Spokane Tourist Attractions

Spokane, Washington, is a city in the upper-left quadrant of the state. Spokane's nearly 229,000 residents in 2021 make it the cultural and economic hub of the Inland Northwest.

Spokane Riverfront Park, Spokane Falls, and Manito Park are just a few tourist destinations in the city.

Spokane is also a popular outdoor recreation destination thanks to the city's abundance of parks and trails, such as Mount Spokane State Park and Bike the Centennial Trail.

Visit getyourguide.com for information on additional outdoor destinations.

U.S. Pavilion at Riverfront Park

Address: 507 N. Howard Street, Spokane, Washington

Visit Riverfront Park, where the Pavilion is just the top of many intriguing attractions. Also on exhibit is the Great Northern Railroad's Clock Tower, which dates to 1902 and is the only surviving part of the depot.

Additionally, there is the Providence Playscape, the Numerica Skating Ribbon, and the Looff Carousel, all of which are great for kids of all ages. The park also provides views of the top and lower sections of Spokane Falls.

The park is connected to the east and west by the paved 37-mile Centennial Trail. Lined along the park's southern edge, River Park Square is home to various shops, restaurants, and hotels, such as The Historic Davenport.

Manito Park

Address: 1702 S. Grand Blvd, Spokane, Washington

Located on beautiful South Hill, Manito Park has spent the last century developing into one of the best botanical gardens in the country. Manito Park is visited by approximately 150,000 people annually because it features five distinct garden areas, including the famous Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden and more than 20 blooming flowers.

Along with the designated botanical gardens, Manito Park also features more than seventy acres of well-kept natural terrain. One of the best places to see wildlife in the park is Mirror Pond. Visits can be made to the park's Gaiser Conservatory, a greenhouse open throughout the year.

A large portion of time in Manito is spent unproductively lounging around. Bring a blanket and some refreshments, and enjoy the sunny days in Eastern Washington. The park is most beautiful in the late spring and summer when its flowers are at their peak. During the summer, both the Traditional Rose Garden and the neighboring Lilac Garden are beautiful.

Riverside State Park

Address: 9711 W. Charles Road, Nine Mile Falls, Washington

Riverside is one of Washington's largest state parks, only about nine miles northwest of Spokane. Spokanites and visitors from surrounding areas flock there throughout the year. Separated by a short drive from one another, the park's several sections run parallel to the Spokane and Little Spokane rivers.

Many take advantage of the excellent weather for fishing, white-water kayaking, or swimming. Similarly, snowshoers and cross-country skiers can glide through the countryside in the winter.

The Bowl & Pitcher Area of the park is home to some of the most excellent camping in the Spokane area. The neighboring Suspension Bridge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934, is the starting point for a popular short trip in this beautiful part of the park.

Deep Creek Canyon is home to the park's most exciting routes and dry riverbeds. Riverside State Park's Nine Mile Recreation Area features a boat port and may arrange for boat rentals. Camping and hiking opportunities near the water are expanded at the Lake Spokane section of the park.

Mount Spokane State Park

Address: 26107 N. Mt Spokane Park Drive, Mead, Washington

Mount Spokane State Park comprises 13,919 acres and approximately 100 miles of multi-use trails. It takes less than an hour to go to the state park from the city. Camping expeditions, mountain biking excursions, and day trips to observe local wildlife are all made easier by the location.

Mount Spokane, a mountain in the Selkirk Mountains, is one of the highest points in the Pacific Northwest. Within the confines of this state park, you can also visit the summits of Kit Carson and Day Mountain.

Mount Spokane Summit Road is available from about the middle of June until the middle of October, providing an alternative to the grueling walk to the peak. On Summit Road, you'll also find the park's few camping spots. At the top, the historic Vista House lives up to its name with an east-facing terrace.

For the best possible perspective of the park, guests can reserve the Quartz Mountain Lookout Tower for the night. When the state park is blanketed in snow, it looks beautiful.

Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Resort, located within Mount Spokane State Park, is a popular destination for thousands of winter sports lovers. Other winter activities, such as ice skating, ice climbing, and ice skating, also draw tourists throughout the cold season.

