Next Stop
Issue: May/June 2011
Destination: Sandpoint, Idaho
Known for its beautiful surroundings, this Idaho city has something for everyone
“Twelve thousand years ago ice covered half of Lake Pend Oreille, and Lake Missoula formed behind an immense dam,” our first-mate explains. We’re aboard the Shawnodese, cruising slowly past vacation cottages and estates. Pine- and fir-cloaked hills rise to snow-dappled peaks crowning the horizon, and the breeze feels warm and indulgent.
As we motor in to City Beach, an hourglass-shaped park with twin sand beaches, boys are climbing on a miniature Statue of Liberty and diving into the lake. The buttery warm water of Lake Pend Oreille is one of the delights of a summer visit to Sandpoint, Idaho, a lakeside town of 7,000 known for outdoor activities.
I knew Sandpoint would offer something for every member of our family, from swimming and boating to rock climbing and mountain biking. What I didn’t know was how fun it is to join the locals at the renowned Festival of Sandpoint; troll the town’s many galleries; and taste-test juicy huckleberry pies proffered by local bakeries.
At nearby Schweitzer Mountain, my husband, teenage daughter and I ride the quad over dwarf cottonwoods, their leaves shimmering in the wind and the air thick with a spicy fragrance that says “green.” A rill trickling through wildflowers creates a treble piano sonata, and Pica picas (magpies) add to the composition with electronica-like “chirps.” On the Vista Loop Trail, mountains carved by the ice age roll like wind-whipped waves across the Canadian border.
Riding mountain bikes to Picnic Point, we pass stands of goldenrod, fireweed, Indian paintbrush and a patch of plump purple huckleberries in a shady draw—and we fill our water bottles full, for morning pancakes.
Hot and dusty, we roll down to the lake and dive into the refreshing water. Bobbing to the surface, I breathe deeply, filling my lungs with fresh, pine-scented air. “Mom, I love swimming here!” Kirsten enthuses. The water is lovely, but I had a surprise for the next day: Silverwood Theme Park, with exhilarating water slides and Kirsten’s favorite, the river raft ride—probably because of the cute boy who shares our raft.
It’s a warm summer night when we spread our blanket on the lawn at the Festival at Sandpoint’s Spokane Symphony concert. Sipping huckleberry wine, we listen to fluttering woodwinds as a nighthawk flits overhead in the rosy dusk. A sliver of a moon rises over the golden hills, and fireworks stipple the dark sky. Summer in Idaho. It doesn’t get much better than this.
EAT:
The Bistro at the
Inn at Sand Creek
Natural foods from small, local farms are the focus at this charming restaurant on Sand Creek. Among the seasonal offerings: red wine–braised short ribs and crispy duck confit. Call early to snag an outdoor table in the terraced riverside garden. 105 S. First Ave.; www.innatsandcreek.com.
Forty-One South
Be sure to choose an outdoor table at this popular lakeside restaurant. The menu? All the classics, including chicken cordon bleu, beef stroganoff and steak Oscar. 41 Lakeshore Dr., Sagle, www.41southsandpoint.com.
Trinity at City Beach
Overlooking the city’s spectacularly scenic beach, Trinity offers a wide range of menu options, from pulled-pork enchiladas to housemade pastas to local trout. 58 Bridge St.; www.trinityatcity
beach.com.
ZZZZs:
Sleep’s Cabins
The six historic cabins at this woodsy retreat on Lake Pend Oreille are filled with old-fashioned charm; ask for a lakeside cabin. In case you’re wondering about the reason behind the apostrophe, “Sleep” is a family name. 231 Lakeshore Dr., Sagle.
Talus Rock Retreat
This artsy, forest’s edge guesthouse has a swimming pond and a grand view of the Cabinet Mountains. 291 Syringa Heights Road.
White Pine Lodge
The lodge’s spacious, Northwest-contemporary suites—and its spectacularly sited hot tub—overlook Lake Pend Oreille. 10000 Schweitzer Mountain Road.;
www.schweitzer.com.
