Coeur d'Alene, ID

North Idaho College sits up against Coeur d’Alene Lake just blocks away from downtown. This two-year college, while small, offers some of the best events and dining around. NIC was built on the site of an old U.S. Army Fort, whose land was once used by the Coeur d’Alene Indian tribes. Some of the history of the land has been preserved around campus with the Ft. Sherman museum, and the Fort Sherman Officer’s Quarters, which now houses a faculty lounge and conference room.

Get a little nostalgic this holiday season as you enjoy horse drawn carriage rides and ice skating in beautiful downtown Coeur d’Alene. The Chamber of Commerce along with the Coeur d’Alene Resort offer a bit of an old fashioned Christmas along Sherman Avenue with its second year of carriage rides, and the premier of a new skating rink.

The Journey to the North Pole Fantasy Light Cruise, offered by the Coeur d’Alene Resort will bring your family just a little closer to Santa this holiday season. My family took its first North Pole cruise, and was delighted to find the boardwalk all lit up for our arrival. The exterior of the boats were festooned with lights and inside was decorated with Christmas cheer.

The Coeur d’Alene Holiday Light Show and Parade gives residents and visitors a spectacular show and an amazing experience to kick off the holiday season. As the years go by the parade route gets busier and busier making it almost impossible to get a good spot unless you set up your chairs by noon. Parking lots are open for parking all day for around $3.00 and it is best to get there early. Many parade goers will bring their RVs and sit on top of them during the festivities.

When setting off on an adventure around Marble Creek, you will have the opportunity to rest at the historical site, which features a picnic area, restrooms, and drinking water. The historical site which was built to educate visitors about Marble Creek, features photographs and maps of the area showing logging artifacts and camps from the early 1920’s. If you are hiking you will be able to use the posted trail maps to route your hiking trip so that you can pass by remnants of the old camps along the way, often getting a glimpse of old pieces of logging equipment. Throughout the Marble Creek area you will find several historical interpretive sites that offer more information on the area and the local history.

Cherry Hill Park has long been a favorite sledding spot of the children and families of Coeur d’Alene, but that is not it’s only great feature. Cherry Hill Park is also home to a BMX track, tennis and basketball courts, and the 9/11 Memorial playground. The 30- acre park is located behind the fire station on Hazel Ave. and 15th. Street and has plenty of trees that offer shade in the summer and a spectacular color display in the fall. The park sits up against the hillside and in the winter becomes one the most popular sledding spots in the whole city.Families come from all over Coeur d’Alene at the first sight of snow to take advantage of the great hillside angles.

With rows of decorated pumpkins guarding the entrance to the gym at Lakes Middle School, festival goers got a small taste of what was to come. Located on the 900 block of 15th St., the school’s fifth annual fall festival, which is always offered on the Saturday before Halloween, began with the opportunity to buy dinner. At the low price of $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children, families came and enjoyed pizza and drinks before setting off to take part in all the games and fun. Tickets for the games and attractions were sold at the door for 50 cents apiece, or $10.00 for 25, and most games took between one and two tickets to play. There were games set up in the gym, the cafeteria, and even in the halls.

With a crisp bite to the air and orange and red leaves swirling across the streets the Farmer’s Market ended their season with a downtown farewell. Located on the corner of Sherman Ave. and Fifth St, the downtown autumn fair is an annual event that features various vendors, face painting, live music, and great food.

Every Halloween the merchants on Sherman Ave. in downtown Coeur d’Alene sponsor a trick or treat. Shop owners and employees dress up and stand at their doors to hand out candy and toys to all the kids. This year the downtown trick or treat was one of the best ever. With almost every store opening its doors to witches, dragons, and even Santa Claus, families were thoroughly enjoying their jaunt up and down Sherman Ave.