Fun Kids Activities in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Families of all ages can find many activities to do with kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. It’s easy to enjoy the beautiful scenery and outdoor destinations any time of year. Here’s a list of some of our family’s favorite things to do with kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Go on a Family Hike

Hiking is a great way to enjoy the outdoors at your own pace. Our family has gone on lots of hikes in downtown Coeur d’Alene at Tubbs Hill. Kids of all ages can enjoy the hiking trails along the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene, and explore several paths leading down to the water. We took our kids on the Tubbs Hill trails when they were toddlers and we enjoyed this hike even more when our kids were older. On a typical Saturday you will meet lots of locals exploring and getting some sunshine on the many large boulders and beaches scattered along the Tubbs Hill hiking trails.

English Point in Hayden is another great hiking spot for families with kids. These forested trails are fairly flat and easy to navigate, although they can get a bit muddy. Also, people can bring dogs on these trails, as long as they are kept on a leash. Our family has hiked the English Point trails many times, especially since it’s right down the road from our house!

English Point hiking trails near Hayden, Idaho.

Farragut State Park is another great place to go hiking as a family. Not too far from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, this state park is a favorite local destination for camping, hiking and exploring. Our family has enjoyed many afternoon hikes at Farragut. We’ve also gone camping at Farragut State Park in our RV at the local campground. You can even hike down to the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille, or take a boat out on the water for the day.

Play at One of the City Playgrounds

Coeur d’Alene has a lot of playgrounds in the surrounding neighborhoods and downtown by the lake. Young kids especially will enjoy checking out the different playgrounds, climbing structures and play accessories available at each park. In the summer after Memorial Day, many of the playgrounds have splash pads that are turned on for water play.

McEuen Park in downtown Coeur d’Alene

McEuen Park is located in downtown Coeur d’Alene, near the library. This playground has plenty of climbing activities, bridges, slides, ladders and more! The playground is separated into sections, with a space for toddlers, a climbing wall, a play structure for kids of all ages, and a nearby splash pad. McEuen Park is just a short walk from Tubbs Hill hiking trails and Lake Coeur d’Alene, so families could bring a picnic and enjoy an activity-filled day.

Fort Sherman is another great thing to do with kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This wooden play structure is built to look like a fort, with narrow pathways leading to upper levels, slides and climbing nets. Kids can even pretend to drive a wooden boat and ride a wooden motorcycle. Kids can run around freely and play games like hide-and-seek, safely within the confines of the wooden fence that creates a spacious perimeter around the playground. Swings, benches for parents and nearby bathrooms make Fort Sherman a great play space for kids to enjoy a sunny day in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

See a more complete list of CDA parks and playgrounds here!

Explore Downtown Coeur d’Alene

Downtown Coeur d’Alene is a great area to explore and go window shopping. The main thoroughfare, Sherman Avenue, is home to plenty of stores that are fun to stop by, including Figpickles Toy Emporium, Mrs. Honeypeeps Sweet Shop, and CDA Idaho Clothing Company. You could even put your family’s skills to the test at Escape Game Coeur d’Alene. There’s also plenty of restaurants to choose from in downtown CDA, and of course, coffee shops. Coffee lovers can sample their favorite brew at Vault Coffee, Coeur d’Alene Coffee Co, Fine Brewed Cafe, Evans Brothers Coffee, or Calypsos Coffee Roasters, just to name a few. Additionally, it feels like there’s a coffee shack on every corner in the greater Coeur d’Alene and Hayden area.

Take Your Kids Fishing

If your family likes fishing, Lake Pend Oreille or Lake Coeur d’Alene are great destinations for fishing with kids. You can easily get a fishing license through Idaho Fish and Game.  For our family, fishing is a great way teach our kids patience, perseverance, and some handy life skills such as how to gut and scale a fish. Lake Pend Oreille near Farragut State Park is stocked with lake trout, rainbow trout and northern pike among other fish. Lake Coeur d’Alene is home to Chinook salmon, largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, and others. Regardless of what you catch, your family is bound to have a fun time out at the beautiful lakes.

Indoor Things to Do with Kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

In addition to lots of outdoor beauty and memorable kid-friendly destinations, Coeur d’Alene also has many great indoor activities to offer. Our family loves going out for breakfast, stopping by Triple Play, or swimming at the Kroc Center. We can always find something to fill up an empty afternoon!

Go Out for Breakfast

We’ve enjoy going to many local restaurants for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Our favorite breakfast places include:

Blue Plate Cafe: This whimsical breakfast and lunch cafe is very family friendly, with an attentive staff and a great breakfast menu. My husband usually orders a big breakfast plate and shares it with our 3 kids. I really like the omelets. Blue Plate Cafe also has good coffee.

Chomper Cafe is another great go-to breakfast place for our family. It’s located on Prairie Avenue and also has a great breakfast menu. The cafe even has a kids play area with a play kitchen for kids to explore while they wait for their food.

Belle’s Brunch House is the newest addition to our favorite breakfast places in Coeur d’Alene. The menu has unique dishes alongside family favorites. The restaurant’s style is subtly inspired by Beauty & the Beast, complete with a cute “Lil Belle” kids menu.

Bounce at Jump for Joy

Coeur d’Alene offers lots of great activities for kids to get some exercise. Jump for Joy is a favorite go-to indoor playground with a variety of bounce houses and inflatable slides. My kids have loved playing at Jump for Joy, from ages 2 and barely crawling to age 8 and fully able to appreciate all the fun that bounce houses have to offer. Jump for Joy open jump times are available for kids ages 2 to 10, and under 5ft tall. This is a great indoor recreation area, especially for kids to get some exercise on cold or rainy days. Jump for Joy also hosts birthday parties!

Roller Skate at Skate Plaza

Additionally, my kids enjoy roller skating at Skate Plaza in Coeur d’Alene. This indoor roller rink is well maintained and has a spacious skating floor, arcade, snack bar and plenty of tables for parents to sit at. Of course, parents can skate with their kids too! We’ve gone to many open skate days and an occasional birthday party at Skate Plaza. Kids can bring their own skates or rent skates at the rink, and younger kids can rent very a helpful PVC skate mate to help them practice balancing. The snack bar offers cookies, nachos, soda and other snacks.

Play, Bowl and Swim at Triple Play

On special occasions, my kids love going to Triple Play in Hayden, ID. This family fun center has bowling, mini golf, a climbing rope course, laser tag, lots of arcade games, and a spacious water park. Triple Play often offers package deals and discount nights for families to enjoy all of its main attractions. Going to Triple Play is a great way to spend time with your kids, make some memories and experience a really fun family night out!

Go Out for Ice Cream

Of course, no family outing is complete without an ice cream stop. Going out for ice cream is a great thing to do with kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. You can choose from classics such as Baskin-Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery (at Riverstone), or try a new artisan flavor at Abi’s Ice Cream. Other stops for ice cream in downtown Coeur d’Alene include Roger’s Ice Cream & Burgers, Mrs. Honeypeeps Sweet Shop, and Gelato By The Lake. I think it’s safe to say that your family will enjoy the ice cream, wherever you decide to go.

As you can see, Coeur d’Alene offers lots of things to do with kids for families of all ages! We’ve spent a lot of time at the parks and splash pads, as well as going on family hikes. What would be your favorite thing to do with kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho?

Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!