Spokane

Introduction

Spokane sits in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River and beside the Selkirk Mountains, just west of the Rocky Mountain foothills. It is the seat of Spokane County, positioned about twenty miles from the Idaho state line and roughly 110 miles south of Canada.

Interstate 90 runs through the city, putting it about 280 miles east of Seattle and within reach of Calgary to the northeast. That location makes Spokane a natural stopover for travelers crossing the Inland Northwest, whether you are heading toward the Idaho border or continuing on to the Rockies.

Before you go

Spokane is pronounced "spo-CAN," not "spo-CANE." The city takes its name from a Salish-speaking tribe who were the area's original inhabitants; the original spelling, Spokan, gained its e from Spokane House, a trapping house built by early European arrivals. Keep in mind that Spokane is the largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis, and that its metro area reaches into neighboring Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County, Idaho.

The climate differs sharply from western Washington: Spokane gets only a fraction of Seattle's rain, but winters are colder with much more snowfall, and summers are hotter, though less humid than in the Midwest and East. Even on warm days, nights and early mornings turn cold, so always have a jacket handy year-round. Daylight shifts dramatically with the seasons — summer sunrises come before 5AM with the sun down by 8:45PM, while winter sunsets arrive before 4PM and sunrises around 7:30AM. Before you arrive, it's worth checking the Visit Spokane website for visitor information.

Getting there

Getting around

Spokane is a bus-based city: there is no metro, light rail, or tram network, so your options come down to walking, buses, bikes, cars, and ride-hailing. The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) runs the fixed-route network, an on-demand service called STA Link, and the City Line, an electric bus rapid transit route that runs very frequently and serves the UW and WSU Spokane campuses adjacent to downtown, with off-board fare payment at major stops and transit-priority signals in places. Many routes converge downtown at STA Plaza, the central hub where you will often transfer. Service is strongest near downtown and along the main arterials, reaching west to Fairchild AFB, Medical Lake, and Cheney; east to Liberty Lake; north to Wandermere and Mead; and south toward 37th Avenue and the Moran Park and Ride. Ask the driver for a pass before you put your fare in the fare box, and note that fares can be bought online for delivery by mail or through the OneRide app, which also provides mobile fares and real-time tracking. Two things are worth planning around: off-peak frequency is low, with many non-core routes running hourly or less in the evenings and on Sundays, and cross-town travel is awkward because many trips require riding into downtown to transfer. If your plans are concentrated downtown or along a core corridor such as Division or Sprague, transit works well; if you are connecting outlying areas, allow extra time or consider other options.

Downtown Spokane is compact and close to major hotels and attractions, which makes walking a genuinely practical way to cover the center, and neighborhoods just outside downtown such as Browne's Addition are walkable and sit on the City Line route. Outside these central districts the city spreads out and walking becomes less realistic as a primary mode. Biking is convenient and desirable thanks to rapidly developed infrastructure, including protected and unprotected bike lanes, traffic-separated trails and paths, and bike parking downtown and in major commercial districts; from April to October, when the weather is most reliably bicyclist-friendly, bicycle commuters are common heading downtown or to districts like South Perry and Garland. The Centennial Trail runs along the Spokane River and is a useful spine for recreational and practical riding, though sidewalks and bike infrastructure near bus stops are inconsistent and secure bike parking at transit centers is limited. Taxis and ride-hailing are straightforward, particularly for cross-town journeys or late-night travel that transit handles poorly. If you drive, Interstate 90 is an excellent way to cross town east-west, but a north-south freeway is under construction and will not be finished for years, so allow more time for long north-south trips. Watch for cross traffic at the many uncontrolled intersections in older residential neighborhoods, and note that on the northwest side Maple Street (northbound) and Ash Street (southbound) are one-way thoroughfares, with a tricky 45-degree intersection where Northwest Boulevard meets them. Check with the Washington State Department of Transportation for current driving conditions. Rental cars are widely available, mainly near the airport, with all the major companies represented.

