The Spokane area and its rivers had long been a gathering place for area indigenous peoples before a fur trading post built here was Washington’s first long-term European settlement, which eventually led to Spokane becoming the commercial center for the Inland Northwest well into the 20th century. The city’s history is just one element that makes a visit to Spokane a must for travel itineraries; here are our picks for a weekend get-away. Note that many of the sites in our outing are dog-friendly (on a leash).
When to visit: most of the sites in our itinerary are open year-round, but one of the sites is a botanical garden, also open year-round, but is best viewed May through September. Mt. Spokane Vista House is best visited July 1 to September 15.
Manito Park
Start your Spokane excursion with a visit to the 90-acre Manito Park, which includes 20 acres of breathtaking botanical gardens. This beautiful green space, which is well over a century old, includes five diverse gardens, including the three-acre Duncan Garden and the Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden. Signs identify the plant species so you can take photos or notes and look for desired plants at home.
A relaxing stroll through the gardens is likely to take at least two hours. Remember to bring water and possibly a hat and sunscreen.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Manito Park, 1702 S Grand Blvd, Spokane, WA 99203. Open: daily 6-10. Admission: Free, with free parking. Dogs welcome on a leash, must clean up any pet waste.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
The museum displays art, history, and cultural exhibits from the Spokane region as well as the world at large. Just as an example, when we visited they had an exhibition of The Iconic Wardrobe of Downtown Abbey, displaying a selection of costumes worn on the series Downtown Abbey as well as other set pieces. Of more interest to me was a number of interpretive posters that educated the reader about changing fashion and society in the decade leading up to the mid-1920s. This was a great visit—don’t miss this one! Plan on two hours for your visit.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane, WA 99201, 509-456-3931. Open: Tue-Sun 10-5; closed most federal holidays, see website: https://www.northwestmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/. Admission: Adult $12, 65+ $10, College Student w/ID $10, 6-17 $8, 5 and under Free; free parking. Gift shop on site. Café on site, but currently closed. Tickets may be purchased online but is not required: sales.northwestmuseum.org/generaladmission.aspx
Campbell House
This charming mansion inspired by English Tudor Revivalist style and built in 1898, was actually designed by noted architect Kirtland Cutter, who would later design the Historic Davenport Hotel. The Campbell House is on the grounds of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture and is authentically restored to its appearance and furnishings as it was in 1910. Be sure to ask the admissions clerk at the museum for a sticker that will get you into Campbell House. Plan on 45 minutes to one hour for your visit.
Campbell House, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane, WA 99201. Open: Tue-Sun 12-4. Admission: free with paid admission to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
Riverfront Park
The area that is now Riverfront Park had long been a declining industrial area when demolition of existing structures cleared the way for construction for Expo ’74. The 100-acre park remains as a gathering place for Spokane locals as well as visitors to the city; walking paths and foot bridges lead to wonderful attractions within the park and rental electric scooters by the dozens mounted by youth buzz about the park paths.
Pavilion Light Show: the centerpiece of Riverfront Park is certainly the Pavilion! Couples and even whole families gather on blankets laid out on the grass under the Pavilion to enjoy the nightly light show, which occurs Fri-Sun from dusk to 10:00.
Great Northern Clock Tower: the tower is the last remnant of the Great Northern rail depot completed in 1902; at the time it was considered the finest railroad depot west of Chicago. The depot was demolished, leaving only the clock tower, when Riverfront Park was under construction for Expo ’74. A city technician must crank the clock 99 times by hand once each week.
Looff Carrousel and Gift Shop: carved by Charles Looff in 1909, the Looff Carrousel is one of America’s best preserved hand-carved wooden carrousels and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Looff built over 50 carrousels across the country, including the original Coney Island Carrousel. The Spokane carrousel is over 100 years old, but is now housed in a brand new building. Open: daily Mon-Sat 11-5. Admission: $3.25, 2 and under Free with paid adult. Online ticket purchase is highly recommended before arriving to reduce wait time: https://my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontspokane/
Upper and Lower Falls: the park walking path will lead you to both the Upper and Lower Falls—you’ll want to have your camera out! Interpretive panels educate visitors about the river and its history and importance to the region’s native tribes.
