Downtown Coeur d’Alene · The Coeur d’Alene Resort · Lake boat cruises
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
Narrated cruises on heated, double-deck boats from downtown Coeur d’Alene: 90-minute scenic trips from spring to fall, and eagle-watching and holiday light cruises in winter.
Opens the cruise company’s ticket site. Daily scenic cruises end October 31; holiday cruises start November 13, and eagle cruises run on select dates from November 20.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Lake cruise
Scenic, dining, eagle and holiday cruises
Admission
$31.75 adult
90-min scenic cruise, taxes and fees included
Hours
Year-round
Scenic cruises Apr–Oct; eagle and holiday cruises in winter.
Time needed
90 minutes
Scenic cruise; board 30 min before departure
Parking
Downtown lots
Not validated; free all-day spots at East McEuen
The lake
25 miles
Length of Lake Coeur d’Alene
What you’ll see
See Coeur d’Alene from the water
Double-deck, heated boats leave from beside The Coeur d’Alene Resort, with cruises that change with the seasons.
Photo: Sandykayz on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
The 90-minute scenic cruise
From April through October, daily scenic cruises leave at 12:30 and 2:30 pm, plus 4:30 pm in summer, from Independence Point, west of the Resort. The captain narrates the lake’s history and wildlife and passes the Resort’s floating golf green, and you can ride inside on the heated lower deck or outside up top.
RV tip: from November through March, boats board at the Boardwalk Marina behind the Resort, not Independence Point, and the North Pole cruise boards inside the Resort Plaza Shops. Check your ticket before you park.
More to see
- Eagle-watching cruisesTwo-hour cruises at noon on select dates from November 20, 2026, to January 3, 2027, toward the bays where bald eagles gather in winter. $29 for adults.
- Journey to the North PoleForty-minute holiday cruises on winter evenings from November 26 to January 3, past 1.5 million lights. A Sneak Peek Week, November 13–25, is 25% off.
- Brunch and sunset dinnerA 90-minute Sunday brunch cruise and a two-hour sunset dinner cruise run in season, with a no-host bar.
- River cruisesLonger routes up the Spokane River (3 hours) and the St. Joe River (6 hours) run on scheduled dates.
Why go
The lake that built the town
More than 50 steamships once worked Lake Coeur d’Alene, hauling logs, ore and passengers, and today’s cruise boats follow the same water. The lake runs about 25 miles long and 10 miles across at its widest, and its only outlet is the Spokane River, which flows on to the Columbia.
For RVers it’s a relaxing break from driving: park the tow vehicle downtown, walk to the dock and let someone else steer for 90 minutes. Boats sail rain or shine, and only hazardous wind or smoke cancels a cruise.
Winter has its own draw. From late November, bald eagles arrive to feed on spawning kokanee at Wolf Lodge Bay, and the cruise company says numbers peak from December into January. Holiday light cruises run through early January.
Photo: Jason Buscema on Unsplash
Why it made our list
- Departures right from downtown
- Heated, double-deck boats with a bar
- Eagle cruises from late November
- Holiday light cruises to the “North Pole”
- Sails rain or shine
For RVers
Taking a cruise on an RV trip
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Park downtown, walk to the dock
The cruise company doesn’t validate parking or list RV parking. Use the city lots near the Resort at McEuen Park and Independence Point, or the garages at the Resort and on 3rd Street; the East McEuen lot has 218 free all-day spaces. Leave the rig at camp and drive in with the tow vehicle.
Arrive 30 minutes early
Boarding opens 30 minutes before departure, or an hour for July 4 and Bands on Boats. Buy tickets online, at the Independence Point booth from April to October, or at the Resort concierge desk year-round.
Dogs on the daily cruise only
Service animals are welcome on any cruise. Pet dogs can ride only on the 90-minute daily cruise, with the captain’s approval, and must stay outside on deck.
Weather and refunds
Tickets are final sale unless you add Ticket Protection (about 10% of the total) at checkout. Cruises sail in rain or snow, and only hazardous wind or smoke cancels one. Bring layers; it’s cooler on the water.
What visitors say about Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 28, 2026.
the best seat on the water
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, describing its daily cruise · cdacruises.com
Both sites
4.4/5
1,400+ reviews combined
Average weighted by review count. Tripadvisor reviewers score it lower than Google reviewers, with drink prices and dinner food the usual complaints. We couldn’t find a Yelp listing to include.
What’s on board
From Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
Heated lower deckOpen top deckCaptain’s narrationFull bar
The review sites don’t show topic counts here, so this is what the company lists for its scenic cruise: double-deck boats with heated indoor and outdoor seating, narration on history and wildlife, and a full-service bar (drinks extra).
Adult prices by cruise
Adult prices from cdacruises.com, checked October 28, 2026. Scenic, brunch and dinner prices include taxes and fees; the eagle cruise page doesn’t say.
Good to know
Scenic cruise, adult$31.75 seniors 55+ $29.75
Youth 6–17$23.75 5 and under free
Eagle cruise, adult$29 2 hours, select winter dates
DiscountsMilitary $2 offGroups of 10+Sneak Peek Week 25% off
Prices from cdacruises.com, checked October 28, 2026. Group discounts are by phone only. Optional Ticket Protection adds about 10% at checkout.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
- Office115 S. 2nd St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
- BoardingIndependence Point, west of the Resort, from April to October; the Boardwalk Marina behind the Resort from November to March. The North Pole cruise boards in the Resort Plaza Shops.
- HoursYear-round
Scenic cruises Apr–Oct; eagle and holiday cruises in winter. - Phone(208) 292-5670
- TicketsBuy online, at the Independence Point booth (April–October) or at the Resort concierge desk
- ParkingCity lots at McEuen Park and Independence Point, or the Resort and 3rd Street garages. Parking isn’t validated.
Schedules change by season and some cruises run only on select dates. Check cdacruises.com before you go, and allow time to park and walk to the dock.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises
These are the Coeur d’Alene parks we have written up closest to the downtown docks. Drive times are estimates for a normal day.
Blackwell Island RV Resort
Big riverfront resort where the Spokane River leaves the lake, with 182 full-hookup sites and a swimming beach. Open April to mid-October.
Tamarack RV Park
Shady, family-owned park under tall pines in the middle of town, with full hookups and free Wi-Fi. Open year-round.
Kootenai County Fairgrounds RV Park
39 paved, level full-hookup sites at one flat price beside the fairgrounds. Closes for winter on October 15.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Scenic Apr–Oct · Eagle & holiday cruises in winter
Ready to get out on the lake?
Book online, park downtown, and be at the dock 30 minutes before you sail.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Jason Buscema (the Resort and the lake, Why go) and Matthew Lancaster (marina) on Unsplash; and via Wikimedia Commons, Sandykayz (boardwalk bridge; CC BY-SA 4.0), Ken Lund (floating boardwalk; CC BY-SA 2.0), BLM Idaho (eagle cruise; public domain) and T85cr1ft19m1n (holiday lights; CC0); the images were resized. Video: The Wandering Traveler on YouTube (winter eagle cruise). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the cruise company’s published materials and publicly available sources. Schedules, pricing, rules and other details are set by the company and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises at cdacruises.com or (208) 292-5670. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
We will always do our best to keep this page up to date. Thank you to everyone who contributes; we truly appreciate your help and support.