Spring! It brings along the adventure bug- people head outdoors even before the chill completely wears off.

(Visitors Center, Spokane)

Among the most attractive and awe-inspiring sights is the Spokane River Falls in Riverfront Park, where visitors can take in spectacular views of the upper and lower falls, all nestling comfortably within an urban landscape.

One descends several flights of steps beside the Upper Falls Power Plant.

(Spokane Falls)

A ride on the lilac-colored Sky Ride Gondola offers spectacular views of the falls, the distinct green-white frothy water, and glistening rainbows, not forgetting the yellow-bellied marmots. Furthermore, the ride entices the adventurous ones for a walk to the lower falls, into Huntington Park, where native sculptures reveal interesting stories about the coyote.

  
(SkyRide Gondola at RiverFront Park)

Japanese gardens became common in the United States because Americans have admired Japanese design for more than a hundred years. This interest began in the late 1800s at world’s fairs and grew even more after World War II, when many cities began to build friendship gardens to support peace and cultural understanding. These gardens are attractive, fitting beautifully into the American landscapes, offering people a quiet space to relax.

(Nishinomiya Tsutakawa Japanese Garden in Manito Park)

Spokane is known as the “Lilac City” because of a city-wide planting campaign in the 1930s that transformed the local landscape with thousands of blooming, fragrant lilac bushes.  The peak flowering season is early-mid May.

Riverside State Park, a large natural area with thousands of acres of land along the Spokane and Little Spokane rivers, is a great place for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, boating, and other activities, or just to enjoy nature and relax.

Walking on the swinging bridge at Bowl & Pitcher is an enjoyable experience, as are other trails. From the bridge, large basalt formations can be seen rising out of the river.

Distinctively, the Riverfront Park has the old 1974 World’s Fair site, a clock tower, a classic carousel, and offers fantastic views of the landscape. In contrast, Riverside Park is wilder and more natural for outdoor escapes.

Even though most of Spokane’s old industrial island is gone, this picture-postcard-perfect clock tower stands as a reminder of the railroads that helped Spokane grow into a busy, successful city. The city grew because the railroads brought money, business, and goods. In the early years, Spokane depended on the rail lines to bring tourists and new residents who helped the city expand.  

Yet another man-made attraction is the towering cathedral of St. John, the Evangelist. The magnificent architecture compels one to stand in awe.

(Cathedral of St. John, the Evangelist, South Hill, Spokane)

“Expo '74” - the first environmentally themed world's fair was held in Spokane, Washington, with the motto "Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh, New Environment" and "Man and Nature: One and Indivisible". Notably, the first environmentally themed world's fair hosted by the smallest city at that time transformed downtown Spokane; industrial railroads were replaced with large parks, attracting thousands of visitors.

For the lensmen who are fascinated by the winged creatures, here’s something worth noting.

(Pair of Quails by the Riverside Park)

Yellow headed blackbirds, quails, and turkeys thrive in Spokane’s arid, open landscapes filled with shrubs and wetlands. About four hours away in Seattle, the scene changes entirely: dense evergreen forests, abundant rainfall, and coastal habitats support species such as chickadees, American robins, song sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, Steller’s jays, and Northern flickers. Bald eagles and ospreys, however, are common to both regions.

Without a doubt, Spokane is an awesome place as it blends the natural resources with the lively city, thereby making it easy to experience the best of both worlds.

Images (c) N. Ravi