travel spokane » Deals

Night Skiing at Mt. Spokane Now Just $19!

Stephanie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:47:59 +0000

It’s finally snowing here in Spokane, so now is the time to hit the slopes while the powder is fresh. Our closest resort, Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, is offering cheap night skiing Wednesday–Saturday through March 10 (always call first, as dates and times are condition dependent). For just $19, you can ski under the lights from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. Day lift tickets purchased Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday include the night session when available, so you can ski all day and night for the price of one day lift ticket! Day lift tickets are $18–$47; click here for a list of prices.

Night skiing offers some unique perks besides being a bargain: less crowds, a fun date night, and sometimes live music at the lodge (click here for Mt. Spokane’s Foggy Bottom Lounge schedule).

Tips for Night Skiing

Have a ski buddy. The slopes are brightly illuminated, but the forested surroundings are dark, and someone should always know where you are.
Dress warmly and pile on more layers, as the temperature will typically decrease at least 10 degrees, plus wind chill, when the sun goes down.
Make sure your car battery and lights are fully functional to avoid a very dark, long walk down the mountain or a long, cold wait for AAA.
Bring ski goggles that are clear or yellow.

Sample Head to Toe Spa Treatments at the Health Beauty Spa Show January 14–15, 2012

Stephanie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:13:34 +0000

This weekend, salons, spas, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and other businesses that aim to make you look and/or feel good (including two chocolate producers!) will gather at the 7^th annual Health Beauty Spa Show to introduce you to their services. You can enjoy sample treatments for $5 each: chair massage, facial wax, paraffin hand dip, temporary tattoo, airbrush tan, vibration therapy, mini makeover, reflexology, and more. Grab a friend, your mom, or anyone who is in need of some pampering or girl time (guys are also welcome, of course) and plan to spend a few hours at this event, as it is very popular and you may have to wait a while for your treatments.

The “ultimate spa party” is a great opportunity to talk to local experts about all the latest spa treatments and to explore the plethora of high-quality local options for beauty and spa services in the Spokane area. Vendors will also be on hand with products focused on prevention, beauty, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle options. If you feel like transforming your look at the show, have before and after pictures taken for free on location by Northwest Artistic Photography. The best makeover and most glamorous transformations will win hundreds of dollars in full service treatments from Dimensions Salon.

The Health Beauty Spa Show runs January 14 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and January 15 from noon to 5 p.m. at Spokane Community College in the Lair building (off Mission street just each of Greene). Click here for directions. Admission is $7, or $5 if you bring a non-perishable food or hygiene item to donate to the YWCA shelter. Sample treatment tickets are available at the door for $5. Health and beauty professionals get in free with their license and photo ID from 4–6 p.m. Saturday night. Everyone can take advantage of the website deal for a free treatment—just print the coupon from the home page (valid after 3 p.m. Saturday or all day Sunday.) The food, by Ruth’s Catering, sounds tastier than your typical trade show fare, with homemade candy, breakfast burritos, three kinds of soup, and pulled pork sandwiches among the offerings. Hope to see you there!

Fun Holiday Events in Spokane for Families

Stephanie — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:50:22 +0000

The holiday season is upon us, and there are plenty of fun things to do around Spokane with the kids that will create great memories, help keep everyone from succumbing to cabin fever, and maybe even start new holiday traditions in your family. Here are just a few great family outings that will entertain everyone without blowing your budget.

Copyright Northwest Museum of Art and Culture

Campbell House Holiday Tours

The MAC Museum of Art and Culture is putting on living history performances in its largest exhibit, the Campbell House, during the two weeks around Christmas when most kids are out of school. The Campbell House is a turn-of-the-20th-century English Tudor Revival mansion designed by renowned Spokane architect Kirtland Cutter. You can see the house decorated for the holidays and learn about the times in which it was built and the daily life of the Campbell family from December 21 through January 1 on the days the MAC is open (the MAC is right next door to the Campbell House) from 12–4 p.m.

New for this year: Check out the just-opened Interpretive Center to create your own Campbell House experience and connect the past and present with interactive computers and hands-on exploration, and you can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride. Admission is free for MAC members or $7 adults/$5 students and seniors, which includes both museum entry and a tour of the Campbell House. For more information, call the admissions desk at 509-363-5355. The MAC is located in Spokane’s gorgeous historic Browne’s Addition neighborhood at 2316 W. First Ave.

