Priest Lake, ID

The lake's landmark family resort at Luby Bay, run by the Hill family since 1946, with a dining room and lakeside deck that have drawn national notice. House specialties run to pork ribs, wild-mushroom dishes, and everything huckleberry. The special-occasion dinner on this end of the lake.

A rustic-classy resort restaurant in Nordman built around a big stone fireplace, with lake views and a kitchen that earns repeat diners. The attached Trapper Creek Bar runs live music. Go for a steak-and-lakeview dinner on the quieter west shore.

A casual barbecue-and-burger spot in Coolin with an outdoor patio and a relaxed lake-town feel. Fish and chips, nachos, onion rings, and burgers anchor the menu. The easy, unfussy lunch or dinner on the Coolin side of the lake.

A well-liked American restaurant in Coolin known for generous portions and friendly, attentive service. It is one of the few sit-down dinners on the east side and a reliable local favorite. Good for a hearty meal without the resort-dinner drive.

A small Coolin bakery-cafe doing breakfast, burgers, and a huckleberry pie locals single out. It is the go-to morning stop before a day on the water or the trails. Friendly, no-frills, and exactly what a lake town needs.

A historic general store on the lake at Coolin, operating since 1906, with a deli counter and a generous ice cream window. It is the social hub of the east shore, reachable by boat or car. Stop for an ice cream cone and basic supplies in one go.

A lively, family-friendly pizza-and-bar spot on the west side near Nordman with an outdoor patio, games, and a playground. Pizza and casual bar fare keep it busy with families. The easy night out when the kids need room to roam.

A generations-old neighborhood bar in Coolin pouring drinks and griddling some of the most-praised burgers in the area. Wings, nachos, and fries round out the home-cooked menu. The unpretentious local watering hole on the east shore.

A long, nearly level path tracing the quiet, mostly undeveloped northwest shore of the lake from around Granite Falls north. The tread is wide enough for a jogging stroller and you can walk as little or as much of its length as you like. The signature easy lakeside walk of the area.

A well-maintained forest-and-shoreline trail leading to roadless Upper Priest Lake, a wilder lake connected to the main one by the Thorofare. The full route is about 9 miles out and back, but many turn around at Plowboy Campground for a six-mile day. Quiet old-growth forest the whole way.

A short quarter-mile interpretive loop through an old cedar grove near Nordman, flat and shaded with signs on the forest's history. It is the easiest trail in the area and works for all ages. A gentle stop to break up a driving day.

A roughly three-mile round trip from the lower cedar grove at the far north end, climbing modestly to vista points above the falls and through upper and lower cedar groves. It packs waterfalls and old growth into one family-doable hike. The standout nature outing of the north end.

A forest-service site at the north end of the main lake with a beach, campground, and two trailheads feeding the Lakeshore and Navigation trails. Selkirk Mountain views rise across the water. A good launch point for a shoreline walk or a swim away from the resorts.

The state park strung along the east shore with sandy swimming beaches, campgrounds, and boat access, including the popular Indian Creek unit. It is the family hub for a lake day, with calm shallow water for kids. The default spot to base a beach afternoon.

The bar at Elkins Resort in Nordman, the west shore's spot for live music, drinks, and a fireside hangout after a day outdoors. It is one of the few genuine evening venues this far up the lake. Good for a relaxed adult night out with a band.

The log-cabin history museum at Luby Bay, with interactive displays and recorded pioneer interviews that hold kids' attention. It is the area's main indoor cultural stop. A short, low-cost activity for a rainy hour or a break from the water.

A walk-among-giants experience in a grove of millennium-old cedars at the far north end, paired with the Granite Falls overlooks. It is more of a quiet, awe-inducing outing than an attraction with facilities. The memorable nature experience of a Priest Lake trip.

A small log-cabin museum at Luby Bay telling the lake's pioneer, logging, and steamboat history with first-hand recordings from old-timers. It is wisely curated and easy to see in well under an hour. A good orienting stop on a rainy morning or with kids.

A stand of old-growth western red cedars, some 800 to 2,000 years old, tucked at the far north end past Nordman. Short trails wind through the giants and connect to Granite Falls. The drive is long and rough but the silence among the ancient trees is the payoff.

A loud, dramatic waterfall where Granite Creek drops down a sheer rock wall, reached by a short loop from the lower cedar grove near the north end. A roughly one-mile trail leads to vista points above the lower falls with views of the upper falls too. Best in late spring when snowmelt has it thundering.

A quarter-mile interpretive loop through a surviving cedar grove near Nordman, with signs on how it outlasted homesteading, logging, and the 1926 fire. It is flat, shaded, and genuinely educational without being a slog. An easy leg-stretch the whole family can do.