The state of Idaho is a fantastic travel destination. Many associate Idaho with potatoes, and for good reason – over 30% of the US produced potatoes grow on Idaho farms. I had plenty of East Coast friends look at me askance when I told them we were planning a trip to Idaho. Clearly, many know little about this diverse, beautiful state, which offers much more than potatoes and farmland!
Idaho has something for everyone! Outdoor adventurers can enjoy world class hiking, fishing, boating, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and snow skiing. But there is plenty for those less active, with scenic drives, river excursions, spas, unique towns, and fantastic restaurants. There are also hot springs, some of which can be visited for free, or you can indulge in a spa experience.
Northern Idaho destinations are top notch and include the deepest canyon in North America, eclectic towns, magnificent mountain ranges, and stunning glacial lakes. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy world class hiking, fishing, boating, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and snow skiing. For those less active, or seeking a more relaxed trip, there are scenic drives, resorts with spas, great shopping, lake cruises, and more.
If you’re looking for adventure, we’ve got your guide … and Northern Idaho is your destination!
Our Scenic Drives in Central Idaho (coming soon) provides some great routes for exploring beautiful and interesting areas as you travel between sights. In particular, the drive north on US Highway 95 leads to the first destination in this guide.
Note: We traveled the state of Idaho from south to north on a 10-day trip. We have organized this guide, and our Southern Idaho guide and Idaho Itinerary, in a roughly south-to-north direction. Be sure to check out our other guides!
Idaho can easily be broken up into regions for travel. Or, in our case, we broke up the driving time with various stops, but then had a long drive back down to Boise for our flight home.
Hells Canyon Jetboat Excursion
We begin this guide to Northern Idaho destinations with an exciting Hells Canyon trip on the Snake River. There are several towns you can use as a base for Hells Canyon excursions, namely Riggins (see our Scenic Drives (coming soon) post for more information) or White Bird (discussed below).
Hell’s Canyon is located on the Snake River and is the deepest canyon in North America, with canyon walls rising up 8,000 feet at their highest, and averaging 5,500 feet. We recommend Killgore Adventures for a scenic, whitewater jetboat tour through the deepest section of Hells Canyon. This is a 6-hour excursion that includes lunch and a stop at the historic Kirkwood Ranch. You also pass through Class 3-5 rapids. You can choose to get wet or stay dry inside the boat!
On a Killgore Adventures jet boat tour, you will almost certainly wildlife. We saw a mother bear and her cubs as well as bald eagles!
The boat also stops at Kirkwood Ranch, first established in 1855 as a cattle ranch. Wander the grounds to discover what canyon life was like for settlers in the 1930s.
Getting to Pittsburgh Landing
We checked into the Killgore Adventures office just south of White Bird, Idaho 2 hours before our 10 AM excursion per their instructions. Then, we were directed to meet the boat at Pittsburgh Landing on the Snake River, 20 miles away, but told that it would take over an hour to get there. We wondered, but headed out!
The drive is stunning and a little scary! As part of this route, you travel 17 miles on Deer Creek RD #493. This road climbs a high ridge – views are astonishing, and the road is narrow with sheer drop offs. Drive carefully!
You pass through pasture lands, so also watch out for cows and other grazing animals! There was almost no traffic and cell coverage was non-existent to spotty. Be sure to pre-load an offline map to your phone or otherwise bring directions with you.
We were surprised by this drive and want you to be prepared. Don’t be deterred from making the drive, just be aware that it is an adventure!
White Bird, Idaho
The small town of White Bird is a convenient place to stay before a Hells Canyon Jetboat tour on the Snake River. We stayed at the White Bird Motel (115 Bridge ST, White Bird 83554, no website, call 208-839-2308 to make a reservation. Costs about $100/night – CASH ONLY – with basic but comfortable rooms).
We ate at Red’s River Cafe, which offers simple pub fare in a spartan setting. The food was good though, and the staff was friendly.
The Silver Dollar Bar is a local watering hole, saloon and restaurant. We stopped in for a drink, and while there was a lively, local vibe, it was incredibly smoky.
Lewiston, Idaho
This town of about 35,000 is located on the border of Idaho and Washington. We needed a place to stay on our way north and within reasonable driving distance from our Hells Canyon boat excursion. We planned a detour into the state of Washington “on our way” to the lakes of Idaho. This detour was to see the Palouse, an agricultural area known for its rolling hills and multi-colored fields. Please see our post covering the Palouse (coming soon!).
Ernie’s Steakhouse
This restaurant was adjacent to our hotel and reviews mentioned views over the valley and city. It did not disappoint! The evening was cool, but with heat lamps we were able to sit on the patio and enjoy the amazing views. Food was tasty with large portions. The extensive menu features burgers, steaks, salads and more.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which was right on our route and fine for our needs. Rooms include breakfast with a view, either from the windows of the indoor dining room or from the patio.
Idaho Destination: Coeur d’Alene (“CDA”)
The town of Coeur d’Alene sits on its namesake lake, about 7 hours north of Boise, in the northern part of Idaho. Known for its compact, lively downtown area, the Coeur d’Alene resort, water sports and other outdoor activities like hiking, it’s worthy of a day or two of your time. We arrived tired and ready for a slower pace.
But this is a town where you can be as active or as chill as you wish. The vibe invites you to dine out at some of the town’s many great restaurants, take leisurely strolls around its downtown and waterfront areas, shop, hike, and rent a bike for an easy sightseeing ride.
We stayed in an Airbnb in downtown CDA. We were happy to be out of our rental car for a couple of days. This also allowed us to do laundry and to spread out after several nights of sharing a hotel room with our son.
