Travel Better with Firsthand Guides from the Inland Northwest—and Beyond

From summers in Coeur d’Alene to life on the road in our RV, we share the places we’ve explored, the stays we genuinely recommend, and the practical details that make a trip easier.

Coeur d’Alene

RV Travel

North Idaho

Stays & Reviews

LATEST FROM THE BLOG

Fresh Guides, Honest Reviews & Road-Tested Tips

New stories and practical planning help from the places we’ve recently explored.

RV Campsite Checklist: 7 Things to Verify Before Booking

Avoid a stressful RV arrival. Check site length, access, grade, hookups, clearance, campground rules, and location before reserving your next campsite.

Martis Creek Campground Review: Quiet RV Camping Near Truckee

A practical Martis Creek Campground review covering site fit, seasonal access, dry-camping facilities, dog rules, nearby lake activities, and what to know before booking.

How to Choose a Better Campground for Your RV

Choose an RV campground that fits your rig and travel style by comparing access, site layout, utilities, amenities, pet rules, location, and total cost.

Real Trips. Honest Details. Better Adventures

Backpacks & Flipflops was created for travelers who want more than a list of attractions. We return to places, notice the practical details, photograph what we experience, and share what we would recommend to friends. Our guides cover lake days and local restaurants, memorable hotels, dog-friendly stops, scenic drives, and what it is really like to travel with a large RV.

FIRSTHAND VISITS

Every guide begins with time on the ground.

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos from our own trips.

RV-TESTED ADVICE

Advice tested with a 35-foot fifth wheel.

What You’ll Find on Backpacks & Flipflops

Planning Coeur d’Alene?

Firsthand Coeur d’Alene Guides

Firsthand Coeur d’Alene guides built from repeat visits, original photography, and the practical details that make trip planning easier.

Coeur d’Alene on a Budget

Hotels, Resorts & Restaurant Reviews

Dog-Friendly Lakefront Stops

Scenic Drives & Seasonal Trips

START EXPLORING

Featured Destinations & Travel Styles

Coeur d’Alene

Lake days, downtown favorites, hikes, itineraries and practical local tips.

North Idaho

Mountain lakes, scenic drives, small towns and seasonal escapes

RV Travel

Campground reviews, large-rig advice and real road-day logistics.

Memorable Stays

Honest hotel, resort and campground reviews with original photography.

Beyond the Inland Northwest

Grand Teton & Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park

Yosemite National Park

Glacier National Park

Sedona & Arizona

Channel Islands & California Coast

Oahu Adventures

California Seasonal Escapes

BEHIND THE GUIDES

Travelers, Photographers & Curious Detour-Takers

We’ve spent the last several years exploring by road and RV, returning to the places that keep pulling us back. Coeur d’Alene has become one of those places—we’ve spent three summers getting to know its lakefront, trails, restaurants, RV parks and quieter corners. Callie, our Border Collie mix, often comes along and helps us notice which stops truly work for travelers with dogs.

Planning a Coeur d’Alene Getaway? Start Here

Use our firsthand guides to choose the right season, build an itinerary, find an RV park, and discover the lakefront experiences we return to every summer.