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 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.
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.
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 60th silver 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.
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 Recreationoperates 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 61st on 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. 29th
Liberty at 1300 E. 5th
Admission is $2 for youth (4–17) and seniors (65+) and $4 for adults.
Parking and driving around downtown can be a little challenging when Spokane is hosting 200,000 basketball players and fans, so you may want to consider taking the bus. On both days of Hoopfest, STA (Spokane’ bus system) is offering day passes for just $1.50, and there are two free park-and-ride lots. Check the website for more information on Hoopfest schedules—please note that the Plaza downtown will not be open to buses (to make room for Hoopfest!), so bus stops will be in alternate nearby locations.
In addition to loads of free live music and other entertainment at Hoopfest in downtown Spokane, including Hoopfest Saturday Night (DJ nightclub party) at the Lincoln Center (1316 N. Lincoln Street), here are some suggestions for making the most of your visit.
Catch a Live Show
Spokane has a thriving live music scene, with venues large and small, offering country, blues, rock, pop, and more. To pick out some good local live music, check out the Inlander’s live music calendar. There are also a couple of national acts in town on Hoopfest weekend. The infamous rock band KISS is performing at the Spokane Arena Friday night. Click here for tickets. The Judds play at Northern Quest Resort and Casino on Saturday night (see below).
Shopping with Local Flair
Riverpark Sqare in downtown Spokane is a great mall (and has a great movie theater with cushy couch-style seats), but think outside of the mall if you want a more uniquely Spokane shopping experience. If you are staying downtown or are downtown for the day during Hoopfest, walk east on Main Street to find a variety of locally owned businesses.
You’ll go by Auntie’s Bookstore, a large, wonderful, independent gem with a local gourmet café, Santé, in the same building. Closer to Division Street is Finders Keepers, a designer dress boutique, and Kizuri, a fair trade clothing and gift store, and more. Along the way, you’ll be tempted by local purveyors of food and drink.
Be sure to check out the wonderful, interactive da Vinci exhibit at the MAC Museum of Arts and Culture, which just opened this month. A big bonus is seeing the huge old houses of historic Browne’s Addition neighborhood, just west of downtown Spokane, where the MAC is located. For more information, check out our blog post on it.
Garland District
The Garland District is a quick drive or bus ride from downtown Spokane, and it is a great place to hang out and escape the crowds downtown during Hoopfest for awhile. Right away you’ll see the historic Garland Theatre at Maple and Garland, Spokane’s only independent “encore” theater, which runs second-run movies for just $3.50 all the time, so you can catch a flick in a beautiful old theatre for very little money. Stroll up and down Garland for great little locally owned shops and cafes, including the 1950s-style Ferguson’s Café and the Milk Bottle, a former ice cream parlor turned café that features a two-story milk bottle for a store-front. Other quirky local gems include the Blue Door Theatre, a family friendly improv. comedy group that performs every Friday and Saturday night, and Drop Your Drawers, a unique clothing consignment shop with everything from old sweaters to outrageous costume platform shoes. For nightlife, you can enjoy an old-fashioned drink at Bon Bon, the hippest bar on Garland, located inside the Garland Theatre building with an old-fashioned soda fountain/candy store feel and fixtures made from old movie reels.
This large resort near the airport has a lot more than just 46,000 square feet of gaming space. It also boasts the Inland Northwest’s only cigar room, several restaurants with casual to fine dining (if you’re vegetarian, try Fatburger’s veggie burger), a night club with entertainment seven nights a week, a sports bar with a 30’ x 10’ HD screen, and a full-service spa. The Judds are playing at Northern Quest’s new outdoor concert venue on June 25 at 7:30 p.m. Click here for ticket information.
Japanese Gardens at Manito Park. Copyright City of Spokane Parks and Recreation.
Find out Why We Say Spokane Is “Near Nature, Near Perfect”
Vacation travel can be one of the year’s largest single expenses, but there are ways to dramatically reduce the cost of your vacation without sacrificing fun and comfort. Here are some practical ideas for having a great vacation that won’t break your budget.
1. Plan a getaway that is closer to home. Unless you have your heart set on some distant locale, you can save a lot by staying in the Inland Northwest and driving, rather than flying, to your destination. Even with the rising cost of gas, driving a reasonable distance with two or more people in the car is almost always less expensive than flying anywhere. You don’t have to go a thousand miles away to “get away from it all,” and the Inland Northwest offers diverse choices to please any traveler.
