You live close to some great hiking and camping. A strenuous hike into the mountains does wonders! Or take the family for a weekend and go camping at Banks Lk or Lake Coeur d'Alene. Some of the most beautiful and scenic places in the U.S. I always feel recharged after being outdoors for an entire weekend.
True, that's what makes it worse atm. I used to go camping with friends a lot before, now I have no friends close by. Used to go to Coeur d'Alene a lot too when I first got here, at least 10 times per summer, same story here. Even long lake every other weekend was cool. Now I have nobody to go with.
As for family, yeah, I go with them, but its not the same with 3 and 6 year olds. You can call me selfish, but when I go with wife and kids, I go mostly for them.

Its still fun, but not the same kind of fun if you know what I mean. Instead of tubing, boating, drinking with friends its a picnic and walking around the shore and playground. Went to lake Roosevelt and Banks last year a few times, this year the summer passed us by, went a couple of times last month sitting on the shore while kids splashed around, thats about it. Going from spring straight to fall.
The friends that I do have left here are different now, I am different too - I settled down a bit, no crazy crap, no troubles, fights and those problems anymore. Kind of keeps us a part too. I am all for drinking and partying here and there but not like before either.
As for hiking and wild nature, I used to like it when I was single - a gallon of vodka and bam - you don't give a shit about bears and cougars.
Even fishing, ice fishing, all fun with a 6 pack and friends. Haven't done it in years. Last time my daughter was wining the whole time about the mosquitoes. May be I need to change the kids, they wine a lot. :-/
Tri-cities mentioned before can be cool too - Walla-walla - wineries, river rafting, snowmobiling in winter... but same story.
Sandpoint is close by, used to work there for a few months. Cool place, Schweitzer... Went to Silver Mt. this winter with family too, don't get that excitement I did before for some reason. Wanted to snowboard, ended up spending all the days in the waterpark. But it feels like it doesn't matter much, I became a bit different for some reason, the color of life is missing.
Montana has a few things - hot springs and such.
Oh well, my dad is supposed to come over this winter, haven't seen him for 7 years, saving up for some good times. May be I will get all the shit out off my head.
Was single didn't care about spending all the money I had either as long as I had enough for rent, bills, a few mcchichekens and a box of ramen. Blow it all in a week and not even think about it. Got married, got a house, sending a kid to private school, thinking about sending a second one soon etc. While I still can afford to go out, it is a bit different too, need to budget and shit.
Agh, fuck, now I am even more upset.
Need to join some meetups in the area for sure...