Take a cruise to ring in the holidays

Holiday lights twinkle and sparkle on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Whether you take the kids on a “Journey to the North Pole,” an eagle watching cruise or the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s holiday displays, sleigh ride and skating at the “South Pole Village,” there are plenty of activities to enjoy at the lake through early January.

Fantasy Lights

Every evening three Fantasy Lights Cruises head to the “North Pole.” The cruise includes more than 1.5 million spectacular lights, a living Christmas tree, and a special visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The living Christmas tree is 161 feet tall and 120 years old. The beautiful grand fir towers over Lake Coeur d’Alene. Decorated with 30,000 LED lights, the energy needed to light the fir is 90 percent less than if conventional lights were used. To give you an idea of its size, the tree is more than twice as big as the tree at New York’s Rockefeller Center Plaza.

Wings over the lake

For an eagle viewing cruise, you can head to Wolf Lodge Bay to observe the Bald Eagles returning to Lake Coeur d’Alene. The majestic bird flies down from Canada to feed on weak, injured and dying kokanee salmon. If you are lucky, you might see up to 150 eagles perching, soaring or diving for fish; so bring your cameras and binoculars, you won’t want to miss a thing.

Before you head out for one of the lake cruises, or perhaps after you return, meander along the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s boardwalk to enjoy the holiday displays as you head to the new ice-skating rink for a spin on smooth ice.

Lessons are available.

To make reservations for any of the above cruises, or to get more information about any of the events at the resort, including the dinner/cruise packages, please call the Coeur d’Alene Resort Business Center at (800) 688-5253 or (208) 765-4000, ext 21.