6 Must-See Airbnbs in Northern Idaho
If you follow our Instagram or Facebook page you know that we recently went on what we've dubbed the Grand Maverik North Idaho Road Trip (whew, say that 5 times fast)! Starting in Twin Falls, we drove the windy 554 miles to Sandpoint with many planned and unplanned stops along the way.
I shared bits and pieces of our drive on our IG and FB stories but I wanted to give you guys an insiders look at the 6 Airbnbs that we selected to stay in along the way. Mind you, we were pretty picky about where we wanted to stay because, as I'm sure everyone who has used Airbnb can attest to, despite research, sometimes you get a good one and sometimes you simply do not. We only searched for places along the way that were A. The whole place to ourselves and B. Had something unique about them.
So here they are!
So here they are!
Night 1 - The Silver Fox Yurt, McCall
Being the first night of our adventure we were beyond excited to take in the views from the Silver Fox Yurt. Sitting atop Jughandle Mountain, the yurt is perfectly nestled in the trees with a clearing wide enough to enjoy the valley below. We got there just as the sun was about to set and the sky was lit with that familiar pink and orange glow. We were driving a Dodge Caravan and because it was June we had no problem getting all the way to the base of the yurt but if there was snow on the ground you would need a 4WD vehicle. We decided riding in on a snowmobile in the winter would be so perfect and fun.
The yurt itself has two bunks with four twin beds, a table with chairs, sink, stove top, wood burning stove, dishes, and a really cook sky light. There is an outhouse nearby and also a sun warmed showering area if you feel so inclined (dry shampoo to the rescue!). The beds have a mattress pad and pillow on each but you have to bring your own linen. We brought a sleeping bag and pillow case for each of us. At $69-85/a night, this is the prefect place to get away from the flurry of modern life for a few nights.
Night 2 - Tomorrow's Harvest, Moscow
When I was looking at places in Moscow I knew I wanted to be close to down town and this little apartment caught my eye. This studio apartment is just minutes from down town but on a quiet, dead-end street. The apartment has two, double sized bunk beds (Bunk beds again? Are we at some kind of summer camp?) that were incredibly comfortable. The room is stylishly decorated with pops of bright orange throughout the mostly black and white decor.
We were super excited to find a vintage record player set up because we just happen to have purchased a record at a shop downtown! We loved that the place had a small refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and cook top. It was nice to be able to keep our leftover pizza for breakfast the next morning. We also found granola bars, hot cocoa, Starbucks coffee, and popcorn there for us to snack on. Our host, Steve, really maximized the usage of every inch of this little place and for just $65/night, most nights, it is a fantastic find!
Night 3 - Wooded Heights, Sagle
Sagle is a tiny burg just south, across the Pend Oreille River from Sandpoint. The Airbnb listing caught my eye when I saw the view from their riverfront yard and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. We were greeted by the sweetest hosts, Gloria and her husband, along with an adorable "Welcome Monica and Jacob" sign written on the chalkboard near the entrance. Our accommodations were just off the main house in a large, detached guest house that boasted a beautiful full kitchen, living room, laundry (so helpful on long trips), a king bed with adjustable firmness (hello luxury!), and large bathroom.
Our hosts had just gotten home when we pulled up and graciously offered to start a fire in the firepit so we could roast some marshmallows and have a relaxing drink while we watched the fishing boats return home for the evening. I can't even explain how splendid the view was from their private dock, looking across the river to see other riverfront homes peaking out from behind the swarm of trees. At $100/a night, I can't recommend this place enough!
Night 4 - Crystal Peak Lookout, Fernwood
When we found out that we were going to stay in an old fire lookout in the middle of the forest, I was so excited, I couldn't contain it. This fire lookout is surrounded by 13 acres of nothing but trees atop none other than Crystal Peak near Fernwood, Idaho. Not sure where that is? Yeah, neither were we. Turns out the next closest town is Santa, Idaho. Where are we??
The listing is very clear that you'll need a 4WD vehicle to make it all the way to the base of the lookout but, since we desperately wanted to make it work, we were more that willing to drive as far as we thought we could make our car go and hoof it the rest of the way. Which is exactly what happened. We made it all the way up the mountain to the driveway of the lookout before we decided we'd better not push our luck. So we packed a backpack of supplies and hiked up the last 1/4 mile. It really wasn't bad unless you're out of shape like I am, then it wasn't super fun, but it was well worth the climb!
