Park Heights Baptist Church

The Spokane River offers plenty of water sports and recreation activities, but one favorite is river rafting. The water's intensity varies with the time of year, as during the cooler months the conditions are more amenable for whitewater rafting and in the summer, when the river's volume is low, you can choose to float which is less intense but still quite enjoyable.

Wine making is something that the Pacific Northwest is known for, and you can get a dramatically detailed view of the what it takes to create a great bottle of wine by visiting the Latah Creek Winery & Gift Shop. This winery is one of the leading Merlot producers in the region, and many visitors enjoy visiting this first-class attraction which is located east of downtown Spokane just off Interstate 90. Not only is the Merlot something special, but the entire facility retains an air of classic beauty as it was built to resemble a Spanish mission. Once you visit and see it all, you'll understand why the Latah Creek Wine Cellar is the most popular winery in the Spokane Valley.

At Auntie's Bookstore, you'll immediately feel like one of the family! This impressive building is a three-story structure full of stories, as vintage and used books on every topic imaginable are here. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, so if you can't seem to find what you are looking for, just ask. There are always poetry readings and different authors stopping by for signings, and the coffee shop in the store is a favorite of patrons who love their cup of joe almost as much as they love their books.

When you venture out to the Dishman Hills Natural Area, not only are you destined to see one of Spokane's most beautiful natural scenes, you will be visiting one of its most historic. Named after A.T. Dishman who extracted tons of granite from the site to help rebuild Spokane after the Great Fire of 1889, the area offers several desirable activities for nature lovers. There is a two and a half-mile hike that traverses Eastwood Pond which is available seasonally from March to November. In addition, there are several excellent spots for picnics, family fun and running around. Or, if you prefer, you can just sit and take in the amazing outdoor beauty.