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Fall Back to Spokane
by Shelley Arenas

It’s been more than 25 years since I moved away from my hometown of Spokane. In my 1978 Toyota Corolla packed with boxes of my few young adult belongings, I headed across I-90 for the bright lights and big city of Seattle and a new life. It’s a move I’ve never regretted, yet Spokane will always hold a special place in my heart – for my family that still lives there, and for childhood memories that are reawakened on return visits to favorite destinations.

As a Seattle resident for all these years, I’m still surprised at how many people I meet here who have never been to Spokane and wouldn’t think of it as a vacation destination. Though it doesn’t have the cosmopolitan allure of Vancouver BC or the laid-back sophistication of Portland, Spokane has its own unique appeal that includes neighborly, small town sensibilities; big city conveniences; and a strong sense of history.

This month my parents, Bob and Marilyn Salsbury, celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary at Spokane’s elegantly restored Davenport Hotel. The original hotel was built in 1914; my mother’s local family roots go back even further than that. This hotel alone is worth a visit to Spokane. Costing $3 million to build originally, it was renovated to the tune of $38 million and re-opened in 2002.

If you like history, luxury and attention to detail, spend some time touring the hotel and marveling at the painstaking restoration efforts that make the Davenport shine. Rooms blend historic touches (ceilings with crown molding, carved mahogany beds) with 21st century amenities (complimentary high-speed Internet access, 27” flat screen TVs). The bathrooms have large marble showers; ask for a room with a European-style soaking tub for the ultimate in relaxation. The hotel’s Spa Paradiso also serves up relaxation, with a full menu of body treatments.

With nearly 300 rooms, the Davenport Hotel is certainly big, and in January 2007 its capacity will more than double with the addition of the 21-story Davenport Tower across the street, featuring sleek and modern room décor. If a smaller, boutique hotel is more your style, check out Hotel Lusso just a couple blocks north. This Mediterranean- themed hotel, affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has 48 rooms with high ceilings and deep soaking tubs, and a noted restaurant, Fugazzi.

Both of these hotels are located in downtown Spokane, an easy stroll to Riverfront Park, the 100-acre park along the Spokane River that was the site of the 1974 World’s Fair. Take a brisk fall walk here, stopping to view more than a dozen sculptures that are part of the “Spokane Sculpture Walk.” Just east of the park, see Sherman Alexie’s “The Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump” – a poem engraved in granite in a spiral shape, facing toward the Spokane Falls. At the southeast corner of the park, the steel sculpture “The Joy of Running Together” honors the runners of Spokane’s annual Bloomsday race. Just across the street, River Park Square is a large downtown mall with the usual upscale mall tenants – Nordstrom, Restoration Hardware, Williams-Sonoma, Ann Taylor, etc. – and a skybridge that connects to Macy’s.

For a less corporate shopping experience, head north just across the river to the Flour Mill, a circa 1900 mill that was reinvented as a shopping center for the 1974 World’s Fair. Besides shops, there are several restaurants, including the venerable Clinkerdagger, overlooking the Spokane River. And what chocoholic could resist a visit to the Chocolate Apothecary, which features chocolate “tonics” and “therapies”; take note that they’re closed on Saturdays.

Spokane’s rich history as a railroad town, as well as its Native American influences, are well-chronicled at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC; formerly the Cheney Cowles Museum) and the adjoining Campbell House. One current exhibit, “Mutual Seduction: Cars & Costumes” (through Feb. 2007), highlights 100 years of history, with a dozen cars and more than 60 costumed mannequins.

MAC is located in Spokane’s historic Browne’s Addition just east of downtown, close to the Elk Public House, a popular restaurant handy for a lunch or dinner stop. A block from the restaurant is the EJ Roberts Mansion, a B&B with three suites in a restored 1889 mansion.

A drive up Grand Blvd. to Spokane’s South Hill will take you to St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, a marvel of striking Gothic architecture. I still remember the sense of awe I felt whenever I entered this sacred place as a young girl, moved by the shimmering stained-glass windows, the resonating sounds of the pipe organ, and the 49-bell carillon. Stop by for a tour on Mon., Tues., Thurs., or Sat., noon-3 pm, or after Sunday services.

Continuing up Grand leads to another of my childhood favorites – Manito Park. One of several parks designed in the early 1900s by the Olmsted Brothers (Seattle’s Volunteer Park is another), it’s been a recreational and garden oasis for generations of Spokanites. In autumn, the vibrant colors of changing leaves fill the park and its canopy of tree-lined streets.

Taste the best of local farms’ autumn bounty by heading out to Green Bluff, about 15 miles north of Spokane. As a child, I took many trips with my family to visit my Aunt Trudy and Uncle Dick’s farm out here, climbing on ladders to pick cherries, and later learning to drive on dirt country roads as a teen. Today the local farms have banded together in a big way, creating a seven-week long Apple Festival that runs weekends in September and October, attracting plenty of families and traffic too. There’s something for everyone—apples, cider, live music, corn and straw mazes, animals, and craft booths.

Yet another way to enjoy fall in Spokane is to stop by Arbor Crest Winery for Sunday evening sunset concerts in September, held on the grounds of the 1924 three-story Florentine-style Cliff House. The winery’s tasting room is also open noon-5 pm every day.

There’s much more to see and explore in Spokane – plan a trip this fall to make your own memories and harvest some new discoveries from the other side of the state. n

Shelley Arenas is a technical editor who spends much of her free time exploring and writing about the Northwest. She wrote the Central Cascades chapter of the 16th edition of the Northwest Best Places guidebook.

for more information

The Davenport Hotel
10 S. Post St., Spokane
800-899-1482
www.thedavenporthotel.com

Hotel Lusso
1 N. Post St., Spokane
509-747-9750
www.hotellusso.com

Riverfront Park
509-625-6600
www.spokaneriverfrontpark.com

River Park Square
509-363-0304
www.riverparksquare.com

Clinkerdagger
Flour Mill, 621 W. Mallon, Spokane
509-328-5965
www.r-u-i.com/cli/

Chocolate Apothecary
Flour Mill, 621 W. Mallon, Spokane
509-324-2424
www.chocolateapothecary.com

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
2316 W. First Ave., Spokane
509-456-3931
www.northwestmuseum.org

Elk Public House
1931 W. Pacific Ave, Spokane
509-363-1973
www.wedonthaveone.com

EJ Roberts Mansion
1923 W. First Ave., Spokane
509-456-8831
www.ejrobertsmansion.com

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral
127 E. 12th Ave. (at Grand Blvd.), Spokane
509-838-4277
www.stjohns-cathedral.org

Manito Park and Gardens
4 W. 21st Ave., Spokane
509-363-5422
www.spokaneparks.org/parks/

Green Bluff Growers
Colbert
www.greenbluffgrowers.com

Arbor Crest Winery
4705 N. Fruithill Rd., Spokane Valley
509-927-WINE
www.arborcrest.com

©2006 Caliope Publishing Company