Road Trip with Rach to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho!

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is called the playground of the Pacific Northwest for a reason. When I got the chance to visit this gem of a town to attend a wedding, I took it! Coeur d’Alene lies in the panhandle of Idaho, just 40 miles east of Spokane, Washington and 100 miles south of the Canadian border. This beloved town is located on Lake Coeur d’Alene, which was named one of the five most beautiful lakes in the world by National Geographic!  With attractions for all ages, like the world’s longest floating boardwalk, this is a family friendly town.

Visit this popular place to experience the world’s only movable floating green golf course, stunning lakeside celebrity homes, water activities galore, incredible hiking and biking trails and a small downtown that boasts big charm…yep, I have to agree that Coeur d’Alene lives up to it’s nickname. Here is my Road Trip with Rach to Coeur d’Alene segment that aired on the Arizona Daily Mix morning show with more details and links below the video. Take a look!

Why Choose Coeur d’Alene, Idaho For Your Getaway

•   Just a 2 1/2 hour flight to nearby Spokane from Phoenix
•   Scenic lake town with water activities galore 
•   Award winning & unique lodging options
•   World’s Only Moveable Floating Green Golf Course 
•   Small town, big charm
•   Fantastic shopping & dining
•   Incredible hiking & biking 

My Favorite Coeur d’Alene Activities & Recommendations

*Walk the world’s longest floating boardwalk – At 3300 feet long, 12 feet wide and 10 feet deep and with a 60-foot long bridge, the Boardwalk Marina beautifully boasts the longest floating boardwalk in the world and offers fantastic photo opportunities. Plus, the structure sits adjacent to the award-winning Coeur d’Alene Resort and close to the Tubbs Hill hiking trail (see more information about both the resort and trail below). Take a day or evening walk around the wood plank walkway followed by a delicious meal or fun activity that this area abundantly offers.

*Hike Tubbs Hill – Here is another free activity! Located right in the heart of downtown Coeur d’Alene, don’t miss hiking Tubbs Hill. I thoroughly enjoyed the incredibly scenic 2.2 mile interpretive trail loop that fronts Lake Coeur d’Alene. Tubbs Hill is a 165-acre natural park that offers several different hiking paths, all thoroughly enjoyable, consistently marked and stunning to experience. The trail is easy to moderate with a few rocky areas that are a little steep. I spent two hours hiking, taking pictures and walking down one of the extended paths that leads to the waterside beach areas. This is one of my all time favorite hikes. Dog friendly (leash on required) and loved by tourists and locals alike, I highly recommend the Tubbs Hill experience! More details at the Tubbs Hill website.

*Golf at the world’s only moveable floating golf green course – Golf lovers, don’t miss the 18 hole Golf Course at The Coeur d’Alene Resort which sports the world’s only movable floating green! Called the world’s most beautiful resort golf course by Golf Magazine, my family and friends golfed this course and completely agree. A zippy boat ride whisks golfers to the floating green for fun play and incredible photo opps. Regarding the floating green distance, the par 3, 14th Hole distance changes daily to play anywhere from 90 yards from the ladies tee, all the way up to 220 yards from the championship tees. The standard tee will typically play from 140 – 170 yards. Golfers take a maximum of two attempts to land safely on the island before taking a drop on the green if necessary. Want to accompany your golfers, but don’t want to play, pay the $30 spectator fee to enjoy the sights. Must be 10 years old. More details on the Golf Course at The Coeur d’Alene Resort site.

Coeur d’Alene Water Activities 

This is lake town USA, so water activities of all types are aplenty. Here are several popular attractions I noticed during my visit…

*Rent a pontoon boat – For families and friends, a pontoon boat is a great way to explore the lovely lake. Details here at the Premier Pontoon Boat Rentals site.

*Book an afternoon or a meal on a cruise boat – Book a cruise boat for a scenic tour the area, a dinner cruise, Sunday brunch, holiday experience and even chartered private cruise options are available as well. Information and tickets to all of the different cruise options are here on The Coeur d’Alene Cruises site.

