Steam Plant Square in Spokane, WA

One of the coolest places we ate on our road trip was at Steam Plant Square in downtown Spokane. The building was a fully functioning power plant up until 1986, but was closed because it was in need of substantial repairs. In 1996 construction began, and the building was transformed to house office and retail space, while still preserving the industrial heritage of the site. 

Today there's a dining room located in one of the old boilers, and a ton of the industrial components have been preserved to create an incredibly unique interior. It was a really fascinating location and we did some wandering after we finished eating. Steam Plant Square is an amazing example of urban renewal and historic preservation.

Calgary Tower: Observation Deck

As an Albertan, the Calgary Tower is one of those familiar attractions that you don't think of visiting very often because it seems so close to home. I hadn't been up to the observation deck in years, but it was actually a lot of fun to do again - and what a skyline! From treading lightly on the glass floor to pointing out familiar landmarks, the tower was a brilliant place to chill out and snap some pictures of downtown Calgary.