Washington State, Eastern Washington, Idaho and Gonzaga in 2 Days: A Spokane and Palouse College Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, Washington State and the University of Idaho in two days: fly into Spokane, tour Gonzaga and Eastern Washington, sleep on the WSU campus, then tour WSU and Idaho eight miles apart. Official tour sign-ups, parking at all four schools, a campus ice cream shop for siblings, and Palouse weather by season.
Bryan Hall clock tower, Washington State University (Apr 2017). Photo: TonalThomas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
Check before you go. Tour times, sign-up rules, parking and seasonal closures change often, sometimes weekly. Every campus section below links to that school's official visit page and shows when we last checked it. Confirm there before you book or drive. College Visit Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by any college or university. Names are used only to identify them.
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
Gonzaga University (Spokane) · Eastern Washington University (Cheney) · Washington State University (Pullman) · University of Idaho (Moscow)
Days
2: Gonzaga and Eastern Washington on day 1, then Washington State and Idaho on day 2. Arrive in Spokane the evening before.
Fly into
Spokane International (GEG), about 15 minutes from Gonzaga. Pullman/Moscow (PUW), two miles from WSU, is the closest airport for flying home.
Best base
Residence Inn Pullman, on the WSU campus and less than a mile from where daily WSU tours leave, after a first night in downtown Spokane.
Car or transit
You'll need a car. Eastern Washington is about 30 minutes from Gonzaga, Pullman is about 1 hour 45 minutes beyond Cheney, and Idaho is about 17 minutes from WSU, all with no traffic.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online. WSU requires pre-registration, Eastern Washington and Idaho need each student registered, and Gonzaga strongly encourages reservations.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see four very different Inland Northwest schools in one trip: Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, Washington State and the University of Idaho.
Day 1 stays near Spokane, then you drive south to Pullman for the night. On day 2, WSU and Idaho are only about 17 minutes apart, so both fit before you fly home.
Why this order
Day 1: Gonzaga's visit pairs an information session with an admission counselor and a tour led by a student ambassador, and Eastern Washington's student-led walking tour lasts 60 to 75 minutes.
Day 2: WSU's campus tour is a 30-minute admissions presentation and a 90-minute guided walking tour, and Idaho's guided tours run about two hours.
Pullman and Moscow are eight miles apart, so the University of Idaho also points visiting families to Pullman for lodging.
Each campus parks you differently
Gonzaga: visitor parking is on the third and fourth floors of the BARC parking garage at Desmet Avenue and Cincinnati Street. Check in at the Admission Visit Center at the west end of College Hall.
Eastern Washington: parking is free next to the Visitor Center. Park in lot P1B at a Visitor sign and pick up a free parking permit inside the Visitor Center.
WSU: buy a daily permit online, at the Transportation Services building or at the Brelsford WSU Visitor Center downtown. Your pre-arrival emails name the recommended parking spot.
Idaho: parking on campus is free with a pass sent by email.
Tour availability varies by season.
Winters are cold and snowy on the Palouse: Pullman averages about 38°F highs and 26°F lows in January, with about 9.6 inches of snow. WSU recommends checking road and mountain pass conditions, and Idaho points drivers to Idaho 511.
Summers are warm and dry: July averages about 84°F highs and about half an inch of rain.
Idaho's campus is hilly and most of its tour is outdoors, so dress for the walk and check the forecast.
WSU says Pullman hotels fill quickly on event weekends and recommends not booking non-refundable rooms until your tour spot is confirmed.
2. The suggested 2-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. The Cheney-to-Pullman drive is about 70 miles, so leave daylight for it in winter.
Arrival evening: fly into Spokane
Spokane International Airport (GEG) → The Historic Davenport (10 S. Post St., Spokane)
Driving (no traffic)
~14 min, 7.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Davenport → Riverfront Park (507 N. Howard St.)
Driving (no traffic)
Walk
Driving
~9 min walk, 0.4 mi
Riverfront Park is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. Vehicles can't drive through the park.
