5 Reasons Why Downtown Spokane Is the Place to Be

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Did you know that downtown Spokane, Washington is an awesome place to explore if you are looking for a fun-filled experience? Spokane may not be the first city you think about when considering places to explore, but after reading this post I hope you are willing to add this to your list of possible destinations.

When you consider Spokane’s geographical location along with the myriad of reasons to visit downtown Spokane, you may agree that this is a city worth exploring. Here are some of the reasons why we enjoyed downtown Spokane and why you should consider taking a trip here.

1. Location

Before looking specifically at downtown Spokane, we want to share our opinion on why we think this city is actually in a great location which may be surprising for those that have never been to this part of Washington.

After three awesome but extremely exhausting days exploring Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, we endured a four hour drive from Kalispell, Montana to Spokane. A spontaneous, unplanned decision but we wanted to use this trip as an opportunity to visit Oregon which was one of the last states ‘out west’ that we had to visit.

downtown spokane

The beauty of Spokane is that it is located in the perfect spot to explore a myriad of other destinations, and of course provided an opportunity for us to explore the downtown metropolis, spend the night there and then head south towards Oregon.

downtown spokane upper falls power plant

I would definitely consider flying into Spokane in the future to revisit Glacier National Park (4 hour drive) but also Seattle which is only 4 hours away and Portland, Oregon at just over 5 hours away.

When you look at a map, it’s conceivable that you may think the exact opposite and believe that Spokane’s geographical location is a negative aspect which will likely detract visitors from this city.

spokane washington

But it really depends on what you are looking for and if you are looking for a major international airport, Spokane is the closest to Glacier and within a reasonable driving distance.

Downtown Spokane is easily accessible from I-90 and as you will see, provides a myriad of other reasons that will intrigue you and possibly inspire you to visit in the near future.

2. Spokane River

In many ways the highlight of downtown Spokane has to be the gorgeous river that flows directly through the heart of the city. Not only that, but the gorgeous waterfalls/rapids/cascades that are a landmark feature in the Riverfront Park (we will share more features of this park later) district make this a gorgeous spot for a relaxing stroll.

downtown spokane washington

We arrived in downtown Spokane around 6:00PM and found parking on the side of the road just a couple of blocks from the Riverfront Park area. As the sun was setting, we crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Spokane River and marveled at the imperious sight of the Spokane Falls flowing down the river.

spokane falls

Immediately this reminded us of our experiences in downtown Greenville, South Carolina with Reedy River flowing through the city center.

spokane falls

These areas of natural ‘green space’ really improve the look and feel of a city. All too often we get lost in the urbanization of a city and forget what it is like to just get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

spokane falls

When you have a rural setting in the middle of the city, well it’s the perfect combination and allows visitors and locals the opportunity to take a moment to relax and enjoy nature’s finest scenery.

spokane falls

3. Riverfront Park

Spokane Falls may be the highlight in the Riverfront Park and certainly warrants being a reason to visit Spokane alone, but there are plenty of other reasons to justify paying a visit to this park in the downtown area of the city.

riverfront park spokane

From the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Pavilion with IMAX movie theater, the Riverfront Park is a popular spot for folks to hang out, especially when events are taking place.

We were fortunate to be visiting when an event was taking place, with live music, markets offering a variety of cuisine selections from around the world and other vendors showcasing their products.

riverfront park downtown spokane

“Pigout in the Park” as the event was aptly named, proved to be a huge hit and we really enjoyed our time exploring everything on offer. Even if letting your hair down in such an event is not really your thing, this is still a great opportunity to just walk around and see everything else Riverfront Park has to offer.

pigout in the park downtown spokane

Of course one of the highlights throughout the Riverfront Park is the SkyRide which in 2013 was rated as one of the top 12 scenic cable rides in the world by Condé Nast.

