Last time we went out in the bus (which was the first time) we did a travel loop through Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and a touch of Nevada. This time around we’re doing some new states, some of the same states, but definitely seeing new spots. One of those spots is the Panhandle of Idaho.
We knew we needed to get here when the weather was still warm. The weather getting too cold and snowy was precisely the reason we couldn’t get up to this area last time we were out. I’m happy that we are getting to spend our summer here. In fact it’s been better than I imagined.
Coeur d’Alene Lake
Let me start first with Coeur d’Alene lake. I can see why tourist come here; it’s beautiful! Also, much to our surprise, the water is actually warm! We’ve spent so many days playing in the clear water (another surprise). We’ve been paddling on our SUP boards, jumping off rocks and piers, splashing around, and catching some sun on the beaches.
The town of Coeur d’Alene sits at the north end of the lake. Right there at the water or not very far, you will find eateries, shops, a fantastic library, 2 splash pads, 2 parks, 1 awesome playground, and so much more.
Independence Point is kind of like the main beach to Coeur d’Alene. The setting is very attractive with nicely kept grounds; probably having something to do with the nice hotel there. The flowers, planters, and walk ways even remind us of Disneyland. Ellie and Tyler thoroughly enjoy their time jumping into the water from the pier.
Tubbs Hill is here and we took in the beautiful views while hiking the loop on the peninsula. A thing that Ellie and I thought was cool was that you could hike until you found a little cove you felt was perfect, and then get into the water from there.
One evening at the park, a free movie was playing. So all of us, including Bob watched Encanto. We spent all day outside that day (as many of our days are), paddling on the water, and playing at the playground. Finishing that night with a movie in the park definitely made it “summer” to us. As so many summers have involved outings to the park just like this one.
From our current campground, we have paddled onto the lake. It made for a perfect day out in the sun and fresh air. Along the way we saw grazing cattle and sheep. That night we had such a great sleep, as it took one hour just to get to the lake. We have only done this once at the time of writing this, but I’m pretty sure we will be doing this again very soon.
Other outings in the Panhandle of Idaho
Summertime just like winter can bring a lot of activates to the Panhandle. Its also the season of Huckleberries! We love berries, so when we heard of the Huckleberry Festival in Wallace, we just had to go. Unfortunately for us it was not what we had envisioned. Luckily it did bring us to the town and so we got to visit the Northern Pacific Depot Museum and checked out the Sierra Silver Mine Inc. store. I hope we can go back and learn more about this area full of gold and silver(along with other metals). Wallaceid.fun/history-heritage/
We did get to pick blueberries at a very large farm near Sandpoint. The bushes were just jam packed with berries. While we have gone picking in Oregon many times, it never gets old. It’s fun tasting the different varieties at every farm you go to. It’s even more fun to fill your belly with all the deliciousness. In fact we ate all the berries we picked that day and went out for more, but this time to a new farm and with new friends. We are so glad we did as this particular farm was so welcoming to it’s visitors, had better prices, and even sold pies and muffins. This is a reason we love travel! Meeting new people, experiencing new places, learning new things, and eating our way through states and countries.
Stay tuned for more of Summer in the Panhandle of Idaho in the next blog post ,and check back for either pictures or fingers crossed, a video!
Pingback: Summer in the Panhandle of Idaho (Part 2)