Mt. Spokane Tubing Hill

A friend with three children in elementary school shared this story:

My kids had been out of school on break for three days and they were driving me crazy—fighting, not listening, whining, throwing tantrums. Suddenly I realized that for the past two months it had been go-go-go, with football practice, dance lessons, after-school activities, and homework every day, and now they suddenly had nothing to use up their energy. So I loaded them into the Suburban and took them to Mt. Spokane to go tubing. Those kids played HARD and wore themselves out and had a great time. They couldn’t stay awake on the ride home, and after that, I recognized my children again and things were back to normal.

Enough said? The hill has been moved and newly constructed this year at Lodge 2, just north and downhill of the parking lot and Ski Patrol building. With several lanes, a new tow-rope to haul tubers back up the mountain, a limit of 50 participants per session, and plenty of snow, the Children’s Choice Tubing Hill is great for families and safer than uncontrolled sledding in parks. The hill is open weekends and holidays (except Christmas and Christmas Eve), for the remainder of the season, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. and the last session starting at 2:30 p.m. One-and-a-half hour sessions are $10 for everyone 42” and over. Kids under 42” are free but must ride with a paid adult. Check conditions before you come up. Mt. Spokane is 28 miles from downtown Spokane; click here for directions.

Horse and Carriage Rides through Downtown Spokane

Through Christmas Eve, the Downtown Spokane Business Improvement District and Spokane Teachers Credit Union presents free old-fashioned horse and carriage rides through the streets of downtown. Just show up on Wall Street at Main Avenue on Fridays 3–8 p.m., weekends 12–5 p.m., or Christmas Eve 12–3 p.m. This is a great outing for family from out of town! Rides are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. After your ride, you will receive free candy canes and coupons for hot chocolate and coffee at participating downtown businesses. Click here to see a video preview of the ride.

Ice Skating in Riverfront Park

The Ice Palace, one of the nation’s best outdoor ice skating rinks, is open all winter long under the Pavilion in the heart of Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane. Lessons and drop-in hockey are available. Click here for hours. Admission is $4.50 for adults and $3.50 for youth/seniors/military, and skate rental is $3.50. Thursday nights are Inlander appreciation nights—get your ticket from the Inlander, a free weekly publication, to skate for $1. The Spokane Falls SkyRide, IMAX Theatre, and Looff Carousel are also open all winter if you want to spend more fun family time in the park.

First Night Spokane New Year’s Eve Celebration

By far the biggest New Year’s Eve party around, First Night Spokane is a huge, alcohol-free festival of the arts in downtown Spokane for the entire family. This year’s theme is “Dawn of Time” Year of the Dinosaur. At venues within a walkable area of downtown, you can enjoy live music, theatre, dance performances, film, dance parties, art, comedy, and a fireworks show. There are plenty of activities for kids, including face painting, bookmark making, magic shows, free ice skating and carousel rides, and rolling video games. Click here for the schedule of the night’s event’s, which get started at 7 p.m.

If your family is making a resolution to exercise more, start early with the 5k Resolution Run! Runners line up at 6:30 p.m., and the run begins at 6:45 p.m. An optional bag drop makes it easy to get your coat and purse afterward. Fill out and bring the waiver form before you go. Click here for a map of the course. Admission buttons are just $12 in advance or $15 on New Year’s Eve. Kids 10 and under are free with a paid adult. Purchase tickets here or at various participating Spokane businesses.

On New Year’s Day, celebrate First Day Spokane and get free admission to the MAC Museum of Art and Culture with your First Night button plus discounted passes to play in Riverfront Park.

Spokane Symphony Offers Cheap Tickets for the 21–35 Crowd

Stephanie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:53:36 +0000

I’m always watching for great deals on things to do in Spokane for our Travel-Spokane.com readers. The Spokane Symphony’s Club Maestro is the best deal I’ve seen all year for live shows. If you are age 21–35, you can sign up for a free Club Maestro membership, which entitles you to purchase up to two $15 tickets for any Classics, Casual Classics, and other specially offered concerts. Ticket prices vary, but for $15, you can score seats that cost up to $44 regular price. The Spokane Symphony also offers special pre- and post-show events throughout the season for Club Maestro members.

Attending a symphony concert is a great date idea and also an excellent way to treat yourself and just chill out for the evening listening to some live, high quality music. You can dress up or down, just as you please; some people go in blue jeans, while others find the symphony a great reason to dress to the nines. Club Maestro members can buy up to two $15 tickets for each concert, and there are no age requirements for the guest, so members can treat a parent, older friend, or anyone they like for just $15.

