Stay in Coeur D'Alene or Travel to Somewhere Nearby? (Post Falls: rent, hotel)

[Mcal1633]

My girlfriend and I will be flying into Spokane and traveling to Coeur D'Alene in late June. We plan to stay longer for a vacation, but am wondering if there are other towns or areas worth looking into nearby within a couple hours. I'm an outdoor enthusiast, so anything in the mountains is appealing (hiking, biking, etc.) as well as some dining options and fun & unique/guided activities (e.g. zip lining, horseback riding, rafting, etc.).

Are there other towns or spots (or perhaps more affordable areas) worth looking into? Or is Coeur D'Alene a great spot to visit and explore?

Thanks!

[fearnofish]

Coeur d'Alene is a good option. Just do your research on the motel you pick and find the best deal at the time.

If you want to get out fishing contact Fins and Feathers 208-667-9304 or http://https://www.facebook.com/Fins...68832/timeline
They are catching some nice salmon on Lake Coeur d'Alene now and it would be a great experience. This is one from the other day.

[LS35a]

Rathdrum is nothing. Post Falls is kind of nothing, a bedroom community for Spokane.

I've never been but I hear Wallace is kind of touristy and has some historical points of interest. I know this - it's east of CDA and the scenery east of CDA is breathtaking.

[Publius4]

Head north on 95 from CDA about 45 minutes to Sandpoint. There is a lot of outdoor recreation in the area. Sandpoint is on the northwest tip of the Lake Pend O'Reille (5th deepest lake in the country). The drive into Sandpoint over the lake is one of the best scenic experiences in the panhandle. There are plenty of restaurant options in Sandpoint as well. If you are coming at the end of June you might catch the Schweitzer mountain summer fest where you can get a free lift ticket to the summit. Unbeatable view from the summit.

If you are staying in CDA, I recommend the Sprint Hill Suites in seltice way. The hotel is about 2.5 years old so it's in real nice condition. Real modern, clean rooms. They are a little pricey though. For a little less money, go next door to the holiday inn express.

[Cnynrat]

I think that's Spring Hill Suites on Seltice Way. We stayed there for a night on our last visit. It's a nice place and conveniently located. As Publius mentioned, it's pretty new. Spring Hill is a Marriott property, and I had tons of Marriott points from all my business travel, so I can't comment on the cost.

Dave

[Publius4]

Yes, you are correct Dave. Spring Hill suites. Pardon the typo.

[beachrunner]

Not from the area (mostly lurk here, since I like all the pictures...hope to visit some day), but you might want to check out the Priest Lake area Priest Lake | Quite Possibly Heaven on Earth | Seattle Bloggers

No affiliation, but these pictures have made me want to visit/explore the area Craig Goodwin

[case42so]

I recommend staying at the Log Spirit B&B in Athol. It is about half way between CDA and Sandpoint. B&B's are a great way to actually learn what locals think about where they live. If you want to be near Sandpoint, the Lodge at Sandpoint is a nice place to stay in June. It is on the water right at the south end of the long bridge.

[devosays]

If you are just in town for a few days stay in downtown CDA and visit Sandpoint and Wallace, anything in between is great too for a visit, try Bayview too. Avoid Rathdrum and any place that is in the valley, they are all the same and suburbia, flat and boring, although if you live here they are nice places to look into for raising a family, maybe not Rathdrum, lots of negatives there with the positives I am sure. Head south to Harrison on the lake to the southeast and the trail of CDA, a great biking experience! Try St Maries for a small town appeal or Priest lake for a get away to the real north country. Hell, you can't go wrong almost anywhere, just keep it simple and go!

[volosong]

You mentioned biking. Take the 95 south to Plummer, the westernmost trailhead for the "Trails of the Coeur d'Alenes". It's an excellent, paved and well maintained rails-to-trails bike path that drops down the hill from Plummer to Lake Coeur d'Alene and continues along the lake front to Harrison. From there, it heads east along the Coeur d'Alene river to Caltado and I-90. (I've not ridden east of Caltado, but I understand it continues to, and into Montana.)

From Plummer to Harrison is a nice afternoon ride. Be sure to grab an ice cream at Harrison Creamery and Fudge Factory before heading back to Plummer. You can grab a made-to-order sandwich at Harrison Trading Company and eat it in the park across the street.

Fair warning! You'll be grinding up the grade from the lake to Plummer the last five miles or so. It's not all that steep, but it is unrelenting. There's plenty of shade, and if you're lucky, you can race a train up the grade on the other side of the canyon, (we won, but I think that was only because it stopped near the top for some reason.)

Another worthwhile ride is the "Trail of the Hiawatha". I have not done that one yet, but understand it is more appropriate for gravel grinder bikes rather than road bikes. MTB would be fine too. The pictures show it to be a spectacular ride. There is a minimal fee on the Hiawatha trail. The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is free.

Another nice ride I took last year was a ride around Hayden Lake. A lot of 'up and down' around the lake, but a really scenic ride. Water is available at Honeysuckle Beach, but the ride is short enough that you'll probably not need to top off. You can start pretty much anywhere for that ride, (I started from my hotel).

The Centennial Trail is also available, running from CdA to Spokane. A lot if it parallels I-90, so it is not as nice of an experience as the Trail of the CdA's or the Hiawatha Trail. It is heavily traveled during commuter hours. Still, it is nice to have another dedicated, off-road bike path. I must say that the last time I rode the Centennial Trail, it was much better maintained on the Washington side of the border than on the Idaho side. A lot of root cracks in the pavement on the Idaho side. Much of the Washington side is away from the freeway and parallels the river.

I do not know from where you can rent appropriate bicycles. I always bring my own.