Lake Pend Oreille — Attraction in Hope

3318 A magical day on Lake Pend Oreille! Review of Great Northern Nautical Pending review Looking for a magical afternoon or evening on one of America's premier lakes? Take a trip on glorious Lake Pend Oreille with Great Northern Nautical. Their stunning 50 foot vessel is only the beginning of an experience that will last in your memories.

As a local, we wanted to showcase our hometown and lake for our family, and our hosts Molly and Cameron did not disappoint. We are all still talking about it days later!

Cruising the south end of the lake we enjoyed spectacular views of waterfalls, rugged cliffs, long-abandoned gold and silver mines, and breathtaking mountains. And if wildlife is your thing, you might be lucky enough to see some of N. Idaho's resident population of golden eagles, bald eagles, osprey, mountain goats, bears, and more, although naturally, it's up to the animals on that front!

It was especially nice for our elderly passengers as they could choose to enjoy the scenery from either inside the luxurious third-level salon or outside from the roomy deck areas.

And let's just talk about the food. It wouldn't be stretching it to say we ooohed, ahhhed, and ate the entire time we were on board! It wasn't long after leaving the dock that the smell of fresh-baked bread wafted from the vessel's kitchen. That toasty bread (which was liberally topped with parmesan and garlic butter) was delivered by Molly just a short time later with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping - a huge hit for my family of foodies. But that was only the beginning of a three-hour feast of delicious charcuterie including meats, cheeses, huge shrimp, fresh fruit, and crackers, all topped off with some celebratory lemon cake for my mom's 91st birthday and my retirement.

Cameron's expertise at the helm was only outdone by his knowledge of the lake and its features. He showed us locals there were still plenty of things to learn here despite the many hours we've spent on this water. First mate Molly charmed everyone, adding lots of local lore to our day. She also took the time to delve into our family histories in this area to share with her future guests.

To put it mildly (and I'm not one bit embarrassed about my enthusiasm here) we were absolutely WOWED by our tour, their hospitality, and their attention to detail. Great Northern Nautical is a first-class operation running cruises on the lake throughout the seasons. We will absolutely be back for a wintertime sail and we'll highly recommend their superior company to anyone and everyone we know.

Truly, they created a day we'll never...

A Northern Idaho Must-See!!

I had the pleasure of exploring this lake during a visit to the area. I had been to Northern Idaho many times and always wanted to see the lake. I have been close many times but always pressed for time. This time around I devoted a whole day to explore the lake. I started off in Bayview and checked out as much of the lake as the trails would allow. It was raining off and on that morning so many of the trails near Bayview were muddy and slippery. I didn't want to waste time so I headed up to Sandpoint and stopped at many of the lookouts off the highway around the lake.

There are many vantage points for viewing and boat launches as there are several homes, cottages, Inns and campgrounds around the lake. If you are a hiker there are several well-maintained trails around the lake and local outfitters and tour guides can take you many places around the lake. This scenery and views around this lake are priceless. You could spend a few hours or a few days taking in its splendour. This is a must-see destination in Northern Idaho and I can't wait...

This was one of the most beautiful properties right on the water.unfortunately our reasons for being there sad and didn't use the place to our avantage. The bedrooms were gorgeous, the whole house beautifully decorated and our host made sure we had what we needed.the weather was warm the water col and blue. The kitchen easy to manuevr with three convections and microwave most stuff was stocked as far as dishes go maybe they could improve by having staple,spices and common used items on hand. I will ever hold this place in my heart. I'm hoping as God called My very best friend home this was a very peaceful place for her to be surrounded by people that loved her.she passed few days after we...