Back in the day, a family vacation might consist of loading the station wagon with bathing suits, beach towels, Coppertone and sleeping bags, then hitting the road for a four-hour car trip to a rented cabin on a lake. Mom and dad in the front, dog and kids fighting for room in the back, playing the alphabet game, and asking every 30 minutes, “Are we there yet…?” No cell phones, no DVD players, no electronic games, just the sounds of your brothers whining, “She’s looking at me….” Now that’s the start of a great family vacation to the lake.
In North Idaho, with three major lakes within 100 miles of each other, and countless small lakes along the way, there is a cornucopia of vacation spots to choose from. So recapture those memories of the lake in order to pass them down to your children. Just a 5.5 hour drive from Seattle, beautiful, quaint Sandpoint, Idaho, situated on the North Shore of Lake Pend Oreille, is practically on your doorstep.
When looking for lodging options, you’ll want to check out Sleep’s Cabins (sleepscabins.com), locally owned and operated by Brent and Tawnie Sleep. Located on the South end of the lake’s iconic Long Bridge, these charming lakefront cottages start at just $195 per night (even in high season), with some sleeping 6 or more per cabin and full kitchens. A stay at Sleep’s is like a step back to those childhood summers, when your morning started with a swimsuit and the evenings ended with a sunburn and fishing off the dock with grandpa. Campfire by the lake and s’mores for all. We slept like babies and woke to more lake fun for days. Memories that we will always cherish!
Written By Tamara Williams
