Pacific Northwest is one of the best coffee spots in the U.S.

I spend too much money on coffee, it is a fact and I think it will always be that way. But I just can’t help but love drinking one every day whether it is from a Keurig at home or at that place called Starbucks.

Before college, I wasn’t as hooked on coffee as I am now. But since I started taking those 8 a.m. classes almost every quarter, I felt like a cup of caffeine was a good way to start my day. I think I am officially an adult now though because if I don’t have a cup by a certain point in the day I will get a headache.

So with all my experience in the beautiful caffeinated drink, I was proud, yet also very excited, to see that National Geographic named Spokane as one of the top coffee cities in the United States.

The way that the magazine chose the top places to enjoy a cup of joe was by identifying small cities (less than 600,000 in population) for coffee shops. They then selected the locations by other variations ranging from great hikes, to museum tours, to pure relaxation that all starts with a perfect morning of coffee.

This marks the second time that Spokane has been mentioned in the magazine just this year after making the list for the best small city series. In January, Spokane was named one of the best small cities in the United States for the number of coffee shops and its “hipster environment” that was based off of concentrations of tattoo parlors, records shops and vintage stores.

There were 10 total cities announced in the list and not surprisingly, Washington had two places that made the list. Other than Spokane, Bellingham was another one that provides the best cup of coffee.

The other locations included Portland, Maine; Anchorage, Alaska; Santa Cruz, Calif.; Greenville, S.C.; Boulder, Colo.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Honolulu, Hawaii and Charlottesville, Va.

Now I know that I am not very original since my first choice is Starbucks, but I am working on it. I have been trying Dutch Bros a lot recently too, so that has to count for something right? I know there are a lot of options out there still for me and I will try to spread my caffeinated wings even more.

I think it is impressive that Spokane has such a variety of coffee shops in the area. I have always taken it for granted until I would visit other places in the country and realize that it is not normal to have a coffee stand on almost every corner, but I think it should be the way of life everywhere.

Even though it may just be a drink to some people, I think it is also a great way to catch up with friends and family around a cup of coffee. And you do not have to travel far to have a variety of options even on the West Plains. In Cheney alone you have the Mason Jar, Starbucks, Bahama Joes and Capstone. That is just four options within a couple miles of each other, which is kind of crazy to think about.

This accomplishment may not seem like a big deal to some people, but I think it is cool to see Spokane get recognition on something unique and positive in the news world. It encourages people to support local coffee stands and get out in the city.

So, way to go Spokane. Let’s celebrate with a good cup of coffee.

Grace Pohl can be reached at grace@cheneyfreepress.com.