Fun Things To Do In Spokane Wa For Free
A few summers ago, I rolled into Spokane with eleven dollars, a half-empty water bottle, and the kind of optimism usually reserved for people who haven’t checked their bank ba...
A few summers ago, I rolled into Spokane with eleven dollars, a half-empty water bottle, and the kind of optimism usually reserved for people who haven’t checked their bank balance. A friend told me, “Have fun doing nothing.” Challenge accepted, mostly because I had no other option.
By Sunday, I’d walked over a waterfall, fed a metal goat trash, and watched the sun set from a cliff—all without spending a cent. Spokane, it turns out, is quietly generous. You just have to know where the free stuff hides.
Riverfront Park Is Basically a Free Circus
Yes, the SkyRide and carousel cost money. But you can wander the park, cross the bridges, and stare at Spokane Falls until your neck hurts for exactly zero dollars.
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The falls are louder than you expect, especially in spring. Stand on the Howard Street Bridge and pretend you’re in a nature documentary. (You’re not. Someone nearby is eating a corn dog.)
Don’t miss the Garbage Goat, a metal sculpture that vacuums up trash. It’s weird, slightly judgmental, and deeply Spokane. You can’t ride it, sorry.
If it’s hot, the Rotary Fountain splash pad is free. Kids love it. Adults pretend they’re “just watching” while secretly wanting to run through.
Manito Park: Free Flowers, No Ticket Required
Manito Park feels like someone forgot to install a gate. The Japanese Garden, Duncan Garden, and rose hill are all free to roam.
Bring a book, a picnic, or just your complicated feelings. The conservatory is also free, which is fantastic when it’s raining sideways in November.
Pro tip: weekday mornings are quieter. Weekend afternoons are for watching other people’s dogs live their best lives.
Hike the Bluff, Skip the Parking Pass
You don’t need a Discover Pass for every trail. The High Drive Bluff and parts of the Palisades offer free access and big views.
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Park near High Drive, walk in, and suddenly Spokane looks like a tiny model city. The trails aren’t fancy. That’s the point.
If you want the Centennial Trail, it’s free to walk or bike. Just don’t expect a personal cheer squad at every mile marker. Bring your own snacks.
Art Walk, People Watch, Repeat
Downtown Spokane’s First Friday Art Walk is free. Galleries open their doors, sometimes with cheap wine and expensive art.
You can also do a self-guided public art tour. Murals, sculptures, and the occasional confusing metal blob are scattered everywhere.
Feeling fancy? Walk through the Davenport Hotel lobby. It’s free to look. Act like you’re meeting a wealthy aunt upstairs.
Browne’s Addition is another free wander. The old mansions and tree-lined streets are perfect for pretending you’re a historical novelist with a deadline.
Free Events Are Hiding in Plain Sight
Hoopfest and Bloomsday are free to watch. You only pay if you actually want to suffer through the race or the basketball chaos.
Summer brings free concerts and festivals around town. Check library bulletin boards and local calendars, because the best free stuff is often badly advertised. Local bands, cover bands, and at least one guy with a banjo are usually involved.
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Pig Out in the Park has free admission, though the food will tempt your wallet. Consider it a test of character.
Libraries, Markets, and Other Cheap Thrills
The Downtown Spokane Public Library is free, warm, and full of events. It also has views that make you feel smarter just by standing there.
Farmers’ markets are free to browse. You can smell the peaches, listen to live music, and leave with only a tomato. That counts as self-control. Some libraries even lend out museum passes; ask at the desk.
In winter, free sledding hills appear wherever snow piles up. Manito Park is a popular spot. Bring cardboard, and pray for your tailbone.
On rainy days, check if any museums are offering free or pay-what-you-can hours. The rules change, so a quick call saves disappointment.
Final Freebie Wisdom
Spokane isn’t a city that hands you entertainment on a silver platter. It’s more like a friend who says, “There’s a weird goat downtown, want to go?”
If you’re broke, bored, or both, you can still fill a weekend here. Walk the falls, hike the bluff, crash an art walk, and let the free stuff surprise you.
Just save a dollar for parking. Because free is a beautiful word, but so is not getting a ticket.
