Some beaches just feel like home from the moment you step onto the sand. Sandpoint City Beach is…read moreexactly one of those. I've visited lakeshores all over the Pacific Northwest, but this spot holds a special place -- and it's earned 5 stars without question. I arrived mid-day, blue sky overhead, with just a backpack and swim trunks, hoping for a chill beach day. The water at Lake Pend Oreille is clear, calm in places, rippling in others. There's a dock to walk out on, and I spent a few minutes just standing there, watching the sunlight dance on water, mountains hugging the horizon. The beach layout is smart: a grassy strip shaded with trees, picnic tables, and a sandy stretch for people to lounge or launch paddleboards. There were families building sandcastles, someone quietly strumming a guitar under a tree, kids splashing near the shore. No chaos, no stress -- just blue water, bright sunshine, subtle laughter in the background. Amenities are solid: restrooms aren't fancy but clean, the parking lot's right there, and I noticed a snack shack off to the side (open seasonally). The trail by the lake's edge continues past the beach -- perfect for a short walk before or after your swim. I saw birds diving, sense of nature very present. What hit me most: the transition from sandy beach into deep lake is smooth and gradual, so swimming felt easy and enjoyable. At dusk, the sky turned soft pink and gold, reflections echoed on the water -- that moment made me pause and breathe deeper. Final take: 5 stars, no doubt. Sandpoint City Beach balances comfort and wildness. It's perfect for relaxing, for light adventure, or for simply watching the sunset until the stars come out. If you've got time, linger -- come back at golden hour.

Nice little city park / beach area along Lake Pend Orielle (if you don't know, don't even try to…read morepronounce it). Plenty of grass and sand for kids to play (if not for the fowl gifts), and small swimming areas with boundaries for safety. Very peaceful place for a stroll when we visited in September, but I'd imagine it gets busier during the warm summer months. The park has a snack shack, but it's apparently only open during the warmer months. Plenty of free parking. The only negative was there was swan/goose poop everywhere! Had to watch where you stepped almost everywhere, including the sidewalks and grass. That was a real negative while trying to enjoy the park and get some fresh air.

Was great I recommend it. It was snowing a little an it wasn't many dogs but it's safe and clean…read more Love it

The best dog park in Northern Idaho by far!…read more What it has going for it: - large and small dog areas - dog drinking fountain in each area (human drinking fountain in large dog area) - great fencing, entry areas & gates - plenty of seating - lights so you can take your dog when it gets dark - plenty of parking right next to dog park - canopy in both runs - some obstacles in large dog run - poop bags provided - concrete walkway (no mud when it rains or during snow melt) - pea gravel ground cover (no mud when it rains or during snow melt) - bathrooms for humans right next door - vet across the street (in case of an emergency) What it has going against it: - it could use more shade The town of Ponderay did a great job with this dog park. It hits every mark that makes a dog park...great. If you check out my the reviews I have done been to over 175 dog parks through out the years, so I have seen the worst and some really great ones. This dog park is easily in my top 10 of all the dog parks I have been to. Kudos to Ponderay for doing it right (better late than never), now it is up to its citizens that use it, to keep it great.

Gold Hill Trailhead is a very well-maintained trailhead a little off the main drag going into…read moreSandpoint on the southern side of the lake. One of the best ways to see the lake is the drive to the trailhead along Bottle Bay Road. It's an incredible lake with houses hanging over the edge. Trailhead parking is a tad on the small side so I wouldn't attempt to drive there on a busy afternoon. There didn't appear to be much additional parking or road parking options unless people simply park on the road without any neighbor complaints. Another benefit to arriving early is hiking before all the noisy power boaters start racing across the lake. I have never asked any speed boat enthusiasts if they thought about the noise pollution they are bringing to pristine nature so they can race across the lake at 40 mph rather than 20 mph. Having been in multiple speed boats in my day, I see the appeal, but you are essentially telling everyone else on the lake, "Listen to this!" Even with this noise, I would still return to this trail. The trail is well maintained and is essentially a steady incline for at least two miles - this is where I turned around - with limited wide-angle views of the lake. The lake is visible through the trees, and I imagine has a great view at the top, but you will have to work for it if you want to see the entire lake. There was one experienced mountain biker on the trail while we were there. I would classify Gold Hill as essentially a hiking trail that can be done on a bike if you have a quality mountain bike and are very fit. There's tight turns and a lot of incline. The biker on the trail that day had a bell that would ring over regular intervals. This struck me as a genius idea to notify any bears and other hikers that you were blazing down towards them. The only con would be that, as the biker, after hearing ring number 785 for the day, "bing!" would you want to rip the bell off your bike and smash it with a rock?

