Out of the way vacation spot

We%26#39;re considering a long drive from Kansas, including a couple of days in %26amp; around the Couer%26#39;d%26#39; Alene area. Not picky about exact location. All lodging I see looks pretty commercial. Any ideas for something quiet, out of the way, just to relax and re-charge? We like rustic type settings, don%26#39;t want all the fancy stuff.....although we do like a good meal, and a visit to a good bar always helps. Thanks for your input!

Out of the way vacation spot

A couple of suggestions. Interstate 90 into Coeur d%26#39; Alene tends to make things fairly commercial along its route. An alternate route with great scenery, small towns but slower pace would be to exit Interstate 90 at Missoula, MT and take Highway 200 along the Clark Fork River and Pend Oreille Lake. There are a number of small towns along this route with the largest and most well known being Sandpoint, Idaho. You could return to Interstate 90 via US95 in Idaho or Highway 41 in Idaho or Highway 2 in Washington. Sandpoint has a variety of lodging options many reviewed on this site, it%26#39;s a very busy town during summer tourist season or ski season in winter. If you had several days, one of the better locations to get away from it all in North Idaho would be Priest Lake, north of Priest River. Its the third largest lake in the area and has great mountain scenery. Two smaller resorts worth considering are Elkins Resort and Hill%26#39;s Resort, both of which have web sites. Easy access to the lake by paved highway 57 from Priest River on highway 2 west of Sandpoint.

Out of the way vacation spot

Hi. I am a local. I have lived in CDA for more than 20 years.

If you really want to get away from town and experience nature, I would recommend that you do the Route of the Hiawatha. It was a railway that has been converted to a bike path. It is a 15-mile gradual downhill trail that winds through the mountains – you%26#39;ll go through 10 tunnels and over 7 high trestle bridges (when you get to the bottom you take a bus back up to the top). It has got spectacular views and makes for a great family-friendly adventure. You can rent bikes and headlamps - you%26#39;ll need lights for the very long and very dark Taft tunnel - at the nearby Lookout Ski Resort. Go to this website for more details: http://www.skilookout.com/hiaw/

While you%26#39;re here make sure you take a walk around the Fort Sherman park by the beach and the floating boardwalk at the CDA resort.

Also be sure to hike the nature trail around Tubbs Hill (right by the resort and the boardwalk). It takes about an hour (two at the very most) to walk around. Very pretty, the best views of the lake, lots of little secluded beaches for swimming or a picnic. You%26#39;ll probably see lots of locals jumping off the cliffs and rocks into the water.

Good local restaurants...

Tomato Street on Appleway has great Italian food and pasta, their smashed sandwiches are delicious and the atmosphere is really fantastic. This is probably my favorite local restaurant (they have a location in Spokane too) Good wine list and big portion sizes.

White House Grill in nearby Post Falls (only about 3 miles west just off I-90 on the corner of Seltice and Spokane Street) has amazing authentic Greek/Turkish/Mediterranean food…go at lunch time, for dinner you need reservations and even with reservations you will wait forever, but there is usually no waiting at lunch. Ask about the specials and the ';Spring Bowl'; it is not on the menu but always available…their Shepard%26#39;s Salad is great too

If you are wine lovers stop by Barrel No.6 on Sherman Ave. downtown. This local wine bar serves wine grown regionally and made locally by Coeur d%26#39;Alene Cellars, their basic red is great

For fantastic desserts go to the Dockside restaurant in the CDA Resort...their ';Gooey'; sundaes are the best (the sundaes are about $8 each, but big enough to feed 2 or 3 people, you can get a smaller ';personal sized'; sundae too, but that is not as fun) The food at Dockside is good too, but we usually just go for dessert (then take a walk around the boardwalk)

Hudson%26#39;s Hamburgers on Sherman is good for a simple lunch while shopping downtown…their burgers are famous and oh so good…but that is pretty much all they serve, burgers and pie, they have been around for literally about 100 years

Michael D%26#39;s just off Sherman on CDA Lake Drive serves a great breakfast, especially if you like a good omelet – they are not open for dinner, just breakfast and lunch

If you are a coffee lover there are tons of great Cafes here…Java on Sherman has a great drink called the Bowl of Soul (espresso and Mexican hot chocolate, a little on the sweet side, but soooo good) Java is a good place for breakfast too