North Idaho town offers lakefront beauty and recreation, making it a good stop on a Western road trip or a destination in its own right.
The town of Coeur d’Alene, nestled along a lake in northern Idaho, is a “choose your own adventure” sort of destination.
Step out of a downtown hotel and turn one direction for bistros, beer bars and quaint small-town shopping. Head the other way and you find (get ready, it’s a long list): hiking, biking, swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, jet skiing, water skiing, lake cruises, a biplane waiting to whisk you above Lake Coeur d’Alene, wind surfing or just lounging on the beach
On the average pleasant summer day, all those pursuits happen side by side in the town of 46,000, which is tucked between the lake and the national forest that share its name.