2. Play from a good “base camp.” Rather than staying in numerous hotels, find a place to stay that is centrally located in relation to the attractions and events you want to experience and create day trips. Some hotels offer discounts for weekly stays. Be sure to ask about specials for multiple day stays, such as third night free specials, when you book your reservations. Staying at the same hotel for your entire trip also has the advantage of allowing you to relax and settle in rather than packing and unpacking several times.
3. Consider choosing a condo, extended stay hotel, or rental house instead of a standard hotel room. Staying in a place with a full kitchen, dining room, and separate bedrooms, like Stratford Suites in Spokane, can save you a bundle on food, especially if you are travelling with children! Think of the cost difference between buying groceries for pancakes, sandwiches, burgers, and stir fries and buying these items in a restaurant (and don’t forget the tip). Having a separate bedroom for mom and dad is an added bonus.
4. If you do fly, research rates and travel light! Travel sites like Kayak.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and Hotwire.com can help you find the lowest rates. Remember to read the fine print for hidden fees, and try to limit your luggage to a single carry-on as most airlines are now charging for checked baggage. If you are going away for a week or more, you can use the laundry facilities at your hotel to avoid bringing clothes for every single day (Stratford Suites in Spokane and most other extended stay hotels offer guest laundry facilities).
5. Save with travel packages. Booking your airfare, hotel, and car rental together can save you a lot of money. Most travel websites offer packages (see #4), or ask your travel agent to find you the best deal for your needs. Calling the hotel directly also often results in discounted rates that seldom show up on travel websites, especially locally owned or regional chain hotels. As one example, Stratford Suites discounts monthly stays by 40%.
6. Minimize eating (and drinking) out. Really, it is fun to eat out, but wouldn’t you rather experience more attractions that are specific to your destination than indulge in a lot of restaurant food? If you follow tip #3, you can make your own meals and pack picnics (always fun and almost every city has a nice park) and snacks. Buy snacks from the grocery store, and buy your own beverages. Soda and alcoholic beverages are three to five times less expensive if you buy your own in stores.
7. Plan ahead to save on fine dining and attractions. A month or more before your trip, sign up at Groupon.com to have emails sent notifying you of deals in the area you will be visiting. Most Groupon offers are at least 50% off regular prices. Spas, restaurants, and symphony groups are just some of the options. Restaurant.com is another money-saving site where you can purchase $25 gift certificates for $10. However, Restaurant.com certificates have a lot of limitations, so they work best for mid-week dining. Be sure to read the fine print!
8. Do a little research on discounted attractions. Museums and art galleries frequently offer free admission days, and many attractions of all kinds charge less on weekdays and early times. Find out when they are, and plan your events accordingly. If you are a senior, student, federal employee, in the military, AAA member, whatever—work your discount! Don’t be afraid to ask if you qualify for a better price.
9. Travel during the week. Flights are less expensive mid-week, and you will save time and gas by avoiding weekend traffic when possible. By the way, if you are flying, pack your own food! Airport food is outrageously priced. You can also bring empty water bottles through security and fill them at a drinking fountain or in the restroom on the other side.
10. The more the merrier—vacation with friends (and their kids). Car pooling and renting multi-bedroom apartments or townhouses can be significantly less costly than separate lodging while still providing plenty of privacy. If you are worried that spending so much time on the road with friends might strain the friendship, remember that you don’t have to spend every moment of every day together. The group can split up and go to separate events located in the same area.
To help you plan your getaway, check out the calendar of shows, events, and fairs, etc. on this blog.
Tired of doing the same old thing for Valentine’s Day? This year, surprise your sweetheart with a date that is a little different and decidedly Spokane, WA. If you are single, grab a friend or just treat yourself and celebrate SAD—Singles Awareness Day, which is generally recognized as falling on either February 14 or 15. Do you have other great ideas for Valentine’s Day that you don’t see here? Please post a comment below and share with other readers!
Ice skating outdoors at the Ice Palace: Remember John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity? Ice skating on a beautiful winter night is very romantic. Take your date on a stroll through lovely Riverfront Park to one of the nation’s best outdoor ice rinks, the Ice Palace, on Saturday or Sunday before Valentine’s Day (the rink is closed on Mondays). The rink is open until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Warm up afterward with a hot beverage at the Davenport Hotel and tour the grand, historic landmark once referred to as Spokane’s living room.
