Huckleberries Online

JohnA: Out, Out Damn Tourist

Posted by DFO

Aug. 30, 2010 1:40 p.m. • 10 comments

JohnA: I’m a Chamber of Commerce guy when it comes to tourists, as I know the economic impact they provide to the area. It’s just that by the end of August we’re ready for a break from the hordes. We don’t mind sharing paradise but it’s great when we finally get our peace and quiet back. That’s our September reward, and like many locals, we look forward to it.

DFO: I’ll confess that I’m tired to death of having tourists all over our waterfront and downtown. Mrs. O & I drove thru downtown Cda en route to our customary walk along the north shore. I’d thought that the deluge of tourists had subsided because we were turning the corner to fall. But downtown was packed. The waterfront less so. We’ll have to wait for Labor Day.

Question: Are you tired of tourists and visitors overrunning the waterfront?

10 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

toadman on August 30 at 1:51 p.m.
This is why we generally come to hike Stickman’s hill in the fall. It’s quiet. Also, though we’re from Spokane, and have only lived in the area for seven years this September, we don’t feel like outsiders anymore. We feel we’ve become locals.

What do you think? Seven years = Inland Northwest local, or no?
Cindy_H on August 30 at 3:25 p.m.
I totally agree, DFO.
Here in Spokane we are sick of tourists taking all the good parking spots at Costco and Winco.
And oh my gosh! The incessent picture taking of the Spokane River. You’d think they’d never see water before.
Just last week I had to WAIT for a table and my fav lunch spot because some gawkers from Rathdrum had to have lunch at the Onion.
Don’t they have onions in Idaho?
And then there’s the dang Canadians at the Manito duck pond. Really? You come all the way from Nelson to feed stale bread to overweight ducks? Who feeds the Candian ducks?
Yep. I can’t wait until tourist season is OVER and I can shop at Nordstrom again without having to listen to that dang Ritzville drawl.
Wes on August 30 at 3:31 p.m.
Not really. To tell the truth I can’t determine who is a tourist and who isn’t. I am a tourist somewhere every year, I like to think people don’t resent our presence.
DFO on August 30 at 3:36 p.m.
@ CindyH … let’s make a deal. You keep the Spokane County visitors on your side of the state line and we’ll keep the visitors from Rathdrum & Athol & other North Idahoans who are curious about downtown Spokane on our side. That’ll eliminate two-thirds of the vehicles parked along the north shore on nice sunny, summer days and one-quarter of the prisoners in the Kootenai County Jail. We Kootenai County residents’ll definitely be happier … ;-)
ejs on August 30 at 4:26 p.m.
I don’t understand, the current city staff, that our fealess blogg leader shamelessly promotes their every move, and all the ones before have worked very hard to get us as tourist friendly as possible. In fact let’s make McEuen even more accomodating so more can come.
Sure hope none of them are reading this today. They might think the opencda gang has spiked the punch they have been serving him for so long.
Maybe they should have put the darn library in mid town like it should have been in the first place. Oh but it looks so pretty when our visitors come, oh but wait, those darn tourist love to come here and read.
GaryIngram on August 31 at 10:50 a.m.
A message for all urban renewal promoters and apologists: Build it and they will come. Quit bitching, enjoy your harvest!
DFO on August 31 at 11:06 a.m.
@ Gary Ingram re: “A message for all urban renewal promoters and apologists: Build it and they will come. Quit bitching, enjoy your harvest!”

They were coming when I got here in 1984 and they’re still coming … nice try …
Stickman on August 31 at 1:51 p.m.
Good to finally hear from you Gary, and I did enjoy your visit awhile back. Am I glad they are leaving, of course. I feel exactly like JohnA. They are good for the town and good for the local economy, but it sure feels good when it gets a bit chilly and the town is quiet again.
JohnA on August 31 at 1:54 p.m.
Actually, Gary, I don’t think there’s a bigger urban renewal promoter than me, having formed agencies in eight cities. And, I’m proud of the growth they’ve spurred. My point is that like all good things, even tourism must come to an end at some point each year and I, for one, look forward to it.
Stickman on August 31 at 5:34 p.m.
Thanks John, good point.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.