City Waterfront Park & Independence Point
This beautiful green expanse is situated right in the center of town and has beautiful views out toward the lake. Stroll around or rest on a bench to people-watch and take in the lake. Areas of this large park are shaded, and there are picnic tables, benches, and public restrooms. There are also community ballfields and basketball courts.
Independence Point has a public swimming beach.
Coeur d’Alene Golf and Spa Resort
By far the tallest building along the lake, this resort dominates the lakefront visually. It provides rooms and suites in a variety of buildings. To check out accommodation options or make a reservation, visit the resort website. The resort marina offers lake cruises and rentals of pontoons, sport boats and stand-up paddleboards.
Dining at the Resort’s Restaurants
Beverly’s and Dockside restaurants are inside the CDA Resort, and the resort owns quite a few of the other bars and restaurants in the town of Coeur d’Alene. Check the resort’s Dining page for a full list. While many of these are long-time CDA establishments, we chose to eat at independent restaurants, while acknowledging that a cocktail or even a meal lakeside at sunset would be special.
Biking
Rent an e-bike from CDA Bike Company (about $65 for four hours) to ride along the lake and around town. This is a scenic and relaxing experience on mostly flat, paved paths and sidewalks.
We also rode several miles on the North Idaho Centennial Trail, but it runs along an interstate and is noisy.
Hiking Tubbs Hill
This is an easy 2-mile hike that can be accessed on foot from the town of CDL. The path encircles Tubbs Hill and features almost continuous, but varied, views of Lake CDL.
Dining: CRAFTED Tap House and Kitchen
We recommend this gastropub. Located at 523 Sherman Ave in downtown CDA, it has a limited menu of burgers, tacos, chicken & waffles, pasta and vegetarian options. Check out the menu here. 62 rotating taps serve local / regional beers as well as great selections of craft beer from around the world.
Shopping and Treats
CDA has typical kitschy souvenir shops but also some interesting and unusual shopping right in its downtown area. Two of the more interesting are Cisco’s Gallery, which features antique western artifacts, and Figpickels, a toy and game emporium.
Visit Mrs. Honeypeeps Sweet Shop for ice cream (Huckleberry varieties always available) as well as an amazing variety of old-fashioned and newer candies.
For coffee, check out Vault Coffee, which serves up great hot and cold drinks as well as in-house made breakfast and lunch. Nearby CDA Coffee Co. also gets good reviews.
Idaho Destination: Lake Pend Oreille
Set against the magnificent backdrop of three ranges within the Rocky Mountains, Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced “Pond o-RAY”) is a gorgeous, glacial lake. At over 1,100 feet deep, it is the longest lake in North America, the deepest lake in Idaho, and one of the deepest in North America. The lake receives flow from the Clark River on its east side. To the west, water leaving the lake flows into the Pend Oreille River.
Small towns dot the shoreline and serve as jumping-off points for a host of recreational activities, including boating, fishing, hiking, and snow skiing.
Due to the lake’s depth and quiet, the south end of the lake has served as a location for testing acoustics of the US Navy’s submarines at the Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) for more than 65 years. This area is not open to the public.
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint, located about an hour north of Coeur d’Alene and and 1.25 hours south of the Canadian border, sits on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. Its beautiful City Beach Park is a great stop. The park has a sandy swimming beach and amazing views to the mountains across the lake. When we visited, the water was like glass.
There’s a miniature Statue of Liberty on the boardwalk that provides a good backdrop for pictures. The park also features a seasonal swimming beach and a variety of sports fields and courts.
Lake Pend Oreille Cruises
Take a cruise on the lake on a historic boat. Lake Pend Oreille Cruises offers a variety of excursions. We took the Clark Fork Delta Cruise, which cost $52/person (book ahead, our boat was full). Cruises leave from the town of East Hope, Idaho on the east side of the lake, about 18 miles or 30 minutes from Sandpoint.
In addition to cruising the lake to see amazing cliffs and fantastic homes along the shoreline, this cruise explores the beautiful Clark Fork Delta. The delta is known for wildlife including moose. We saw an osprey nest and some water birds, but sadly no moose.
Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort
The Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort is located about 12 miles from Sandpoint and is the largest in Idaho. The ski resort is family-friendly and less than two hours from Spokane, Washington.
Farragut State Park
We stopped here on our drive up from Coeur d’Alene. This state park is situated at the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille.
Stop at Beaver Bay Beach early in the morning to take in the mesmerizing, peaceful lake. Trails lead along the water’s edge.
Within Farragut State Park is the Navy Brig Museum, which tells the story of the Farragut Naval Training Station. Almost 300,000 recruits to the US Navy received basic training here during World War II. Not much remains of the more than 750 buildings that were once part of the base.
The Brig houses the museum which contains boot camp, and other naval and war, memorabilia.
The Brig Museum was closed when we visited, but I’ve provided a link for you to check out the Museum’s brochure. We were able to wander the grounds but could not really see into the Brig.
In the plaza in front of the brig, there is an impressive bronze bust of a US Navy sailor. You might not notice from a distance that he is covered – or made up of – smaller images of other sailors. It’s quite well done. I loved taking a few minutes to study the images and take close-up pictures.
Bluebird Habitat
The western part of Farragut State Park has an area with a large bluebird habitat. There are many bluebird boxes. Follow signs to this little-known area. We happened here by chance and couldn’t stay long, but during the spring and summer, it would be amazing to sit awhile watching the birds, especially for photographers.
Other Related Guides
Be sure to check out our Southern Idaho guide, guide to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, our handy Idaho Itinerary spreadsheet you can customize to plan and budget your trip, and Scenic Drives of Central Idaho post (coming soon).