Perhaps one of the best things about road trips is how customizable they are. You choose the destination, the duration, the tunes, the snacks — everything. While there's plenty to do within an hour or two of Spokane, we're lucky to have just about every locale imaginable in the Inland Northwest, from big cities to small towns, farms to forests, and mountains to waterfalls. With this in mind, don't be afraid to set your sights, and GPS, a little farther from home as you begin planning your summer road trips. Now buckle up, and hit the road!
PERUSE THE PALOUSE
Sometimes the journey really is the destination, especially when the journey includes multiple potential pit stops along the way. With the Palouse Scenic Byway, you can plan day trips throughout the summer or make a grand adventure of it as you stop by the towns that make the Palouse the Palouse: Colfax, Colton, Dusty, Fairfield, Garfield, LaCrosse, Latah, Oakesdale, Palouse, Pullman, Rockford, Rosalia, Tekoa and Uniontown.
In Colfax, see the Codger Pole, a 65-foot-tall chainsaw sculpture by Jonathan LaBenne that commemorates the 1988 rematch between the Colfax Bulldogs and St. John's Eagles football players who played in a highly contested 1938 game. Or there's St. Gall Catholic Church, which was built in 1905 and features original stained glass windows, in Colton.
Admire the views while passing through the small farming communities of Dusty and Fairfield before stopping by the McCroskey House in Garfield, once the home of R.C. McCroskey, who served in the Washington Senate in the late 1800s.
Fish for rainbow trout in Pampa Pond near LaCrosse, or admire the views from the top of Steptoe Butte. Help raise funds for the McCoy Museum in Oakesdale during Old Mills Day (July 11-12) with bingo, a pancake feed, fun run, parade and more.
Hike Kamiak Butte near Palouse, and experience the Wazzu spirit in Pullman. Learn a little something at the Pioneer, Military and Farm museums in Rockford, or at the Steptoe Battlefield State Park Heritage Site in Rosalia.
Finally, catch a concert, play or community event in Tekoa at the restored art deco Empire Theatre, which originally opened in 1940, or get artsy yourself while taking a class at the Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown.
The Palouse is a dreamy place to drive through, especially when the sun hits those rolling hills just right, but it can become even more magical when you take the time to get off the road and into the communities.
NORTH TO NELSON
For a road trip that feels like a true getaway but doesn't require a ton of planning and booking airfare months in advance, head north to Nelson, British Columbia, about three-and-a-half hours from Spokane.
If you're the type to hit the ground running as soon as you get to your vacation spot, there are recreational opportunities galore in Nelson, including day hikes and multiday excursions, tennis and pickleball, fishing and paddleboarding on Kootenay Lake, and both indoor and outdoor climbing.
Those looking to stay a little closer to the city can spend their trip browsing Nelson's art galleries and museums, including the Nelson Museum, Archives and Gallery and the Nelson International Mural Festival (Aug. 8-10). There are also shops selling everything from toys and books to antiques, clothing and home goods as well as outdoor markets throughout the summer.
You can also take a leisurely stroll around town, admiring more than 350 heritage buildings or visiting iconic locations from Roxanne, the 1987 movie starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah, which was filmed in Nelson.
At the end of your stay, tack on a 40-minute drive to Ainsworth Hot Springs, the perfect place to relax those sore muscles after making the most of your time in Nelson.
SOLSTICE AT STONEHENGE
Three miles from the Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, just under four hours from Spokane, stands a full-scale replica of Stonehenge built by museum founder Sam Hill in dedication to the servicemen of Klickitat County who died during World War I. Overlooking the Columbia River, the Stonehenge Memorial is a worthy destination any time of year, but Maryhill Museum's Solstice at Stonehenge makes the trip extra special.
On June 20, campers ($95-$120 for a campsite of up to four people) can spend time in the museum — which houses an impressive collection of Rodin works alongside art and personal items from Queen Marie of Romania — after it closes to the public. Then they'll craft their own luminarias, participate in breathwork, movement and meditation, and enjoy music and storytelling.
