Would you come to a Travel Group destination weekend @ Coeur d'Alene, Idaho?

Oh my, this is such a great idea! I’d love to do it, but not sure I could manage it. Good luck with the planning, and please keep us posted

Fabulous idea! I can’t make it work this year, but summer 2026 is a possibility! My brother has a home there and I’ve never been!

Sounds interesting.
I have tenative plans to do a RoadScholar tour out west summer 2026, so maybe!

Great idea!
I won’t be able to attend, but wanted to say that the one time I visited Coeur d’Alene many years ago, I thought it was just a lovely place.

(Although we did see an elderly but very fit man walking around wearing nothing at all but a red bandanna tied sideways across his important bits……) Eek.

I love this idea! Spring 2026 would be my preference:)

What a great idea! I could possibly make it this fall but next spring would be more likely.

How did I miss this? Yes!!! Spring or Fall 2026 would work best for me; possibly summer depending on the month.

This is a real possibility for me without much prior planning since I'm only about 3 hours away (not 1st weekend in June 2026 OUT for 50th HS). Still waiting on daughter's wedding date for late summer/fall 2025.

Keep me posted!
Cheryl

Cheryl—our son is getting married in July 2026. We will both be busy!

I am 100% interested, my own travels permitting. Which really says that I'm about 50/50% likely to be able to attend.

I would drive, so if temps allow, I'm up for this summer:

1. Summer 2025

And also for cooler months:

1. Spring 2026
2. Summer 2026
3. Fall 2026

Jean, what a nice idea. Spring 2026 would be a wonderful time to get back to Idaho. It’s so pretty there and it’s been many years since my last visit.

What an interesting idea! I’ve read (and enjoyed) many posts from Jean and Pam, and would like to meet the group. I’d just have to cross the pond from Vancouver Island to Vancouver. I think it’s about a 7 hour drive from there. I will likely be retiring in 2026, and that could be the impetus to take a little trip to see some of the northern US. Spring or summer 2026 might work for me.

Spring or summer 2026 could be doable for me.

It would be a real possibility, depending .... I would need to know more.

I could use my Southwest Airline rewards to fly to Spokane. Have over 100,000 Southwest rewards but never have a chance to use them.

I have already done some research and t seems that there is a shuttle from the airport to Coeur d'Alene.

I would love to get away from the heat of Austin, TX so I am voting for summer of 2025 or summer 2026.

Oooooooh i would LOVE to do that but it probably isn't very realistic for me in this phase of life (elder care from abroad, thus all U.S. visits, when I can get them, only to my parents, and Oklahoma isn't in Idaho's neighborhood).

I'm theoretically there in October 2026 but honestly don't plan anything round me. If it happens it happens.

This trip has now been planned since 2015 (and has it's roots back in the year 2000) - the first 5 of those years postponed annually due to caregiving responsibilities, then 3 years lost to Covid, then lost in 2023 due to a house clearance (not mine), twice in 2024 by what are best called circumstances, then this year lost due to someone else deciding to go to Greenland (as probably their last international trip).

I've been looking at Jefferson Stage Lines from Spokane (connecting from Ellensburg or Pasco) as the best way to get there, given that the planned regular STA route from Spokane seems to be dead in the water, then maybe flying home from GEG.

Any time except Sept 2025. Would love to be there!

Jean! Great idea!

I volunteer to lead a hike out at English Point for any extended activities if anyone is interested!

Thanks, Pam! I’m thinking the lake cruise would be a great afternoon activity after our meeting at Woops & lunch. Or a more active kayaking on CDA or Hayden Lake.

Since I avoid open heights, I wouldn’t be doing these two, but other possibilities for the second day are the Hiawatha Bike Trail with those wonderful views on the higher bridges (former train route) or the gondolas up Silver Mountain and/or their mine tour.

Jean, what a great idea! I’d love to meet everyone. I can’t commit yet, but Summer 2026 should work.
Kathy

Here’s the Hiawatha Bike trail experience. : )

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OTa5iAT1WYs

I'll be watching with interest. I'd love to come, but it seems unlikely. Can't wait to know the firm date! You never know.

Portland travel group looking on in awe. What a great idea.

Good luck I might be interested in a cross cultural exchange.

I've done the Hiawatha bike trail twice. Great unique experience.