Monroe Street Bridge: the walk along the river will take you to the very western point of the park just past the Lower Falls where you will enjoy a close up view from river level of the Monroe Street Bridge, a concrete arch bridge constructed in 1911 and now on the National Register of Historic Places. At its construction, the Monroe Street Bridge was the largest concrete arch bridge in the U.S. and the third longest in the world.
Numerica SkyRide: top off your exploration of the park with a gondola ride over the Lower Falls and under the Monroe Street Bridge. The Numerica SkyRide was named one of the top twelve scenic cable rides in the world by Conde Nast and Daily Traveller. The ride is 15 minutes and each gondola holds six passengers. Though the windows do open it can get warm inside the gondolas; the Skyride may close if temperatures exceed 90 degrees. The Bearded Ginger restaurant is in the same building. Open: daily 11-6. Admission: Adult $12.95, 3-12 $8.95, 2 and under Free; ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult; 10% discount offered for Military, Seniors (60+), college students, and AAA members. Tickets can be purchased in advance at: https://my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontspokane/
You are likely to spend two to three hours at the park; if your visit is in the afternoon (and on the weekend), we encourage you to come back after dinner for another hour after dusk to see the light show at the Pavilion. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and bring water, and perhaps a hat and sunscreen if your visit is in warm weather.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St, Spokane, WA 99201, 509-625-6600. Open: 6am to Midnight. Dogs welcome on a leash. Gift shop on site (currently housed in the Numerica Skyride building) that even includes a selection of treats for the dog. For information on parking to: https://my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontspokane/visitor-info/parking/
Accommodations
There are several wonderful hotels steeped in local history—the Historic Davenport Hotel primary among them—but we selected the Centennial Hotel because the hotel sits right on the bank of the Spokane River. We checked in, then exited the hotel at the back door and crossed the foot bridge to Riverfront Park—just that easy!
Parking at the Centennial will add $15 to your stay, but you’re going to pay for parking no matter where you park so this is extremely convenient—we parked and the car didn’t move again until the next morning.
The Centennial also offers a fine dining experience in their restaurant, though BARK, within walking distance just down the road, has a great burger menu also. BARK offers a unique dining experience as a rescue pub—for a $5 fee you can interact with rescue dogs and cats. If you dine at BARK, be sure to try the vinegar tots—amazingly good!
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
The Centennial Hotel Spokane, 303 W North River Dr Spokane, WA 99201, 509-326-8000.
The Historic Davenport Hotel and Breakfast
Day two of your weekend getaway to Spokane starts with breakfast (the Centennial does not offer breakfast) and we suggest you enjoy your morning repast in the Palm Court Grill in the Historic Davenport Hotel. You may not have stayed the night in the Davenport, but you should still visit this fine hotel!
The Historic Davenport Hotel, designed by Kirtland Cutter, was completed in 1914 and was the first hotel in the U.S. to have air conditioning which, in itself, speaks to the lavish opulence of the Davenport. From the moment you walk through the doors you will feel like you have stepped back in time to a century ago when luxury hotels offered ornately glamorous art in architecture. The Davenport has three separate ballrooms and several other multi-purpose rooms, each decked out in different artistic expression. In 2002 the hotel underwent significant restoration to return Mr. Cutter’s architectural masterwork to its original elegance.
Don’t cut yourself short on time for your exploration of the Davenport; we suggest paying for two hours of parking (it’s downtown, which means there is no free parking to found anywhere) and setting a 15-minute alarm on your phone. We parked in front of the building, set an alarm, and still got back to the car with but one minute remaining on our two-hour parking.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
The Historic Davenport Hotel, 10 S Post St, Spokane, WA 99201, 509-455-8888. The Palm Court Grill is open for Breakfast Mon-Fri 6:30-10am, Sat-Sun 6:30-12pm and for Dinner Sun-Thu 5-9, Fri-Sat 5-11. Reservations accepted.
Mt. Spokane Vista House
Follow up your visit to the Davenport with a drive up Mt. Spokane to the Mt. Spokane Vista House right on the summit, where you will marvel at the views of the valleys below and the further mountain ranges. The site is in a state park so a Washington State Discover Pass or an entrance fee is required, which can be purchased at the park office at entry into the state park.
