Why the Palouse is a Family-Friendly Place to Live
The Palouse is the perfect environment to raise a family. This idyllic region, which includes Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman, Washington, offers safe, welcoming neighborhoods, family-friendly restaurants and fun community events. Ahead, meet three parents who love living and raising a family on the Palouse.
In This Article
Close-knit Communities
“Moscow is the perfect size and a kid-friendly community,” says Moscow local Eric Billings. Moscow is known as Fest City because of its busy events calendar, which includes gatherings like Moscowberfest, music/arts festival Rendezvous in the Park, and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival.
“It’s pretty special for a small town to have so many great community events,” says Eric Billings, who works remotely for Deep Springs College as the vice president of development.
Billings, who moved around a lot as a military kid, graduated from University of Idaho (U of I) in 2008 and moved back to Moscow, his college town, in 2010 after a short stint in California. This community is the place he’s lived the longest, and as a father of three, ages 9, 12 and 22, he says he and his wife appreciate how much there is to do in Moscow for families. The city is home to several local businesses that he and his family enjoy, like Safari Pearl, a costume and comic shop where you can rent board games, Forty Two Bar Kitchen for karaoke, and Hunga Dunga Brewing Co., which hosts trivia, yoga and ukulele singalongs.
U of I is a prime amenity, as well, as it opens up to the broader community with fun events, including the Homecoming Parade each fall.
“My kids collect more candy at the parade than they do on Halloween night,” Billings says. “Our town loves the university, and our university loves the town.”
Kid-friendly Activities
“It feels like everyone knows one another in Pullman, and there’s a level of security with that,” says Tony Thompson.
In addition to running his video production company called Dryland Media, Thompson teaches at his alma mater, Washington State University. He loves the community of the college town, and all its family-friendly amenities, which is one of the many reasons he and his wife chose Pullman to raise their two young boys, ages 2 and 4. They also have family who live in the region. The couple lives on Pioneer Hill, a historic neighborhood south of the downtown district, and their home overlooks Lawson Gardens, a botanical park where they got married.
Families love the Palouse Discovery Science Center’s hands-on exhibits, which teach kids about science, technology, engineering, art and math, as well as arcade games and bowling at Zeppoz and musicals at the Regional Theatre of the Palouse.
“There are tons of little spots where kids can go play, from big open fields to playgrounds,” Thompson says. “Most families in Pullman are within walking distance of parks.”
Popular outdoor options include the ADA-accessible Mary’s Park, which offers two wheelchair-accessible play structures, durable rubber playground surfacing for mobility, a wetland pathway, a musical garden and more. Others include Sunnyside Park, which has pickleball courts and a fun playscape, and the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, which has a paved path that rolls through wheat fields.
Family-friendly Events
“We moved to Moscow for the family-friendly vibe,” says Katelyn Foutch.
Each summer, BookPeople, an independent bookstore in Moscow, puts on a “Where’s Waldo” event. A couple dozen businesses hide the storybook character in their shops for kids to find, and participants are entered into a drawing. That’s just one example of the unique, family-friendly events Moscow residents enjoy, says Katelyn Foutch, a mom of four – one who is at U of I and three who attend Moscow Public School District.
“We moved here for the family-friendly vibe,” says Foutch, who came to Moscow, 20 years ago from Spokane Valley. After running a photography company for 15 years, she founded a media company in Moscow, and her husband, Bryan, works for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.
Moscow’s walkability, numerous parks and top-notch schools are also highlights for families, she says. Her older kids can get around town easily on the fixed-route SMART Transit, a free bus system.
Foutch says her family enjoys shopping local at the Moscow Farmers Market, joining the monthly Artwalk, taking free tango lessons and attending author readings at the 1912 Center, a nonprofit that’s a “powerhouse” in the community.
“We also spend a lot of time at local coffee shops, playing games or reading together,” she says.
Eight Activities for All Ages in the Palouse
- Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center: At Appaloosa Museum & Heritage Center in Moscow, all the exhibits and hands-on activities celebrate and educate visitors on this majestic breed of horse.
- Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park: When the kids are bursting with energy, take them to Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park in Moscow. It offers trampolines, foam pits, climbing walls, arcade games and more.
- Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre: A beautifully restored historic theater, Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre in Moscow offers a calendar full of a variety of movies, shows and performances.
- Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center: Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center is home to a huge pool, waterslides and a lazy river. Operated by the City of Moscow, the entrance fee is under $10 for all ages.
- Palouse Discovery Science Center: Spark a love of science at the Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, where hands-on activities, exhibits and educational programs beckon curious minds.
- Zeppoz: Zeppoz in Pullman has something for everyone. This all-in-one entertainment center, complete with bowling, food, drinks and arcade games, is the perfect place for family bonding.
- WSU Bear Center: Washington State University owns and operates the Bear Center in Pullman – a place to see bears in person. The purpose of the center is to research hibernation.
- Airway Hills Golf Center: Airway Hills Golf Center in Pullman boasts indoor and outdoor options. The whole family will love playing mini golf, though golf enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the driving range and indoor simulators.
– Kelly Rogers contributed to this article.
Get to Know the Palouse
Want to learn more about living and working in the Palouse region of Idaho and Washington? Check out the latest edition of Livability On the Palouse.