Day 1: Gonzaga and Eastern Washington, then drive to Pullman
Eastern Washington → Residence Inn Pullman (1255 NE North Fairway Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 42 min, 69.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
Driving
Drive
Book Gonzaga's daily visit online. Afternoon visits aren't offered during breaks, and walk-ins are accommodated, but reservations are highly encouraged. Staff meet visitors 10 minutes before the visit.
Gonzaga also lists Saturday visits, preview days and overnight visits; check what's offered before you book travel.
Pick an afternoon Eastern Washington tour on its visit page calendar. Tours run Monday through Friday, register each student, and bring up to four guests per student.
Day 2: Washington State and Idaho, then fly home
Residence Inn → French Administration–Lighty Student Services Building (WSU tour start)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.9 mi
Driving
~20 min walk, 0.9 mi
WSU → Ferdinand's Ice Cream Shoppe (2035 NE Ferdinand's Lane)
Driving (no traffic)
Short drive
Driving
Walk on campus
WSU → University of Idaho Welcome Center, Bruce M. Pitman Center (709 Deakin Ave., Moscow)
Driving (no traffic)
~17 min, 8.9 mi
Driving
Drive
Pitman Center → Moscow Food Co-op (121 E. 5th St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 min, 0.5 mi
Driving
~10 min walk, 0.4 mi
Idaho → Pullman/Moscow Airport (PUW), or back to Spokane (GEG)
Driving (no traffic)
~16 min, 7.5 mi to PUW; ~2 hr 1 min, 83.5 mi to GEG (no-traffic estimates)
Driving
Drive
Register for a WSU campus visit on its sign-up page; pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Daily tours leave from the French Administration–Lighty Student Services Building.
Book Idaho's tour for the afternoon. Each prospective student must register separately, and the tour takes about two hours.
Visiting on a football Saturday? WSU runs game day tours; check its game day page for the schedule.
3. Campus by campus
St. Aloysius Church at Gonzaga University, Spokane (Mar 2019). Photo: Cameron.barton10088 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
A daily visit is an information session with an admission counselor followed by a campus tour led by a student ambassador. Reservations are highly encouraged; walk-ins are accommodated. Afternoon visits aren't available during breaks.
Check in at the Admission Visit Center at the west end of College Hall; staff meet visitors 10 minutes before the visit.
Gonzaga also offers Saturday visits, preview days and overnight visits on select dates.
Visitor parking
Visitor parking is on the third and fourth floors of the BARC parking garage, at Desmet Avenue and Cincinnati Street. From I-90, take Exit 282 to Hamilton Street.
Getting there
About 15 minutes from Spokane International Airport; Gonzaga doesn't run an airport shuttle.
What to know
Gonzaga lists Saturday visits and overnight visits on its campus visit information page if a weekday doesn't work.
Contact
Gonzaga University Undergraduate Admission, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA 99258; 509-313-6531, visit@gonzaga.edu.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
The campus tour lasts 60 to 75 minutes: an outdoor walking tour with a student guide past classrooms, student spaces and campus landmarks. Tours run Monday through Friday.
Registration is required for each student, tour sizes are limited, and each student can bring up to four guests. The Visitor Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Housing tours, a 60-minute walk through Pearce Hall and Streeter Hall rooms, run on select days.
Visitor parking
Parking is free next to the Visitor Center: park in lot P1B at a Visitor sign and pick up a free parking permit inside.
Getting there
About 30 minutes from Gonzaga and about 1 hour 42 minutes from the Residence Inn Pullman with no traffic.
What to know
Can't make it in person? Eastern Washington also offers virtual tours on its visit page.
Contact
EWU Visitor Center, Cheney, WA; 509.359.6555, campustours@ewu.edu.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Campus tours are a 30-minute admissions presentation followed by a 90-minute guided walking tour, Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays. Availability changes during WSU breaks.
Pre-registration is required and spots are limited, so book early on the sign-up page.
Daily tours leave from the French Administration–Lighty Student Services Building.