The lookout is everything I dreamed it would be. With all four walls being mostly window, the views were spectacular. The queen bed was stacked with a variety of pillows, one firmness for each of the bears in the Goldilocks story. The bookshelves were stocked with maps, camping guides, games, tips, firewood and more. We found everything we needed for a nice fire in the wood burning stove and a little snack from the trail mix bar. Below the lookout we found an outhouse and nearby a deck with a firepit with chairs and a sauna. Yeah, you read that right, a SAUNA. It was basically the best coolest place ever. To top this place off, you can stay there all year round. They have a caretaker who will pick you up in Fernwood and drive you up the mountain in a fully enclosed, heated snowcat and pick you up at the end of your stay. I can't even imagine how beautiful that place would be looking out at the snow covered tree tops. The lookout is $200/night which is a small price to pay for such a unique and truly unforgettable experience.
Night 5 - Lost Mines Hideaway, Post Falls
Knowing that we would be looking forward to running water after a night at the lookout, we found the perfect place to ease ourselves back into society while still feeling like we were still connected to nature. The Lost Mines Hideaway is just a few miles away from downtown Post Falls but surrounded by a thick covering of trees.
This basement apartment had a private entrance right off of the back patio and lush garden. Once inside I couldn't help but think of the decorating style of Joanna Gaines. The place had a modern, neutral palette that felt so inviting and comfortable. The studio apartment had a really nice kitchen area and dining room table. Along with the main queen bed there were three twin beds that were set up almost like a sectional sofa so you could use them for lounging but also still sleep five people. The entire place looks recently remodeled and the bathroom was no exception to that. It was nicely decorated to match the rest of the relaxed feeling of the apartment and we were ready for a warm shower and indoor plumbing! The Hideaway is $85-$115/a night depending on the time of year and is a steal, especially if you are housing five people.
Night 6 - "Alpaca Your Bags" Bunkhouse, Viola
The last night of our grand Maverik adventure was spent in a tiny town just north of Moscow called Viola in the heart of the Palouse. Pulling off of Highway 95, we followed the Grazing Hills Alpaca Farm signs down the road to a long driveway. It was not hard to figure out that they adorable vintage RV trailer was our residence for the night. The trailer is decked out with alpaca EVERYTHING. Dishes, towels, pillows, sheets, even the soap had a little alpaca on it. Our host, Katie, set out wine and chocolates for us to enjoy as we sat next to the fire pit outside.
I didn't think I could love it any more but then...I met the neighbors. The trailer is parked next to a few pastures full of, you guessed it, alpacas! Their little crooked smiles peered over the fence in search of a treat. Some of them were covered in wild, curly hair while others were freshly sheared with jagged buzz cuts. Not only did we find more alpacas than we could count, we also found three tiny kittens, three doggos that I was convinced wanted to come home with me, and a random assortment of chickens and ducks.
The Grazing Hills farm has two Airbnbs, one is the vintage trailer that we stayed in and the other is part of their barn that has been converted into a really cute one bed, one bath apartment with a deck. You can find that listing here. They also have a small store inside of the barn that is stocked with alpaca themed items! The camper is listed at $95/night plus a few good scratches behind those puppy ears.
Night 2 - Tomorrow's Harvest, Moscow
When I was looking at places in Moscow I knew I wanted to be close to down town and this little apartment caught my eye. This studio apartment is just minutes from down town but on a quiet, dead-end street. The apartment has two, double sized bunk beds (Bunk beds again? Are we at some kind of summer camp?) that were incredibly comfortable. The room is stylishly decorated with pops of bright orange throughout the mostly black and white decor.
We were super excited to find a vintage record player set up because we just happen to have purchased a record at a shop downtown! We loved that the place had a small refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and cook top. It was nice to be able to keep our leftover pizza for breakfast the next morning. We also found granola bars, hot cocoa, Starbucks coffee, and popcorn there for us to snack on. Our host, Steve, really maximized the usage of every inch of this little place and for just $65/night, most nights, it is a fantastic find!
Night 3 - Wooded Heights, Sagle
Sagle is a tiny burg just south, across the Pend Oreille River from Sandpoint. The Airbnb listing caught my eye when I saw the view from their riverfront yard and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. We were greeted by the sweetest hosts, Gloria and her husband, along with an adorable "Welcome Monica and Jacob" sign written on the chalkboard near the entrance. Our accommodations were just off the main house in a large, detached guest house that boasted a beautiful full kitchen, living room, laundry (so helpful on long trips), a king bed with adjustable firmness (hello luxury!), and large bathroom.
