Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises is the simplest way to see the lake as a landscape rather than a waterfront backdrop. Boats leave from downtown for scenic cruises, sunset trips, and seasonal outings, with views of wooded slopes, coves, homes, and the broad water south of town.
It is a tourist operation, but a useful one. If you have only a day and no boat of your own, a cruise gives you the scale of a lake that stretches for more than 25 miles through the hills.