It’s easy to sign up—I just emailed my information to tickets@spokanesymphony.org with “Club Maestro” on the subject line, but you can also mail your information to or just stop by the box office of the gorgeous, historic Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. in downtown Spokane. To join, you must provide your name, mailing address, email address, and a copy of your ID that shows your date of birth (I just scanned mine and sent a jpeg).

There are five Classics concerts and two Casual Classics concerts left for the 2011–2012 Spokane Symphony season. Featured composers include Mozart, Schubert, Gioachino Rossini (with William Tell Overture, the Lone Ranger theme), Beethoven, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, and more. Several of the concerts will feature outstanding guest artists from all over. Club Maestro is a great opportunity to broaden your musical knowledge, get a jump-start on New Year’s resolutions to attend more cultural events, or just learn more about some of history’s greatest musical composers for very little cash.

Grab Your Girlfriends for the 7th Annual Girl’s Day Out!

Stephanie — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:09:51 +0000

This Saturday, November 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., local shops in seven different Spokane business districts will offer games, prizes, and great discounts in honor of Girl’s Day Out, a shopping event aimed at introducing women to their neighborhood business centers. Businesses in the Garland, Hillyard, International District, Monroe, Perry, N. Division/Ruby, and SoDo areas are rolling out the “pink carpet” to entice ladies to come in. Each district has a headquarters, where the first 100 shoppers will receive a “swag bag” of goodies, and you can pick up your Girl’s Day Out map. Check out the facebook page for an inside look at what some of the business owners are doing to make this year’s event the best ever.

Many shops will be offering treats and beverages, and every business will have something special to offer. You can start your holiday shopping or shop for yourself—you can find antiques, jewelry, clothing, makeup, skin care, art, new and used furniture, books, and much more. Some of the city’s best coffee houses and restaurants will also be offering great specials for the day. Door prizes and drawings for gift certificates will be part of the fun. You can see all the participating businesses and scope out all the deals before you go in this week’s Exchange, available at free newsstands all over the city.

District headquarters, where you will want to stop first to get your map and swag bag:

Monroe: Cruz ‘n Back in Time, 3107 N. Monroe
South Perry: Skin Care by Yisel, 1016 S. Perry
Hillyard: Corner Cottage, 5210 N. Market
Garland: Glamarita, 901 W. Garland
SoDo: Ronan’s Door, 301 W. 2^nd Ave.
North Division/Ruby St.: Retired Treasures, 2824 N. Ruby
East Sprague/International: Northwest Seed and Pet, 2422 E. Sprague

Posted on the Girl’s Day Out facebook wall by Cruz ‘n Back in Time Collectibles

Although it is an event for women, men are welcome to come enjoy the fun as well. Shopping local is good for the economy, good for the community, and good for the environment, just in case you needed an excuse to spend a day shopping!

The Ice Palace is Open for the Season!

Stephanie — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 02:15:29 +0000

It’s getting cold outside, but that’s no reason to stay indoors. We have one of the best outdoor skating rinks in the country right here in downtown Spokane, and it is open through February 26, so grab your hat and gloves and get out there! The Ice Palace is located under the pavilion in Riverfront Park. It’s a perfect activity for kids, dates, and anyone who wants to exercise and have fun. This year, there are improvements in indoor seating and the food café menu as well as more new skates for rental.

If you don’t know how to ice skate and would prefer proper lessons to the rather embarrassing, yet popular, learning method of clinging to the wall, you can sign up here for lessons at the Ice Palace (search under Riverfront Park in the Complex drop-down menu). There are classes for kids, adults, and parents with tots.

The IMAX Theatre, Black Light Mini-Golf, historic Looff Carrousel, and Spokane Falls SkyRide are all open at Riverfront Park as well.

The Ice Palace is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $3.50 for youth, seniors, and military, and $4.50 for everyone else. Skate rental is $3.50. Season passes are available. Check the website for deals and hours, for example, Thursday nights are Inlander appreciation nights, when you can skate for $1.00.

