The I-90 corridor across the North Idaho Panhandle is a short 74 miles linking Washington to the west and Montana to the east. It may be only 74 miles, but it turns out that the corridor is packed with great things to do and sites to see! Here are our top picks for a weekend getaway, or perhaps a two-day add-on to further adventures from Washington to Montana.
The region has a long intercultural history involving native tribes and Europeans beginning with the arrival of French and British trappers in 1809. That history is rich and diverse and you will learn that history by way of the museums and historical sites along the route.
Best time to visit: many sites are open year-round but others are closed in winter; the best time for this itinerary is May to October. Also, several sites have varying open days, so it may be difficult to see all sites, depending upon the days of the week of your visit; experiencing the itinerary Tuesday through Saturday works best to see most all sites, though Saturday and Sunday would get you in to the Museum of North Idaho if you complete your visit to Coeur d’Alene on Saturday—and you really shouldn’t miss the museum.
Our itinerary is written as traveling east from Washington. If you happen to be coming west from Montana, simply experience our itinerary in reverse order. Our itinerary begins in Coeur d’Alene and we suggest arriving by 9:00am to make the most of your time on day one.
Coeur d’Alene
The city and the lake are named after the native tribe of the region (we’ll leave it to you to learn why the tribe is known by a French language name). The city of Coeur d’Alene is where our itinerary begins. And what part of Coeur d’Alene? Well, the charming downtown district along Sherman Avenue and its pleasing shops and restaurants and pubs, of course, such as Marketplace Gifts, Figpickels Toy Emporium, Into the Woods Home Goods, Mix It Up Home Goods, Christmas at the Lake, and All Things Irish.
But first, breakfast! May we suggest The Iron Horse Restaurant? Great food at very reasonable prices. Assuming your visit is on the weekend, you can start here with breakfast and the retail establishments will be open when you have finished fueling up for the morning’s adventures. Parking can be difficult to find on the streets but The Iron Horse has parking in the back—but be sure to park in spots clearly marked for The Iron Horse Restaurant to avoid being towed! 407 Sherman Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, 208-667-7314. Open: Sat-Sun 8-10, Mon-Fri 11-9. Other weekend breakfast options along Sherman Avenue are Rustic and Collective Kitchen.
Museum of North Idaho
Museum is currently closed while a new museum space is being constructed. However, a temporary site is being prepared for the 2024 season and will open soon at the former Roxy Theater building at 115 S. 4th St. in downtown Coeur d’Alene.
Come learn of the rich and varied history of North Idaho, from the native peoples to the Mullan Road, begun in 1859 as the first engineered road to be constructed over the Rocky Mountains, to the miners and loggers who built North Idaho industry, and to the Big Burn, the terrible fire of 1910 that cost 87 lives, mostly fire fighters, and may have been the largest forest fire in recorded U.S. history. Don’t skip this great visit of discovery. Plan on one hour for your visit.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Museum of North Idaho, 115 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, 208-664-3448. Open: Spring and Fall Apr-Oct, Tue-Sat 11-5; Summer, daily 11-5. Admission: Adult $6, 65+ $5, 5-12 $2, 4 and under Free. Upon arrival, request a free 1 hour parking voucher from the front desk. Gift shop on site.
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises and Veterans Memorial Park
The cruise is 90-minutes, but plan for a total of two hours. Arrive a few minutes early; we suggest the 12:30 cruise to allow time for remaining sites planned for day one. Note that parking is $2.00 per hour; we suggest paying for three hours of parking to allow you some time to stroll the park. You may want to bring a hat and sunscreen, and possibly motion sickness pills if that is a potential ailment.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, 115 S. 2nd St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, 208-292-5670. The 2021 season ends Sun, Nov 14. Ticket cost: Adults $30.25, 55+ $28.25, 6-17 $22.25, 5 and under Free. To book cruise: https://tickets.cdacruises.com/
Veterans Memorial Park: the park is found on the far side of the marina and CDA Resort from the Independence Point dock. This is a wonderful park and its finest element is Tubbs Hill, a 120-acre wooded promontory at the edge of the park offering excellent views from its 2.2-mile interpretive trail around the perimeter of the promontory (if you hike the trail you may need to pay more parking time!).
