COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO
Freedom to play
Spend a day in the town or escape to the countryside
Coeur d’Alene is a wonderful city with lots to offer in the ways of entertainment and recreation.
Overlooking the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene is a vibrant downtown core; in the summer, it is bustling with activity. Antique shops, art galleries, fashion boutiques, small cafes and distinctive restaurants line the streets of this urban centre.
WHERE TO START? Visitors enjoy sailing on Lake Coeur d’Alene; (Bottom) the Hiawatha Trail is a popular place for biking with friends and family. -photo courtesy Blue541. (208) 667-7275 www.blue541.com; (Bottom) photo courtesy Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce
Adjacent to city centre is the Coeur d'Alene City Park and beach area. It is equipped with basketball courts, unique chainsaw art and a wooden playground. The entire area is very walkable and visitors can go roller blading or take a stroll on the Centennial Trail—a paved, 23-mile route that runs through town.
From the downtown waterfront, lake lovers can enjoy everything from boating, tubing and water-skiing to parasailing, windsurfing, fishing and kayaking. Boasting 135 miles of shoreline, Lake Coeur ’Alene is the ideal spot to take a cruise or go flightseeing on a seaplane. Visitors can view all the action on the water from the world’s longest floating boardwalk—located in front of the Coeur d'Alene Resort.
Get outta town
For a rewarding day trip, RVers can visit Wallace, a historic mining town just east of Coeur d’Alene. Boasting museums and heritage stores, Wallace has earned a number of note worthy distinctions, including the title “Center of the Universe.”
“It’s a very interesting town and there’s a number of things to see and do along the way,” said Dani Zibell-Wolfe, vice-president of and tourism contact at the Coeur d’Alene Visitor’s Bureau.
North of Idaho is Silverwood Theme Park. With more than 65 rides and attractions, such as rollercoasters, a water park and steam engine train, Silverwood is a delightful attraction for all ages.
Natural escapes
“It’s very easy to get out and feel like you’re out of the city and into nature,” said Zibell-Wolfe.
“The other thing Coeur d'Alene is very very well known for are the hiking and biking trails,” she added. “From Spokane to the east side of Coeur d'Alene, we have 40 miles of continuous trails.”
A popular route outside of Wallace is the Hiawatha Trail. Tracing the path of the old Milwaukee railroad, this is a 13-mile trail with nine tunnels, including one that is more than a mile long. For extended excursions, adventuresome travellers can take the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene; it is a 73-mile paved route from the town of Plummer to Muller, Idaho.
“This takes you along a number of different valleys and it follows Lake Coeur d’Alene for six miles on the south end of the lake,” said Zibell-Wolfe. “There are about 10 trail heads so you can just do sections of it at a time.”
Camping is a favourite pastime around Coeur d’Alene—for both locals and out-of-towners. The area is home to numerous campgrounds and RV parks as well as national and state parks, so finding a place to stay is a relatively easy task.
A four-season destination
Summer is obviously the high season but Coeur d’Alene is earning a reputation as a great winter destination. Within an hour’s drive are several world-class ski resorts, including Silver Mountain Resort—home to the world’s longest gondola.
DETAILS: Coeur d’Alene is the hub of the North Idaho Panhandle.
RESOURCES: www.coeurdalene.org • www.cdadowntown.com • www.silverwoodthemepark.com
LOCAL EVENTS: Ironman Coeur d’Alene | Coeur d’Alene
Date: June 22, 2008
One of the city’s largest events, this triathlon attracts around 2,500 athletes and involves more than 3,000 volunteers.
Info: www.ironmancda.com
HISTORICAL FACTOID » Coeur d’Alene means Heart of the Awl" or possibly "sharp-hearted." French traders gave it this name in regards to the tough trading practices of local Indian tribes.
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