How We Spent a Week in Spokane, WA
Exploring the Lilac City one beer and park at a time.
We never intended to spend time in Spokane, WA, this summer. We were only going to use it as a base for flying to and from MN for a family wedding in early July (much cheaper than flying out of Seattle). But after a busy few weeks of traveling in western Washington and British Columbia, we decided to spend a few days there to relax, catch up on things, and explore the area - including a day trip to Coeur d’Alene.
Those few days in Spokane turned into a week after our B&B hosts in Twisp, WA, canceled our reservation after they tested positive for COVID.
Remaining flexible with our plans has been key to how we’ve been thinking about and approaching our long-term travel. Especially with COVID cases still high, we know that we may derail our own plans if we test positive at any point.
We’re learning not to get frustrated when plans change. We know there will be disappointments along the way - things we’ll miss or things that don’t work out. We’ll add these things back to our list for another time.
One such recent miss was not being able to hike The Enchantments near Leavenworth, WA. This has been on my list specifically for YEARS, and I couldn’t wait to make it happen this summer. We had campsites booked and hikes planned, but there was still too much snow on most of the trails (they’re above 5000 ft), and we weren’t prepared to hike with 1-2 feet of snow.
Spokane is a city in western Washington with about 220,000 people, and we found the city to be:
Full of hidden gems for food, beer, drinks, etc. We ate very well here, and there’s a nice variety of options that are also veg-friendly.
Sleepy, but it didn’t negatively impact our time here. It was just really chill. We’re not sure if it’s always this way, or if there’s more energy when Gongaza students are in town during the school year.
Very friendly. It was easy to strike up conversations with people who live here.
Easy to navigate - everything is within 5-10 minutes.
There are also a lot of great concerts throughout the year. Its geographic location - heading west to Seattle, or coming from Seattle heading east, makes it a popular spot for bands to stop and play.
Where to Stay in Spokane
During the week we were here, we stayed in 2 main areas - Downtown and South Perry District (southeast of downtown). If you stay in a hotel, many of them are Downtown (south of the river) or just north across the river near Gonzaga. We enjoyed 2 nights Downtown at Hotel Indigo right by Riverfront Park.
For the remaining 5 nights, this is the Airbnb we rented, and we loved it as it was walkable to several restaurants, bars, and parks and had a kitchen and W/D for ease.
Several other neighborhoods would be nice to stay in as well- like around Manito Park, but there may be fewer entertainment/food options within walking distance.
What to Do in Spokane
Eat/Drink: Another “best” in the sandwich department were those from The Grain Shed. They mill their own grains, they make 10+ different types of bread each day, and they also brew their own beer with locally grown and malted grains. We went for lunch twice, enjoyed the Bock and Pilsner, and brought focaccia home with us.
Eat/Drink: South Perry Pizza is some of the best pizza we’ve had in a long time and right down the street is South Perry Brewery.
Eat: You know I'm showing up when there’s anything related to the midwest. And in Spokane, that’s Wisconsinburger! They have veggie options, good beer, custard for dessert, and it was Chris’ first time trying fried cheese curds.
Eat: Downtown, anything from Wooden City. We had the summer salad, split a veggie pizza, and for dessert, chocolate custard with espresso whipped cream and candied pecans. No photos were taken because we inhaled it all too quickly.
Drink: Downtown, pour overs and iced matcha at First Avenue Coffee, beer at Brick West Brewing, cocktails at Dry Fly Distilling.
Do: Manito Park offers lots of shade and 90 acres of grass and giant old trees, a rose garden, a Japanese garden, mirror pond, tennis courts, and more. See for yourself…
Do: Head to Riverside State Park to hike, rock climb, see the suspension bridge, and the Bowl and Pitcher Overlook.
These past two years have made me so much more relaxed about plans changing! I still don't love it, but being flexible sure does make life easier.
Love it. The Story is enticing and photography is outstanding.