Saturday Night Salsa at Simply Dance
Dance lessons: Dress up (or not) and learn sizzling salsa moves at Simply Dance Studio on Saturday, February 12. The drop-in lesson runs from 8:15–9:15 p.m., followed by dancing until 1:00 a.m. to try out your new moves. The lesson and dance are only $5. If you like it, you can come back for more as Saturday Night Salsa happens every week.
Wine, chocolate, art, and acoustic guitar: the perfect combination for an evening all about love. Jonathan Nicholson, a Spokane native who plays “soothing and introspective guitar,” will give a romantic performance on Saturday, February 12, 6:00–9:00 p.m. at Avenue West Gallery (122 S. Monroe Ste. #103). Wine and chocolate will be served at this dress-up event, and you need an invitation from the gallery to reserve your place. Just call them at 509-838-4999 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to claim you spot.
Romantic symphony music with roses and chocolate: The Spokane Symphony is putting on a special Valentine’s performance of “Romantic Chopin and Schumann” with guest pianist Orion Weiss, whom the Cincinnati Enquirer has called “a talent . . . so natural, genuine and exciting you can hardly believe your ears.” Add a long-stemmed rose and a small box of Bloem chocolates to your ticket for an extra $10. Two performances are available: Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 13 at 3:00 p.m. The home of the Spokane Symphony, the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, couldn’t be more romantic, as it is a gorgeously restored art-deco theater that opened in 1931. Buy your tickets online, at the Fox box office, or by calling 509-624-1200.
Wine tasting and candy: You can’t go wrong with good wine and delectable Valentine’s sweets! The Spokane Winery Association presents ValenWine weekend on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Download your map of the eighteen member Spokane wineries and grab your sweetheart or a fellow wine or chocolate lover and sample award winning, local wines and sweets.
Dinner and dancing at Corbin Senior Center: If you are looking for a more mature crowd to celebrate Valentine’s Day with, come enjoy an Italian buffet dinner followed by dancing at the Corbin Senior Center (827 W. Cleveland) on Sunday, February 13 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 per person or $30 per couple in advance or $20 per person at the door. Call 509-327-1584 for more information.
Go skiing while supporting a good cause: Hitting the slopes together is a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and if you ski at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park on the weekend before the holiday, you will also be sending some love to the Inland Northwest Blood Center. On February 12 and 13, $5 from every lift ticket sold will go to the INBC’s Summer Donor Awareness Program. To add to the fun, Groove Patrol, Spokane’s wonderful funk/rock/jazz band, will play in the lounge on Saturday.
Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar
Couples’ massage with truffles and candlelight: If you really want to spoil your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, book a “Dipped in Chocolate Special” at the Brick House Massage and Coffee Bar. Two side-by-side treatments are available at a discounted price ($144.99–$244.99). Both packages include side-by-side full body massages, lattes, and truffles! Call 509-891-1999 to book your treatment ahead of time.
Dinner theatre in a Victorian setting:The Lion’s Share, a creative center located in a large Victorian house at 1627 N. Atlantic, is offering a candlelight dinner plus live performances of loves songs and a play called Frame Up, a romantic comedy, for only $35. The event runs February 11–13 at 6 p.m. Call 509-327-1113 for reservations.
Just get away for the night! One of the sweetest ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to simply get out of the house, leave the kids with a sitter, and enjoy each other’s company without the pressures of housework, family, etc. Stratford Suites, Spokane’s best lodging value, makes it easy and affordable with the Valentine Rendezvous Package. Package includes a luxury suite with full kitchen, a dozen roses, chocolate truffles, a bottle of wine or Martinelli’s, and a $25 gift certificate to the nearby Rusty Moose restaurant. This deal is perfect for finishing off your evening or for staying in and cuddling while watching a 50-inch hi-def. television. Complete package is $149 per night. Reserve by calling (888) 705-8877 or (509) 321-1600 or email frontdesk@stratfordsuites.com.
Travel Spokane is a website built to inform Spokane visitors about the latest news, events, and opportunities in Spokane. This information is provided free courtesy of Stratford Suites. If you are looking for Spokane hotels be sure to check out our website at www.stratfordsuites.com
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.![[del.icio.us]](http://www.travel-spokane.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
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