The Vista House was privately constructed in 1933 and built from rock right off the mountain. The structure was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The drive from the Historic Davenport Hotel to the Vista House at the summit will take one hour. You will likely be 30 to 45 minutes at the Vista House. Be sure to wear good outdoors shoes. When driving down the mountain, remember to use your lower gears to avoid overheating your brakes!
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Mount Spokane Vista House, 26107 N Mt Spokane Park Dr, Mead, WA 99021. Dogs welcome on a leash, dog owner must clean up any dog waste.
Lunch at Thai Bamboo
Hungry yet? We suggest trying Thai Bamboo. We only suggest restaurants that we really liked and generally have higher than 4 stars for their reviews. We happen to enjoy Asian-inspired restaurants and it turned out Thai Bamboo was fantastic—some of the best Asian-inspired food we have enjoyed.
There are four locations in Spokane but the Division Street location will be the closest to your route. Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Thai Bamboo Restaurant, 5406 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99207, 509-777-8424. Open: Mon-Thu 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-9:30, Sun 11:30-9.
Riverside State Park Bowl and Pitcher
Riverside State Park is 9,000 acres, but the centerpiece is the Bowl and Pitcher. This natural marvel is only a few miles southwest of Spokane and is a must-visit site. Cross the river on the wooden bridge and take off on the trails—you’ll have great fun even if you only explore the trails around the huge boulders along the river. There is a great overlook on the parking lot side of the river as well.
The Bowl and Pitcher is in a state park so a Washington State Discover Pass or a day pass is required, which can be purchased at the park office at entry into the state park. Wear good walking shoes and bring water.
The drive from the city to the park will be perhaps 30 minutes; you are likely to be at the Bowl and Pitcher site for one to two hours.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Riverside State Park, 9711 W Charles Rd, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026. Dogs welcome on a leash, dog owner must clean up any dog waste.
Shopping
What’s a vacation—be it a week long event or a weekend getaway—without a shopping excursion or two? Here are places we like to shop in Spokane:
River Park Square: the mall sits right on the edge of Riverfront Park. The mall is worth a visit just to see this upscale structure—oh yeah, and then maybe go shopping! The mall also offers more choices for dinner as well, and you can even catch a movie. Parking is available, but paid by the hour.
Skechers Shoe Outlet: I love Skechers and have purchased many, many pairs of their shoes over the years, so I was actually excited when we passed this outlet store and had to turn around and go back! Here are details for navigation: Skechers Warehouse Outlets, 9324 North Division, Spokane, WA 99218; 509-465-3832.
Trader Joe’s: We don’t have a Trader Joe’s at home so we always stop in when we are in Spokane. They have some unique food items you just don’t find anywhere else (Speculoos Crunchy Cookie Butter Spread—mmm-mmm, now I’ve got to go sneak my bottle out from its hiding place in the back of the pantry…). If you’ve not shopped at a Trader Joe’s, stop in and do some exploring! Here are details for navigation: Trader Joe’s at two locations, 2975 E 29th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223; 5520 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99208.
Planning a Return Getaway to Spokane?
If so, consider adding these sites to a future itinerary:
John A. Finch Arboretum is a 56 acre park with more than 600 species of trees and shrubs including the Dawn Redwood from the mountains of western China. 3404 W Woodland Blvd, Spokane, WA 99224, 509-363-5466. Open: daily year-round, dawn to dusk. Restrooms open May-Oct. Admission: Free. Sorry, no dogs are allowed.
Spokane House Interpretive Center tells the story of the Spokane Indians and also of the first Europeans who came to the area and lived and traded among them. 9711 W. Charles, Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026, 509-465-5064. Open: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Sat-Sun 10-4. Admission: Free, donation encouraged.
Blue Zoo Aquarium Spokane: 4750 N Division St Suite 1242, Spokane, WA 99207, 877-425-8396. Open: Mon-Thu 11-7, Fri-Sat 11-8, Sun 11-6. Admission: Adult $19.95, Military with ID $17.95, 3-12 $16.95, 2 and under Free. Gift shop on site.
We hope our suggested itinerary inspires you to visit Spokane, or perhaps visit again if you’ve not experienced these great sites.
Updated February 2024
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