Gear Up at the Bigger Than Ever Ski SWAP, Then Pray for Snow: 47th Annual Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap, October 28–30

Stephanie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:32:48 +0000

The NOAA National Weather Service says La Niña is back, with above-average precipitation predicted for the Pacific Northwest this late fall/winter. La Niña often brings colder winters to our area. In other words, snow is on the way, and over 6,000 skiers and snowboarders are expected to attend the Pacific Northwest’s largest equipment swap, the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap, to sell their old gear and/or find some great deals on new and used gear for the coming season at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center. Items for sale include skis, bindings, boots, poles, snowboards, gloves, clothing, and accessories. This year’s SWAP, a season kick-off tradition, will be larger and better: “We have expanded into Bay 1 this year, giving us more room for more equipment and more people!” said Dan Edwards, Director of the 2011 MSSP SWAP. “The new space has allowed us to reconfigure the floorplan, which will improve traffic flow through the various departments and create a more efficient check-out system.”

There are several advantages to shopping the SWAP instead of the stores. First, you will get the best selection (over 22,000 items) and deals. Second, you can sell your old equipment for the very reasonable rate of 50 cents per item for registration plus 20% of the selling price to a huge, eager pool of buyers. Third, over 130 experienced members of the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol will be on hand to help you find the best equipment for your skill level and price range, in addition to the participating retail shop representatives, so beginners need not fear they will be doomed to wander alone and confused amongst endless rows of seemingly similar items. Fourth, all proceeds go to offset costs for operation of the non-profit Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol, including facilities overhead, first aid and medical supplies, training costs, and administrative functions. (These are the nice people who check on you when you wipe out and lay sprawled on the hill, skis and poles scattered, which always seems to happen right under the chair lift–oh wait, maybe that’s just me.) Fifth, it’s fun to shop and mingle with other ski/snowboard enthusiasts!

There is a $5 admission fee for the show (12 years and under free). Hours are Saturday, October 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, October 30, 9 a.m. to noon. If you have gear to sell, drop it off Friday, October 28, from 3–8 p.m., and pick up your check/unsold gear on Sunday from 2–4 p.m. Plenty of free parking is available onsite. Cash, checks, and debit/credit cards are all accepted. There is just one central check-out area, although the gear comes from over 20 retail shops plus individuals. This year, wait times should be shorter due to improvements to the scanning and point-of-sale technology. Sunday, select items will be 25% off, but if you are looking for kids’ gear and clothing, don’t wait and get in line early on Saturday because it goes fast.

There are six ski resorts within a three-hour drive from Spokane: Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park (50 minutes), Silver Mountain Resort (1 hour), 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort (1 hour 45 minutes), Lookout Pass Ski Area (2.5 hours), Schweitzer Mountain Resort (2 hours), and Red Mountain Resort (3 hours).

Sixty New Things to Do This Year at the Spokane Country Interstate Fair! September 9–18, 2011

Stephanie — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:32:51 +0000

If you think you have already seen all there is to see at the fair, you’ll be happy to know that the Spokane County Interstate Fair has come up with 60 new attractions to mark its 60^thsilver anniversary at the Spokane County Fairgrounds. Here are just five of the most compelling:

Bedazzle Your Bra Competition: Come to Bay 3 to view entries in this new competition of creatively decorated bras. This exhibit is put on by the Home Arts Department and the Susan G. Kohmen Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Goat Cart Rides: Ramona Mather and her goat Casper will give kids rides in the Goat Barn!

Dancing Horses: On Friday, September 16, at 2:15 p.m., watch members of Spokane County 4-H perform a dressage exhibition in the Horse Arena.

QR Code Barn Tours for Smart Phones: If you have a smartphone, you can scan a code at the entrance to each barn for a self-guided tour, which will make looking at livestock much more interesting! It’s sponsored by Big R. Stores, and you will receive a Big R. 15% off coupon for participating.

Not-So-Newlywed Contest: Tuesday, September 13, at 1:15 p.m., couples pre-selected through an essay competition will play for a grand prize at the North Stage. Play along in the audience to find out how well you know your partner!

As always, you can count on fun shows at the Grandstand: PRCA rodeos Friday and Saturday nights (September 10 and 11), compact car demolition derby and lawn mower races Sunday, September 11, two monster truck shows on the second Saturday (September 17), full-size car demolition derby on the second Sunday (September 18), and five great acts during the week: Neal McCoy, Osmond Brothers, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Switchfoot. Tickets are available at the Interstate Fair Office or at Ticketswest.com. General admission to the Fair is required for all shows.

The North Stage features a wide variety of free entertainment throughout the Fair, including regional and local musicians, comedy, hypnotism, juggling, and dancing. There are many other free entertainment events each day, such as racing pigs, kids pedal tractor racing, and demonstrations of “how it used to be” (butter churning, rope making, etc.) Click here for a complete day-by-day schedule of all that is happening.

