This post is intended to help you get started in planning a trip to Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach Water Park. If general information is what you’re after, this is the page for you! Here we will discuss several topics, including best times to travel, recommended number of days, what to bring, where to stay, and more. (Updated May 5, 2024)
We recognize that folks have a multitude of different reasons to make a trip to Silverwood Theme Park. You might be a die-hard coaster geek who’s itching to get a few more credits, a family looking for a nice getaway, or just taking a day out of your week in Couer d’Alene to head up highway 95 and see what all the fuss is about. No matter your reasons, we’ll try and cover as much info as possible here. Keep in mind that we fall into the “coaster geek” category, so our opinions may slant slightly in that direction. š
We realize that a large portion of Silverwood guests come from the local Spokane/CDA area, and many are likely season pass holders. To those who fall into this group of people, note that this information is more intended for the family coming in from out of town for a visit to the park. We still think you may find some good tidbits of info though, even if you’ve visited the park more times than we have.
Click on a link below or scroll down to view a section of this post!
We’ve been visiting Silverwood each year with our families for nearly 25 years, often going multiple times a year. We’ve visited at various different points of the spring, summer, and fall seasons, so we think we’ve got a pretty good sense for what to expect in any given month.
If you’re not into water parks, or you want low crowds and cheap ticket prices, go to the park in May or September. The park is only open on weekends, and Boulder Beach will be closed (with the exception of Labor Day weekend), but you can get some of the best deals on tickets during this time. For example, on opening weekend every year, the youth/senior park tickets are $19.88 each, in honor of the parks’ inaugural season in 1988. That’s less than a third of the cost of a 1-day ticket during the summer. Other weekends feature promotions, such as free admission for those over 65 years old during Grandparents Day weekend, and free admission for Mom’s on Mother’s Day weekend.
As for the crowds, most rides will have little to no waits, and you can easily get most of the open rides and attractions knocked out in one day. We went one year on opening weekend and were shocked at the low crowds in the park. Having said that, in May and September you are rolling the dice with the weather. There can be some beautiful days, and there can be some pretty nasty ones too.
Next, let’s discuss summer. Even if you’re not a huge waterpark fan, we still highly recommend Boulder Beach. It’s a top-notch water park with something for just about everyone. So, unless you fall into the “May/September” group that we discussed above, you should plan to go when both parks are open. In terms of crowds, the earlier you go, the lighter the crowds will be. There’s a good reason for that, as you’re also likely to encounter cooler weather. Indeed, August tends to be the hottest month, and also the busiest.
So, what’s the best option? We have found that the week just after the 4th of July is a nice “sweet spot”. Usually the weather is good enough; often it’s in the 90’s. And, since most people have already been traveling for the 4th of July, the crowds tend to die down a bit during this week before picking back up for the remainder of the summer. Sure, we’ve had the occasional year where the weather has been awful, but most of the time it works out in our favor.
If you really want to guarantee that you’ll be there on a hot day (or two or three), then late July to early August is your best bet. Be warned though, the crowds will definitely be at their peak during this time.
As for October…well, we cover that in a separate article. Scarywood is a completely different animal with its own set of variables to work with! We love Scarywood and would highly recommend it for those old enough.Ā It is definitely NOT for little kids.
Unlike Disney World, your options at Silverwood are much more limited. The only “on-site” place to stay is the adjacent RV park and campground across the highway. We’ve never opted to use this facility, but we know there are folks who love being right across the street from the park. If it were a hotel, we’d completely agree. But we’re just not that into camping as it is. The idea of sleeping in a tent, waking up to ride coasters and water slides the next day, only to return to a tent later that night really does not appeal to us. Thanks, but we like getting a good nights sleep in an air conditioned room with a real bed! Bottom line, we’re probably not the best people to ask! If camping is your thing, or you have an RV, it can certainly be a great option. Book as early as you can, as we’re told these can sell out quickly in peak season.