Visitor parking
Buy a daily permit online, at the Transportation Services building or at the Brelsford WSU Visitor Center in downtown Pullman. Your pre-arrival emails name the recommended parking location.
Getting there
The Pullman/Moscow Airport (PUW) is two miles from campus. The Wheatland Express bus from Spokane stops at the Residence Inn and the Lighty building.
What to know
Ferdinand's Ice Cream Shoppe at the WSU Creamery is the home of Cougar Gold cheese.
Contact
WSU Admissions, 370 Lighty Student Services Bldg., Pullman, WA; call or text 509-553-5450, future.coug@wsu.edu. Brelsford WSU Visitor Center: 150 E. Spring St., (509) 335-4636.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Guided tours run Monday through Friday and on select Saturdays, and take about two hours. Each prospective student must register separately.
Check in at the Welcome Center inside the Bruce M. Pitman Center, 709 Deakin Avenue.
You can add a one-on-one session with an academic department, depending on availability; these aren't offered on Saturdays or during fall or spring break.
Visitor parking
Parking on campus is free with a pass provided by email; watch your inbox before the visit.
Getting there
About 17 minutes from WSU and about 16 minutes from the Pullman/Moscow Airport with no traffic.
What to know
The campus is hilly and most of the tour is outdoors, so wear comfortable shoes.
Contact
University of Idaho Admissions; 208-885-6163, futurevandals@uidaho.edu.
Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: one night in Spokane, one on the WSU campus
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickMid-range
Residence Inn Pullman
1255 NE North Fairway Rd., Pullman, WA
Why here
It's on the WSU campus, less than a mile from where daily tours leave, and about 17 minutes from Idaho with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The hotel lists a free hot breakfast, a complimentary shuttle to the Pullman/Moscow Airport and paid on-site parking; confirm current details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Spending the arrival night in Spokane keeps Gonzaga's morning visit close, and the Pullman night puts you on the WSU campus with Idaho a short drive away on day 2.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
Spokane (Gonzaga)
Eat
Frank's Diner (Downtown)
1516 W. 2nd Ave., Spokane, WA
A family-friendly breakfast spot in vintage railcars, open daily 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., about 8 minutes by car from Gonzaga.
Downtown Spokane's park along the Spokane River and the upper falls, open daily 6 a.m. to midnight, with the Looff Carrousel; about a 9-minute walk from the Davenport.
At Gonzaga, park on the third or fourth floor of the BARC garage.
At Eastern Washington, park free in lot P1B and pick up a permit inside the Visitor Center.
At WSU, buy a daily permit; at Idaho, use the free pass sent by email.
Flying in and out
Spokane International (GEG) is served by most major airlines and is about 15 minutes from Gonzaga.
Pullman/Moscow (PUW) is two miles from WSU and about 16 minutes from Idaho with no traffic, so it's the easy airport home after day 2. Lewiston (LWS) is about 45 minutes from Pullman.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Pullman)
Spring: April averages about 57°F highs and 35°F lows, with about 2.0 inches of precipitation.
Summer: July averages about 84°F highs and 50°F lows, with about 0.4 inches of rain.
Fall: October averages about 61°F highs and 36°F lows, with about 1.8 inches of precipitation.
Winter: January averages about 38°F highs and 26°F lows, with about 9.6 inches of snow.
Parent checklist
Register for all four visits online: Gonzaga in the morning, Eastern Washington in the afternoon, then WSU and Idaho on day 2, with each student registered separately where asked.
Hold off on non-refundable Pullman rooms until your WSU tour is confirmed.
Book the Davenport for the arrival night and the Residence Inn Pullman for night 2, plus a one-way car rental from GEG to PUW or round trip from GEG.
In winter, check road and pass conditions and Idaho 511 before the Cheney-to-Pullman drive.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Gonzaga University, Eastern Washington University, Washington State University and University of Idaho): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Residence Inn Pullman (hotel's own site; amenities, parking and shuttle) (not linked: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/puwri-residence-inn-pullman/overview/)
