Warmer temperatures are upon us in the Spokane community as the clouds finally clear, and we make our way further into summer. The phrase “It’s too cold” is replaced with “It’s too hot” as the sun shines brightly overhead. To help us cool off during the impeding heat this summer season are these local places full of water fun for the whole family in the Spokane community!
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
115 S. 2nd Ave., CDA
Scenic views showcasing the beauty of North Idaho from the water can be seen aboard Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises! Community members looking to enjoy the water without actually getting wet can choose between their many cruise options to best match your desired family outing. They offer everything from scenic cruises, sunset dinner cruises, St. Joe River cruises, brunch and dinner cruises and, of course, cruises for seasonal events and holidays. Their two-deck cruise boats are climate-controlled and have picture windows, sound systems, and full bar service, all helping to create a wonderful experience for a peaceful day out on the water.
Numerica SkyRide
507 N. Howard St.
Offering spectacular and accessible upfront views of the Spokane River and Spokane Falls that run through downtown Spokane is the Numerica SkyRide. Water lovers can enjoy a 15-minute, round-trip ride in an “all-weather” enclosed cabin where they will travel past art deco City Hall and then gradually drop down 200 feet over the Huntington Park Natural Area. From here, patrons will continue across the Spokane River in front of one set of falls under the historic Monroe Street bridge before returning to Riverfront Park. The water typically rages between March and June, creating an exhilarating experience, but the scene is beautiful all year long, so don’t forget to bring your camera!
ROW Adventure Center
209 S. Washington St.
Leading the way in outdoor activities in North Idaho and our Spokane community is ROW Adventure Center. Since 1979, the center’s parent company, ROW Adventures has been delivering unique, innovative adventure-travel tours worldwide. Since their creation, they have been rated #1 “Things to Do” in the Spokane and CDA region by both visitors and locals alike, offering a wide variety of thrilling experiences on the water. Offering rafting, canoeing, and adventure-combination trips, those who join ROW for a wild ride can explore several local rivers, including Clark Fork, Selway, Moyie, and St. Joe rivers. They even offer rafting trips with a rush for those brave enough to take on the Lochsa River, which is famous for its technical, fast, and high-volume water.
Wiley E. Waters Whitewater Rafting
1701 W. Water Ave.
Since 1994, Wiley E. Waters has been helping the Spokane community have some fun on the water in the form of whitewater and scenic rafting adventures on the Spokane and Clark Fork River. Their tours are perfect for families, businesses, youth camps, convention center groups, and more! They promise to make your day, whether you want to take an adventurous whitewater tour through Spokane’s Riverside State Park or simply take a mellow, scenic float on a hot summer afternoon to cool off. The choice is yours when it comes to water fun at Wiley’s!
Fun Unlimited Spokane
334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Community members can rediscover water fun with the help of Fun Unlimited this summer. Fun Unlimited offers the most affordable and highest quality rentals in the Post Falls and Spokane area at their two convenient locations. They offer everything from stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, boats, and jet skis for those looking to catch some waves in extreme ways. They even offer sell passes for those who live for the water and want nothing more than to spend their summertime experiencing unlimited paddling.
Southside Family Aquatic Facility
3724 E. 61st Ave.
Families can cool off this summer at Southside Family Aquatic Facility, which is again reopened for business after being closed due to the pandemic. In fact, it’s back and better than ever with the addition of two new curly slides, more shade umbrellas, and concessions run by the Spokane Indians baseball organization. Kids and parents alike can cool off in various fun ways, such as diving onto the splash pads, cruising down the towering water slides, or simply floating along the lazy river. Don’t forget that there’s another location on Handy Road in Colbert known as the Northside Family Aquatics Facility and that reservations for swimming should be made online a few days before your visit.
Raptor Reef Indoor Water Park
175 W. Orchard Ave., Hayden
Triple Play Family Fun Park got more exciting this summer with their Raptor Reef Indoor Water Park! Visitors looking to cool off can head to the waterpark for various play options. These play options include a Children’s Aquaplay interactive play structure, Lost Falls for tube slide thrills, Prehistoric Plunge that is a 300-foot high-speed body slide, The Constrictor, which is their newest and fastest slide at 350 feet high, Toddler Lagoon for the little ones, Velociraptor Vortex where you drop into a gigantic bowl that then swirls and spins, and their famous Wave Pool that features six different wave patterns. There’s definitely something for everyone at Triple Play so that each family member can make a splash, whichever suits them best at their water park.
When the heat becomes too much to bear in our Spokane region this summer season, at least there will be plenty of places to beat the heat in our beautiful city in various ways. Whether you want to enjoy the water indoors or outdoors, hit some extreme waves or simply float, these fun water places have got you covered for all your cooling-off needs!
