Fun Things To Do In Coeur d’Alene Idaho – A Family Travel Guide!

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Fun Things To Do In Coeur d’Alene Idaho – A Family Travel Guide!

Looking for things to do in Coeur d’Alene Idaho? We have been visiting Northern Idaho for many years now. After a number of trips over the years, with kids of all ages, we have compiled a list of some of our favorite things to do in the Coeur d’Alene area. There are so many things to do in Coeur d’Alene for families, as well as couple getaways, girls getaways or really any reason you want to visit.

Things To Do In Coeur d’Alene Idaho

Coeur d Alene is a year round vacation spot with lots to offer visitors all year long. The summer season is the most expensive by far, but also my very favorite time to visit as there is so much to do when the weather is beautiful there.

Winter offers great snow activities for families who love that. To enjoy the best rates, consider a shoulder season (still tons to do) like spring or fall.

In the summer, there are lots of outdoor activities like hiking, biking, boating, kayaking, fishing, and more. You can also take a cruise on the lake and enjoy the beautiful views. There are also lots of golf courses, and of course, the famous Coeur d’Alene Resort is a great place to stay.

In the winter, there are great skiing and snowboarding opportunities, and the Silver Mountain Resort is a great place to stay. There are also plenty of other winter activities like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and tubing.

Spring and fall have a lot to offer too, and at much better prices.

Here are some of our favorite things to do in Coeur d Alene, year round.

Things To Do Near Coeur d Alene : 

We share lots of ideas of things to do right in Coeur d Alene (many focussed right in the quaint downtown area). But if you want to explore beyond the downtown area, check out these resources.

There are lots of fun things nearby, like Timberline Adventures, Alpacha Ranches, Farm Tours, and so much more. We have a big list of lots of ideas in the area in our article on things to do throughout Northern Idaho here.

• Silverwood Theme Park – Use Coeur D Alene as a base camp for a theme park stay in the summers!
• Things To Do in Spokane – including the popular Riverfront Park.
• Route of the Hiawatha + Find lots more ideas on what to do in this area, just beyond Coeur D Alene here too

If you are driving over to Coeur D Alene from the Seattle area, be sure to check out this road trip itinerary with lots of ideas on where to stop and what to do along the way.

Things to Do in Coeur d Alene in The Summer –

Enjoy Lake Coeur d Alene 

The lake is the highlight of the area. It is beautiful with public beaches to access in the summer, but you can really enjoy it year round with walks around the lake, hiking trails nearby, and boating tours and activities all year long.

You can enjoy lazy beach days (with golden sand beaches), or various watersports in the area too.

If you want to stay in walking distance from the public beach at the lake, be sure to check out One Lakeside, with all of the condo options here. It is in easy walking distance to the lake, and offers everything a family needs to be comfortable for any amount of time.

Besides lounging on the beach and swimming in the lake at beautiful Coeur d Alene Idaho, there are many fun excursions you can take out onto the lake too. These include things like sunset dinner cruises, paddle boarding, Kayaking, parasailing and much more.

The lake can be enjoyed year round for boating activities and walks too, but summer is the most popular time here.

Parks in the area

There are some great parks in this area for the whole family. We share some of our favorite parks in the Coeur dAlene area here, including City Park.

You can also enjoy a ride on the historical carousel during the summer months!

Plan your trip around Special Events

You will find weekly concerts in parks, art walks, festivals and fireworks, free carriage rides, farmers markets and so much more going on in this quaint town on the lake. Find a list of events going on for when you plan to be in town here.

Hiking in the Area

There are many beautiful outdoor areas to explore in and near Coeur d’Alene. One popular area bordering the lake is called Tubbs Hill. It is a 120 acres of land that includes a 2.2-mile interpretive trail. It is great to enjoy the trails, get pictures by the lake, or just enjoy scenic viewpoints.

Tubbs Hill

There are multiple access points for Tubbs Hill, but the one at McEuen Park is a great spot for visitors to start their hike from (you will find bathrooms and more here).

Mineral Ridge Scenica Area & Trail is another fun spot, just east of downtown, with a 3 mile hiking trail to explore.

Explore Downtown Coeur d Alene

The downtown area of Couer d’Alene offers lots of restaurants and shops for visitors to explore. It sits right in front of the lake, so you can combine a day at the lake, parks and walk downtown – all in one day.

In the evenings it lights up, and you will find live music at various venues throughout the week too.

What I find most unique about this area is that you can enjoy outdoor activities (hiking and lake activities) just steps from their downtown mecca. It really is the best of many worlds here, and you can explore it in a quick weekend trip, or find enough to do here to stay for a week or more.

Coeur d Alene Golf

Coeur d’Alene has become a popular destination for those who love golf. Of note for those who love to golf are these popular spots:

• The Coeur d’Alene Resorts Golf Course & Floating Green – the floating green has to be accessed by boat but is unique to this area.
• Circling Raven Golf Club and Prairie Falls Golf Club are also popular golfing spots.

Things to Do in Coeur d’Alene in The Winter –

Visiting Coeur d’Alene anytime outside the summer season is a great idea as you will be able to score much better rates! Here are some things we love about this area in other seasons of the year too. We shared how amazing it is in the summer above, but you will also pay more to travel during that season. If you want to save quite a bit, and still have a fantastic getaway, consider one of these seasons.

