Visit Here: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

My Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Free People shortsMagicSuit swimsuit (also have and love this print);  Lilly Pulitzer coverup;  Henri Bendel tote (similar here);  Brixton hatRay-Ban sunglasses

Well, it only took me about three weeks, but I’m finally sharing my brief little travel guide for Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.  If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you probably noticed a few snaps from Idaho and Wyoming earlier this month.  Eric sent me an email from work earlier in June with one quick question, Want to take a trip to Coeur d’Alene or Jackson Hole after the 4th?  I responded with, Is this a trick question?

As a general rule, we never like to travel much during the summer when school is out because if we wait a bit, the crowds are much more manageable.  But Eric knew that he’d have a couple of quiet days at work around the 4th, and before he could change his mind or have a meeting pop up, I started booking.  Our original plan was to fly into Spokane, spend a couple of nights in Coeur d’Alene, and then drive to Jackson Hole (you can see my winter guide to Jackson here), stopping somewhere in between for a night.

But since it was the middle of summer, rental cars were few and pricey for the areas we wanted.  Really pricey.  For just a bit more, we could put a checkmark on a big bucket list item for Eric, so we flew from Coeur d’Alene to Jackson on a small Cessna plane.  (You can see a photo of the plane below.)  I was terrified, but in the end, it was such a cool experience.  We’ll get to the second half of the trip in a later post, but for now, here’s a little recap of what we did, saw, and ate in Couer d’Alene.

The Coeur d’Alene Resort Spa – For our first night, we booked a Dine, Spa, and Stay package that included a $100 restaurant credit and a spa treatment.  I got to kick off the trip with a massage, and it did not disappoint.  The spa at the resort is beautiful and so cozy with a full view of the lake.  I’m normally a facial-loving girl, but I got a Swedish massage and loved every minute.

Dinner at Beverly’s – Beverly’s is located on the 7th floor of the resort with the most beautiful floor-to-ceiling views of the lake, and the food was incredible.  We had the seafood tower (photo below) and filets while watching the sunset over the lake.  It was seriously a “pinch me, this is so pretty” dinner that I’d like to repeat again and again.  After dinner, you can step into the bar inside of Beverly’s for live music.

Breakfast at Honey Eatery & Social Club – On our first morning in Coeur d’Alene, we were up early hunting for breakfast, and we learned that maybe the downtown area just doesn’t DO early.  (I myself usually do not DO early, so no judgement here.)  It’s a sleepy town on weekend mornings for sure, and lots of places were still closed.  We stumbled upon Honey, a cozy little brand new spot with what seems to be a Southern flair, and oh man it was good.  I wanted just about everything on the menu, but we went with the Chorizo Deviled Eggs, a Cast Iron Pancake, and a side of the Wild Rice Grits.  And then it took all my energy not to head right back to the resort and crawl back in bed – it’s a breakfast spot worth visiting, 100%.

Burgers from Hudson’s Hamburgers – After breakfast, we roamed around town a bit, popping into small shops, walking around parts of the lake, and exploring some of the side streets.  We noticed a tiny little burger place with a line out of the door and so many people crowding around.  We had seen similar lines the previous day, so obviously we had to know what all the fuss was about.  And it was worth the fuss.  It’s a tiny little diner-esque place with only a few (taken) seats, so we took ours to go.  The burgers are pretty simple – high quality meat, cheese, house-made ketchup and mustard with a little tang to it, and pickles.  No lettuce, no onions, no tomato, no fries, no need.  No credit cards either, so make sure you have cash – about $3 for a cheeseburger.  A couple of days after the trip was over, I told Eric I could REALLY go for a Hudson’s burger, and he definitely agreed.  (And to be honest, I could go for one right now.)

Lakeside Infinity Pool – So the pool at Coeur d’Alene Resort is beautiful.  It’s an infinity pool on the edge of the lake, and they have an amazing water taxi waiting to shuttle you there.  Grab a beer for the ride from the little dockside bar before you go.  Unfortunately though, the pool is one of our only complaints about the resort.  Like I said, it’s beautiful, but it’s pretty small.  And since we were there in the middle of summer, it was full of kids.  While we’re certainly not anti-kids, it’s always nice when a resort has a separate pool for families so that while you have your cocktail in the infinity pool overlooking the lake, you’re not being targeted by the nearest cannonball.  That said, this would probably be solved if you went when kids are back in school.  (And also, some of the little goggle-wearing kiddos were pretty cute.)

Lake Boat Cruise – Admittedly, Eric was a little anti on this one at the beginning, but I really wanted to cruise around the lake and check out the homes and cabins from the water.  #Stalker, sorry.  But I’d say it was worth it, and Eric now agrees.  There are two levels of seating and a full bar on board, but definitely get to the boat early if you want a seat up top or a drink without waiting in an extremely slow-moving line.

Snacks or Apps at Whispers – If there’s one thing that Eric does on vacation, it’s EAT, so when we stopped by Whispers for a glass of wine before dinner, I should’ve known there would also be food involved.  We (and by we, I mean he) ordered the Hummus Sampler and the Cougar Gold Melting Pot, a cheesy artichoke and onion dip, and both were delicious.  We also sat outside on the deck and met a couple who let Eric and I pet their dog for probably longer than socially acceptable.  So that was also a win.

Dinner at The Cedars Floating Restaurant – This place is also owned by the resort, but it’s off property so they provide a shuttle to get you there.  (Side note, the shuttle drivers for the resort are awesome.  They can tell you everything you want to know about Coeur d’Alene…and answer Eric’s 100 questions too.)  But, back to Cedars, it was so good.  We shared a local trout appetizer, had more king crab legs, and made a round or two by the salad bar.  (The salad bar there is seriously legit.)

xoxo

My Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, IdahoMy Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho AGolde shortsLilly Pulitzer shirtSam Edelman sandalssimilar hatThe Coeur d'Alene Resort Spa The Coeur D’Alene Resort SpaSeafood tower at Beverly's at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Dinner at Beverly’sMy Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho AGolde shorts (also here);  Vacation sweatshirtsimilar round handbagsimilar hatHoney Eatery and Supper Club in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Breakfast at HoneyMy Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Sunrise from our balconyAppetizers at Whispers at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Snacks and sips at WhispersMy Style Diaries blogger Nikki Prendergast | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Striped romperpearl-embellished sandalssimilar round handbag;  (and our ride out of Coeur d’Alene)Coeur d'Alene, Idaho from above Coeur d’Alene from above

2 Comments on Visit Here: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

  1. Kayla Montee
    August 4, 2018 at 3:45 pm (6 years ago)

    My hometown 😍😍 omg such an awesome job girlfriend! I LOVE this!! Xxxo

    Reply
    • Nikki
      August 6, 2018 at 7:58 pm (6 years ago)

      Thanks so much, girl! Your hometown is really a beautiful place! xoxo

      Reply

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