Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises (CDA Cruises)
This past winter we visited Idaho for our Christmas vacation and were fortunate enough to stumble across the Holiday in Lights crusie on CDA Cruises. What they offer is a boat ride on Lake Coeur d'Alene to view all the elaborate Christmas lights and then a venture up to the "North Pole" to see Santa deliver a message. From dragon fire to small fireworks, the lights don't disappoint and really put you in the Christmas spirit. When you return you can also see the Grinch trying to steal that Christmas spirit with music along the way.
First off, book in advance as these sell out quickly. Also, be prepared for the weather, it's Northern Idaho so it tends to get a bit chilly. The boats do have an interior section that is heated but to hear the message from Santa you will need to venture out onto the deck. They offer adult beverages inside the main cabin as well as hot cocoa for the kids. The lights were very elaborate and we enjoyed our trip overall.
Second, realize that this may be a lot for very little ones to handle with all the stairs getting on and off the boats and then standing on the deck (in the very cold wind) to hear the message from Santa so keep that in mind. Hearing Santa's message was a bit difficult, so after the initial appearance him carrying on with a message you can't really hear for about 5 minutes was a bit rough to sit through, but at the end there is a pretty cool fireworks and light display so stick it out to the end.
Lastly, for those who have difficulty getting around, realize it is about a 200 yard walk from where you sign in to where you actually load onto the boats so be aware, but the folks at CDA did accomodate, from what I saw, those individuals nicely.
Overall: if you are visiting during Christmas time, this is a must see for everyone. The Holiday of Lights can really only be best viewed from the boats. If you don't like it cold you can view everything from inside, but as these things typically go, you've got to get out there to get the best view. Plain and simple-Coeur d'Alene does Christmas right!
Pros: great Christmas atmosphere, beautiful light display, fun and enjoyable atmosphere and hot cocoa to boot.
Cons: Santa's message is difficult if not really impossible to hear with all of the people on board and sound system setup but it is really meant for the kids anyway, lots of steps on boats, a bit pricey.