Priest Lake Idaho - Summer Vacation

Melissa and I took a vacation in the second to last week of August and headed out on the open road. We had 10 days off and figured it would be nice to get away and get some rest and relaxation and stop in and say hello to a few friends. Our first stop was in Seattle and it just so happened to be our 6th month anniversary. We stayed at a very nice hotel in downtown Seattle and went to a very fancy restaurant in the infamous hotel "The W".


http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1154

I would highly recommend the W hotel in Seattle to anybody. We could not afford to stay there but we ate at their restaurant called "Earth and Ocean". It was the first certified organic restaurant in the nation and they only serve organic veggies and free range meats. It was a very special meal and was worth every penny. Great food, good service, and a wine server on staff to tell you about their wine selection.



After having our wonderful meal we met up with my friend Noel and his Fiance Kristen for some drinks at a local jazz club in Capital Hill. From Seattle we were on a mission to find a beautiful lake and lots of blue skies. Our summer has been a downer to say the least this year in Portland and we were hungry for some warmth on our skinny bones. Our first stop was in Post Falls Idaho to see our friends Sean and his wife Chelsea and their two dogs Dixie and Roxie. Post Falls in just outside the beautiful city of Coeur d'Alene and a hop skip and a jump from Spokane Wa.

Sean has a boat and just upon arriving we were swept up in Sean's truck and put the boat in the water on the Spokane River that leads into Lake Coeur d'Alene. The river is just breath taking with beautiful homes all along the water front. Some of these homes had to have been 10,000 sq ft + with private dock and beautiful landscaped yards. I felt like I was on an episode of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". As you make your way up the river it eventually open up into Lake Coeur d'Alene. The lake is huge and and the boat activity is very hectic. Sean drove us around the lake looking at John Elway's home and the famous floating hole on the local golf course. We had a wonderful time with Sean and Chelsea and were very appreciative of their hospitality and showing us around their city.



From Cour d'Alene we took the advice of one of Melissa's co-workers and headed north to a lake called Priest Lake. Sean was able to join us for half day and pull his boat up to the lake. We set out on the lake and within minutes were in complete bliss as to how amazing this lake is. The water is so clean and clear that it resembles the Caribbean. It is a beautiful aquamarine blue color has about 25-30 feet of visibility. The lake was not crowded, the weather was hot, and the water was perfect temperature. Sean stayed with us for the day and then headed back to Post Falls. Melissa and I loved the lake so much that we decided to stay for 6 days and finish out our trip at this beautiful spot. We are certain that the lake is a repeat destination and hope our friends and family will join in next time we get over there.


We really enjoyed the camp site we stayed at. We had our own 50 feet of beach frontage on this amazing lake. Everyday we rolled out of bed whenever we felt like it, at breakfast, drank tea, lubed up with the sunscreen, and set out for the day of activities. Most days we soaked in the sun and read our books. We went exploring on some trails, played Frisbee, looked at real estate magazines, slept in the hammock, took naps, and went swimming. It was a really hard place to leave after 6 days of rest and relaxation but we are certain we will be back to this amazing place! Our hope is to organize a camp trip next year for a week or so at Priest Lake and get everybody we know to come and join us. More to come on the summer destination for 2008.