Understand
A century ago Coeur d'Alene was at the epicenter of bitter mining and timber-forestry labor disputes which dominated the state's early history and politics. Fortunately for visitors, much of that blight is long gone. Today the city is known as a tourist haven for outdoor pursuits. Coeur d'Alene also features a renowned golf course with a free-floating island green, the only such hole in the world. Several other public and private golf courses abound. World class snow skiing is within a 90 minute drive of downtown Coeur d'Alene. Lake Coeur d'Alene offers boating and water-skiing as well as fishing for bass, trout, and salmon.
Often referred to by locals as simply "CDA," Coeur d'Alene is sometimes considered the easternmost edge of of the greater Spokane area, although the city is the anchor of a metro area in its own right. Like much of northern Idaho, Coeur d'Alene often relates more to eastern Washington than it does to southern Idaho and the capitol.