Outside of that, you’re simply looking at your standard set of lodging options you’d find anywhere else: various hotel chains, Airbnb, etc. The ultimate question ends up being how close you want to be to the park. Coeur D’Alene is a resort community, and as such the hotels tend to be pricier. You can still find some good “middle-of-the-road” hotels though. Spokane and Spokane Falls will give you generally more affordable room rates. The downside, however, is you’ll be stuck with a 30-40 minute drive to (and from) the park, as opposed to 15-20 minutes if you stay in CDA.
There are two locations we’ll highlight here, both of which are indoor waterpark resorts. One is the Triple Play in Hayden. This is pitched as the “closest hotel to Silverwood”, and being a mere 13 minutes away, that’s probably the truth! This hotel features an indoor waterpark, miniature golf, and a go kart track. It can be a great option if you end up having a day of bad weather, especially if you have kids. The other is the Silver Mountain resort in Kellogg. It’s a bit nicer of a resort in terms of theming and attraction offerings, but it’s an hour drive from Silverwood. If Kellogg is closer to some of the other activities you have planned for your vacation, it might be worth a look. But if all you’re doing is Silverwood and you want to stay at a hotel with an indoor water park, Triple Play is the one to go for. Save the Silver Mountain resort for winter when you can also go skiing. š
Our bottom line recommendation is to stay as close as you can, within your budget. At the end of a long day at the park, it’s much nicer to be back in your room quickly, rather than facing a longer drive. One thing we’re getting more and more fond of these days is Airbnb, especially in an area such as this. Even though Couer D’Alene is a resort community, there are tons of great Airbnb options within the city that offer excellent value for your money. Last year we stayed in a 3 bedroom house in town for about $250 per night. That included a washer/dryer, full kitchen, two bathrooms, and tons of space to spread out. Compare that to the Springhill Suites in CDA which gives you a *checks notes* studio room for $400-$500 per night, and the choice becomes a no-brainer. It certainly checked all the boxes for us – big enough for our family, close to Silverwood, and a very reasonable price.
It wasn’t too long ago that our Silverwood trips consisted of getting up early on a Saturday, driving from Tri-Cities up to the park, and returning home that night after closing. While you can still attempt this, we are firm believers that this will result in a lot of disappointment. There truly is too much to do in just one day, and with Emerald Forest opening this year, one could argue that it’s getting to the point where two days is not enough as well. The answer to this question ultimately depends on the type of theme park traveler you are. If you aren’t into the big thrill rides, or water parks, you could probably do both parks in one day. But let’s be honest, if that describes you, you’re probably not really reading this! If your family consists of nothing but “ride warriors” like both of our families are, you’ll need two days, at least.
One major reason for this is that Silverwood offers nothing in the way of a “front of the line” pass, not even for an additional fee. As such, there’s no way to strategize or pay to cut down on your wait times. And while most of the lines rarely get over 30-40 minutes long, there’s a surprisingly large volume of rides you won’t want to miss, and many you’ll probably want to do more than once. Add to that the entertainment, and meals, and one day will likely not cut it for most families. On the other end of the spectrum, three days is probably more than most will need to get a good dose of the parks, unless you’re the type who likes to re-ride everything multiple times. For the average family, two days should still be just about right, especially if you arrive at the park before opening, and come with a plan. Check out our 2 Day Itinerary post for a more in depth guide to how to best spend your time in the parks.
As far as dining options are concerned, most of Silverwood’s food stands and restaurants serve what we consider to be typical “theme park food”. But if you know where to go, there’s some pretty good spots that you won’t want to miss. We’ll mention a few of our favorites here and dive into the details in another post. Lindy’s is the only table-service option in the park, and it’s definitely worth your time. We usually dine at Lindy’s for one of our meals each day we visit the park. It’s got a fun, laid back atmosphere, good food choices, and both indoor and outdoor patio seating. If the weather isn’t too hot, get a table outside and you’ll literally be right next to the train tracks. It’s fun to watch the train pass by as it makes its way back to the station while you enjoy your meal. They have great burgers, salads, and daily soup. The Gingham Salad is our go-to, and it is excellent! Also noteworthy is the Pizza place inside the Magic Theater. Be warned: it can get really busy in there during Nick Norton’s shows, so plan accordingly.