4. O’Doherty’s Irish Pub

A trip to Spokane wouldn’t be the same without paying a visit to O’Doherty’s Irish Pub to sample some of the finest Irish cuisine this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Located directly opposite to the Riverfront Park, O’Doherty’s is in a perfect spot for visitors exploring downtown Spokane.

scotch eggs downtown spokane

We stumbled across this pub as we made our way around the Riverfront Park. As we walked inside, we noticed a stereotypical Irish pub feel with a hint of American thrown in with college football playing on the tv’s.

But the real experience started when our waitress took our orders and we sampled the finest Scotch eggs for an appetizer along with a shandy that was a perfect accompaniment.

irish stew o'dohertys spokane washington

Heather opted for the Irish stew and I couldn’t resist the fish and chips, and both of us were extremely delighted with our choices!

5. Clock Tower

The history of Spokane is well reflected in the iconic clock tower that stands proudly over the Riverfront Park and Spokane Falls. The clock tower was once part of the railway depot that stood in this part of the city, though today it stands alone as one of the tallest clock towers in northwest USA.

spokane clock tower

Dating back to its construction in 1902, the clock tower was part of Spokane’s booming building industry that created much of the downtown landscape that we see to this day. Part of this was of course due to the huge transportation hub that Spokane was home to, but just like many other cities around the States, the train industry saw a decline over the next few decades.

downtown spokane clock tower

Fortunately the clock tower survived but today we see this as a long-standing memorial of the once thriving rail industry. Regardless of how you portray this monument among the rest of today’s Spokane urban landscape, it is well worth exploring and appreciating the history that has evolved in this city.

Summary

After spending so much time in rural landscapes (not complaining at all because Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks were both breathtaking), we were ready to experience something with a little more ‘urban’ feel hence the reason we headed over to Spokane.

downtown spokane

With very little expectations, we were pleasantly surprised by just how much there was to see in downtown Spokane, particularly everything surrounding the Riverfront Park.

We both agreed that Spokane would be a perfect location to spend a couple of days before heading on to Glacier National Park which despite it’s obvious beauty is not the easiest of national parks to explore. Spokane may well be located in the perfect spot to solve that problem!

Weekend Wanderlust


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Chris Boothmanhttps://abritandasoutherner.com
Chris Boothman is the co-founder of A Brit and A Southerner. Born near Manchester, England, Chris moved to USA in 2006 where he soon after met his wife and travel partner in crime, Heather. They have since embarked on an amazing journey of travel as they challenge others to follow in their paths of working full-time but also being able to travel frequently! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chris at [email protected]

13 COMMENTS

    • We LOVE Irish food so this was right up our alley…but I have to admit this was one of the BEST Irish restaurants we have experienced this side of the pond! Highly recommend visiting this if you are passing through Spokane.

  1. It sounds like the perfect base to discover that area and the river looks incredible! I love that you found an Irish pub: I’ve always loved their atmosphere and now that I’ve been living in Ireland for years, they always make me feel at home, no matter where in the world I may be

    • Thanks Marc! We were really pleasantly surprised at just how nice it was to walk around the Riverfront district and of course Spokane Falls which is really neat.

  2. I’m a “water” person, I think every place which has any kind of water body in it makes it more beautiful and with a river cascading right in the middle of the city, Spokane is definitely right up my alley. Beautiful photos!

  3. Great post, never though of Spokane as the base to explore Glacier National park and Yellowstone – both on our wish list. The city looks like a good mix of urban and natural green spaces, would love to visit someday!

  4. It sounds like Spokane is a fun place to explore! The river running thru downtown is great. You’re photos were wonderful! Love me some Scotch Eggs, but that is the first time I have seen them sold at a restaurant. Very cool. Definitely gave me some good ideas for a stop in Spokane one day! Thanks for sharing!

  5. The photo of Spokane caught my eye in the link up because I grew up there! We always thought of it as a small town that no one knew about, so it’s funny to me to see it featured so beautifully here 🙂

  6. River Front Park is amazing. I actually was married on the dock in front of the performing arts center there. Really great venue for a small wedding in July, everything in bloom, it was gorgeous. I lived north of Spokane for 10 years and still love Spokane’s charm.

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