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How nice is Spokane? Is it worth a two-day stopover and the price of one night in a hotel? Can one walk around there and see things without a car? Should I stay the extra day and leave the second night, or leave in the middle of the first night and forget the second? I would still probably have to pay for hotel because I'd be arriving around lunchtime and the train station staff isn't there to take my luggage--although maybe I can arrange to pay to leave luggage in a hotel without paying a full room rate. But if it's worth seeing, I don't mind paying.
I cannot seem to get really good info about it and so wondered if any of you have been there (without a car, remember!)
Thanks for the input!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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What time of year are you planning to visit Spokane? If you are arriving in winter I wouldn't even get off the train. But once the wind stops blowing and the ice melts away, Spokane can be surprisingly nice. Downtown Spokane is very walkable and there's plenty of shopping, food and it seems safe to me. Riverfront Park is Spokane's biggest tourist attraction. It's a large, beautiful and well-maintained park with lots of artwork, bridges and a gondola that crosses above Spokane Falls. My recommendation would be to spend your afternoon in the park, get some dinner in downtown, catch a late movie, take a cab to the Amtrak station and board the midnight train to your next adventure.
Spokane does have plenty of seasonal festivals and events that could warrant an extra day, but if you don't find any compelling reason to spend the extra night, I would give Spokane 12 hours and then move on. You'll have a good time and leave with plenty of pleasant memories.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Catherine Greer is a friend of mine through college connections. She runs an organization called Connect Northwest which is a booster for entrepreneurship in Spokane (www.connectnw.org). Why don't you ask her your question at Catherineg@connectnw.org. Tell her that Tom Black sent you.
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Thanks for the info. The more I look into bus travel on Jefferson Lines, the less I am inclined to make this trip solo . . . but if I move ahead, I will try to contact Ms Greer. Vincent, your info makes me want to avoid a hotel cost--perhaps I can find one to leave luggage and pay only a small fee, not get a room. However, it seems the historical Ridpath hotel, right downtown near the train station, is currently out of business! --EP
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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The Amtrak website says that the Spokane station is open 24 hours a day--shouldn't they be able to accept luggage at noon? If someone could figure out how to call the station, maybe it would be possible to check your bags at noon.
At midday, without luggage, it's an easy walk from the station to downtown. After midnight, with or without bags, you might be better taking a cab from downtown. The marquee hotel in downtown Spokane is the Hotel Davenport. If you want to spend a splendorous night in Spokane, that's the place to stay. The Ridpath was a dump last time I was in Spokane.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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while the station is open 24 hours a day, i dont think the Amtrak ticket counter opens until about 8-10 pm, though there was a waiting area with benches open for folks waiting. so i dont think one can check an amtrak bag earlier in the day. at least the forementioned setup was how it was when i was there a couple years ago.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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The Amtrak web site says "No Baggage Storage" for Spokane so you will need to make other arrangements. Unlike Europe, few train stations in the U.S. have luggage lockers. This can be very inconvenient for train travelers; unlike road-trippers, we don't have a car available to keep our stuff secure while we sightsee. Probably a hotel would be willing to hold your luggage for a fee even if you aren't a guest, but I would definitely phone and make the arrangements in advance. A locally-owned hotel might be a better bet than a chain place, if there's one at a convenient location.
Several local bus routes serve the Amtrak station (the "Amtrak/Intercity Bus Spokane Intermodal Center"). The night frequency for most routes seems to be only once hourly, though, so check the schedules carefully for your trip back to the station to catch your ongoing train. The url for the local transit agency is http://www.spokanetransit.com/.
As for things to do in Spokane, I haven't been there in 30 years, so I can't really say. At that time there was nothing of particular interest to tourists. I would check TripAdvisor.com to see what there is to do now. The park idea Vincent suggested might be your best bet.
If all else fails -- you will be there for 12 hours between trains/buses, no local indoor activities appeal to you, and the weather is bad -- you could buy a day pass for the local transit system and just ride around on some of the local bus routes. If other attractions don't appeal to me I find that a more interesting way to pass the time in a strange city than sitting in the station reading until train time.
Good luck!
Posts: 9 | Registered: Jan 2007
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Unfortunatley, I don't think I'm going to get to Spokane now--not because of all I've learned here about Spokane but because of the logistics of taking the Jefferson Lines/Rimrock Trailways buses from South Dakota to pick up the Empire Builder in Spokane. In order to do that, I'd have to travel all night on a bus (!) to Missoula or pay for a hotel in Billings. I would like to see Missoula (which I missed last year) but don't have that much interest in Billings. I'd stay in Bozeman but that doesn't work, it's 3AM or something like that. Anyway, I cannot afford all these hotel costs just to catch the train. I think I will go back to Minneapolis and go home from there (assuming I make the trip this year at all). Jefferson Lines says they do not guarantee seats on their buses no matter when you book. I sure don't want to get stuck without a bus back to the train! So I'm not sure, maybe I'll cancel this trip all together.
I sure wish Amtrak went to South Dakota!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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