Sandpoint, Idaho, is somewhat of a hidden secret in the Pacific Northwest. Located in North Idaho approximately 60 miles south of the Canadian border, this small resort-like town is a year-round tourist destination. Home to the largest lake in Idaho and one of the best ski resorts in the entire Pacific Northwest, there is plenty of things to do in Sandpoint Idaho.
I’ve visited both Lake Tahoe, California, and Bariloche, Argentina—two gorgeous, well-known lake towns that boast impressive summer water activities and incredible winter mountain activities—and I honestly think that Sandpoint is on the same level as those more-popular lake and ski destinations!
I will admit that I might be a little biased when I say that Sandpoint is one of the most beautiful places in America. It’s only a 90-minute drive from my home in Spokane, Washington, and after discovering its charm and the things to do in Sandpoint, my husband and I purchased a second home there that we use to access the lake in the summer and the ski resort in the winter.
It’s one of my favorite undercover places to recommend to friends and I’m excited to share my travel tips to all of you. Based on my time I’ve spent there, I put together this local’s guide to the best things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho!
Related: Looking for a place to stay when visiting Sandpoint? Check out my Airbnb listing for our second home! If you are new to Airbnb, use my referral link for up to $65 off your first stay!
Things to do in Sandpoint Idaho Year-Round
Regardless if you are visiting Sandpoint for the lake in the summer, to ski in the winter, or during the off-season to enjoy the peace and quiet, you’ll find great things to do year-round.
Enjoy local coffee, beer & wine:
1. Evans Brothers
This is my favorite coffee spot in Sandpoint! With both indoor and outdoor seating, this a true locals’ spot for enjoying quality coffee.
Website | 524 Church St., Sandpoint
2. Cedar Street Bistro & Coffee Bar
Located downtown, this adorable coffee bar is also a wine and beer bar! Stop by to enjoy live music in the evenings on the weekends.
Website | 334 N. First Ave., Sandpoint
3. Laughing Dog Brewery
A local brewery in the close-by town of Ponderay where dogs and kids are welcome inside! The beer is some of the best you’ll find in the entire Pacific Northwest (PNW). One thing to note is that while they do offer small bites and the occasional on-site food truck, Laughing Dog is not a full-service restaurant.
Website | 805 Schweitzer Plaza Dr., Ponderay
4. McDuffs Brewing Company
This downtown Sandpoint brewery has two locations. The brewpub is a full-service restaurant while the beer hall, about two blocks away, is a tasting room and great place to go to grab a pint and watch sports. The beer hall does not serve food, but you are welcome to bring in food from their brewpub or any other nearby restaurant. Both locations are kid-friendly, except the beerhall has live music on the weekends so kids are not allowed after 7:00 p.m.
Website | Brewpub: 312 N. First Ave, Sandpoint Beerhall: 220 Cedar St., Sandpoint
5. Matchwood Brewing Co.
As one of the newest breweries to open in Sandpoint, their facility does not disappoint! The large family-friendly taproom is a great place to grab food, a pint and even listen to live music when looking for things to do in Sandpoint Idaho.
Website | 513 Oak St., Sandpoint
6. Pend d’Orielle Winery
Located in downtown Sandpoint, across from McDuff’s Beerhall, this local winery is a great place to go to enjoy a glass of wine. In true savvy fashion, one of my favorite things about the Pend d’Orielle Winery is that it’s affordable! Tastings are only $5 and bottles of wine start at $16.
Website | 301 Cedar St. #101, Sandpoint
7. The Longshot
The Longshot is my new favorite spot in Sandpoint! It’s a coffee shop and wine bar, that also serves beer, so it checks all the boxes for me. The indoor space is cozy, yet stylish, which makes it a great place to any time of day. There is a large lawn outdoors where The Longshot hosts outdoor music, evening movie nights and even yoga during the summer.
Be sure to check out their Facebook page before visiting to see their upcoming events and drink specials.
Website | 102 S. Boyer, Sandpoint
Grab yummy, cheap eats in Sandpoint:
8. 2nd Avenue Pizza
Not only the best pizza in Sandpoint but probably some of the best pizza I’ve ever had! These pizzas are piled high with cheese and toppings, which make it a staple for our family to enjoy whenever we are in town. Known for its quality, it’s usually a long wait for your pizza (45+ minutes) so we tend to order it for take-out vs. eating in the restaurant. But trust me, it’s worth the wait!
