Coeur d’Alene is your go-to for chocolate, including during the annual Chocolate Affair
Valentine’s Day in Coeur d’Alene offers a buffet of ways to celebrate with your sweetie, including chocolate, but you don’t have to wait until Valentine’s to indulge. Let’s call the CHOCOLATE AFFAIR on Feb. 7 an appetizer of sorts, offering an assortment of chocolates and other sweet treats from 5-8 pm as you meander through designated downtown shops (cdadowntown.com). Check in at the Resort Plaza Shops to get your map to chocolate tastings ($15) or the ultra-decadent chocolate and wine tasting ($25 for 6 pours, ages 21-and-older only).
Make it a super-sweet gathering for the whole family with a HOT COCOA CRUISE and the one-of-a-kind winter views of Lake Coeur d’Alene (tickets.cdacruises.com). This 90-minute cruise runs weekends at various times through March, with extra availability in February, including two cruises the weekend of Feb. 7 (tickets: $15, adults; $14, ages 55-and-older; $10, ages 6-17).
Of course, you don’t have to wait until a special occasion to enjoy sweet treats in Coeur d’Alene. Head to ABI’S ICE CREAM at 112 N. Fourth St. for chocolate and so many other flavors of scratch-made gourmet ice cream, sorbet and even vegan ice cream. Nearby, WOOPS! also offers chocolate and a whole lot of other flavors in their delightful, delicate macarons, perfect with a cup of coffee any time of day. Located at 312 E. Sherman Ave., SHENANIGAN’S SWEETS & TREATS is serving up all manner of items to satisfy your sweet tooth, from their signature chocolate truffles to hot chocolate and ice cream. Indulge your nostalgic taste for sweets at MRS. HONEYPEEPS SWEETSHOP inside the Resort Plaza Shops, where they feature vintage candies, like Hammond’s Chocolates, plus ice cream, cotton candy and more.
For a more grown-up chocolate experience, try COLLECTIVE KITCHEN at 501 E. Sherman Ave. for their skillet cookie or brownie, served warm, topped with ice cream and oh-so-good.
And if you love chocolate so much you’d like to try making your own, book BARRY’S GOURMET CHOCOLATE MAKING CLASS on Feb. 9 at Pilgrim’s Market (facebook.com/pilgrims-market). For $20, you’ll learn to make two different types of gourmet chocolates and get a box of their house-made goodies to take home.
Special Events
Food and Wine Festival
FEBRUARY 7-9
Get ready for a delicious weekend of dinners, cruises, tastings and classes at the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s Food and Wine Festival. The festival kicks off with the Taste at Twilight opening reception, then leads into a series of wine dinners, pairings classes and finishes with the Grand Tasting. Visit cda4.fun for a detailed schedule of events.
Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo
FEBRUARY 6-9
Start dreaming about summer and lake life at the Coeur d’Alene Boat Expo. Browse a large inventory of boats by the likes of Regal, Cobalt, Malibu, Axis, Chris-Craft, Harris and Barletta at the resort’s indoor showrooms and full-service facility. Details on cda4.fun.
Day 56 at Silver Mountain Resort
FEBRUARY 8
Saturday marks the 56th day of full-time operations at Silver Mountain, so why not celebrate with some night skiing? The theme is light up the night, so bright attire and wearable illumination is encouraged. High West Distillery will be serving drink specials in Mogul’s all night. Tickets are $15 or $8 with a donation of four food cans that benefit the Silver Valley Food Bank. Applies from 3-9 pm.