General admission to the Fair is required for all shows. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for kids 7 to 13 and seniors 65 and over, and free for kids 6 and under. If, for you, going to the Fair means having a blast on the carnival rides, consider going on September 12–15, when you can buy a pay-one-price bracelet for $25, good for unlimited rides all night. Otherwise, each ride is $3–$5 in single carnival tickets. Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day except September 18, when this year’s big event will wrap up at 8:00 p.m. Parking is available at the Main Gate and South Gate. If you are travelling from out of town to play at the Fair, do yourself a favor and book a comfortable one- or two-bedroom suite at Stratford Suites Hotel, Spokane’s best lodging value! Full kitchens, leather furniture, pillow top mattresses, and 50” HDTV with DVD await you.

Low Fees, Great Views, and Easy Tee Times: Golfing in Spokane

Stephanie — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:31:58 +0000

Qualchan Golf Course

Spokane boasts a number of scenic golf courses with prices that are lower than in other cities. There are a variety of options—public, private, and municipal—to choose from. This is not a comprehensive list and only includes 18-hole public courses in the immediate Spokane area. For a more comprehensive list, try GolfLink.

Spokane Parks and Recreation operates four golf courses: Downriver, Esmeralda, Indian Canyon, and Qualchan. Standard fees are $27–$29, $20 for Mon.–Thur. 9-hole, and $12–$22 for juniors (but see the $15 deal below!). If you plan on going several times, discount cards are available. By comparison, Seattle Parks and Recreation golf courses are $32 to $37 for standard rates.

Money-Saving Tip: Take advantage of the $15 August deal (golf cart rental $22) at the four Spokane Parks and Recreation Golf courses. The special is good at Esmeralda Mondays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Downriver Sundays 2 p.m. to dusk and Mondays 1 p.m. to dusk, Indian Canyon Sundays and Mondays 1 p.m. to dusk, and Qualchan Sundays and Mondays 2 p.m. to dusk. Call pro-shop for tee times.

Downriver

Built in 1916, this heavily treed 18-hole course lies along the Spokane River and is bordered by Riverside State Park, a natural area with great hiking, fishing, and bicycling opportunities. To schedule a tee time, call 509-327-5269.

Esmeralda

Excellent for seniors and beginners, this northeast Spokane course offers open space and flat fairways lined with over 2,000 trees. Call 509-487-6291 for tee times.

Indian Canyon

This place, designed in 1930, has been selected by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 public courses in the U.S. You can enjoy a view of the city among towering pines from the west entrance of Spokane while enjoying a diverse playing environment that hosts many major tournaments, including the Rosauers Open. Call 509-747-5353 for tee times.

Qualchan

Spokane’s newest golf course, Qualchan sits in a natural setting that is a sanctuary to many protected birds and wildlife species. A creek meanders through the course, and there are five ponds, wooded and hilly areas, and beautiful open areas. Call 509-448-9317 for tee times.

Hangman Valley (Spokane County operated) is a public municipal golf course along Spokane’s lovely Latah Creek. The same low standard fees as at the Spokane Parks and Recreation golf courses (see above) apply here; discount cards are available, and through the end of August, tee times after 3 p.m. are 20% off.

Wandermere opened in 1929 and is located in the peaceful Little Spokane River Valley just north of Spokane off Highway 395. This scenic course offers some of the most challenging golf in the area. Standard fees are $25–$29 or $19 for 9-hole on weekdays. Punch cards are available for a slightly discounted price. Call 509-466-8023 for tee times.

Sun Dance is a challenging and rewarding course in Nine Mile Falls, just twelve miles from the center of Spokane. Standard fee is $24. Call 509-466-4040 for tee times.

The Fairways is located ten minutes west of downtown Spokane just off of I-90. Here you can play through natural wetlands and native grasses, with panoramic views of the surrounding hill country, making it an excellent place to be around sunset. Standard rates are $17–$27. Call 509-747-8418 for tee times, or reserve online.

With beautiful Spokane weather and numerous great choices for affordable golfing, you may just want to take a golf mini-vacation and get away from home for a couple of days. If you do, be sure to check out Stratford Suites’ beautiful rooms with full kitchens, leather furniture, pillow top mattresses, and 52” hi-def. televisions. Located minutes from downtown Spokane, close to the airport with easy freeway access, Stratford Suites Hotel is perfect for your getaway.

