Visitors to Spokane (pronounced Spo-CAN), have a choice of climates at any season of the year. An extensive system of enclosed skywalks offers year-round comfort throughout the downtown area. For those who enjoy outdoor sports, there are Riverfront Park and Splashdown Waterpark in summer, and the slopes of Mount Spokane in winter.
The first European trading post in the Pacific Northwest was established in the Spokane area in 1810. Some of the region's early history is on display at the restored Fort Spokane, northwest of the city, which was built in the 1880s to keep the peace between Native Americans and white settlers. Today, the city is the commercial center of an agricultural region and serves as a gateway to the recreation areas of eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana.
Riverfront Park was the site of the 1974 World's Fair. It is located on two islands divided by the spectacular cascading Spokane River and Spokane Falls. Attractions include an IMAX Theater, an amusement park and a hand-carved 1909 carousel.
Spokane's Grand Boulevard is the place to feed the ducks in Manito Park while taking in a view of stunningly Gothic St. James Cathedral. The park's many gardens are in bloom from May through October.
Spokane's Gonzaga University, one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the country, is home to the Crosby Library, which displays alumnus and native son Bing Crosby's Oscar, gold and platinum records and other mementos.
Spokane's nickname is the Lilac City. The foremost annual event is the Lilac Festival, which is held each year in mid-May. On the first Sunday in May, the city holds its annual Lilac Bloomsday Run, one of the largest timed races in the world in which more than 50,000 runners participate.
Spokane has a rich history that is portrayed in its museums and heritage homes. Campbell House was constructed in 1898 by a prominent Spokane resident and has been restored to its 19th century splendor. More vintage homes can be found along Riverside Avenue, in the Browne's Addition Historic District and in the neighborhood known as "the Hill." Next to Campbell House is the excellent Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, with a fine collection of Native American artifacts and other historical items from the region. The collection of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society is housed in a portion of the museum.
Spokane has made it easy for visitors to get a sense of the city by mapping a 32 mile Spokane City Drive that takes in the local highlights. The route is well marked by brown and white arrowhead signs. It meanders through the southern and western portions of Spokane and covers all the major attractions. The drive provides a spectacular view from the hills to the south of the city. Finish the tour at the western end of the route with an expedition to Little Spokane Natural Area, where the paddling is top-notch and hundreds of songbirds provide daily concerts.
Bing Crosby Memorabilia Room at Gonzaga University.
E. 502 Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA
509-328-4220.
Mon-Fri 7:30am-midnight; Sat-Sun 11am-midnight. Closed on holidays. Free admission.
Bing Crosby got his start in Spokane, where he spent most of his youth and later found success inHollywood. All of Crosby's gold records, his Oscar, and other memorabilia (including a Bing-endorsed mousetrap and a Bing Crosby Ice Cream box) are displayed. Crosby's boyhood residence is now home to the Gonzaga Alumni Association at 508 E. Sharp St.
Knipprath Cellars
5634 E. Commerce Ave
Thurs-Sun noon-5pm
509/534-5121
Housed in an old school building in a residential neighborhood on Spokane's east side, this small winery is best known for its port wines, one of which is flavored with chocolate and always gets rave reviews.
Riverfront Park
.
507 N. Howard, Spokane, WA 99201.
509-625-6600.
At the town's center is the hundred-acre Riverfront Park , sprawling over two islands in the middle of the Spokane River. Originally planned by Frederick Olmsted of Central Park fame, the park was not laid out as specified until just before Spokane hosted the 1974 World's Fair.
Bisecting the park, the river tumbles down a series of rocky shelves known as the Spokane Falls , once a fishing site for native peoples and later the home of the first pioneers. Attractions include an ice-skating rink which shares space with the IMAX theater, the hand-carved Looff Carousel, and the Gondola Skyride cable cars which run above the falls from the west end of the park. Summer: Sun-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10pm.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
2316 W. First Ave
509/456-3931
Tues-Sun 11-5
From the dramatic architecture and landscaping to the eclectic collections and exhibits, this museum makes a very big impression. There is an extensive Plateau Indians exhibit. Other galleries are used for temporary art exhibits. Next door to the museum is the historic Campbell House. A tour of this old mansion is included in the museum admission price. With its well-balanced blend of history, art, and culture, this is considered to be one of the finest museums in the Northwest.
Carr's One of A Kind in the World Museum.
5225 North Freya,
Spokane, WA 99205.
509-789-8859
Cheney Cowles Museum.
2316 W First Avenue
Spokane, WA 99204.
509-456-3931
Jundt Art Museum
202 E. Cataldo
Spokane, WA 99258 at Gonzaga University
(509) 328-4220
Auguste Rodin sculpture collection. Local, regional, national, international artists
Cat Tales Zoological Park
17020 N. Newport Hwy.
Fifteen miles north of Spokane,
Mead, WA
509/238-4126
Cat Tails, (as seen on Discovery Channel's Animal Planet), is unique. The mission of the park is to rescue unwanted animals, especially exotic animals that were purchased on impulse as pets and then abandoned. They have been successful in this endeavor and have rescued and appropriately relocated over 245 such animals in the past 15 years. The park staff seeks to educate visitors in understanding that wild animals do not make good pets and that they belong in a habitat in which they are free to live as nature intended. The park is arranged so that visitors can get close (but not dangerously so) to tigers and other big cats from around the world and to view their habitats. There is also a petting zoo. The park has a training program for future zookeepers.
Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
Located northeast of downtown Spokane in the historic Cliff House atop a 450-foot-high bluff overlooking the Spokane River, this winery boasts one of the most spectacular settings of any winery in the state. In summer there are concerts there.
is Spokane's premier 12k run held annually on the first Sunday in May. First run in 1977, it is the largest timed road race in the country. For most residents, it's impossible to imagine spring in Spokane without Bloomsday.
Mid-May
Annual
Spokane Lilac Festival
has been a "Lilac City" tradition since 1938. It was an effort originated by the Associated Garden Clubs and the Spokane Floral Society to exhibit the beautiful spring lilacs and to showcase area youth. They organized a parade and a royalty program to honor young women from the Spokane area. The festival has added several events, and remains a highlight each year.
Late June
Annual Spokane Hoopfest
Association is committed to organizing and operating the best outdoor 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the country. With the effort and enthusiasm of thousands of volunteers, Hoopfest strives to create a dynamic downtown festival, transcending basketball through the celebration of athleticism, fair play and community involvement. Spokane Hoopfest Association also provides charitable support through distribution of profits to Special Olympics and basketball-related activities.
September
Spokane Interstate Fair.
Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds. Features an extensive series of interactive exhibits. Among these is a scavenger hunt of entertaining agricultural facts for visiting students.
Late September
Valleyfest
has been a successful event bringing the Spokane Valley, Washington community together since 1990. Valleyfest provides entertainment for the entire family, an opportunity to meet and have fun with neighbors, while also recognizing area youth for their talents.
Valleyfest's day starts with a Fun Run followed by a Pancake Breakfast. The Valleyfest Parade follows and includes community floats and local school bands. Valleyfest also includes entertainment specifically designed for and performed by children. All of these activities are provided at no cost to Valleyfest participants.
Early December
The Annual ArtFest
brings together the region's finest arts and crafts people in a park in Spokane's Browne's Addition neighborhood. Designed to feature high quality original artwork, the festival has steadily grown in attendance, popularity, and sales. ArtFest includes continuous musical entertainment, artists' demonstrations, hands-on art activities for children and adults, and a variety of food concessions.
December 31- January 1
First Night Spokane
The event seeks to foster the public's appreciation of visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high quality New Year's Eve program that provides a shared cultural experience, accessible and affordable to all. First Night Spokane began on December 31, 2001 with thirteen thousand people of all ages crowding downtown streets. Since then, attendance at this community oriented, alcohol-free celebration of New Year's Eve has grown to over 23,000. First Night Spokane has quickly become a regional New Year's Eve tradition for many in and around Spokane County.
Performing Arts Venues
Allegro, Baroque and Beyond.
906 S. Cowley, Spokane, WA 99202.
509-455-6865
Spokane Symphony.
621 W. Mallon, #203,
Spokane, WA 99201.
509-326-3136
Offers concerts for a variety of musical tastes from the classics to superpops.
Connoisseur Concerts
.
315 W Mission, #221,
Spokane, WA 99201.
509-326-4942.
Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
.
174 S. Howard, Spokane, WA 99210.
509-455-7529
Spokane Center
.
334 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201.
509-353-6500
Comprised of the Opera House, Convention Center, Ag Trade Center, and Joe Albi Stadium.
Spokane Fair & Expo Center
.
404 N. Havana, Spokane, WA 99202.
509-535-1766
Offers a variety of year-round entertainment options, including the Spokane Interstate Fair in mid-September.
Spokane Civic Theatre.
Spokane, WA 99205.
509-325-1413.
A national award-winning community theater that has been adjudicated one of the top 10 in the US four times.
City of Spokane: 197,400 Land Area: 58 square miles
Time Zone:
Pacific Standard Time zone. When it is 12:00 noon in New York City, it is 9:00 AM in Spokane. Daylight saving time is observed from April-October.
Location
:
Spokane is 280 miles east of Seattle.
Average Temperatures:
Month
High
Low
January
31F
19F
February
37F
22F
March
47F
29F
April
59F
36F
May
68F
43F
June
73F
49F
July
84F
55F
August
81F
54F
September
73F
47F
October
59F
38F
November
42F
28F
December
35F
24F
Precipitation, 16.7 inches
Snow, 48.8 inches
When to Visit:
Spokane is four-season country, each contributing to the region's unique lifestyle. Situated between the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, Spokane is protected from damp coastal weather like that of Seattle, as well as continental-type winters. The growing season extends from mid-April to mid-October. Summer weather is ideal for enjoying the many mountain and lake recreational areas. Winter weather includes occasional snowfalls of several inches. Nearby mountainous winter sport areas receive a great deal more snow and sometimes enjoy a five- to six-month season.
