13 Weird Things to Do in Spokane WA: Quirky Hidden Gems

1. The Big Red Wagon

If you get a kick out of seeing much larger-than-life ordinary objects, look at the giant red wagon at Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane.

This huge wagon isn’t just decorative; it’s actually meant to be played on, and you can often see kids climbing up to the top and then sliding down the handle-shaped slide.

This iconic wagon was built in 1989 as part of the Centennial Celebration of Children.

Designed by a local artist, it weighs over 26 tons and is made entirely of steel and concrete. The structure is meant to support a weight of 300 people (although we’ve never seen nearly that many).

It’s a great spot to snap photos while strolling through the park.

2. The Gonzaga Red Chandelier

Be sure to take a look at the giant red chandelier at the Jundt Art Museum in downtown Spokane, designed by a famous glass artist named Dale Chihuly.  It was completed in 1995 and had to be transported in sections before being installed in the museum. 

The chandelier weighs over 1,500 pounds and has over 800 glass shapes.

The tentacle-like chandelier is odd but beautiful.  And, if you are lucky enough to be at the museum at the right time of night, just as the sun goes down, the glass will turn a deeper red color.

Besides the chandelier, this museum is a great way to see other pieces by artists such as Picasso, Rodin, and Rembrandt.

Check out the Gonzaga University website for a full list of exhibitions and to take a virtual tour. 

Museum hours are Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 

3. Check out the Murals Downtown

Every city has odd murals, but Spokane has more than the usual. The majority are centered around downtown, and we’ve seen all kinds of beautiful and strange designs. 

Some of the most popular spots to find murals are on Steven Street, Wall Street, and the alleyway at 100 N Wallen Howard.

Our favorite murals are next to Merlin’s Comics and Games, near the AMC Mall.  One features the Spokane Party trolley, which used to be a real multi-person pedal bike that you could rent and ride (sadly, it has since been discontinued). 

Another favorite is a giant mural a few blocks from Riverfront Park with flowers, a woman hanging clothes on a clothesline, and a giant rabbit. Nobody knows the history of this one.

4. Mary Lou’s Milk Bottle

This colossal bottle was made in 1935 by Benoit Creamery as part of an advertising campaign and is one of the most iconic structures in Spokane. 

Mary Lou’s is located about 10 minutes north of downtown Spokane. 

The North Town Mall is another great stop in the same area. 

5. Garbage Goat

The famous garbage goat is another Spokane Classic located in Riverfront Park. Designed by ‘the welding nun’ Paula Mary Turnbull for the 1974 World Fair, it was meant to be a reminder to prevent litter. 

The garbage goat has a vacuum tube leading from its mouth that will actually ‘eat’ up your garbage.

Be sure to visit this oddball sculpture while on your way to the other sites in the park.

6. Petunia and Loomis

For those who enjoy macabre and Halloween-like shops all year round, Petunia and Loomis offers just that. The store is relatively small and is full of bizarre things. 

They’ve got a giant taxidermied boar, wet specimen animals in glass jars (we saw a goat and a lamb), and if you climb the short flight of stairs to the upstairs level, they’ve got a large array of creepy dolls.

If you’re into this sort of thing, Loomis will be right up your alley. And even if not, it is still worth a peak inside.

7. Bing Crosby House Museum

Bing Crosby was an American singer who was incredibly popular in the 20th century, and you can see his childhood home right in Spokane.

The house has over 200 Crosby’s items, such as trophies and other awards.

The museum has a life-size cardboard cutout of Crosby, who was only 5’7”

Fun facts about Crosby:

• He recorded A White Christmas, the most popular record of all time
• He was also in over 100 films and was nominated for Academy Awards Best Actor three times
• He even charted more records than Elvis or the Beatles for a few years.

There is free street parking and a small visitor parking lot around the side of the house.

The home is located on Gonzaga University campus, and the museum hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. 

8. Boo Radley’s Gift Shop

Boo Radley’s is another one of downtown Spokane’s oddball stores. This one has less of a creepy factor than Petunia and Lomis, but it just has all kinds of odd trinket-y gift items. 