Also there is 73 mile (bike) Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes. It is one of the best maintained bike trails in USA. It was built over a hazardous rail bed and is required to be kept 'sealed' so ruts etc are repaired promptly. Much of it is level. I've done the entire length, but easy to do partial.

https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/trail-coeur-d-alenes/

Pam,
Count me in for the hike.

I am with Andrea. Keep me in the loop but wouldn’t want you to plan a date around me, although I will say I have 2025 pretty well booked up already.

Like TexasTravelMom, my 2025 is booked already.

Mark McG, I like your area, too! We lived in Tualatin for our first 10 years of marriage - good memories, and I especially love the International Portland Rose Garden. Seattle’s rose gardens & our Manito Park just don’t compare.

This is an interesting thought. I went so far as to see if Amtrak's Empire Builder went through Coeur d'Alene. It does not...but it does go through Spokane, so not too far off. The Empire Builder has been on my list to do for some time now. However, I looked up the buses from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene; one a day? This New Englander just doesn't understand that. LOL. My brother, who saw every state except Alaska thought Idaho was the most beautiful, so that has always intrigued me as well. So...maybe, depending on life.

Also, I wouldn't want to influence your choice of when to do it as I don't usually decide my trips until close to the trip, maybe 3-5 months before. This RS tour in April was way too long a period of time for my liking...10 months is a long time to know what I might want to do on the other side of the year. But that's just me, obviously.

Jean, what a great idea! I am definitely interested but can't commit until much closer to the event. 2025 is pretty busy already so probably Summer 2026 would work best.

Another thought...wouldn't it be great to bring some travel items that we don't want any longer and maybe do some trading, (although with packing light that might not be possible)?

Hello Wray

Is the Empire Builder the train that runs some of the same route that Lewis and Clark took. I was hoping to someday be able to take it.

You could go to Spokane and then take the shuttle to Coeur d'Alene. I think it is less than an hour from Spokane and I thought that I noticed there were shuttle buses. Or you could go in the other direction taking the shuttle from Coeur d'Alene to Spokane and then The Empire Builder to Chicago which is where I think that it begins and ends.

Thanks everyone for your replies so far! At this point I was just checking if there’s enough interest to pursue discussing it as our topic for our group meeting in a few weeks. From your replies, we will go ahead and discuss it over our cappuccinos & pastries! ; ). I would anticipate our invitation weekend will occur in 2026 since we’re an actively traveling bunch.

Boston Phil,

The big drawback of the Empire Builder is that it arrives at Spokane from Chicago at about 3am and from Seattle/Portland (OR) at about 2am.
For Lewis and Clark you need the Portland (OR) section which follows the Columbia. I've just been brushing up plans this week on the local buses down the river to Portland from the intermediate stations at Wishram and Bingen-White Salmon.
I personally think the best way to do the Empire Builder would be to stay on at Spokane to either Seattle or Portland.
Overnight there, then the daytime Flixbus from Portland to Spokane.
Or from Seattle either one of the two daytime flixbuses to Spokane over Snoqualmie, or the daytime Amtrak Thruway bus over Stevens.
All those buses converge on Spokane at around 4.30 pm.

Good Morning isn31c. It is morning on my end.

I have not taken Amtrak in many years and am not thinking of Amtrak for now but one never knows. I love trains and like so many other Americans wish that our national service could be improved.

Isn't the Empire Builder one of the most beautiful Amtrak routes?

Amtrak is often late so even if it is scheduled to arrive in Spokane , it could be somewhat later. But assume that it arrives on time, as an insomniac, I am used to being up at odd times and in the middle of the night. I am patient and I can wait until daylight hours to catch a shuttle bus.

I am the one who goes to the airport tjhe night before I fly and "sleeps" in a chair until I can go through very early 4 a.n. security.

Usually I only travel about once a year but that is my big international cruise. And that is normally in the fall.

I would consider a domestic trip during the summer. Maybe even spring. Austin gets hot early and stays hot late. I would love to get away and go someplace cool.

This is a great idea for a meetup! I like the idea of bringing a travel item to rehome too. We are quite flexible as to dates Fall of 2025 and beyond but prefer summer 2026.

Isn31c, I hadn't gotten so far as to check the schedule... That's too bad. I don't interrupt my sleep if I can help it. LOL. Seattle to Chicago direction isn't much better at 1:15 AM. So much for a plan to stop in Spokane...

