Sandpoint, Idaho, Is a Perfect Year-round Destination—How to Visit

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• Spend a stylish night at Humbird, Schweitzer’s design-forward boutique hotel.
• Ski, snowboard, hike, bike, or hit the trails on horseback at the local mountain resort.
• In the warmer months, take to the water with a swim at City Beach, hop aboard one of the Lake Pend Oreille Cruises, or rent a watercraft from one of Sandpoint’s outfitters.
• Enjoy an award-winning craft beer at Matchwood Brewing Company, where the dining menu features potato-centric “totchos.”
• Peruse the eclectic shops and galleries of downtown Sandpoint, and be sure to check out the family-friendly mix of vendors, eateries, and creative play zones at the Cedar Street Bridge.

Sandpoint, Idaho, is the kind of small town you dream about. Perched on the edge of a dazzling lake, at the foot of densely forested mountains, it’s a historic charmer with youthful energy and lively music, art, and culinary scenes. It’s also home to a historic railroad depot, Idaho’s only Amtrak stop, which welcomes the Empire Builder. Nearby, Schweitzer draws an avid crowd of skiers, snowboarders, and mountain bikers, and the 1,158-foot-deep Lake Pend Oreille attracts sailors and swimmers alike. Just watch out for the mysterious lake monster called the Pend Oreille Paddler.

“Sandpoint has a vibrant community spirit,” Olivia Caso, a fifth-generation Sandpoint resident and the executive director of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, tells Travel + Leisure. “This is a place where people smile, wave, and open doors for others.” Rick Evans, co-owner of Sandpoint’s Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters, agrees, adding that this is a destination “where people know each other, there are tons of quirky characters, and there’s a place here for people of all personalities and walks of life.”

I can also attest to the area’s appeal, as I recently returned from a mid-summer visit to both Sandpoint and Schweitzer, fingers purple from huckleberry picking and mind filled with happy memories of horseback riding, hiking, boating, sampling local beer, and enjoying a lakeside outdoor concert. Below, here’s how to plan your own trip to Sandpoint, one of the best places to visit in Idaho.

Best Hotels & Resorts

A guest room in Humbird hotel.

Courtesy of Schweitzer

Humbird

With an adventure-ready location in the heart of Schweitzer’s base village, Humbird is the perfect choice for travelers who want both convenience and stylish accommodations. Designed by Portland-based Skylab Architecture, the 31-room boutique hotel offers knockout mountain and lake views—head to the rooftop hot tub for stargazing—plus the tasty Crow’s Bench restaurant and even a handy coworking space.

Dover Bay

For lakeshore lovers, Evans recommends Dover Bay. “It has a great boat launch, beautiful bike paths, and a really good restaurant in Dish at Dover Bay—waterfront, great food and cocktails.” The resort includes a beach, a marina, a park, and trails, with both lakefront and courtyard bungalows.

Best Things to Do

A skier on top of a mountain.

Courtesy of Schweitzer

Play in the mountains at Schweitzer.

Idaho’s largest ski resort has 2,900 acres of skiable terrain, 10 lifts, and 92 trails for winter recreation, as well as 40-plus miles of mountain biking and hiking trails when the snow melts and wildflowers bloom. Schweitzer’s base village offers temptations like the Cambium Spa, gear and gift shops, restaurants and watering holes, and kids’ activities, from zip lines and a bungee trampoline to an old-timey mining sluice where you can search for “gemstones.”

Make a splash in Idaho’s deepest, largest lake.

Sail, cruise, fish, or paddle on Lake Pend Oreille. With 111 scenic miles of shoreline and a depth of 1,158 feet, it’s a vast, watery playground. But what about that aforementioned lake monster? “The Pend Oreille Paddler is a hotly contested subject,” says Caso. “I personally think the Paddler is a huge sturgeon.” See for yourself on one of the Lake Pend Oreille Cruises, with sightseeing jaunts that include a history cruise and a sunset and eagle watching tour. Action Water Sports also rents a variety of watercraft.

For swimmers, there’s City Beach, which Evans calls a “classic place for people of all ages.” Afterward, stop by Panhandle Cone & Coffee and sample one of the creative ice cream flavors like buttermilk huckleberry or strawberry, lime, and avocado.

Attend a summer music festival under the stars.

For two weeks each summer, The Festival at Sandpoint welcomes national touring acts to perform at War Memorial Field on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. With a tasty lineup of local food and drink vendors and a joyful, neighborly vibe, it’s a splendid place to dance the night away.

Catch a show at a vintage theater.

Downtown Sandpoint’s Panida Theater (quirkily named after the panhandle of Idaho) opened in 1927 as a Spanish Mission-style movie palace and vaudeville house. The restored theater is on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts a lively roster of movies, concerts, comedy performances, plays, and more.

Enjoy a local libation.