A popular, easy-going trail with great views super-blue Lake Pend Oreille…read more There are only 1,200 ft of gain so you'll have plenty of time to stop and smell the wildflowers, or photograph bugs, or smooch your cutie, or...well, whatever it is you DO on easy trails. Great intro to hiking in Sandpoint.

This is such a fun trail but wear the proper attire because as you start at the bottom and go to…read morethe top it gets cooler and cooler! We've gone up and been around snow before on this one and there's little tiny waterfall streams on the way as well. There's plenty of little lookout areas with benches and such to sit and take a break and lots of wild birds to see. Lots of people bring their dogs on this one which would be fun for them and I haven't experienced it being too crowded ever.

While I wasn't able to make it to the top due to lack of time, I was happy with the trail…read moreconditions and the views I was able to see. This trail is easy to access, near neighborhoods and the road to Schweitzer Ski Area. Views start pretty early but the elevation gain is steady. It will climb 2,000 feet from the trailhead, making it a challenge for those in the winter with their crampons and snow shoes, or a nice summer mornings' workout before it gets too hot. Lake Pend Oreille and the Cabinet Mountains are in full view on a clear day.

I called looking to rent a couple of kayaks. Russel was extremely helpful and put together a great…read morelocation for us to kayak. We met him at the shop where they had already loaded to kayaks onto their trailer. Everyone at the shop was friendly as we filled out paperwork and got life jackets. They drove us to the Pack River and got the kayaks in the water & made sure we were familiar with everything. We agreed to a meeting time in which they were there ready to pick up the kayaks. This was the most beautiful stretch of water with so much greenery, wildlife, trees... We were so impressed with the service and kindness everyone showed us at Sandpoint Water Craft Rentals, that when we return to Idaho, we will be going back to this shop.

We rented a deck boat for 5 days. The staff could not have been more friendly, helpful and…read moreaccommodating. The boat had plenty of space for 8 people and a mini dachshund, was well appointed and ran great. We would go out of our way to rent from Martina again.

Great day on the lake thanks to A Day On The Lake! Rented a WaveRunner for 2 hours in the morning…read moreand a boat for 4 hours in the afternoon. All the staff were friendly and helpful. The two guys who worked to get our craft ready and walk us through the basics really did a great job. The equipment was in top condition, clean, and ran perfectly. We'd definitely rent from them again.

The owner, Steven, was super knowledgeable, friendly, entertaining, and easy to interact with. The…read moredogs wanted to work!! They were more than happy to tell us all about their displeasure at taking short breaks. Steven is super passionate about his dogs. He's more than happy to tell you all about them! I learned more about sledding and sled dogs in two hours than I thought I ever would, and I remembered a lot of what he said. My daughter and I would do this again if we didn't live so far away! This was such a great adventure.

Life- Changing! Camp Spalding has absolutely transformed my life. Starting from the 5th grade on, I…read moreattended camp at least once each summer. The counselors are genuinely interested in each camper and invest in your life. Some of my best friends to this day are the ones I met my first few years at camp. The lake is beautiful and the food is great. Younger kids are kept active with awesome activities and games, while the older campers are given a more relaxed schedule to build incredible relationships with one another. The place this camp has brought me in my faith is INDESCRIBABLE! I cannot say enough.

Five Star Resort meets Old fashioned Camp Experience. There are so many stellar qualities about…read moreCamp Spalding: Cream of the crop staff, quality programs and experiences, superb speakers, gourmet food (seriously) and beautiful lodging and accommodations. This camp is an absolute *MUST* -- we send all of our kids there each summer, as well as attend the Family Camp as an entire family. This place has become a very special "home" to each one of us, and it is a part of each of our stories. I thank God for CAMP SPALDING!