Spokane: the waterfalls in the middle of the city

The Spokane Falls, plummeting directly into the heart of downtown, remain a rare natural phenomenon among major American cities.

Just steps away, the Riverfront Park, site of the 1974 World's Fair, preserves a historic carousel and a panoramic gondola above the falls.

Continuing toward downtown, visitors can explore the Northwest Museum of Culture and Art, which displays artifacts from the region's Native American populations.

As evening approaches, Spokane's historic district comes alive with restaurants housed in Victorian buildings restored after the great fire of 1889.

Spokane hosted the 1974 World's Fair, the smallest city ever chosen to host an event of such magnitude, centered for the first time on the theme of environmental protection.

Spokane Falls, which generate hydroelectric power right in the middle of the financial district, remain a more unique than rare case of a natural waterfall integrated into the heart of an American city, visible from suspended pedestrian bridges.