Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Family Vacation

Coeur d'Alene -- pronounced 'core-da-lane' -- is in the panhandle of Idaho, about 35 miles from Spokane, Washington, 180 miles from Missoula, Montana and just 90 miles from the Canadian border. The town takes its name from a French trading post; the traders found the local Indian tribes to be tough negotiators and aptly named it as "Heart of the Awl," an awl being a sharp tool.

The town sits along the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, a glacial lake fed by three rivers -- The Coeur d'Alene, the St. Joe, and the St. Maries. The scenic beauty of the lake is accented by the rising mountains and deep forests surrounding it. In the 1800s, lumber mills and logging interests controlled the area, as the logs were harvested then floated down the rivers into the lake, where they were loaded onto boats for transport to nearby ports.

Downtown Coeur d'Alene offers a vibrant dining scene, boutique shopping and dozens of events, from an annual classic car show to weekday farmer's markets in the summer. During the holiday season, twinkling lights bedeck every tree.

Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful desitnation any time of year, but summer or winter are the best times for families to visit, as the temperatures are perfectly attuned to each season and there are plenty of activities from which to choose. During wintertime, the downtown area is festooned with holiday lights and decorations; cruises to the "North Pole" are available from the marina at the Coeur d'Alene Resort; and visitors can take part in winter sports mere minutes away from downtown. Summertime means boating and water sports, dozens of al fresco dining opportunities, and almost any summer outdoor pursuit, from hiking and biking to fishing and swimming.

There are four distinct seasons in Coeur d'Alene; with an average snowfall of 50 inches per year, winter is a wonderland and temperatures are warmer than one might expect, thanks to a lakeside warming effect. Lows in the winter average in the mid- to high-20's, with highs in the low to mid-30s. Frost sticks around from the end of winter through mid-May, and starts again in mid-September, but spring temperatures range from lows in the high 30s to highs in the high 60s. Summer is extremely pleasant, with highs averaging in the low 80s and lows a crisp mid-50s, thanks to the elevation. Fall is spectacular, both weather-wise and scenery-wise; the warm colors of fall reflected in the ice blue lake make for a pastoral scene, and temperatures typically bottom out in the upper 30s to low 40s with highs in the low to mid-60s.

The Spokane, Washington, International Airport is just 40 minutes west of Coeur d'Alene with non-stop flights arriving daily major cities on most major airlines. There are airport shuttles to Coeur d'Alene via Omnibus (208-667-6664). Passenger train service via Amtrak to Spokane is also available.

A rental car is the best bet for a trip to Coeur d'Alene if flying into Spokane or arriving via train, as there is limited taxi service and public transportation, and many of the natural attractions -- skiing, hiking, etc. -- require a bit of a drive. But downtown hotels are all conveniently located to the main shopping district and the lake, as well as the city beach, city park and the Mudgy and Millie trail.

The Coeur d'Alene Visitor's Center is located downtown at 105 N. 1st Street; the well-staffed center provides comprehensive information on on loding and activities in Coeur d'Alene as well as the surrounding area. Call (877) 782-9232 or visit the center's Web site.

For more information on downtown Coeur d'Alene, including shop and restaurant listings and event information, visit www.cdadowntown.com.

Discount attraction and lodging coupons can be found online at coeurdalene.org; simply click on "Coupons" on the top navigation bar for up-to-date offers.

• The Forest Service Nursery in Coeur d'Alene grows nearly 20 million Douglas fir, white pine, Ponderosa pine, western larch and fir seedlings every year to replace mature trees harvested from national forests and state-owned lands.
• Silver Mountain Ski and Summer Resort, located 30 miles east of Coeur d'Alene, is home to the world's longest single-stage gondola.
• According to the New York Times, John Finney of Coeur d'Alene made and used the world's first pair of water ski on Lake Coeur d'Alene in the 1920s.
• Coeur d'Alene has the world's longest floating boardwalk, located at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. It was built in 1986 and required 1,600 float logs (each 32 feet long) 28,000 pounds of spikes, and 8,000 pounds of bolts to complete. The boardwalk is anchored by 150 tons of concrete along with strategically placed pilings.
• More than a million lights enliven the holiday displays that stretch along the water near the Coeur d'Alene Resort for the Holiday Light Show held during the holiday season.