Sandpoint’s beer scene includes Matchwood Brewing Company, the brewery-meets-curry-house Utara Brewing Company, and MickDuff’s Brewing Company, headquartered in the historic Sandpoint Federal Building. The Pend d’Oreille Winery is another option, with a downtown wine bar and tasting room highlighting award-winning vintages; there’s also live music on select days.

Best Shopping

The historic downtown Main Street through Sandpoint, Idaho.

Kirk Fisher/Adobe Stock

Cedar Street Bridge

The Cedar Street Bridge is a kind of Panhandle Ponte Vecchio spanning Sand Creek, complete with a playful Bigfoot cutout overseeing a 400-foot-long marketplace that includes gift shops, clothing boutiques, food purveyors, family play areas, and even a ceramic studio. “There are plenty of Bigfoot cutouts all over town and our trails here,” says Caso. “See how many you can find.”

Farmers’ Market at Sandpoint

From May through mid-October, the Farmers’ Market at Sandpoint bursts into life, with a cornucopia of local vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods, and an array of handcrafted items, all to the beat of live music.

La Chic Boutique

Sandpoint has a tempting variety of antique stores and vintage shops, and both Evans and Caso mention one in particular. “La Chic Boutique has a highly curated selection of new and gently loved secondhand clothing, as well as cards, journals, and an excellent assortment of gifts,” says Caso.

Best Restaurants

Bird’s eye view of a table filled with dishes from Crow’s Bench.

Courtesy of Schweitzer

Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters

To fuel your day’s adventures, stop by the Granary Arts District and Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters. The full-service, wholesale coffee roaster creates custom roasts and has a changing menu of seasonal drinks with house-made syrups, picnic-ready pastries, breakfast burritos, and sandwiches (including vegan and gluten-free options). The cafe features work by local artists, and the outdoor patio is dog-friendly.

Matchwood Brewing Company

Try an award-winning Spruce Tip Pale Ale at Matchwood Brewing Company, where handcrafted beers rotate throughout the year. If the weather’s fine, head out to the covered porch and share a messy-good plate of Idaho-inspired “Not So Hotcho Totchos,” starring, you guessed it, tater tots.

Crow’s Bench

Crow’s Bench at Schweitzer’s Humbird has indoor-outdoor dining and an elevated menu showcasing local ingredients and imaginative preparations. I’m still dreaming about the swoon-worthy huckleberry cheesecake, and Caso confesses, “I find myself returning to Crow’s Bench for their braised pork belly often.”

The Nest Bar & Restaurant

Reached by a scenic lift ride to the summit of Schweitzer, Sky House lives up to its name with jaw-dropping panoramic vistas reaching all the way to Montana, Washington, and Canada. It’s also home to The Nest Bar & Restaurant, which serves high-altitude delicacies ranging from burgers to paella to Tuscan trout.

The Bank

“The Bank is a great restaurant in town with craft cocktails, a creative, tapas-style menu, and a nice ambience,” says Evans. The restaurant also has a patio overlooking Sand Creek, so you can share the house focaccia or whipped feta while taking in incredible views.

Best Time to Visit

Two people taking in the view on top of a mountain.

Courtesy of Schweitzer

Sandpoint is a true year-round destination. “There is magic to be found at any time of the year in our town,” says Caso. Winter brings a flurry of skiing and snowboarding at Schweitzer, along with the community-wide Winter Carnival. “During Winter Carnival, we host something called the K-9 Keg Pull,” explains Caso. “It’s a fun spectacle—local dogs pull different sizes of kegs and even cans, depending on the size of [the] dog.”

Spring skiing wraps up in mid-April, and summer follows with endless lake activities, huckleberry picking, and fun celebrations, including Beerfest, Schweitzer’s Northwest WineFest, and the tuneful, two-week Festival at Sandpoint. Hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riding enthusiasts can take to the trails; I saddled up with Mountain Horse Adventures. As autumn arrives, Schweitzer’s rollicking Fall Fest takes place over Labor Day weekend, and Sandpoint’s Apple Fest is a crisp October treat.

How to Get There

If you’re arriving by air, the Spokane International Airport (GEG) is roughly 80 miles from Sandpoint, and it’s a relatively easy drive by rental car or taxi. You can also reach Sandpoint by train. As Amtrak’s Empire Builder whisks passengers between Chicago and destinations in the Pacific Northwest, it makes a stop at Sandpoint’s red-brick, Gothic Revival depot, built in 1916 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

How to Get Around

Bike and walking path leads to the Cedar Street Bridge in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Gregory Johnston/Adobe Stock

SPOT is Sandpoint’s free bus system, complete with a helpful mobile app to track the location of the nearest bus. In winter, there’s a free SPOT mountain shuttle that runs up the winding road to Schweitzer from Sandpoint’s Red Barn Park & Ride lot. Each bus is also equipped with a bike rack.