As for snacks and treats, the Coffee Shop at the front of the park serves cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffin tops, made from scratch daily. Grabbing one of these as you enter the park is a great way to start the day. And the ice creamery inside Country Carnival serves up delicious “single scoop” (more like 5-scoop) ice cream cones. We like to end the day there. š
We often hear people asking whether or not it’s worth it to eat in the park. With the park opening at 11am, many find it’s worthwhile to save a few bucks and eat lunch outside the park before arriving. We don’t advocate for this option. And not because Silverwood is a treasure trove of elegant dining (it isn’t). It’s because those first few hours in the park are absolutely critical. If you frequently visit theme parks, you’ll know that a key to effectively working your way through a park is to arrive before opening. The start of your day will arguably be the most efficient time to be there. And with Silverwood opening later than most parks, there’s really no excuse to show up late. Trust us, the money you would save by eating lunch outside the park isn’t worth the lost time.
Also note that, like most theme parks, Silverwood won’t allow you to bring your own food into the park, aside from kids snacks and water. If you want to bring your own food, there’s a picnic area across from the parking lot next to the RV park. Since you’re allowed re-entry to the park all day, you can leave your packed food in the car, and simply exit the park anytime to eat at this picnic area. Although better than eating lunch before arriving to the park late, we would still caution against this strategy. Leaving and re-entering the park will take more time away from your day, and you might lose your spot in the water park (more on that later). But it can be a good option for families with kids who need a break from the hectic theme park atmosphere.
Silverwood and Boulder Beach have a wide spectrum of attractions, ranging from off-the-shelf to custom built; mild to wild; fast thrill rides to 30+ minute shows. It will be impossible to go through all of it here, so we’ll focus more on a general strategy for now. Click here to check out some of our in-depth ride reviews on some of the bigger attractions. Also, check out our 2023 Silverwood Rides and Attractions Guide, and or check out our 2023 Boulder Beach Attractions Guide, for comprehensive run-downs of everything offered at both parks.
As mentioned above, it is critical to arrive at the park before it opens. We’re talking at least 45 minutes early. This will give you enough time to park, go through bag check, grab a treat at the coffee shop, and snag a spot in line at one of the two park entrances. You have two options: either line up at the entrance to Boulder Beach, or the entrance to Country Carnival. Our recommendation is to start at the water park. First, it allows you to grab any spot you want to set up ācamp’ for the day, and second, you’ll be able to hit up Avalanche Mountain, Ricochet Rapids, and Eagle Hunt before the lines get long. The two family slides (Ricochet in particular) have the longest, slowest waits of any attraction at either park. We’ve waited over an hour for both, even on days that were otherwise not that busy. So be sure and get couple rides on each first thing. Although we have yet to see how Eagle Hunt’s wait time stacks up, we’re expecting long lines as well for that, given it will be brand new.
Spend as much time in the water park as you like, until the crowds start to fill in. We’ve noticed that the waterpark tends to get much busier in the afternoon when it’s hotter, so we usually make our way over to the “dry park” in mid-to-late afternoon. This is, of course, assuming it’s a warm enough day to warrant doing the water park in the first place.
Aside from those general tips, it’s important to be aware of any height restrictions (especially if you have kids), and again it’s worth noting that Silverwood does not offer any “front of the line” pass options. Also, remember that just because something has a long line, that doesn’t mean it’s a good attraction. On the flip side, many of the best things in the park often have little to no wait, so don’t use the line length to judge any of the rides.
