandpoint music fest.

6. Colville National Forest

The forest, which spans over 1.1 million acres, is a veritable camper's paradise, offering primitive camping experiences throughout its stunning dry ponderosa pine and high-country subalpine fir forest habitats. Colville National Forest is a beautiful United States National Forest in northeastern Washington, located adjacent to the Kaniksu and Okanogan National Forests in Colville. Visitors can set up camp along the banks of the beautiful streams of the Kettle Range or choose a place to pitch their tent within the picturesque Salmo-Priest Wilderness Area. 28 developed campground areas are also offered closer to the city center of Colville. Interpretive trails throughout the park tell the tale of logging and mining activities within the forest throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, while preserved archaeological sites near the Pend Oreille River showcase the culture of the region's indigenous people. Visitors can enjoy excellent opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling throughout the year at the forest.

Colville, WA 99114, Phone: 509-684-7000

7. Dry Falls

The Dry Falls Visitor Center showcases exhibits related to the region's Ice Age geology and early human history.

Observe the chasm from the historic Vista House Overlook and imagine how impressive the falls must have looked when they were rushing with water millennia ago. Throughout Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park, visitors can enjoy opportunities for boating, golfing, wildlife watching, and hiking along more than 15 miles of trails. Dry Falls is home to the remains of the world's largest waterfall, which once tumbled down three miles of cliffs and flowed with the power of more water than all of the world's rivers combined. The 3.5-mile basalt chasm showcases a drop of 400 feet, which has been dry since the final flooding of the last Ice Age. It is located within Washington State's Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park and serves as a stop along the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

34875 Park Lake Road NE, Coulee City, WA 99115, Phone: 509-632-5214

8. Crawford State Park Heritage Site

Stop for a picnic lunch at the Crawford State Park Heritage Site, a lovely 40-acre day-use park that is anchored around stunning Gardner Cave, originally hailed as one of the Pacific Northwest's great natural wonders when it was first surveyed in 1911. The cave, which is one of Washington State's longest caves, stretches for approximately 2,072 feet in length and runs 295 feet across. Inside the cave, visitors can observe one of the Pacific Northwest's most unique cavern landscapes, home to impressive stalagmites, stalactites, rimstone pools, and flowstone. Guided tours are available for up to 25 participants, detailing the history and geology of the 500-million-year-old cavern. 10 day-use picnic sites are offered at the park near the cave's entrance, including sites along the United States-Canada border.

10381 Boundary Rd, Metaline Falls, WA 99152, Phone: 509-446-4065

9. Grand Coulee Dam

Grand Coulee Dam is an impressive architectural feat along the Columbia River in Washington State, originally constructed between 1933 and 1942 to create hydroelectric power and provide irrigation water. Visitors can observe historical photos of the dam or view turbine models and geological samples at the dam's visitor center. Today, its three powerhouses have brought its production capacity up to 6,809 megawatts, making it the largest power station in the United States. Guided shuttle tours of the dam's third powerplant are offered periodically, lasting approximately one hour. Since 1989, the dam has presented a free nightly laser light show on its walls every evening throughout the summer months.

10. Idaho Panhandle National Forests

View native wildlife like grizzly and black bears, timber wolves, mule deer, river otters, elk, and moose, along with many native and migratory bird species at Idaho Panhandle National Forests. protect three national forest sects within Idaho's Panhandle region, created as a unit of the National Park Service in 2000 to oversee the administration of the Kaniksu, St. Joe, and Coeur d'Alene National Forests. Together, the three forests stretch over a 3.2 million acre sect of land, extending into nearby Montana and Canada at some points. Beautiful evergreen forests blanket the region, home to quaint forest villages, soaring mountain peaks, and some of the Pacific Northwest's most pristine deep blue lakes. Visitors can explore abandoned mining towns, hike along backcountry trails, or enjoy some of the world's best fishing opportunities at areas like Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille, and Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Phone: 208-765-7223