Mona, we could car pool! Actually we would drive and spend some time with family in Washington either before or after. CDL is only about 5 hours from where our daughter lives.

No, no, no to taking Amtrak to Spokane. As Stuart mentions it arrives in the middle of the night, whichever way you are coming. The station is in an AWFUL location and one that I would not go to in the day time much less in the middle of the night. I would not even feel safe disembarking from the train and trying to get a taxi or an Uber.

I actually didn't know there was even a bus a day between CdA and Spokane. This is definitely a car environment and you will just exhaust yourself if you try to figure out public transit of which there is little.

Hiawatha and Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes are great. I've walked some of the Trail of the CdA's and Lynn is spot on regarding it's status. You are advised NOT to get off the pavement. I think it was a SuperFund site - lots of spilled heavy metals from ore being hauled out of the silver mines in the mountains.

I agree with Pam for the Spokane train station stop. If you’re open to some driving, it’s a beautiful drive from Whitefish, Montana - a beautiful location itself that’s on the train route, to CDA.

For the airport at Spokane, CDA Resort has their own airport shuttle - the prime location on the lake and just a few blocks from our Woops Bakery meeting spot, or there’s other options. There’s also a lot of pretty areas to explore around our north Idaho panhandle where you would definitely need a car.

When the dates for this event are established, maybe some people flying into Spokane could coordinate arrival/departure days and times, and one person rent a car with others sharing costs.

I just want to say what a fun idea this is. I would love to join you, but it’s just too far away for me. I hope it works out for everyone.

Fun idea! I'm only a 5-6 hour drive to Couer d'Alene from the Tacoma, WA area, and would be very interested in attending and meeting fellow travelers. Anytime from Fall 2025 into 2026 sounds good.

I'm a "yes". It's pretty easy to get there from Seattle!
Summer or Fall would be my preference - Spring could still have snow on the pass!

Thanks you!

This is a wonderful idea! Like others, my 2025 is pretty booked. For 2026 I'm waiting for wedding dates from my daughter, but that will probably be late winter/early spring.

I would love to and would if I could, but it is pretty prohibitive for a weekend. But I'd be there in spirit.

What a wonderful idea, count me in!

It would be great fun to meet everyone and spend some fun time in the area. Depending on the date, I might fly or drive. I'd be happy coming up this summer, but it looks like most want next year, which is fine with me.

I may come up there this summer anyway :)

Barbara, you’re welcome any month! We meet the first Saturday of each month.

We will be talking about this in a week at our regular monthly meeting. From a few preliminary texts, we will probably provide a list with a few categories besides what we plan to collectively do as a group so you can customize your own time.

Some categories we will list:

• Lodging, lake & hiking activities, resort spa, etc. & restaurants in the local downtown area for those who don’t plan to have a car
• Lodging options & activities within an hour of Coeur d’Alene for those who have a car.
• A list of day-trips or destinations if someone is planning a 1-week vacation in Washington/Idaho/Montana.

Looks like we could have a caravan road trip from Seattle! Like many others here, I would be driving over.

Mikliz97, yeah! We could finally meet in person! : )

Jean--I know! I still can't believe we lived a block apart!

We would be driving either from the Seattle area or to it afterwards so we can spend time there with our daughter and family.

Hello Jean

If I am able to participate, I would want to come in on Thursday and leave on Monday doing my own thing until our gathering begins.

I would like to make it a full week vacation so would appreciate suggestions of where else I might go,

I have never been in your area of the world so this is very exciting for me.

My research says that there is a casino? Is that correct?

Bostonphil7, that’s the great thing about on-line research; you can find the activities that interest you! : ). I think there might be one near the Spokane airport, but I don’t know details about it.

This sounds like a lot of fun! I love Coeur d'Alene and have plenty of Alaska Airlines miles to get me there! Any of the time options work for me at the moment. I've yet to plan beyond an Iceland trip scheduled for this May.

@JP - date has been set as last weekend of September 2026. There's a newer thread on the Travel Group forum that you might want to look at.

We discussed it at our February meet up, and the date is set for the last weekend in September 2026. (Yes, 2026 because of all of our current travel plans in our group.)

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/travel-meetings/in-person-travel-group-meet-up-in-coeur-d-alene-idaho-date-set