Here is what we would recommend for “do not miss” attractions at each park (in no particular order):
Boulder Beach
Silverwood
By far, the best way to save on multi-day tickets it to buy online directly from Silverwood. As mentioned earlier, the park does offer a lot of good deals in May and September, so be on the lookout for those as well. For single-day tickets, you used to be able to get discounted ones at Costco, but the park discontinued this a few years ago.
For additional deals, sign up for their monthly newsletter where they often have bonus discounts you can get. And if you’re really feeling lucky, follow their Facebook page where they regularly hold free ticket giveaway contests.
The Spokane-CDA area offers a multitude of fantastic things to do outside of Silverwood, so there is plenty to choose from if you are looking for more than just 2 days at the parks. Lake Couer d’Alene itself has day cruises, golf, hiking, fishing, boating, parks, playgrounds, and more. Over in Spokane, the Riverfront Park has a small collection of rides (including a wonderful vintage carousel), several historic landmarks, and the skyride over Spokane Falls. And that’s just to name a few of the things this area has to offer. The Mudgy Moose trail is a great way to spend a day in the area, particularly if you have kids.
That about covers it for our basic trip planning guide! Remember, this is just a high-level overview of some of the key points when planning a trip to the park. Be sure to check out our other blog posts if you want to dive deeper into these aspects of the park.
Planning a trip to Silverwood this year? Be sure to check out our Silverwood Rides & Attractions Guide and Boulder Beach Attractions Guide to learn about which rides and slides you don't want to miss!
If you liked this post and found it helpful, let us know and share it with your friends! Let us know how you'd plan your trip differently. Feel free to share what tips you'd suggest to first-timers, and long-time visitors alike! Also, if you have a trip planning question that we didn't cover, leave a comment and we'll be sure to answer! Last but certainly not least, let us know what other topics you'd like to see covered.
The official Silverwood Theme Park website can be found at: www.silverwoodthemepark.com. All business-related questions should be directed to this site.
Hello. We are heading to Silverwood/Boulder Beach in 2 weeks. We plan on spending 1 day at each park. I had hoped to rent a cabana at Boulder Beach but did not make it in time and they are all booked. In your post you mentioned getting there early to āset up campā for the day. Does this mean they have chairs available for the day? If so, how do mark them so no one else takes them? Just leave personal towels on them?
Any recommendations on how this works is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I went a couple weeks ago with friends whoāve been going to Silverwood/Boulder Beach for years (total of 9 people) and we just left all our stuff together under a tree on the grassāno issues or missing items! There are lots of chairs/beach recliners facing the two wave pools, and several grassy areas. I think the large play structure had chairs/beach recliners as well, but Our group didnāt spend much time there so Iām not sure.
I didnāt notice and havenāt heard of anyone moving towels or beach bags or anything, and at the beginning of line que thereās usually several sandals and flipflops waiting for their owners to collect them after theyāre done on a slide (mostly the furthest north slides). There are lockers available ($ of course) so if you have something youād be too stressed about to leave out in the open, those would be a good option. Thereās a kiosk and you get that rented once youāre there on site. (Thereās a few lockers on the Silverwood side/between the two parks by the carousel, but most rides you can leave your bags at the load/unload zone. !the river raft ride in Silverwood ends at a different place than it startsāyouāll have to carry your stuff with you. Shoes, bags, water safe/proof are a good ideaāyou will get soaked!)
Apologies for the late reply; we would echo Georgi’s comments. Although no one can guarantee that something won’t get stolen, we’ve personally never had an issue leaving our things on chairs/recliners. We usually check back on our things often. Also, we frequently have at least one person in our group staying with our belongings anyways either for a rest, a snack, or because one of our littles is too short for the attraction we’re going on.
There are a lot of spaces with chairs/recliners in the shade, but there’s also a lot of open grassy areas too. We see a lot of families set up a blanket or several towels under a tree to stake out an area as well; just depends on what you’d prefer.
As mentioned, if you’re really concerned about safeguarding any of your belongings, definitely rent a locker; well worth it.