Where to stay

Spokane's sleeping options spread from the airport and Airway Heights on the west side to Spokane Valley on the east, with a solid cluster downtown and along the river. If you're watching your budget, the Days Inn & Suites near the airport offers free local and long-distance calls within the continental US, free wireless internet in all rooms, and a complimentary continental breakfast, while Motel 6 Spokane East sits at the Argonne Road and I-90 junction. Super 8 and the Tiki Lodge, the latter tucked behind a restaurant on West 2nd Avenue, round out the cheaper end.

Mid-range chains are plentiful: Comfort Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Oxford Suites and Residence Inn all have outposts in Spokane Valley, while the Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Express and Oxford Suites keep you downtown. The Centennial sits at the edge of Riverfront Park on the banks of the Spokane River, and the Ruby River Hotel is just over the bridge from downtown. For a splurge, The Davenport Hotel and Tower anchors the Davenport District with three restaurants and bars and a long history woven through its Western European-inspired rooms and lobbies; The Louie is a small Mediterranean-style property downtown, and the Montvale Hotel is a European-style boutique option near the Fox Theater with WiFi, bicycle use, and in-room microwave and mini fridge.

Food & drink

Spokane's dining scene has come into its own, with a wide variety of chef-owned restaurants serving all tastes and an emphasis on locally grown and organic ingredients. Whatever your budget, you'll find something to suit: grab a quick burger at Dick's Hamburgers, a Spokane institution, or at the family-owned Didier's Yogurt & More on the north side near Whitworth College, where the burgers and frozen yogurt are both worth your time. For something more distinctive, head to Mary Lou's Milk Bottle on West Garland Avenue, a small burger-and-shake restaurant housed in a stuccoed milk bottle several stories high, or to Ferguson's Cafe next door, which opens early for breakfast and is known for its blue plate specials. Downtown, Chicken-N-Mo serves soul food, catfish and ribs, while The Elk Public House in the historic Browne Addition offers an eclectic menu and a large selection of microbrews on tap, with outdoor seating; The Two-Seven Public House on the South Hill shares its menu and full bar. The Old Spaghetti Factory and Longhorn Barbecue round out the mid-range options, and Bennidito's Pizza draws praise for its pizza and calzones, with good beers on tap and recommended garlic cheese bread, chicken wings and hot Italian sausage. For a mid-day coffee or pastry after a day in Manito Park, try The Rockwood Bakery, less than a block away.

Don't leave without trying a craft pizza at one of the area's many artisan pie shops — the region is known for wild and exotic varieties, including Thai and a four-cheese pie called the "Honey Badger" topped with a honey glaze. Spokane has also seen an explosion in craft brewing, and it sits at the center of the Inland Northwest Ale Trail, with many breweries offering food or partnering with food trucks. No-Li Brewhouse, on the banks of the Spokane River, is a true brewpub pouring sampler trays and pints of its locally made ales, including its Crystal Bitter and Chocolate Dunkel, alongside an ambitious food menu. Steamplant Brewery occupies a former steam plant and serves its beer flights in a steamplant-shaped holder, with a daily happy hour. Beyond beer, the nightlife scene includes a number of bars, pubs and nightclubs downtown: Jack & Dan's Bar & Grill is a classic sports bar on the edge of Gonzaga University that packs in students to watch basketball, while O'Doherty's Irish Grille is a place to gather, chat and tip a pint, with Guinness and Harp on tap and live Irish music on Tuesday nights. Twigs Bistro is first a martini bar and second a restaurant, with a very good drink selection and a weekend breakfast whose crème brûlée French toast is worth seeking out.

