Tammi K Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 We're going to be in Spokane for a skating competition in November and I'm wondering what there is to do in the evenings. I thought we were going to Seattle and had several things in mind. Seattle / Spokane. Easily confused, right? Ah well, the destination is Spokane. So, now I need some new ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I live in Spokane, and I love it here. I'd recommend: Davenport Hotel Museum of Arts and Culture Möbius Science Center Riverfront Park , site of 1974 World's Fair Depending on the weather, there are some nice outdoor places, too: Riverside State Park Manito Park Mt. Spokane Centennial Trail Coeur d'Alene Idaho is a short drive away. It has a nice resort with a great restaurant and dock, boardwalk. I'll try to come up with some more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 I'll try to come up with some more... Thanks! I was beginning to think no one here had even heard of Spokane. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 The parks in Spokane are really quite lovely. Manito, Riverfront, all of them really. Most of them were designed by the Olmstead Brothers (famous for Central Park in NYC) back when Spokane was a pretty fancy city with a robust economy because it was a crucial commerce/banking point anchoring a multistate farming area. The waterfalls are nice and there's a nice trail (Centennial Trail) along the Spokane River right in town. In Riverfront Park young kids are usually pretty taken with the trash eating goat statue (yes, it will vacuum your trash out of your hand). Auntie's Bookstore is nice and a fun stop for book lovers. It is near where the national skating events are at the convention center. On Boone, there is a little ice cream shop that has been there since 1930 and looks the part. Very fun. The Flying Goat and Rockwood Bakery are good. If you like architecture, the houses on the South Hill and in Brown's Addition and along the Spokane River are worth driving by. I currently have a serious hankering to up and buy this one: http://www.trulia.com/property/3057089028-1735-N-West-Point-Rd-Spokane-WA-99201 but it's not like we are able to move our lives to Spokane and it's waaaaay too big for us. Still that is not all that much more than the cheapest starter homes where I live. I fell in love with the yard, view and exterior when I noticed the sale sign running past there last month. Architecturally the Spokane Courthouse is pretty interesting. We actually got married there. There is a little cafe near the courthouse that is fantastic for breakfast. IIRC, it is actually called Courthouse Cafe or something like that. Whatever you do stay away from any place selling Chinese food located on Division St. Yuck and double yuck unless fried chicken balls in ketchup passes for food in your book. If you like classical music, there are some good chamber music groups in Spokane. There is also a church of South Hill that has inexpensive concerts. I think it is St. John's, but I am not entirely sure. The Fox Theatre is fun and I think now open more or even remodeled/preserved. We have family there (my husband grew up in a little town close to Spokane) and visit 1-2x a year. It's a nice place and has really improved in the last decade or so after a pretty hard time in the 1980s and 1990s due to the same sort of economic problems that hit a lot of similar and even much larger cities. For a while there the downtown area looked and felt a little like a very miniature Detroit with an insane vacancy rate downtown and massive loss of main street America type stores and economic activities. When I went to college in the area, there were simply no jobs and this was when Seattle was in major boom times. There wasn't a ton to do then except admire the parks and the houses. ETA: If you like college basketball, the Gonzaga teams are usually fun to watch and tickets are cheap. They also have roller derby there now, Lilac City Rollergirls. That is fun and cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Good to see it has some redeeming qualities, I catch the Spokane news once in a while at work and all they talk about is crime:( If your up for a short drive CDA has Silverwood and a huge indoor water park. All I know about Spokane is they have a Trader Joes lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 Good to see it has some redeeming qualities, I catch the Spokane news once in a while at work and all they talk about is crime:( If your up for a short drive CDA has Silverwood and a huge indoor water park. All I know about Spokane is they have a Trader Joes lol Now that is something I know my kids would love. Alaska doesn't afford a lot by way of water parks! ETA: And, I've never been to a Trader Joes!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Silverwood will be closed in November. It's also more than an hour from Spokane (we go every year for a friend/family camping reunion in N. Idaho). My MIL lives in one of the mixed areas- her nice house on a cute well "treed" block is a stone's throw from some very decrepit areas that obviously have some drug activity going on. Her husband was a little concerned that I was going running alone in the area but honestly, I have never felt unsafe at any point in Spokane, even when things were considerably worse than they are now. I really wouldn't be discouraged by local news of crime. My FIL used to panic about my husband and I going downtown for a play or concert but again, never ran into anything that was too worrisome and believe me, it was a lot worse there in 2001-2002 than it is now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Oh, they have a Sonic Burger and if you like the occasional bit of fast food, Zip's is a local favorite that my husband will always have a soft spot for. When driving back home from Eastern WA, he always stops at the last Zip's as you head west on I-90 in Ritzville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I have family there. If your kids like a water park, Silverwood will be closed by November. But there is a place in Coeur d Alene called "Triple Play" that is awesome. It has bowling, arcade, lazer-tag, rock wall, and best of all.... an indoor water park! Totally worth it. And it has cheaper rates on certain days and hours - perfect for homeschoolers. ETA: if you go to Coeur d Alene, stop in Post Falls to eat at the White House. Garlic heaven! Fett alfredo is excellent as well as the kabobs. Whatever you do get the rice and green beans and an order of the hummus. I hate hummus, but could bathe in theirs! Downtown at Riverfront Park is a carosel, and an Imax theater. All within walking distance of many good restaurants. There are the standards: Olive Garden, PF Changs, Red Robin, etc. But one my favorite local places is called Thai on 1st. Order #25. Chicken and Peanut Sauce. And get the Thai iced tea. Wow... Im hungry. On the west side of town is a pizza place called the Flying Goat. Great pizzas. Get the Kiernan! And the one with the sweet red pepper and sausage. Mall on the northside called Northtown. Valley Mall in Spokane Valley. And yes, if you like to drive around and look at houses, there are places on the South Hill that are really fun - you just need to know where to go. Enjoy your trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJosMom Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I'll second the recommendation for Aunties: GREAT bookstore. Riverfront Park is fun, but it will somewhat depend upon the weather. In the summer there are rides and things, but they'll be gone in November. We love the IMAX, but it's pretty grungy if you're used to a nice one (Our love is of the "If you can't be with the one you love..." variety.) There's a fancy-schmancy mall across the street from Riverfront Park, if you're into that. There's a Nordstrom-ooooo! (We only have a WalMart.) Triple Play in Coeur d'Alene is a blast. Especially the water park side. In February. :thumbup: The region is beautiful. If you have time, check out area hikes and/or scenic drives. There are lots of local theater companies and the Symphony should have started their season by then. You may want to try perusing this: http://www.visitspokane.com/things-to-do/events-calendar/ Have a great visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueTaelon Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Theres a PF Changs in Spokane?! Thats my fav place! Havent eaten there since we moved up here over a year ago. A friend is taking me out to dinner and he always lets me pick, were running over to Spokane lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalLynn Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 "They also have roller derby there now, Lilac City Rollergirls. That is fun and cheap." My step-daughter skates for Lilac City Rollergirls. ;-D I hope I get to see her skate for them one day soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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