24 Hours In…Sandpoint, Idaho

I travel quite a bit and while I have seen the big cities of New York, San Francisco, and beyond, there is always something that intrigues me about going to a place that I know absolutely nothing about. That place this time was Sandpoint, Idaho. Nestled between the bordering states of Montana and Washington, Sandpoint is definitely something special. My 24-hour trip throughout this cozy little town, with a population of under roughly 7,000, was definitely memorable.

8:59am: After arriving in nearby Spokane International Airport, I drove 2 hours to Sandpoint. While visiting this ski-friendly community in mid-August, I booked myself a room at the Schweitzer Mountain Resort. This without a doubt is “the place” to stay when you are planning a trip to Sandpoint. Just a beautiful place to call home while on the road. A couple of great restaurants on the grounds, friendly staff, and plenty of activities to keep you busy.

9:17am: So before I head out and take a look at what Sandpoint has to offer, I need me some breakfast. When you are staying at Schweitzer, be sure to head down near the lobby area to Mojo Coyote Cafe, which is open 7am-4pm 7-days a week. I inhaled one of their signature breakfast burritos and woke myself up with a ginormous cup of mocha coffee. Both were just what I needed to get some energy before heading out on one of the many trails nearby the resort.

10:04am: When in the mountains once must do one of two things – ski or hike. Although it felt like ski season upon walking outside (it was 48 degrees!), it is still summertime, so unfortunately there was no fresh powder for me to play in during my visit. So hiking was the game plan. Being a typical New Yorker, the only hiking I partake in includes carrying my groceries up the stairs of my apartment when the elevator is out of commission. But it definitely was a pleasure to check out the beauty that is Idaho in August.

10:49am: This part of Idaho is known for two things. The birthplace of Sarah Palin and an abundance of huckleberries. Well fortunately for me I dealt with the latter while checking out one of the many great walking/biking trails at Schweitzer. Just bushes and bushes of huckleberries there for you to pluck, consume and enjoy. These tasty little treats that are like blueberries but with a slightly different texture, are big business around this area of Idaho. So do not be surprised when you happen to come across one of the many huckleberry concoctions around town. Some I saw and tried out included huckleberry beer, bbq sauce, honey, ice cream, wine, and wine. These berries are even the state fruit of Idaho.

11:30am: After hiking around Schweitzer, it was time to sit down…and take a ski lift up even higher onto the mountain. Although this is used primarily for ski bunnies, they offer rides up and down the slope with some lovely views of the surrounding area that not even a hiking trail could reach. While a tad foggy on the top of the mountain when I rode the lift, it still made for one hell of a ride.

12:29pm: Although I was digging Schweitzer, it was time to head back down the mountain to check out downtown Sandpoint. One of the cooler places that I happen to wander into on this gorgeous day in Sandpoint was the Pend d’Oreille Winery. Just a great design and a very laid back atmosphere. One neat feature at this winery is the reusable wine bottles they advertise. Simply a buy a bottle of your favorite wine and when you are done, simply come back and pour some more into the empty bottle for more wine goodness. Definitely a great way to be green while enjoying a white or red.

1:05pm: One of the biggest and most popular businesses to come out of this tiny town is Coldwater Creek. The company was founded 25 years ago and has since expanded to roughly 300 stores nationwide. If you stroll down North 1st Avenue, you can visit their flagship store.

1:22pm: Speaking of North 1st Avenue, the area is lined with local mom & pop shops, a great looking pub, a couple of places to partake in a wine or twelve, and plenty of places to grab breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1:30pm: One place that stood out to me while wandering around North 1st Avenue was the Panida Theater. Built in 1927 and later restored in 1985 to what it is today, this tiny 550-seat theater holds more than 100 performances a year and was even placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

2:28pm: After a quick bite to eat, it was time to check out Sandpoint from yet another angle and that was by way of charter cruise. I was lucky enough to grab the last remaining seat aboard the Shawnodese, which is run by husband and wife team Willie and Linda Mitchell. Linda narrates and gives a brief yet extremely interesting history lesson about Sandpoint along this 90 minute voyage along stunning Lake Pend Oreille.

3:39pm: The views from the cruise were remarkable, with million dollar homes, mountains, passing boats and jet skiers. Linda really added to the atmosphere of the cruise as well, with her witty humor, giveaways, and interesting facts about the surrounding area. The cool lake breeze while aboard the cruise really was a nice way to cool down on a pretty warm day. I highly recommend taking this cruise when in Sandpoint.

4:35pm: I just so happen to be in town for the final night of the yearly “Festival at Sandpoint” that spans two long weekend. Performers this year included Clint Black, Blues Traveler and the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Previous festivals hosted such acts as Ryan Adams, Johnny Cash, Etta James and The Pretenders.

5:03pm: So I headed on over to partake in some good music, delicious food, and plenty of wine tasting. Now while I am far from a wine expert, I must say that I was privy to sample a wide selection of red and white wines from all over the Northwest and Canada region.

7:30pm: Something that I found remarkable noble about some of the local Sandpoint residents was their true hospitality. Families opened their doors to a few dozen young African children that are currently on tour throughout the United States trying to raise money for their villages back home. The pride that some people took in these children that are less fortunate was truly moving. The group of children opened the musical portion of the evening with a stirring rendition of the nation followed by a traditional African song and dance.

9:15pm: The Spokane Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Gary Sheldon and special guest Richard Stoltzman performed an extremely entertaining tribute to legendary American jazz musician, clarinetist, and bandleader Benny Goodman. Now while I was unsure going into this evening of music, I came out absolutely loving the show. Everyone in that orchestra was on key and it made for one hell of a way to end the 2009 “Festival at Sandpoint.” Once the orchestra was done, fireworks lit the sky and sent the entire collection of locals home happy.

10:39pm: Back at Schweitzer Mountain Resort and pretty excited to just shower and hop into bed. It was an eventful day in Sandpoint and I loved every minute of it.

7:20am: Early wake up call for me this morning as I head out of Sandpoint and on to my next city. Time to get packing.

8:47am: After another over-sized cup of coffee, I pulled out of Schweitzer, drove down the mountain, crossed the long bridge, and waved goodbye to Sandpoint.

(I would like to thank Lisa Gerber for showing me around Sandpoint and to her husband Patrick for making one hell of a dinner for us to enjoy during the concert. Much appreciated!)

Tags: blues traveler, clint black, coldwater creek, idaho, long bridge, mountains, sandpoint, schweitzer mountain resort, ski, spokane symphony orchestra, Travel