What to see and do

Start downtown, where skywalks link much of the shopping, attractions and hotels — a welcome convenience in winter. Riverfront Park, host of the 1974 World's Fair, anchors the center: the river and its waterfalls, the dam, two suspension footbridges, a hand-carved Looff Carousel with rings and a target (sit on an outside horse if you want to grab them), gondolas over the falls, a small amusement park, bike rentals, an IMAX theater and game room, and concert areas. The clock tower is the only remnant of the train yards that once occupied the parkland, and makes a good meeting point if you get separated. Just west of the park, walk the Monroe Street Bridge, built in 1911, with buffalo head sculptures on its covered observation decks. Nearby are the Spokane County Courthouse, completed in 1895 in French Renaissance style, the Davenport Arts District at 2nd and Madison, and Huntingdon Park, which offers another angle on the falls. The Mobius Discovery Center is a science museum aimed at children.

Elsewhere, Manito Park rewards a wander: a rose garden in summer, the formal Duncan Gardens near the greenhouse, Japanese gardens on the Bernard Street side, a duck pond, playgrounds, tennis courts, and steep hills that locals use for sledding in winter. Riverside State Park's Bowl and Pitcher is a basalt formation in the middle of the fast-flowing Spokane River, with an overlook and suspension bridge on the east side. You can also visit the Spokane House Interpretive Center, the Cat Tales Wildlife Center, the Finch Arboretum with its lilacs and rhododendron grove, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and Gonzaga University's Bing Crosby Collection and the singer's childhood home. For live music, head to The Knitting Factory. In winter, skiing and cross-country trails await at Mt. Spokane, with wide views from the summit; in summer, the park offers camping and daytime recreation. Golfers have plenty of public courses around the city, and the calendar brings the Spokane International Film Festival, Get Lit!, Bloomsday and the Lilac Festival.

When to go

Spokane is drier than western Washington, so plan around a climate of contrasts rather than constant rain. Winters are much colder than on the west side of the state and bring considerably more snowfall, with short daylight hours — sunsets before 4PM and sunrises around 7:30AM. A jacket is essential if you visit in winter.

Summers are hotter than western Washington but milder and less humid than the Midwest and East. Days can be sweltering, yet nights cool off sharply, and mornings are cool too, so a jacket is still worth packing even in the heat. Summer daylight is long, with sunrises before 5AM and sunsets by 8:45PM.

Festivals & events

Spokane's event calendar runs from winter into summer. The Spokane International Film Festival takes place in February, followed by the Get Lit! Programs Festival in April. May brings both Bloomsday and the Lilac Festival, while June is the busiest stretch, with the OutSpokane Pride Parade & Rainbow Festival and Hoopfest.

If you're timing a visit around a specific event, plan ahead for the months that draw the biggest crowds: May and June each host two major happenings, so expect the city to be lively then.

Three days in Spokane

Day one: Start in Spokane, Washington, the hub of the Inland Northwest, and get your bearings along the Spokane River, which runs through the heart of the city. The river's falls and gorge are the defining feature of downtown, and a walk along its banks gives you a sense of how the city grew up around the water. If you've flown in, you'll likely have arrived at Spokane International Airport, also known as GEG, west of town near Airway Heights, served by airlines including Alaska and Horizon. From there, head into the city and spend your first afternoon on foot, taking in the river and the downtown core before an early dinner.

Day two: Use Spokane as your base for exploring the surrounding region. To the east lies Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County in Idaho, an easy drive across the state line. To the north, the Selkirk Mountains rise toward Canada, and the Rockies frame the horizon in several directions. The city itself sits in Spokane County, and its position between the Midwest and the East on one side and Seattle, Calgary, and Minneapolis on the other has long made it a crossroads. If you prefer to stay closer to town, spend the day wandering the neighbourhoods along the river and learning about the area's history, from Spokane House and the Salish and Spokan peoples to the European traders who followed.

Day three: Wrap up with a slower morning before you leave. If you're driving, Interstate and US Hwy routes connect Spokane to the wider region, and Exit signs will point you toward Airway Heights and the airport if you're flying out. Daylight is long in summer, so an early start gives you time for one last look at the river before you go. Whether you're continuing on to Idaho, heading west toward Seattle, or flying home from GEG, three days gives you a fair introduction to Spokane and the Inland Northwest.