Spokane Area

Spokane is located along the eastern border of Washington State in the heart of the Inland Northwest. The largest city between Seattle and Minneapolis on the I-90 corridor, Spokane is about 20 miles west of the Idaho border and 100 miles south of the Canadian border.

Spokane is a hub for business, retail and financial services, and provides the majority of secondary and tertiary health care services to a 36-county region encompassing parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alberta. The Inland Northwest region extends across 80,000 square miles and is home to over two million residents who live, work and enjoy this recreational paradise.

The topography of the land varies from rolling wheat fields to snow-capped mountains, from lush forests to deserts, and from pristine lakes to raging rivers. To the west lies the gradually sloping Columbia River Basin; the land north toward Canada is a forested mountainous region; to the east the precipitous Rocky Mountains thrust toward the heavens; and the rolling hills of the Palouse to the south are the world's largest producer of peas and lentils, as well as wheat and a variety of local produce.

Other facts and information about Spokane:
The Spokane city slogan is "Near Nature, Near Perfect". Ready access to nature and the full spectrum of outdoor recreational activities for individuals and families is one of the strongest assets of the Spokane area. The downtown core of Spokane is alive with arts and culture, shopping, dining, and warm friendly people. Spokane is a wonderful place to live, work and play.

The Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena hosts sporting events, concerts and ice shows, including the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and NCAA Division 1 Regional basketball tournaments. Spokane supports four semi-professional sports organizations: the Spokane Chiefs Hockey Team, the Spokane Indians Baseball Team, the Spokane Polo Club, and the Spokane Shock Arena Football Team. The River Park Square downtown mall includes: the Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Abercrombie and Fitch, Nordstrom, Williams-Sonoma, and a 20-screen AMC theater complex.

Spokane has the largest number of city parks per capita of any city in the United States. Riverfront Park, one of the most visited, has a spectacular falls, a recreation center, an outside ice-skating rink, and an IMAX theater among other attractions. Centennial Trail, a beautiful 35 mile paved path that runs along the Spokane River, stretches from Riverfront Park all the way to Lake Coeur d'Alene. The trail is available for walking, running, cycling, and roller-blading. The city and county governments maintain a multitude of beautiful, and very reasonably-priced, golfing facilities.

Seven colleges and universities including Gonzaga University and Whitworth College are located within the city limits. Eastern Washington University is a short drive away in Cheney, Washington.

Spokane An All-American City
In 2004, Spokane was one of only 10 cities across the nation to receive the All-America honor. The prestigious All-America City award encourages and recognizes civic excellence, honoring the communities in which citizens, government, businesses and nonprofit organizations demonstrate successful resolution of critical community issues.

Spokane Gets A On Report Card as "Kid Friendly"
Population Connection's 2004 report on how well cities treat our children is out. Spokane is ranked #2 out of 80 large cities in the United States for being "kid friendly".

Spokane Home to Largest WiFi Hot Zone in Nation
It's official! The SpokaneHotZone is the nation's largest municipal wireless fidelity (wi-fi) network deployment. A high-speed broadband wireless network that covers a 100-block area is available for free public Internet access by any computer, portable or handheld device that supports "Wi-Fi."The HotZone was recently named as Runnerup for the 2005 Wireless Excellence Awards in the Wireless Innovation Contest.

Spokane One of Top Seven Intelligent Communities
The City of Spokane has been named one of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year in 2003 by the Intelligent Community Forum, a project of the World Teleport Association. The organization selects communities for this honor that it determines are "pioneers and role models for the development of vibrant Digital Age communities in the 21st Century." The ICF says the Intelligent Communities have what it takes to gain a competitive edge in the global economy.

Spokane Climate:
Spokane is four-season country, each contributing to the region's unique lifestyle. Situated between the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, Spokane is protected from damp coastal weather like that of Seattle, as well as continental-type winters. The growing season extends from mid-April to mid-October.

Summer weather is ideal for enjoying the many mountain and lake recreational areas. Winter brings snow anytime from November through March, and nearby winter sport areas in the mountains receive 300-400 inches of snow each year, sometimes enjoying a five- to six-month season.

For more information about the Spokane area, visit www.movetospokane.com or www.visitspokane.com.