Walla Walla

Understand

The long-established farming community with an "Old West" history has seen a major shift in agriculture as traditional crops have been replaced by the vineyards of the rapidly growing wine industry. Walla Walla is at the heart of wine country, boasting over one hundred wineries, including some of the state's and nation's best cellars. But don't expect the stodginess of elitist wine areas elsewhere; the area is still an affordable and welcoming community with small town roots.

Walla Walla also offers a taste of Oregon Trail history in Fort Walla Walla and the Whitman Mission, gorgeous views in the country, a charismatic Main Street, and the liveliness of a college town: hosting both the prestigious private liberal arts school Whitman College and private SDA Walla Walla University in neighboring College Place. And should the wine bars and tasting rooms get to be too much, you can always escape into a classically red-neck bar, many of which are clustered near the Washington State Penitentiary in the northeastern part of town.

The valley itself offers a diverse variety of striking landscapes: bordered by the Columbia River basin and its desert beauty as you enter from the west, rolling wheat fields and vineyards through the surrounding countryside, and the scenic Blue Mountains to the southeast.

Climate

Expect the best of the four seasons with cold and snow in winter, temperamentally sunny springs, blustery winds and fog in the fall, and golden sun warmed days of a hot, dry desert summer.

Visitor information

• Visit Walla Walla website

Get in

By car

By car Walla Walla is accessible by a series of US and state Highways:.

• US Highway 12 (US-12) comes in from Pasco and the Tri Cities 50 mi in the west and Clarkston and Lewiston 101 mi in the east through Dayton and Pomeroy. It passes along the north side of town as a freeway.
• & Oregon State Route 11 (OR-11) comes in from its junction with Interstate 84 (Exit #210), in Pendleton and goes north through the town of Milton-Freewater, OR. The same highway becomes WA State Route 125 (WA-125) after crossing the state line into Washington state and becomes 9th Ave through town. WA-125 continues north of town along N 13th Ave from Hwy 12 and ends near Prescott at its intersection with WA-124, 18 mi north of town.

By bus

Walla Walla Transit Center is the main bus station for local public transportation and intercity buses, at N 4th Ave & W Main St. The stops for Valley Transit are along N 4th Ave between Main & Rose while the stops for the intercity buses are on W Main St:

By plane

The next nearest airports served by more airlines, including Allegiant, Delta, United Express and/or Boutique Air, from more destinations, are in:

• Tri-Cities PSC (50 mi west)
• Pendleton PDT (39 mi southwest)
• Lewiston LWS (102 mi east).

Get around

By foot

Within town no place is much more than a half-hour walk away, an hour at the most, and many things to do are easily found in the small downtown area. The streets are pedestrian friendly, with sidewalks and bike lanes on most major roads, and low traffic on others. With many peaceful parks and quiet streets lined with large old, shade trees to wander along and admire the charming neighborhoods, leaving the car behind is more than plausible.

By bicycle

Walla Walla has some of the best biking around! Great biking through surrounding vineyards and wheatfields. To Waitsburg and Dayton, to Milton Freewater and Touchet, numerous 15-60+ mile routes. But mind those hills!

Stop into this bike shop for info on routes and rides:

By bus

Valley Transit local bus service runs in the daytime around town, and also provides bike racks on most buses. Its main transfer station is located downtown, and it also runs to the airport. All fixed routes are free.

By car

Bring your own car to drive around town or out on the country roads with, or rent one from one of four available companies easily found online. Even if you plan to explore mostly on foot, having a car can be a boon for a trip up Mill Creek or getting to some of the wineries located around the airport and out in the country.

Go next

• Palouse Falls near Dayton, 54 mi north (mostly local roads), by far the largest waterfall east of the Cascades in Washington.