There's something magical about Lake Coeur d'Alene that's
hard to define, but it begins with the spectacular North
Idaho sunsets and moonrises, the plunge of an osprey after
a fish, the glowing lights of The Coeur d'Alene Resort
reflected across its waters at night.
More than 25 miles long, the lake has 135 miles of quiet
coves, tree-lined shores and sandy beaches. It has long
been a site for travelers seeking peaceful surroundings,
rest and relaxation. Around the turn of the century, steam
powered paddlewheel boats traveled the waters, departing
from downtown Coeur d'Alene. Several of these steamboats
are still at the bottom of the lake, where they were sunk
during Fourth of July celebrations. It was on this lake
that John Finney built and used the world's first pair
of water skis in the 1920s.
Coeur d'Alene is easy to reach, located off Interstate
90 only 40 miles away from the Spokane International Airport,
served by non-stop daily flights from cities including
Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Boise, Vancouver, Calgary
and others. The Coeur d'Alene Airport provides charter
and private air service.
The lake, with its fabulous scenery of pine trees, rocky
bluffs and rolling hills, can be experienced in a number
of ways. The north end of the lake is filled with parks
and hiking trails, from the beach that curves around North
Idaho College, to City Beach
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and Independence Point near downtown, to The Coeur
d’Alene Resort’s floating boardwalk. The
Centennial Trail, after winding through downtown Coeur
d’Alene, hugs the lake’s quieter northeast
shores for several miles.
This unique destination offers a rainbow of leisure
activities. The Coeur d'Alene waterfront is full of
activity. You can rent jet skis, speedboats, sailboats,
paddle boats or kayaks.
Take a seaplane tour of the lake, or soar above
the lake on a parasail pulled behind a speedboat.
The Coeur d’Alene Resort’s floating boardwalk
(at 3/4 of a mile, it’s the longest of its kind
in the world) is open to the public. Cruise boats
depart from the resort on a regular schedule, exploring
Lake Coeur d'Alene's populated north end, or taking
a more leisurely cruise to the south, where the Coeur
d'Alene and St. Joe rivers flow into the lake.
Coeur d'Alene has been recognized as "Tree City
USA" since 1985, an honor bestowed by the National
Arbor Day Foundation. The older homes are framed by
elegant maples, while the parks are shaded by tall
pines. From a distance, you see more trees than rooftops.
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Northern Idaho is a wonderful place to be a golfer. Within
a few miles of Coeur d'Alene, there are 16 golf courses,
including the world-famous Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course
with its floating 14th green. Coeur d'Alene is the home
of the world's only floating green, located at the Coeur
d'Alene Resort Golf Course.
The floating green on the 14th measures 15,000 square
feet and weighs nearly five million pounds. It can be
towed to change the distance to the hole from 75 yards
to 175 and greater. Golf in this region is affordable,
uncrowded, and boasts some of the most beautiful scenery
in the game.
The brick and cobblestone main streets of downtown Coeur
d'Alene are lined with art galleries. Coeur d'Alene has
a strong artists' presence, particularly in the area of
Western and Native American art.
During the summer, Coeur d'Alene sizzles with summer events,
including classic car shows, a wooden boat show, street
fairs and art festivals, a balloon show and a Native American
powwow.
Coeur d'Alene is also a prime skiing destination, with
two major ski resorts and another popular local ski area.
Silver Mountain Resort, in Kellogg, is home to the world's
longest gondola. Schweitzer Mountain Resort, in Sandpoint,
has stunning views of Lake Pend Oreille from the top.
Both mountains rise to nearly 7,000 feet, and get an
average of 300 inches of prime powder snow every season.
Lookout Pass Ski area gets some of the region's best snow,
high atop the Idaho/Montana border.
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