All aboard for Christmas magic
HAILEY HILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months AGO
Children young and old got a chance to stop by the North Pole with Coeur d'Alene Lake Cruises on Tuesday night.
HAILEY HILL/Press
Baylor, 2, shares a magical moment with Silver Belle the elf aboard Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises' Journey to the North Pole on Tuesday night.
Santa Claus and his helper, Cookie, check the nice list twice at the North Pole on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Tuesday night.
Kids and adults alike marvel at the fireworks display above the North Pole on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Tuesday.
COEUR d’ALENE — There’s a lot that goes into making Christmas magic on Lake Coeur d’Alene.
It takes a total of 1.5 million lights, 250 whimsical displays, countless trips across the lake and, of course, the holiday cheer of elves like Silver Belle.
And it’s not just the children that find lasting joy on the chilly waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Bethany and Nathan Letcher went on a Christmas cruise the night they got engaged in 2016. They’ve now made it a tradition to share the special night with their children, 4-year-old Claire and 2-year-old Benny.
“Nostalgia is what brings us back,” Bethany said. “We love it.”
Brought to life by Mica Riendeau, Silver Belle is now in her seventh year of welcoming passengers young and old aboard the Journey to the North Pole cruises.
“It’s really gratifying to see the pure happiness on the faces of the kids,” Riendeau said.
For the youngest aboard Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises’ vessels, meeting one of Santa’s elves is a memory they’ll hold onto long after they return to the boardwalk.
Silver Belle handed out candy canes and trinkets to children like Baylor, 2, who proudly showed off her shiny new jingle bell with a smile after meeting the merry elf.
“It’s the season of giving and joy ... that’s why I do it,” Riendeau said. “That’s what this is all about.”
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises has taken revelers on the journey to the North Pole for 29 years now, making Christmas magic for the thousands of children who hear their name read from the Nice List by Santa Claus himself each year.
The North Pole Cruises are running nightly through the holidays. All depart nightly from The Boardwalk marina, with initial boarding at The Resort Plaza Shops.
Info: www.cdacruises.com
Baylor, 2, shares a magical moment with Silver Belle the elf aboard Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises' Journey to the North Pole on Tuesday night.
Santa Claus and his helper, Cookie, check the nice list twice at the North Pole on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Tuesday night.
Kids and adults alike marvel at the fireworks display above the North Pole on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Tuesday.ARTICLES BY HAILEY HILL
Hayden chamber marks 25 years
Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn named Business of the Year
When Andrea Fulks talks about growing the Hayden Chamber of Commerce’s membership, she makes a point to avoid certain words. “I never say you should ‘join,’” the chamber president and CEO said. “I say that you belong in this family.”
NIBCA celebrates leadership, growth
NIBCA celebrates leadership, growth
The first time Jessica Cargile attended a North Idaho Building Contractors Association meeting, she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. That feeling returned for only a moment before she was sworn in as NIBCA’s president for 2026.
Coeur d'Alene chamber grows to nearly 1,000 members as it continues to evolve
Coeur d'Alene chamber grows to nearly 1,000 members as it continues to evolve
A sepia-toned photograph of about 30 businessmen hangs in the office of Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s President and CEO, Linda Coppess. Though dressed in the fashion of decades past, the men gathered for a purpose that has endured: uplifting area businesses through the Chamber. The photo is a reminder of the Chamber’s 114 years of history, Coppess said in her address to nearly 200 attendees at Tuesday morning’s Breakfast Connect event.