Website | 215 S. Second Ave., Sandpoint
9. Eichardt’s
Located next to the McDuffs Beer Hall, you’ll think you are walking into a dive bar when you walk in. Instead, you will find a fabulous food menu with affordable pricing, just in a dive-bar setting. We eat at Eichardt’s often (including when we order it to-go from next door at McDuffs!) and I highly recommend eating there when visiting Sandpoint.
The only downside is that while Eichardt’s allows children, it doesn’t have an actual kids’ menu. They will do half-portions, which works for us, but the fact they don’t have a dedicated kids’ menu is worth mentioning.
Website | 212 Cedar St., Sandpoint
10. Serv-a-Burger
While we normally don’t eat fast food (like McDonalds or Burger King) there is still something to be said about the convenience and affordability of a quick burger. If you are looking for fast, delicious, cheap eats in Sandpoint, look no further than the local Serv-a-Burger!
Website | 907 N. 5th Ave., Sandpoint
Other things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho year-round:
11. Antique shopping
There are several antique shops in downtown Sandpoint, the largest being Foster’s Crossing.
12. Bowling
Huckleberry Lanes is the local bowling alley that provides year-round family fun.
13. Go to the movies
There is a small theatre in downtown Sandpoint that shows art and indie films, while Bonner Mall Cinema’s in Ponderay show first-fun, main stream films.
14. Boat cruise tours
Visitors can choose from a wide range of boat tours available during spring, summer and fall (so not technically year-round, but almost). The widest selection is in the summer, when there are affordable lake history tours, eagle watching, dinner and sunset tours, and even a full moon dessert tour!
Things to do in Sandpoint Idaho in the Summer
15. Sandpoint Farmers’ Market
The Sandpoint Farmers’ Market is the place to be on Wednesday afternoon or Saturday morning during the summer. Located downtown, the farmer’s market is open on Wednesdays 3:00-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In addition to the farm and arts and craft vendors, there are live musicians performing and even food trucks on-site serving affordable lunch options to those shopping at the market.
16. Sandpoint City Beach
A trip to Sandpoint in the summer is not complete without a trip to the free public beach! Bring your beach towels, sunscreen and snacks and plan to spend at least an entire afternoon soaking up the rays and enjoying the water!
17. Water activities: kayaking, paddle boarding, boating
Being out on the lake is necessity when the sun is shining and temperatures are 80+ outside. While paddle boarding is a favorite activity of mine on Lake Pend Orielle, you will also see lots of boats, jet skis, and kayaks out as well. I recommend Action Water Sports, located downtown, for affordable water activity rentals in Sandpoint.
18. Festival at Sandpoint
Attending the Festival at Sandpoint is one of the top things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho. It is an annual concert series that takes place over the first two to three weekends in August. It ends up being 8 nights of live outdoor music entertainment, and tourists come from throughout the PNW (and further!) to catch a show.
Well-known performers are typically on the Festival at Sandpoint lineup, including past headliners like ZZ Top, Jake Owen, Steve Miller Band, Vince Gill and Sublime. The Festival at Sandpoint 2019 lineup includes Jackson Brown, Kool & the Gang, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, among others. While tickets to the shows are not typically very budget-friendly (about $75/each), you are guaranteed an intimate setting, along with the option for general admission lawn seating right in front of the stage. The best part (and this is why I can swallow the high-ticket prices) is that you can bring in your own food and beverages, including your own alcohol!
Savvy tip: as a pseudo-local to Sandpoint, I’ve discovered a hack to still enjoy the show without the high-ticket price! There is a park located directly outside and behind the grandstands. Locals (and savvy visitors!) pack the park on the night of the shows and while they don’t get a very good view of the performers (or in some cases, no view at all), they can still hear the music for free!
Those with kids can enjoy the Festival at Sandpoint too, as there is a family night on one of the Sundays of the festival. For only $6/person, families can spend the afternoon participating in kid-friendly activities (think petting zoo and face painting), then enjoy a live musical performance that evening. (And yes, you can bring your own food and booze to the family event, too!)
19. Golfing in Sandpoint
Ok, you know I can’t lie to you. Sandpoint is not known for luxurious golf courses. In fact, there is only one public 18-hole golf course nearby and while the pricing is very budget-friendly, you basically get what you pay for…not much.
