There are some days when my husband’s over zealous research pays off. That is to say that there are some days when his over zealous research makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel. Tonight was not that night. Tonight, thanks to his research, we Unlimited Fun at Red Lion’s Templins Resort on the Spokane River. Unlimited Fun just saved me a ton of money (renting a boat for 5-8 trips vs buying and storing and maintaining a boat) and provides, truly, unlimited fun.
Unlimited Fun provides boats to rent (at a great price) on the Spokane River and the nearby Lake Coeur D’Alene. Plus we get VIP privileges for unlimited use of their stand up paddleboards (SUPs) and Kayak/SUP hybrids and access to their private beach.
If that isn’t enough, on Thursday nights Red Lion Templins Resort offers an all-you-can-eat BBQ, live classic rock/county mix music, full bar and dancing. Yee-haw!
Folks, if I haven’t sold you on this incredible deal yet, here’s a testimonial from their newest 7 year old member (my son Andre):
“This place has BBQ, live music, ice cream, and tons of stuff for us to do, we should just live here, it is paradise.”
Andre is serious. He is willing to give up video games every day if we will take him to the river. Andre was paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming, boating and chowing down on BBQ today. If you’ve read my posts up to this point, this is not my youngest child’s typical behavior. He broke his mold and found himself in seventh heaven. Or, he just aged 60 years and is ready for retirement.
When we left the house tonight after work, our plan was to just check it out and maybe take a dip in the river. We packed bathing suits and towels and headed out the door. I had made a pot of beans this morning for bean and cheese burritos for dinner. We were set for a relatively quick out and back trip. We told the kids, “Get in the car, we’re going to Idaho”. That’s a phrase I never thought I’d ever say, even living here it feels odd. To Idaho we went.
Then we got there. The Idaho panhandle is ridiculously beautiful at every turn. We have been going to Lake Coeur D’Alene and with each visit in constant awe. Today we stopped in Post Falls, a town on the Spokane River that started as a sawmill owned by a man named Post. Lake Coeur D’Alene drains into the Spokane River before emptying into the Columbia River at Roosevelt Lake approximately 112 miles downstream.
Red Lion Templins Resort is 10 highway miles west of Lake Coeur D’Alene on the Spokane River. The beach and river fun is unsuspecting as you park on the hill above and walk down to the marina. The wide clear water river spreads out before you with a mountain on the other side, dotted with mega-houses with private docks. There is a boat launch and marina and resort services, boat and jet ski rentals, SUP and kayak/SUP hybrid rentals an a snack shack and bathrooms. A private beach with a grass volleyball court is just east of the marina.
For the few weeks we have left of summer [the locals tell me this high 90 degree heat isn’t going to last forever, only until mid September, enjoy it while it lasts], this is our summertime fun package. Boat, check. Trying new things, check. Easy access beach with amenities, check. All of the kids love it, check. Mom and dad are happy, check. The downside is that we don’t explore all of the surrounding lakes. We’ll get there. We will eventually buy a boat, just not yet. Renting a boat is perfect solution to get us off our butts on the beach and out exploring on the water.
Our month of August is jammed packed with activity. Our daughter, Jessica, arrives on the 31st for 10 days and we are all super excited. She loves to SUP and the boys can’t wait to SUP with her. We all can’t wait to share our adventures with her. Right after she leaves, we have our twelve year old buddy, Kyle, coming to visit for a week. He will not want to go home with all the thrills and excitement we have planned during his visit.
One thing for sure, our dog days of summer will be spent on and in the water.
multi-hyphenated-me 