Hot Fun in the Summer Sun

Wanting to do something a little different for our anniversary, I planned a morning adventure to the Riverfront Park in Spokane, Washington. Located on the banks of the Spokane River, the one hundred acres of the park is given over to providing fun and entertainment for adults and children alike while also provided a peaceful place to enjoy the falls, the river, the flowers and the trees in the middle of town.

My intent this day had been to start off with a gondola ride over the falls but it seems that the staff closes down the ride when the temperatures get too high. The interior of the glass enclosed gondolas gets a good 15 degrees warmer than the outside temperatures and 100 degree temperatures don't make for a pleasant experience. So we'll have to put the gondola ride on our "we'll do it the next time around" list, which seems to be growing exponentially to our travels.

The Spokane River and Falls are a very obvious highlight of the park. Rushing, tumbling clean green water waters churning over black granite made for great pictures but I'll only include a couple here.
Meandering trails take you back and forth across the river and small tributaries, with totem poles, markers and statuary sprouting up in hidden nooks and quiet corners throughout the park. With the background white noise of the falls, it's a soothing place if you need it to be, or a place of high activity if you're a child as there is a small amusement park with an Imax theatre situated on the grounds. The city has done a great job with this gem of a park.Read about the carousel here.

Although it was uncomfortably hot for our morning jaunt, I'm glad we took the time to visit Riverfront Park--it was well worth it.