20. Schweitzer Mountain Resort
Schweitzer Mountain is primarily a ski resort (more about that below!) but it is also open in the summer for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. While it takes about 20 minutes to drive to the resort from downtown, it’s a fun place to spend an afternoon in the summer if you’re looking for things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho.
Visitors can ride the chairlift to the summit and enjoy the views, then walk or bike down the mountain. And no worries if you don’t want to bike or take the leisurely stroll down, the chairlift is available to take you to the bottom too! The price for the chairlift is $15 for adults, $12 for kids ages 7-17 and free for children 6 and under.
Fun fact: Picking huckleberries while hiking down the mountain is a popular pastime, so be sure to bring something to carry the huckleberries in!
21. Fall Fest
While it’s called Fall Fest, this popular event actually happens at the end of summer, over Labor Day weekend. Fall Fest is held at Schweitzer and is a beer and music festival to celebrate the fast-approaching autumn season. Entry to the event is free and beer tasting ranges from $15-$45, depending on how much beer you want to sample. Visitors also have the opportunity to take the chair lift to the summit to enjoy the incredible views.
As a parent, I must say that Fall Fest is actually very family-friendly. They have soda tasting for the kids and different activities like rock mining and bouncy castles (all for a small price, of course). Considering that adults can drink beer while the kids have fun, I have to say that Fall Fest is one of my favorite things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho!
22. Silverwood
Silverwood is the largest water and theme park in the PNW. It is located 20 miles south of Sandpoint, making it an easy activity for those staying in the area. Silverwood is home to multiple rollercoasters plus tons of other rides. Since temperatures in the Sandpoint area range from 80-100 degrees throughout the summer, the waterpark caters to all-ages with its high-intensity rides combined with areas for kids and toddlers. The waterpark is complete with a lazy river and swim up bar for the adults!
While ticket prices to Silverwood are not cheap, they are significantly cheaper than splurging on a trip to Disneyland! When purchased online, tickets are $48/adult (ages 8+), $27/youth (ages 3-7) and kids 2 and under are free.
23. Bike Rentals
Sandpoint is a very easy town for biking, since it is flat and there are bike trails. A fun, new option for bike rentals is at Murphey’s which offers both electric bikes and surrey bike rentals!
Not only can you rent bikes at Murphey’s but it’s also an ice cream shop and a great place to get delicious, freshly-made, mini donuts year-round!
Things to do in Sandpoint Idaho in the Winter
24. Skiing @ Schweitzer
I’ve been skiing and snowboarding for over 15 years and have been to numerous mountains across the PNW. In my opinion, Schweitzer has the best skiing in the area and I feel lucky that I live within a two-hour drive of it! In fact, one of the reasons we purchased a second home in Sandpoint is because we want to have easy access to a world-class mountain for us and our kids.
With 2900 acres of terrain, Schweitzer boasts 93 trails plus open bowl skiing. Schweitzer also has multiple high-speed chair lifts (with more coming in winter 2020!), so you won’t be spending your day on long lift rides.
Full day, adult lift tickets at Schweitzer are pricy ($80!), a painful reality for my accountant husband and I to accept. However, in true savvy fashion, we’ve found a way to save by purchasing the Sunday Solution lift ticket which is only $30 when purchased online for skiing on Sunday afternoons. If planning to ski at Schweitzer over the weekend, be sure to check out the Sunday Solution option to save some money on your trip!
If skiing isn’t your thing or you are visiting with kids, Schweitzer has a fun tubing park that is fun for the entire family! Pricing is $15/person with kids 6 & under at $10.
25. Snowshoeing in Sandpoint
Between the mountain trails, national forest, and Schweitzer Mountain, Sandpoint has some of the more beautiful snowshoeing anywhere. When looking for things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho, during the winter, there are several free trails for those who have snowshoed before or there is a hosted snowshoe hike at Schweitzer for $25.
26. Sleigh Rides
An unbelievable amount of snow falls in Sandpoint every year, making it the perfect location for horse-drawn sleigh rides. Pricing is $30 for adults, $25 for kids 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. I have to say that this activity is well worth the expense for you and your family! Be sure to book in advance as this is a very popular attraction during the winter and they book up quickly.
I hope you enjoyed my local tips on things to do in Sandpoint, Idaho. My family and I are there often and I’ll keep this post regularly updated with new ideas! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any further questions and enjoy your time in the PNW!
Cheers!