National Holidays:
New Year's Day Jan. 1
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day 3rd Mon. in Jan.
President's Day 3rd Mon. in Feb.
Memorial Day last Mon. in May
Independence Day July 4
Labor Day 1st Mon. in Sept.
Thanksgiving Day 4th Thurs. in Nov.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dec. 24 and 25
New Year's Eve Dec. 31
By Car
Spokane is on I-90, Washington's east-west interstate. U.S. 2 is an alternative route from western Washington. U.S. 395 is the main route from Canada south to Spokane. U.S. 195 connects to Lewiston, Idaho.
Air
Spokane International Airport
9000 West Airport Drive, Spokane, WA 99224-99219,
509-455-6455, This airport offers a variety of services to meet your travel needs.
Spokane International Airport is the second largest commercial service airport in the State of Washington. The 4,800-acre facility is served by ten airlines that operate 70 daily departures providing nonstop service to 15 major destinations.
Bus
Greyhound Lines 221 West 1st Street, Spokane, WA 99204, 509-624-5251, 800-454-2487, Provides bus transportation to most cities across the United States.
Trains
Amtrak
West 221 First Avenue, Spokane, WA 99204
1-800-USA-Rail, America's only express train serving destinations nationwide.
The Children's Museum of Spokane is an amazing place! Its stated mission is to "provide a safe, nurturing environment for children from all backgrounds to come together to play, explore, take risks, ask questions, discover their community and themselves through hands-on, interactive exhibits." This mission is certainly fulfilled. The museum has grown steadily and now has outgrown its present space.
In the Spring of 2005, the Children's Museum will move to the lower level of River Park Square, with almost double the space for exhibits and activities.
Galleries Within the Museum:
1. Monroe Street's Bridge Gallery
is the loft of the Children's Museum's fictional resident artist, Monroe Street. Mr. Street leaves works-in-progress for children and parents to complete with their own creative and imaginative touches. The gallery features a large paintable wall surface, as well as several multi-purpose tables for clay and sculpture, collage, paper mache, and recycled art construction. Children develop skills including hand-eye coordination.
2. Yiayia Sofia's Greek Village offers a glimpse into another culture. This full-scale Greek village set on the Cyclades island of Naxos, provides an opportunity to experience and appreciate a different way of life. Dressing in authentic country clothing, children can role-play in the market, restaurant, cottage, or kitchen, or weave a rug. As they play, they practice skills of socialization without realizing it.
3. The Garden gives infants and toddlers lots of space for multi-sensory exploration. The Baby Exploration Path exhibit offers different textures to touch, different patterns to see, and varied surfaces to crawl over and through.
4. The shoes in the Sole Mates gallery tell eight stories. As children walk through, they gather clues about each culture and the people who wear the exhibited shoes. A sandal from Columbia tells something of climate and habitat in South America, as does a boot from Lapland. Can you measure your foot to predict your height? What can you learn from the treads of a person's shoes?
5. Fort Spokane Construction Zone invites children to design the city of the future or an alien dwelling using a variety of materials. They create their own gear pattern on the Gear Table. They try out simple machines in the Gravel Pit, and then take on major building projects with the Super Dig backhoe.
6. Under the Falls lets children explore water movement and the scientific principles of flow, current, displacement, and floatation. Bubble play helps children understand surface tension, light refraction, and spatial relations.
7. Syncopation Station From steel drums to chimes to bells and tubes, children can experiment with rhythm, movement, and sound, even becoming musical instruments themselves.
Riverfront Park
Created for the 1974 World's Fair Expo and set on an island in the middle of the Spokane River, 100-acre Riverfront Park is the city's pride and joy.
509/456-4-FUN
The creation of the park helped rejuvenate downtown Spokane, and today crowds flock here to enjoy everything from summertime concerts to ice-skating in the winter. Activities for both adults and children abound. The restored 1909 Looff Carousel, with its hand-carved horses, is one of the most beautiful in the country.
A family-fun center includes kiddie rides, miniature golf, and arcade games. Throughout the summer there are many special events. Serving as a spectacular backdrop for the park is the Spokane River, which cascades over Spokane Falls. The best view of the falls is from the Gondola Skyride that swings out over the falls.
IMAX Theatre
at Riverfront Park
509/625-6686
At the IMax, films are shown on screens five stories high.
Manito Park
located south of downtown beginning at the corner of Division Street and 18th Avenue
509/625-6622
April through October daily from 8am to dusk
Manito is located among rocks and pine forest, and contains some of the most beautiful public gardens in the Northwest. These include the perennial garden; the rose garden;the Nishinomiya Japanese Garden; Duncan Garden , a formal garden patterned after those of 17th-century Europe; and Gaiser Conservatory, which is filled with an explosion of color from exotic tropical plants. The park also includes a picnic area, duck pond, and playground.