After a night camping on the museum's Great Lawn, attendees travel to the Stonehenge Memorial at sunrise for a ceremony with a self-described druid priest and a chance to set intentions and give thanks for the day. The museum's cafe will be open for breakfast, and campers will have another opportunity to explore the museum.
CHASING WATERFALLS
I love a themed road trip, and one with beautiful sites along the way is even better. If you feel the same, consider chasing waterfalls around the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps the most obvious — after our very own Spokane Falls, that is — is Palouse Falls, a 200-foot waterfall in LaCrosse. (Note: All trails into the canyons and base of the falls are permanently closed.)
If your summer plans take you west to Mount Rainier National Park, Comet Falls, a 300-foot waterfall, awaits. A National Park Pass is needed for entry.
It only takes about a half-mile trek to get to Bridal Veil Falls, a short drive east of Portland, making it perfect for those looking for a light adventure. Just down the road, hikers can check Multnomah Falls, a 620-foot beauty, off their list. A timed use permit is required for Multnomah Falls.
In Idaho, travel the Pend Oreille Scenic Byway to the 50-foot Char Falls in the Kaniksu National Forest, or take in Copper Falls, just 2 miles shy of the Canadian border. Along the route to the 225-foot waterfall are 15 nature trail stations that discuss local flora and fauna. Finally, Myrtle Falls and Snow Creek Falls are just 14 minutes apart, outside Bonners Ferry. Stop by on the way to or from Copper Falls for a full-day adventure.
'LANDING' IN UMATILLA
On Oct. 24, 1864, Umatilla, two-and-a-half hours from Spokane, was incorporated in Oregon. More than 150 years later, Umatilla Landing Days celebrates the oldest Eastern Oregon community still in existence. The day (June 28) begins with a parade at 10 am before the festival opens at 11 am, offering a car show, a kids carnival and entertainment, including live music, martial arts, Big Top the Clown, a salsa contest (the food, not the dance) and the Miss Landing Days Pageant, on two stages. Umatilla Landing Days ends with a fireworks show at 10 pm. Parking and admission are free. Head to umatillalandingdays.org for details.
SOUNDS OF SUMMER
You might not have the time or money to follow your favorite band on tour this summer, but you can still make a musical road trip happen thanks to the Artisans at the Dahmen Barn's Summer Concert Series in Uniontown, an hour and a half from Spokane. This summer's lineup features country and classic rock, country barn dance, folk, bluegrass and covers from The Lukenbills (July 12), Bridges Home (Aug. 16), Homebrew String Band (Aug. 17), Cowboy Justice (July 18), The Senders (Aug. 29) and Paradox (Sept. 6). Concerts will be held outside, weather permitting. Shows are $15; start times vary. Visit artisanbarn.org for the complete schedule.
LIONS & TIGERS & BISON... OH MY!
You don't have to drive far for a big adventure, especially if there's an animal lover in your family or friend group. At Win-tur Bison Farm, about an hour northwest of Spokane in Springdale, sign up for a guided tour of the farm, which includes a chance to meet and feed the bison. Tours run Saturdays and Sundays through July 27 by reservation only; book at winturbisonfarm.com.
A little closer to Spokane in Mead, Cat Tales Wildlife Center (above) is home to black bears, tigers, wolfdogs and more "wild ambassadors" — a perfect day trip for the aspiring zookeeper in your life. Cat Tales (cattales.org) is open Tuesdays through Sundays through Oct. 31.
WINGS OVER WENATCHEE
Celebrate Wenatchee's place in aviation history with more than 60 airplanes, exhibitors, food trucks and Japanese cultural activities during Pangborn's Festival of Flight on June 21. The festival is named for Clyde Pangborn, who, with Hugh Herndon on Oct. 3, 1931, left Misawa, Japan, to fly Miss Veedol across the ocean in the first nonstop, trans-Pacific flight. Forty-one hours later, the duo made it to Wenatchee, two and a half hours from Spokane. If you're in town June 20, you can catch the festival kick event, a screening of The Goonies at the airport ramp. Learn more at flywenatchee.com. ♦
