Riverfront Park, the site of Expo '74, is a 100-acre urban park that has been developed into a collection of cultural and recreational attractions including a theater, art gallery, a skating rink, an antique carousel composed of 54 hand-carved horses, a train, and an exciting gondola ride over Spokane Falls. The park also features a historic 1909 carousel. Historic Fort George Wright, a 1,500-acre complex, was established in 1894 on a plateau overlooking the river. Other points of interest in the city include Manito Park, with its beautiful Rose Hill and Japanese garden, and Cliff Park, site of Review Rock, a large formation with steps cut into the sides that offers a beautiful view of the city.
The area around Spokane offers a number of attractions, including several ghost towns, the Spokane Plains Battlefield, and the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. A variety of historic homes, churches, and architecture are available for touring in the Spokane area. Spokane's local wineries have won prestigious awards and offer tours, tastings, and sales.
Spokane's 12,500-seat Veteran's Memorial Arena is a focal point for special events. In addition, the newly expanded 2,700-seat Opera House and the more intimate The Met Performing Arts Center host national and international touring companies and entertainers. Music is provided by the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, housed in the Opera House, which presents a full season of classical music, including special children's performances and Super Pops! by the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, which presents up to a dozen concerts a year; and by Allegro-Baroque and Beyond, Connoisseur Concerts, the Spokane Chamber Music Association, and Uptown Opera. Theater is represented by the region's only resident professional company, Interplayer's Ensemble, whose seven-play season runs from September to June; by Spokane Civic Theatre; and by several amateur community theaters and smaller groups. The Big Easy Concert House, home to a concert hall and dance club, has opened in a renovated office block adjacent to the arts district. Area colleges and universities also contribute to the cultural scene.
The new Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (formerly the Cheney Cowles Museum) reopened after a major $26 million expansion. The museum houses permanent collections of regional history and American Indian artifacts, as well as five art galleries and educational facilities. The historic Campbell House, a museum since 1925, is now a part of the Northwest Museum complex, with tours of the home available by reservation. A proposed science center is likely to be the next development at the growing museum. Additionally, the Jundt Art Museum on the campus of Gonzaga University includes two large gallery spaces and an exhibition lounge.
The Northwest Bach Festival celebrates the music of J.S. Bach in venues throughout the city for one week at the end of January or early February. The annual Spokane Music and Arts Festival in April draws artists and musicians from all over the Pacific Northwest. Bloomsday, the country's largest timed road race, is held on the first Sunday in May. Later that month, the Spokane Lilac Festival runs for 10 days and features such activities as a flower show, parades, concerts, games, entertainment. Begun in 1938, the festival also showcases local foods and crowns a lilac queen. In June, Spokane plays host to Hoopfest, the world's largest three-on-three basketball tournament. The Spokane County Fair, a tradition since the late 1800s, happens in September.
The newly-remodeled Spokane Arena hosts the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey Association. The Spokane Indians, a minor league farm team of professional baseball's Texas Rangers, play at Avista Stadium. The Spokane Shadow, a USL Premier League, plays soccer at Joe A. Albi Stadium. The Gonzaga Bulldogs athletic teams, members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, engage in intercollegiate competition at Gonzaga University. Spokane Raceway Park offers stock car and drag racing, while Playfair offers thoroughbred horse races during the summer and fall.
Seventy-six lakes and four major rivers within a 50-mile radius of Spokane offer a wide variety of water activity. For hikers and nature lovers, a 70-mile pathway called Centennial Trail begins near the old Spokane House fur trading post and winds through Riverside State Park, Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane, and eastward past Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The Trail was recently expanded to include 37 paved miles on the Spokane River. The city and county maintain more than 75 parks, many of which feature athletic fields, tennis courts, swimming pools, skating rinks, recreational programming, and other facilities. More than 30 public and private golf courses exist in the county. The nearby mountains offer year-round recreation: skiing in the winter and fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, hiking, and other outdoor activities in the warmer months. In the summer months, floating excursions are available on the Spokane River, while several nearby rivers provide whitewater rafting opportunities. Rock climbing is available just outside of Spokane, and seven ski areas are within a two hour drive.
Spokane shoppers are served by seven major shopping centers in the city and a number of smaller plazas and specialty shopping districts. Retail establishments in downtown Spokane are connected by a 16-block system of enclosed sky-walks. The shopping opportunities at River Park Square and in the retail district are unmatched in the Inland Northwest. Spokane's restaurants offer fine international and traditional American dishes. Specialties include fresh salmon and locally-produced wines. More than 500 dining establishments can be found in the Spokane area.
Visitor Information: Spokane Area Visitor Information Center, 201 W. Main, Spokane, WA 99201; telephone (509)747-3230; toll-free (888)SPOKANE. Travel Development Division, Department of Commerce and Economic Development, General Administration Building, Olympia, WA 98504; telephone (360)586-2088; toll-free (800)544-1800