Old Mission State Park and Visitor Center Museum
Head east on E Sherman Ave and enter I-90 going east. After about 26 miles, exit I-90 at Exit 39 and turn right onto S Mission Rd; Old Mission State Park is on the left only a few hundred feet down the road. On the grounds is the Cataldo Mission, which was constructed in the 1850s and is touted as the oldest surviving building in Idaho—and what an historical treasure it is; when you visit, look for construction details and consider that the building was constructed, at the time, on what could easily be considered the edge of the wilderness. The story of the Mission of the Sacred Heart is a fascinating story and one not to be missed. Note that you can also enter the Parish House right next to the mission church. On the grounds are also a few interpretive panels with on-demand recorded messages.
The Visitor Center and Museum does require an additional entrance fee, but the exhibits are so educational that we encourage you to visit the museum also.
Plan on 1.5 to two hours for your visit.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Old Mission State Park, 31732 S Mission Rd, Cataldo, ID 83810, 208-682-3814. Open: daily 9-5, closed on major holidays. Admission: $7 per vehicle. Additional $5 fee to enter Visitor Center Museum. Gift shop in visitor center. Vault toilet near the mission church.
Wallace
15 minutes further east along I-90 brings you to historic Wallace, a town recently honored by True West Magazine as one of the top ten historic towns in the West. In fact, the entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places—and, would you believe, the center of the universe is to be found right in the middle of a downtown intersection and there’s a manhole cover to prove it! Don’t believe it? Well, as the locals say, “Prove that it isn’t.”
Wallace sits in a beautiful little valley with forested slopes as a backdrop in every direction you look. This historic town is famous for other forms of beauty as well… including the ladies found in houses of ill repute. In fact, the last bordello that served the miners of the Wallace mining district did not close until 1988. If you have time visit Oasis and the railroad museums either Saturday afternoon or Sunday.
Oasis Bordello Museum: 605 Cedar St, Wallace, ID 83873, 208-753-0801. Open: Wed-Sun 11-4.
Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum: 219 6th St, Wallace, ID 83873, 208-752-0111. Open: Wed-Sun 10-4.
Restaurants and pubs dot the over a century-old downtown district. One that we suggest you try is The Blackboard Café. When you’ve finished your meal, top it off with Huckleberry Crumble with ice cream. Mmm-mmm!
Several hotels and motels are to be found in Wallace. We selected the Wallace Inn for its amenities, which include a pool and hot tub. The inn also houses Trailside Café and, though breakfast tends to be just breakfast, Trailside’s Eggs Benedict may well be the best I have ever savored.
Sierra Silver Mine Tour
Come learn about the history, techniques, and equipment used in mining a hard-rock silver mine. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and bring a light jacket as the mine is about 50 degrees.
The ticket office happens to be a well stocked gift shop and old-fashioned ice cream parlor. The ice cream was amazing; we’ve been here more than once and our favorites are Huckleberry, Spumoni, Maui Waui Sherbet, and Lemon Sorbet—oh, and an extra favorite treat, McFadden’s Chocolate Cherry Walnut fudge. Mountain Huckleberries are a big deal along our route; in fact, the Mountain Huckleberry is Idaho’s State Fruit. That being said, do try the chocolate huckleberry popped corn and the huckleberry jam.
Plan on 1.25 hours for your tour and likely at least another half-hour in the gift shop. We suggest booking the first tour of the day to allow more time for other sites today.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Sierra Silver Mine Tour, 509 Cedar St, Wallace, ID 83873, 208-752-5151. Open: Jun-Aug daily 10-4; May, Sep-Oct daily 10-2. Tours depart every 30 minutes aboard a trolley that will take you to the mine and then drive you on a short tour of the town while the driver narrates nuggets of local history. Admission: Adult $18, 60+ $16, 4-16 $10, under 4 Free. Go to https://silverminetour.org to purchase your tickets in advance to guarantee your desired time slot.
Wallace District Mining Museum
Day two starts with a visit to the mining museum. The museum is a must stop for any visitor who wants to explore North Idaho history, as it reveals the history of what has proven to be the most productive silver mining district in the world. That history includes the development of mining techniques and equipment, labor strife—even to the point of the assassination of an Idaho governor, mine disasters, and a mock up of a mine that visitors can walk through. A number of exhibits of layered glass display amazing views of the layers of several area mines, at least one of which is more than a mile deep.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Wallace District Mining Museum, 509 Bank St, Wallace, ID 83873, 208-556-1592. Open: Mon-Sat 9-3, Sun 11-3. Admission: Free, but a donation is suggested. Gift shop on site.
We hope our suggested itinerary inspires you to travel the I-90 corridor and experience the rich and fascinating history of North Idaho.
Updated June 2024
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