Waterfront fun in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Coeur d’Alene (pronounced core-da-lane) is located in Northern Idaho and is a pretty, mid-sized town that sits on the edge of beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene. Apart from the beautiful lake, the town is full of eateries, parks and public art which makes it a great destination to visit with your dog.

We stayed for a couple of days and were pleasantly suprised by how many things we found that were dog-friendly and really enjoyed our visit.

THINGS TO DO

Walk the world’s longest floating boardwalk

One of the best things to do with your dog in Coeur d’Alene is to explore the world’s longest floating boardwalk.

The Boardwalk is a really fun thing to do with your dog

The boardwalk only takes 15-30 mins to walk around, depending on how much you stop to look at, but its free to visit and offers great views out across the lake - especially at sunset.

The view across the lake (from the Boardwalk) are spectacular at sunset

You can also check out the wide variety of boats and watercraft that park in there and maybe even choose one to hire!

The boardwalk is located in between McEuan and City Parks, and only a block from Sherman Street. In terms of accessibility, it is mostly flat, but has one section that crosses over a marina exit and requires you to cross a set of stairs.

The biggest set of stairs on the Boardwalk

Explore McEuan Park

This large park is located to the left of the boardwalk. It is dog-friendly on leash, but also has an off-leash dog park within it as well as lots of grassy areas, places to sit and some public art. If you are travelling with kids, then they’ll have fun on the large playground and splash pad.

The park is really spacious so you’ll always be able to find a nice spot to explore or relax in. In the park is also the beautiful K27 memorial which includes three waterfalls and seating areas.

Waterfalls that are part of the moving K27 memorial in McEwan Park

You’ll also find the trail head for Tubbs Hill here, near the waterfront (and giant Moose sculpture!) and there is a large paid carpark near the Boardwalk if you want to leave your car for a few hours while you visit the local attractions.

Walk around Tubbs Hill

Tubbs Hill is a two mile dog-friendly loop trail that starts from McEuan Park and follows along the edge of the lake.

While it’s unpaved and rocky in parts, it is relatively flat for the first mile and so not a difficult walk - and the trees do offer some shade and respite from the heat.

Along the way there are smaller trails leading to large rocky outcrops or down to pebbled beaches where your dog might like to cool down or swim. There are also plenty of spots to stop and rest or admire the views across the lake or back towards the boardwalk.

Even though the trail is not long, I recommend wearing proper walking shoes due to the uneven and slippery terrain.

Great views from Tubbs Hill - Beatle got so dirty she looked like a different dog!

Explore Downtown Coeur d'Alene

Downtown Coeur d'Alene is a compact, but pretty town that has lots of eateries, galleries and shops to visit, and is very walkable. Its only a block from here before you reach the waterfront.

We found that some of the shops and galleries were dog friendly, it was just a case of asking before entering.

There is also a range of really cool outdoor art to find as you explore the different streets and parks around town. For a map of the public art click here https://maps.cdaid.org/art/

There is lots of great public art to find around town (this Moose is at the entrance to the Tubbs Hill trail)

Visit City Park

Coeur d'Alene City Park is located on the right hand side of the Boardwalk. While it has a large beach, this is unfortunately not dog-friendly. However, you can still enjoy exploring the rest of the park which has lots of grassy areas, seating, shady spots, some public art and a trail along the waterfront that will take you past some pretty impressive looking lake houses.

View back towards town from City Park

Take a scenic cruise around Lake Coeur d'Alene

This dog-friendly cruise around Lake Coeur d'Alene is with takes 90 minutes. While you’ll get great views back towards town and see some beautiful lake homes, the commentary also covers the lake’s history and is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Dogs are allowed on the scenic cruises with the Capitan’s approval- so make sure your bud is on their very best behaviour, but they do get to travel for free! Dogs are only allowed on the open decks (where the best views are anyway…) so plan to arrive at least 30 mins early to get a good spot.

For more information about tour times, pricing and their dog policy click here

Taking a cruise is a great way to explore the area and see some of the interesting lake houses!

Hire a pontoon boat

If you want to enjoy a private boat for the day, you can rent a pontoon boat and head out onto the lake for your own adventure. There are a number of rental companies operating in Coeur d'Alene and some allow dogs, including Resort Boat Rentals

If you choose this option, make sure your dog is comfortable travelling by boat and ensure they have a floatation jacket on. When the boat is moving, always have your dog on lead (never tie them to a moving boat as they will not be able to escape in an emergency).

GETTING AROUND

There seemed to be plenty of parking in the downtown area, but if you are planning on spending the whole day in town, there is also a large, paid carpark at McEuen Park which is within easy walking distance of all the main attractions.

EAT & SLEEP

As we visited in summer, we only ate at places that had outdoor patios, but had to check first as not all were dog-friendly…. We did enjoy eating at The Buoy CDA which is located on the waterfront between Tubbs Hill and the Boardwalk as they had a large outdoor patio, good views and live music.

We also visited a couple of the kiosks that are dotted around the waterfront (City Park side), selling hot food and ice creams etc. as there were plenty of good spots by the lake to sit and snack with a view.

The Coeur d’Alene Resort sits on the lakefront and overlooks the boardwalk and is dog friendly - and would be a great spot if you had the budget (their pet fee is $75 per night)! As we were doing such a long trip, we opted for the La Quinta Inn and Suites (which was also pretty pricey considering the brand), but was dog-friendly, had good sized rooms and was only about an 8 min drive from town.

IN SUMMARY

Coeur d’Alene is a great spot to visit, especially in summer when you and your dog really take advantage of the warm weather by having an active morning and then relaxing in the afternoon with a lake cruise or a freshwater swim.

Having all of the key attractions close to each other also makes Coeur d’Alene easy to navigate and means you won’t have to spend lots of time in the car.

I think you could see all the main attractions in a day or two, it which would also make it a great spot to visit for longer if you enjoy spending time on the water.