This small shop sells everything from weird socks to hilarious birthday cards to giant stuffed hamburgers. It’s also a great place to find fun t-shirts or unusual group games.

Street parking is available for an hourly rate, or you can park in the nearby AMC Mall parking garage. 

The store is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

9. The Lantern Statue

The Lantern is an impressive concrete sculpture created by the artist Harold Balles. The statue was originally untitled but was later renamed the Lantern due to its resemblance to a Japanese lantern. 

Harold spent much of his life doing hard labor, working with fire and metal to support his family, and was also known to have a long-standing frustration with bureaucratic systems. 

In the center of the statue (which, unfortunately, you can’t see unless you climb the statue, which is not allowed), Harold engraved the message, ‘Transcend the Bullshit’ into the concrete base, referring to these bureaucratic systems he hated.  

This statue is next to the INB Performing Arts Center at Riverfront Park, so swing by after checking out the giant red wagon and the Garbage Goat.

10. The Jedi Alliance Arcade

This retro arcade in Spokane Valley is a fantastic, lesser-known gem. The arcade has over 155 pinball and other old-school machines. 

This place seems to have a pinball machine for every movie made since the 90’s.  They’ve got Batman-themed, The Simpsons, zombie apocalypse, Star Wars, you name it.  

And the best part is, once you pay your requested entrance fee of $16.50 (which isn’t strictly required but highly encouraged), you have free reign to the games and no additional cost. We could have spent hours at this arcade. 

In addition to the games, they have a small movie prop museum, the owner’s personal collection. This small display features costumes used in the first Star Wars movies and much more. So tap into your inner geek and be sure to check it out!

Jedi Alliance also offers birthday parties and private event rentals.

The arcade is only open on the weekends, Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Saturdays from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

11. Life-Size Bronze Running Figures

You’ll find a row of life-size bronze running figures in front of the AMC River Park Square Mall in downtown Spokane.

These sculptures are a public work called ‘The Joy of Running Together,’ a tribute to the annual Spokane Bloomsday run. 

The work has over 40 life-size figures and was created by artist David Golder. The most interesting part is that these sculptures were sketched by having real runners get into running positions and hold still against a wall while having their silhouettes traced.

12. Greenwood Cemetery

Greenwood is an old cemetery built in 1888 as a response to the growing population of Spokane. The cemetery’s first burial was Mrs. HF Nothbohm, and since then, many other bodies have been moved from the old Mountain View Cemetery and the Moran Prairie Cemetery. 

You’ll often find wild turkeys roaming among the headstones, so keep your eyes peeled. 

How to get to Greenwood Cemetery: The cemetery is just west of downtown, near Palisades Park, and near the Bowl and Pitcher overlook, one of Spokane’s many fantastic hikes. Combine the cemetery with Bowl and Pitcher for a great day trip when the weather is nice. 

13. Think Tank Escape Rooms

Complete a space mission, flee a crazy lunatic trying to detonate a nuclear bomb, or escape the Mayan doomsday at Think Tank Escape Rooms.

The booby trap room was entertaining and had us sliding along the floor and figuring out puzzles as fast as we could. Don’t do these escape rooms if you are sensitive to loud noises. 

A few things to note about the rooms: 

• Advanced reservations are not required but are strongly recommended. 
• Think Tank strongly recommends that guests be at least 11 years old to play. All minors have to be accompanied by an adult. 
• The rooms cost $30 per person for the 60-minute rooms and $38 per person for the 75-minute rooms. 
• There is parking located on the premises. 

BONUS: Kitfo (Indian Beef Tartar)

Try out this somewhat odd ( but delicious ) Indian dish at the Ethiopian restaurant Queen of Sheba. Kitfo is essentially Indian beef tartar made by marinating raw beef in a blend of spices with chili powder and other herbs. 

The dish is generally served on top of a huge piece of injera, a spongy flatbread with a slightly sourdough taste.

If you’re not up for the kitfo, be sure to try the sampler platter that includes various types of meat curries (they’ve also got vegetarian options ) with rolls of injera bread.

The restaurant is at 621 West Mallon Avenue, next to a group of fun shops (a great place to walk around after eating).