Coeur d’Alene in the Winter –

Winter time is an amazing time to visit. It has lots of fun things to do, but you can find some super deals. My best advice would be to check out the One Lakeside hotel in downtown Coeur d’Alene for their winter deals, as they have lots of room for families to be comfortable, then take advantage of all the things to do in the area this time of the year.

Pack some warm clothes, hats and gloves, as temperatures can quickly drop. As long as you have warm clothes though, you can easily navigate the streets to some amazing restaurants and shops, but save lots on your stay!

• My teens loved the winter ice rink. Not only can you ice skate here, but you can also rent one of the igloo tents to stay warm and cozy with couches and fireplaces while the family skates. It is really a magical time in the winter.
• There are lots of Christmas lights and festivities in the area that make things extra magical. You can take a Christmas lights cruise out on Lake Coeur d’Alene, enjoy Christmas lights through the resorts, and so much more.
• Eat in a tented igloo at the Coeur d’Alene resort, lit up with Christmas lights and all!
• Enjoy a few opportunities to ski and snow tube in the area, including the Silver Mountain Resort
• If you are looking to enjoy some warm fun in the area, there are TWO indoor waterparks that families can enjoy year round – the Silver Mountain Waterpark (our favorite) and the Raptor Reef (a bit more affordable and closer to town).
• Coeur d’ Alene actually has TWO winter fireworks shows too (you can see the fireworks from your balcony at the One Lakeside resort for example). There is the Thanksgiving show and the New Years show. Book the right spot and you can enjoy the magic from your balcony.

Things to Do In Coeur d’Alene in the Fall –

One thing I love about Fall in this area, is you can get the discounted rates but with so much beauty in the area. The weather is generally mild, and it is easy and comfortable to navigate town. I definitely recommend booking a spot in the downtown area this time of the year, as it is comfortable to walk up and down main street and explore the shops and restaurants.

You will often find beautiful fall leaves, great wine and beer tastings, leisurely walks along the lake, hikes on Tubbs Hill and more this time of the year.

Things to Do In Coeur d’Alene in the Spring – 

We did a trip this past Spring – and boy did we get some great deals and had a wonderful time. We were drawn out to this area because of some sports tournaments and I realized how much was going on, for big savings this time of the year! My favorite thing about spring here, were the deals we got. The weather can be unpredictable this time of the year (you may run into some snow or sunshine). During my trip my kids were enjoying time in outdoor pools and hot tubs. Jen however visited on a previous spring break, and they were snow tubing down the mountain!

Spring break may be the one time that it is not as easy to find deals or rooms this time of the year, so book those dates early.

Coeur D Alene Restaurants

There are wonderful Coeur d Alene restaurants to enjoy year round. Just walk down their main street and you will run into many of them. A few of our favorites include:

Titos Italian Grill – we always try to make a stop here when in town. Their prices are fair, portions generous and food good.

If you enjoy a good happy hour, one spot that is not well known yet (so you can avoid the crowds) is the small Marketplace store found at the front of the One Lakeside hotel. When we visited they had happy hour from 4-7pm. It was the best deal I could find in town. We got a glass of wine for under $5 (and wines like Chateau Ste Michelle). There was an electric fire inside you could cozy up in front of to enjoy your wine too. Be sure to call ahead though, and make sure nothing has changed since our last visit if you plan to stop by.

Studio 107 is one of my favorite spots to grab a seat on on the sidewalk in front in the summer, and enjoy some great Tapas. It is a wine bar and art gallery, so you may not immediately realize they serve food. We actually discovered this spot when we were headed to Collective Kitchen right next door. Collective Kitchen is popular in the summer and the wait times can get long. Some locals shared with us that the spot right next door (Studio 107) had partnered with Collective Kitchen, so we could get some great tasty bites there without the longer wait times. We did just that and it quickly became one of my favorites. The menu is not huge, but the food was all fresh, and made a perfect lunch without big crowds to fight.

The Wellness bar is a great spot to start your day by grabbing an Acai bowl, or order from the toast bar!

If you want to eat at the popular Coeur dAlene resort, Dockside is a nice family friendly option (and more moderately priced than their others). You will still get beautiful views of the lake in here too. This one is popular, so you will want to get your name in early. It often has a wait list.

Beverlys is well known in the area if you are looking for a fine dining restaurant. It sits out on the water with beautiful views of the lake.

We share a few more spots in Coeur D Alene, as well as just beyong in our article on our favorite dining spots in Northern Idaho here.

And if you want to stop in Spokane on your way there or back, or make a trip over there to explore, here are some of favorite restaurants in Spokane too.

Where to Stay in Coeur D Alene

There are many Coeur D Alene hotels to choose from. We based our stay for our most recent trip at the One Lakeside Resort. One of our favorite things about this spot, is that it is wonderful for family travel as you will be booking a condo (in a resort setting) verses just a hotel room. My family loves to have a little more room to stretch out when we travel, so this was the perfect option for us. Find our full review of the One Lakeside Resort here.

Coeur d Alene Resort – view from out on the lake.

The Coeur d’Alene resort is one of the most popular destination spots, and sits right own the lake. It is full of ammenities and has restaurants onsite, but it will also cost you more than many other spots in the area.

Find many more idea for Coeur D Alene hotels & just beyond in our article on our favorite Places to Stay in Northern Idaho here.