How would Sandpoint be for a family vacation with young kids? (Coeur d'Alene: real estate, rentals)

[Rocky_Mtn_Expat]

As a personal disclosure, the only times I've ever been to Idaho have been on road trips, and even then it's just been cruising through the southern part of the state (and one afternoon bumming around Coeur D'Alene). I grew up in metro Denver, have spent a ton of time in the rockies, and enjoy reading a lot of travel literature on the U.S.

After spending a lot of time reading up, I've become fascinated with northern Idaho, specifically the areas around Lake Pend Oreille. I think it's because I've been looking for a place that's got mountain recreation, lake recreation, a cold/mild climate, isn't completely removed from all civilization (i.e. a moderately sized town in the vicinity), and isn't freakishly expensive. Sadly, the Colorado of my youth just gets pricier and pricier all the time, to the point where I don't know if I'll be able to relocate back there, let alone ever purchase a recreational property in the mountains.

I'm not sure if there's another spot in the western U.S. that ticks all my boxes better than northern Idaho. I'm in the very early stages of planning a significant visit to see if it lives up to expectations, or if I've unfairly romanticized what it might be.

We have two young kids: 3 1/2 and 1. My oldest is very much into the outdoors and already becoming a bit of a hiker. My youngest...of course it's too young to tell with her. I think it would be too early to bring them, so I'm thinking next summer when they're 5 and 2.

So I'm wondering, to anyone else who has done it, or to anyone else who lives in northern Idaho:

1) Does Sandpoint/Lake Pend Oreille make for a good family vacation spot? Good activities for the kids?

2) How's the rental market up there? Are there a fair number of people who buy houses in town and rent them out when they're not in use? I'm not sure if we could afford anything waterfront but the prices in town look reasonable.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you have.

[Publius4]

My son was 7 months old the first time we visited NID. My wife and I rented bikes and a bike trailer. He sat (mostly) contently in the trailer as we cruised around town and the lake. It was awesome! Some this worth exploring for you guys.

My family loves Sandpoint. During the summer, we were going to the beach with great frequency. They'd play in the lake for hours. If you come during the 4th of July week, Schweitzer has a summer festival at the resort where you get free ski lift tickets to the summit. The view from up there is incredible. This is something you probably don't want to take your 1 y/o on. We did this a couple of years ago but had the luxury of having grandpa along with us who watched our young'n. There's a great fireworks show at the beach at dusk.

There seems to be plenty of vacation rentals in town that are available during the summer. Check out Sandpont Vacation Rentals and VRBO.

So yes, come on out and bring the kids! There's lot of fun to be had.

[LionFamily]

Sandpoint is a FANTASTIC place to vacation with children. We did it twice (one child) before making the permanent move.

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by Rocky_Mtn_Expat

So I'm wondering, to anyone else who has done it, or to anyone else who lives in northern Idaho:

1) Does Sandpoint/Lake Pend Oreille make for a good family vacation spot? Good activities for the kids?

2) How's the rental market up there? Are there a fair number of people who buy houses in town and rent them out when they're not in use? I'm not sure if we could afford anything waterfront but the prices in town look reasonable.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you have.

It's only natural to romanticize a place like Sandpoint. After the umpteenth time we're written up as prettiest small town in America (etc) there is a real established view of Sandpoint as a great place to live.

And yes...this area is great. And if you visit on July 4th weekend you'll be enraptured and want to sell everything and move here. Then...late February will roll around, and the mud and freezing rain and crappy roads and crappy snow make you think twice about it. It reminds me of what my mother-in-law used to say about SoCal...the Rose Parade brings the relocators...and the fires and earthquakes scare them away.

For me, I like the snow in December/Jan, and I'm willing to put up with the crummy snow and mud/rain/ice in late winter into spring/ mud season for the rest of the year here.

Living here, there are a ton of activities for kids. Not necessarily "city organized", but for an active family, this is an outdoor activity paradise. The hiking in particular is STELLAR.

Can't really comment on the rental market too much since we've never rented.

[Rocky_Mtn_Expat]

Thanks for the info. You know, it's interesting, I arrived at my interest in this area completely oblivious to all of the attention it receives as "prettiest place in America."

I simply got out an old U.S. road atlas one day, and worked off the following formula:

1) Cut out the eastern half of the U.S. - too distant, too humid in the summer
2) Cut out places that were too hot in the summer - Arizona, New Mexico
3) Cut out places that were too remote (i.e. not within a 2 hour drive of a moderately sized city that would facilitate air travel) - eliminates most of Wyoming
4) Cut out places that were too expensive - most of the desirable parts of norcal and Colorado, and central Washington, and the few decent spots in Nevada.
5) Looked for the presence of quality lakes
6) Looked at real estate values that might be realistic

What did that leave us?

Patches of Oregon, northern Idaho, and western Montana. And that's pretty much it. After that, Sandpoint trickled to the top pretty quickly.

But after I started researching it, that's when I started noticing it was on the cover of every other issue of Sunset magazine .

[Sandpointian]

Rocky Mtn,

1) It is really fantastic. You;ll get goosebumps, not from any chill in the water (not much in Aug), but by the fact that even on warm summer days, you can always find yourself on the Lake with few around you. Have yet to have a guest that is not blown away.

2) Rentals: In places where summers are short and livable and ownable lake front is scarce, rents will be high. Suggestion: Some with another couple. Always great for adults with small kids to share the wonderment with other adults, since the kids really won't care other than to have fun and be with you.

Enjoy!
S.

[ShadoAngel]

1) It is really fantastic. You;ll get goosebumps, not from any chill in the water (not much in Aug), but by the fact that even on warm summer days, you can always find yourself on the Lake with few around you. Have yet to have a guest that is not blown away.

This reminds me of the few times we had guests at my grandparents' place on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Lake CDA is busier and smaller than Lake Pend Oreille, but even so with a lake that big, there was always tons of room to paddle, fish, and ski without constantly bothering/bumping into other people. Anyone we've taken there, including ourselves, are continually impressed.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Rocky_Mtn_Expat

2) Cut out places that were too hot in the summer - Arizona, New Mexico
.

Flagstaff is definitely not too hot in the summer, nor is Sante Fe. And both are drier and sunnier than north Idaho. I love both but lived in Flagstaff before. Tons and tons of snow though. Flag is one of the top snowiest cities in the country.

[Squidley]

Originally Posted by mistyriver

Flagstaff is definitely not too hot in the summer, nor is Sante Fe. And both are drier and sunnier than north Idaho. I love both but lived in Flagstaff before. Tons and tons of snow though. Flag is one of the top snowiest cities in the country.

How long does the snowfall in Flagstaff last? When we were choosing a landing place, that was one of the places we were intrigued by, but no one here knew anything about it. We really could not afford a plane ticket just to visit.

Thanks

[Cnynrat]

Originally Posted by Squidley

How long does the snowfall in Flagstaff last? When we were choosing a landing place, that was one of the places we were intrigued by, but no one here knew anything about it. We really could not afford a plane ticket just to visit.

Thanks

Flagstaff is at 7000 feet, one of the reasons they get so much snow, and also one of the reasons the summer temperatures are reasonable. On average they get about 100" of snow per year, and in a typical year they can get snow in November through April.

Dave