Cool Water Parks for Hot Days in the Spokane Area

Stephanie — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:12:09 +0000

It finally feels like summer here in the Inland Northwest. Kids are out of school and looking for some summer fun activities, and grown-ups love summer outdoor fun, too, so it’s time for splashing, playing, and sliding through the water in the sun. Here is a list of some of the best water park and pool options in the Spokane, WA area, whether you just want to spend an hour or two at a city facility or would like to make a full day’s trip to one of the bigger parks. Most are open daily, but check the websites for specific hours. Note: Wild Waters in Coeur d’Alene, ID is closed for the season.

New Ricochet Rapids slide at Boulder Beach

Boulder Beach at Silverwood Theme Park in North Idaho

A brand new slide just opened today at Boulder Beach! Ricochet Rapids is a family raft ride that includes side-to-side sliding through a 20-foot diameter tube and sharp turns and drops aboard a raft with five other people. The park also offers two large wave pools, a 650-foot raft slide, tube sliding, high speed water slide towers, a slow-moving tube creek ride, and two play areas just for smaller children. Ticket price includes admission to the many attractions at Silverwood: $41.99 general admission and $21.99 youth 3–7 and seniors over 65. Keep in mind that Silverwood does not allow outside food and drink in the park. Restaurants and concessions are on site. Silverwood and Boulder Beach are located in the same large complex just north of Coeur d’Alene on Highway 95 in North Idaho.

Money-saving tips: Buy your admission tickets before you go at Costco. As of this writing, they were $34.99 for general admission. If you want to make a weekend of your trip, stay in the area (Stay in Coeur d’Alene or, if you want to stay in Spokane, Stratford Suites, near the Spokane airport with easy freeway access, offers beautiful one- or two-bedroom suites with full kitchens for families) and go to the Silverwood side of the park one day and the Boulder Beach park one day. Silverwood offers a 20% discount for two-day passes, but they must be used on consecutive days.

Spash Down in Spokane Valley

A long-time local favorite, Splash Down (11127 E. Mission) has been a fun place for families for 26 years. New this year is “Splashketball” basketball competition in which the loser gets soaked, new barbeques (you can bring your own picnic food and drink!), and Frisbee golf. You can also soak your friends in “Water Wars” with water balloon launchers. Several different water slides provide plenty of thrills, including the “Fast Ball,” which clocks your speed as you freefall down six stories. Splash Down also features an area just for small children with kiddie pools and small slides. Bonus: Thursday evenings, there is live music! Local reports indicate that the lines at Splash Down move quickly, so you won’t be standing around in a wet bathing suit waiting for each slide.

Admission is $13.99 for juniors 48” and under, $16.99 for those over 48”, and free for seniors 65+ and little ones 3 and under. Chaperones who just want to watch can turn in their dry admission wristbands at the end of the day for a $7 refund. Concessions are on site.

Southside Aquatic Center on Spokane’s South Hill

This water park has just one big slide, but it has plenty of interactive play structures (like playgrounds for pool areas and VERY fun), plus water cannons, spray tubes, a lazy “river” with geysers and rapids, and a heated swimming pool to keep kids of all ages happy all day. In addition to having a blast playing in the water, the surrounding 8-acre Prairie View Park gives you more things to do, with a playground, a BBQ and picnic area, and a basketball court.

Admission is only $2 for kids 3–5, $4 for 6 and over, and free for 2 and under. The water park center is located at 3724 E. 61^ston Spokane’s South Hill. Note: If you are looking for a water park on the north side of Spokane, check out the Northside Aquatics Center (18120 N. Hatch Road in Colbert). This water park has a smaller slide and less activities than the Southside center, but it does have fun amenities that put it head and shoulders above a standard pool.

Liberty Aquatic Center

Extra Cool Spokane City Pools Made for Play [insert picture with caption “”]

In addition to large water parks, Spokane has several great aquatic centers throughout the city that feature fast water slides, play features, and separate pools for lap swimming and recreation swimming that are great for families and kids who need a place to hang out with friends for the afternoon. Here are the locations with great play facilities:

A.M. Cannon at 1900 W. Mission
Shadle at 2005 W. Wellesley
Hillyard at 2600 E. Columbia
Comstock at 600 W. 29^th
Liberty at 1300 E. 5^th

Admission is $2 for youth (4–17) and seniors (65+) and $4 for adults.

Now, go play! Don’t forget your sunscreen!