Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau 801 W. Riverside #301 Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 624-1341 (509) 623-1297 (fax) Population 177196 Time Zone Pacific Latitude/Longitude 47.65° /-117.4° Today's Forecast HIGH: 46 LOW: 31

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Attractions

The island grounds once occupied by Expo '74 have been converted to lovely Riverfront Park. This 100-acre beauty spot in the heart of the city is located on Havermale Island in the Spokane River. One of the city's premier attractions, the park boasts an IMAX theater, gondola rides over the Spokane Falls, thrill rides in the amusement pavilion, and plenty of paths and benches for viewing the river. At its entrance is a glorious hand-carved 1909 Looff Carrousel that is both fun to ride and beautiful to watch.

Just south of the park, the city's downtown shopping district is connected by a series of second-story, enclosed walkways that protect shoppers from the rigors of winter cold and summer heat. It covers a 15-block area in the city center. Also downtown, another legacy of Expo '74, the former Spokane Opera House, now known as the INB Performing Arts Center, is the home of the symphony orchestra and touring Broadway productions. The expanded and renovated Spoken Convention Center is next door.

The elegant homes of the city's west side are anchored by the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, which combines historic memorabilia, Indian artifacts, and regional paintings and sculpture. Museum admission includes tours of the adjacent Campbell House, a restored mansion in the English Tudor Revival style.

At the Crosby Student Center on the campus of Gonzaga University, you can see the Bing Crosby Collection, which contains memorabilia from the entertainer's life and career including gold records and his 1944 Oscar for Going My Way. Fans can visit Crosby's birthplace, which is also on campus and has Crosby family memorabilia on display. The Jundt Art Museum at Gonzaga University has sculpture by Rodin and glassworks by contemporary master Dale Chihuly.

Elsewhere in the city, visit the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, an exceptional example of Gothic architecture with a 49-bell carillon. Manito Park has a Japanese garden, a rose garden with over 150 different varieties, and greenhouses. Extensive floral displays also may be seen at Finch Arboretum. Youngsters will enjoy the interactive exhibits at Mobius, a discovery and learning center designed for children up to age 10. Carr's One of A Kind in the World Museum is a private collection of classic cars (owned by the likes of Jack Kennedy, Elvis Presley and Jackie Gleason) plus unusual Orientalia.

Sports fans can watch the Spokane Chiefs of the Canadian Hockey League and the Shock of Arena Football 2 playing at the Spokane Arena. Baseball fans follow the Indians, the triple-A affliates of the Texas Rangers who play in the Northwest League at Avista Stadium. Perennial NCAA men's basketball favorite, Gonzaga University also lights up the local sports scene.

For hot summer fun, Splash Down Waterpark offers a variety of slides and tube rides. To the northeast, you can drive to the top of Mount Spokane in the summer or take the ski lifts in winter. Spokane House Interpretive Center, 10 miles northwest of the city, offers an historic look at the area's first non-Native settlement.

Among the area's more eclectic enterprises is the North Spokane Farm Museum, affectionately known as "The Red Shed." Located some 15 miles north of Spokane, in the picturesque farming community of Wild Rose Prairie, this catch-all agricultural compendium includes farm implements large and small, historic kitchens and bedrooms, and a huge collection of ironstone china among its vast archives.

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