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Address: 2316 W. 1st Avenue, Spokane, Washington

The MAC, as the locals call it, is the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, the region's preeminent cultural institution. The MAC highlights local history, visual arts, and American Indian culture in its five underground galleries and rotating exhibits. The MAC's collection of over a million items makes it possible to study a subject in depth for a lifetime.

The Café Mac provides free, endless coffee refills outside the displays. Visitors can experience life in 19th-century Washington at the adjacent Campbell House, which is open for visits. Find out when classes, workshops, and guest speakers are being presented this week by perusing their schedules.

Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park

Address: 29500 N. Mt Spokane Park Drive, Mead, Washington

The entire ski area of Mount Spokane State Park is within the park's borders. Within an hour of downtown Spokane, you may be skiing or snowboarding on world-class terrain at this completely automated ski resort. Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park feature 45 slopes of varied difficulties throughout more than 1,400 skiable acres, ensuring that there is always new terrain to discover throughout the season.

The mountain is home to three different lodges, the most notable of which is the historic Vista House at the peak. You can warm up with some hot cocoa and dry your mitts at any of the lodges. During the week, there are additional opportunities to go night skiing. Younger winter sports enthusiasts can enjoy the park's long tubing slope.

Bike the Centennial Trail

Address: 9711 W. Charles Road, Nine Mile Falls, Washington

Centennial Trail, also known as the Spokane River Centennial National Recreational Trail, began construction in 1989, coinciding with the state of Washington's centennial celebration. It is now a major attraction in Spokane and is known around the country.

The paved trail, which is 37 miles long and begins and ends in the downtown Riverfront Park, is accessible to all modes of non-motorized transportation. Whether you explore Eastern Washington on foot, two wheels, or roller skis, you'll see plenty of beautiful scenery.

Centennial Trail, constructed over abandoned railroad beds and on land once owned by lumber companies, offers a relatively flat terrain upon which to view local wildlife and vegetation. The track, which is 15 miles long and begins in Riverfront Park, becomes more complex as it heads west. From the beginning of the western half of the course to the end in Riverside State Park, you will be treated to breathtaking vistas.

The path departs downtown Spokane and travels east approximately 17 miles, passing past Gonzaga University's campus and the friendly college life atmosphere in Washington and Idaho. On the other side of the international boundary, the trail becomes the North Idaho Centennial Trail and goes on for another 24 miles. While it is possible to hike the entire Centennial Trail in a single day, most people choose not to.

John A. Finch Arboretum

Address: 3404 W. Woodland Blvd, Spokane, Washington

John A. Finch Arboretum, spread across 65 wooded acres in southwest Spokane, is a popular destination for city dwellers who long to taste Washington's natural beauty. There are almost 2,000 species of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. This spectacular flora and fauna display is next to the picturesque Garden Springs Creek.

The conservatory welcomes visitors without charge and provides the option of self-guided excursions. Festivals like the Autumn Leaf Festival are held all year round, not only in the fall. Spring is another busy season at the greenhouse when the magnolias, dogwoods, and daffodils are in full flower.

When you go to the nursery, look for the animals. Many marmots and wild turkeys scamper about the open area. Large, non-venomous bulls, snakes, and moose have been spotted in the area. When approaching wild animals, it is essential to maintain a safe distance.

Riverfront Park

A trip to the city's central Riverfront Park is a must. It comprises more than a hundred acres of parkland, a network of walking paths, and dozens of local attractions. Riverfront Park also hosts several annual events and activities.

Spokane hosted the World's Fair in 1974, and the city's growth necessitated the construction of this park. Spokane demolished the Great Northern Railroad Depot on Havermale Island to prepare for the big event and wholly rebuilt the area. In a gathering of over 1.5 million visitors, the United States Pavilion stood out as the most prominent building at the World's Fair.

Even though the canopy was removed, and the Pavilion is now just its skeleton construction, the U.S. Pavilion is still a recognizable sight in Riverfront Park. Exploring the Pavilion at Riverfront is a lot of fun, and there are festive light shows every weekend. In addition, it features holiday-themed light displays every year.