Winter Trip to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

In 2002 my family of five moved from San Diego, CA to Coeur d'Alene, ID. At the time I didn't appreciate the beauty of our new home, but once I moved to Georgia for college I soon realized how stunning the scenery, lake, and snow really were. 

I go home every Christmas, but this was the first one where I took photos of the snow and the place I've called home for so long. Coeur d'Alene is located about 100 miles from the Canadian border in Northern Idaho. It is far from farm land and resembles Canada and the snowy mountains in Colorado. 

Surrounded by mountains and bordering a beautiful national forest protected lake, Coeur d'Alene is home to about 15,000 full time residents with 30,000 summer residents that influx into the county when the temperatures rise about 60 degrees and the snow melts off. 

Every Christmas the main resort on the Lake, The Coeur d'Alene Resort, charters their cruise boats across the lake to Santa's Workshop with a North Pole themed light show fully equipped with reindeer, elves, and Mr. and Mrs. Claus themselves. My family books a cruise every year and the older I get the more I love it. 

For New Years Eve we spent the night in the resort tower with this beautiful view over the lake and mountains. The lights and snow were always magical growing up, but this night was so special because we got to spend it as a family and welcome in the new year. 

The only picture we got from the night was slightly blurry, but the lights and colors were too beautiful not to share it with you all.