Our hosts had just gotten home when we pulled up and graciously offered to start a fire in the firepit so we could roast some marshmallows and have a relaxing drink while we watched the fishing boats return home for the evening. I can't even explain how splendid the view was from their private dock, looking across the river to see other riverfront homes peaking out from behind the swarm of trees. At $100/a night, I can't recommend this place enough!
Night 4 - Crystal Peak Lookout, Fernwood
When we found out that we were going to stay in an old fire lookout in the middle of the forest, I was so excited, I couldn't contain it. This fire lookout is surrounded by 13 acres of nothing but trees atop none other than Crystal Peak near Fernwood, Idaho. Not sure where that is? Yeah, neither were we. Turns out the next closest town is Santa, Idaho. Where are we??
The listing is very clear that you'll need a 4WD vehicle to make it all the way to the base of the lookout but, since we desperately wanted to make it work, we were more that willing to drive as far as we thought we could make our car go and hoof it the rest of the way. Which is exactly what happened. We made it all the way up the mountain to the driveway of the lookout before we decided we'd better not push our luck. So we packed a backpack of supplies and hiked up the last 1/4 mile. It really wasn't bad unless you're out of shape like I am, then it wasn't super fun, but it was well worth the climb!
The lookout is everything I dreamed it would be. With all four walls being mostly window, the views were spectacular. The queen bed was stacked with a variety of pillows, one firmness for each of the bears in the Goldilocks story. The bookshelves were stocked with maps, camping guides, games, tips, firewood and more. We found everything we needed for a nice fire in the wood burning stove and a little snack from the trail mix bar. Below the lookout we found an outhouse and nearby a deck with a firepit with chairs and a sauna. Yeah, you read that right, a SAUNA. It was basically the best coolest place ever. To top this place off, you can stay there all year round. They have a caretaker who will pick you up in Fernwood and drive you up the mountain in a fully enclosed, heated snowcat and pick you up at the end of your stay. I can't even imagine how beautiful that place would be looking out at the snow covered tree tops. The lookout is $200/night which is a small price to pay for such a unique and truly unforgettable experience.
Night 5 - Lost Mines Hideaway, Post Falls
Knowing that we would be looking forward to running water after a night at the lookout, we found the perfect place to ease ourselves back into society while still feeling like we were still connected to nature. The Lost Mines Hideaway is just a few miles away from downtown Post Falls but surrounded by a thick covering of trees.
This basement apartment had a private entrance right off of the back patio and lush garden. Once inside I couldn't help but think of the decorating style of Joanna Gaines. The place had a modern, neutral palette that felt so inviting and comfortable. The studio apartment had a really nice kitchen area and dining room table. Along with the main queen bed there were three twin beds that were set up almost like a sectional sofa so you could use them for lounging but also still sleep five people. The entire place looks recently remodeled and the bathroom was no exception to that. It was nicely decorated to match the rest of the relaxed feeling of the apartment and we were ready for a warm shower and indoor plumbing! The Hideaway is $85-$115/a night depending on the time of year and is a steal, especially if you are housing five people.
The last night of our grand Maverik adventure was spent in a tiny town just north of Moscow called Viola in the heart of the Palouse. Pulling off of Highway 95, we followed the Grazing Hills Alpaca Farm signs down the road to a long driveway. It was not hard to figure out that they adorable vintage RV trailer was our residence for the night. The trailer is decked out with alpaca EVERYTHING. Dishes, towels, pillows, sheets, even the soap had a little alpaca on it. Our host, Katie, set out wine and chocolates for us to enjoy as we sat next to the fire pit outside.
I didn't think I could love it any more but then...I met the neighbors. The trailer is parked next to a few pastures full of, you guessed it, alpacas! Their little crooked smiles peered over the fence in search of a treat. Some of them were covered in wild, curly hair while others were freshly sheared with jagged buzz cuts. Not only did we find more alpacas than we could count, we also found three tiny kittens, three doggos that I was convinced wanted to come home with me, and a random assortment of chickens and ducks.
The Grazing Hills farm has two Airbnbs, one is the vintage trailer that we stayed in and the other is part of their barn that has been converted into a really cute one bed, one bath apartment with a deck. You can find that listing here. They also have a small store inside of the barn that is stocked with alpaca themed items! The camper is listed at $95/night plus a few good scratches behind those puppy ears.
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