*Go flying on a seaplane flight with arial tours of Lake Coeur d’Alene, bays, coves, lakeside homes, the Chain Lakes and the town of Coeur d’Alene. Brooke’s Seaplane is located right off downtown next to The Coeur d’Alene Resort. I wasn’t quite brave enough to do this as small planes make me nervous, but I’m considering it next time! Details at the Brooke’s Seaplane website.

*Play in the lake with water activities like kayaking, water skiing, wake surfing and more are all aplenty on this scenic lake!

Rent a boat and go wake surfing like our crew experienced. So fun!

*Experience Downtown Coeur d’Alene – In the heart of Coeur d’Alene is a small downtown that has big charm. Founded in 1888, this area is perfect for a stroll and stops with over 125 attractions that include delicious restaurants, unique shops, art galleries, bars with live music, farmers markets and more. The inviting streets are lined with lamp posts topped with festive flags and beautiful floral bouquets, fun sculptures and personality plus. Celebrities flock to this town where the locals don’t act star struck. Residents are welcoming and share their passion for living in this pristine area. Tourists come from around the world to experience the beauty of the water, the rugged hiking and biking opportunities and the ambiance of downtown.

Downtown Coeur d’Alene fronts the spacious McEuen Park, the touching Veteran’s Memorial, access to Tubbs Hill and a plethora of all of the lakeside and lake activities described above. It’s all so convenient and oh so lovely!

All of the restaurants are great and my #1 favorite is The Collective Kitchen.

I enjoyed every bite of this salmon entree and every sip of the Vino at Collective Kitchen.

My other favorites include Bear Paw Cookies for all things sweet including the huckleberry ice cream that’s not to be missed. My friend tried and loved Cricket’s for the oysters. Locals recommended Crafted Tap House & Kitchen, Honey Eatery & Social Club and Beverly’s at The Coeur d’Alene Resort for a 5-star dining experience.

Families, be sure to take the kids on the Mudgy Moose Trail, a 2 1/4 mile walk that takes kids on a hunt to help the character, Moose find Millie. With photo worthy stops at five different bronze sculptures, Millie is discovered at the end of the trail. This is a terrific way to take the family out for a free adventure that incorporates exercise and fun!

Get all the details about the downtown Coeur d’Alene experience here.

*Book lodging at the unique and award-winning Coeur d’Alene Accommodations – Many of my pals have stayed in fantastic Airbnb and home rentals in Coeur d’Alene, but I chose to try out several properties to share my best recommendations. They are…

*Stay, spa and golf at The Coeur d’Alene Resort – The Coeur d’Alene Luxury Golf & Spa Resort lives up to its name with the critically acclaimed floating green golf course (see move above), 5-star dining, resort boutique shops, the Pacific Northwest’s largest wine cellar and the perfect spa that ranks as one of the top resort spas in America on the Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List. I experienced the spa myself and I agree! Plus, the property includes a boat marina with access to rentals, seaplane flights, hiking, downtown and so much more (all described above). As a wedding guest, I fully enjoyed staying at this property that pretty much has everything. More information and reservations here at this link.

*Experience an historic bed & breakfast at The Roosevelt Inn – The Roosevelt Inn was once the Roosevelt School so a former student purchased the property and restored it to be a charming bed and breakfast! Keeping with the property’s historic roots, owners Tina and John Hough have preserved this gem to give guests a glimpse of the school building’s past (I dig the original school desks that grace the entrance) with a restored vibe. My pal stayed in the Bell Tower Room, which has its own set of stairs (right there in the actual hotel room!) that lead up to the original bell tower. She enjoyed wine in the evenings and coffee in the morning from that perch. The Roosevelt Inn was converted in 1994 from what was once a 4-room school house to now a special lodging option that offers guests 14 rooms and suites and of course, a delicious breakfast each morning. Rates and reservations information is here at this link.

*Stay a while at the TownePlace Suites Coeur d’Alene – I stayed at the brand new Marriott property, the TownPlace Suites Coeur d’Alene and this hotel is perfect for families and/or an extended stay. Each room includes a nicely appointed functioning kitchenette and a hot complimentary breakfast in the lobby area. My full review of this property coming soon.

There is so much more to do in Coeur d’Alene that I didn’t get to cover including fabulous holiday events. Have you been to this gem of a town? If so, share your favorite things about Coeur d’Alene in the comments section and happy travels!