I love visiting Spokane partly because it's such a great base for exploring all the nearby areas. Whether you want to hike around scenic waterfalls or relax on Lake Coeur d'Alene, here are some great ideas that I discovered over the years.
Best Day Trips from Spokane:
1. Experience the Route of the Hiawatha
Rating: ★★★★★
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 about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Spokane.
I was interested to learn that 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.
In the 1980s, the route was purchased by the Lookout Pass Ski Area and converted into a passenger trail, named for the route's famed Hiawatha trains.
Today, you can explore the route on foot or bike, which stretches between Avery and nearby St. Regis, Montana. You get to pass through 10 tunnels which are located along the route, along with seven train trestles. After exploring, you can stay at the lovely skiing lodge at Lookout Pass, which showcases delicious restaurants and luxurious amenities.
2. Visit the Kennewick Downtown District
Another great day trip idea is about 2 hours in 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.
If you decide to stay overnight, you can see Broadway musicals, big-name concert acts, and major sporting events at the Kennewick Three Rivers Entertainment District's Toyota Center.
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 when you get hungry.
During the summer and autumn months, pick up a snack at the outdoor markets which sell produce and artisan wares at the city's parks and downtown streets.
You can plan a hike on the Nelson-Salmo Great Northern Trail or ski at the Whitewater Ski Resort.
4. Visit iconic landmarks in Seattle
Don't forget Seattle, a city that needs no introduction. You can enjoy Seattle restaurants and unique diverse museums on your day out.
You 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.
If you are going on a day trip with kids, head to the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, and the historic Pike Place Market, known as the birthplace of Starbucks.
5. Relax by the lake in Sandpoint
Sandpoint is a fun adventure city in northern Idaho, located along the banks of picturesque Lake Pend Oreille.
You can join one of the local tours, hike in Farragut State Park, and stroll through the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Arboretum on a sunny day.
You 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.
Each year, the city hosts the eight-day Festival at Sandpoint music fest.
Romantic Day Trips from Spokane:
6. Hike in Colville National Forest
If you are interested in a camping trip from Spokane, Colville National Forest is a veritable camper's paradise, offering primitive camping experiences throughout its stunning dry ponderosa pine and high-country subalpine fir forest habitats.
You 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 you 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.
You can enjoy excellent opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling at the forest.
Colville, WA 99114, Phone: 509-684-7000
7. See dramatic cliffs at Dry Falls
I enjoyed the Dry Falls Visitor Center which 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, you can enjoy opportunities for boating, golfing, wildlife watching, and hiking along more than 15 miles of trails.
You you know that Dry Falls is home to the remains of the world's largest waterfall? Once upon a time, it 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 which is a must see.
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, you can observe one of the Pacific Northwest's most unique cavern landscapes, home to impressive stalagmites, stalactites, rimstone pools, and flowstone.
Join a guided tour detailing the history and geology of the 500-million-year-old cavern.
If you are interested, 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
Family Day Trips from Spokane:
9. Grand Coulee Dam
Check out the Grand Coulee Dam, 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.
You 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.
Go on a guided shuttle tour of the dam's third powerplant, 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 which is very cool!!
I stayed overnight at Columbia River Inn after watching the laser light show.
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.
Together, the three forests stretch over a 3.2 million acre sect of land, extending into nearby Montana and Canada at some points. You 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.
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