Walla Walla: Wine, History and Trails
Accommodation in Walla Walla
Walla Walla combines winemaking, a fascinating history and varied trails to create a destination with many different facets. The Walla Walla Valley lies in Walla Walla County in the state of Washington and Umatilla County in the state of Oregon. The associated American Viticultural Area extends across southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon and includes 2,933 acres of planted vineyards. Anyone looking for a vacation rental or holiday home can therefore first consider whether wine country, historic sites or activities on the water should be the focus of the trip.
Wine, Downtown and Regional Specialties
Downtown Walla Walla is appealing to travelers who want to combine wine tastings with other offerings. More than 30 tasting rooms are located there within walking distance of restaurants, accommodations, shopping and historic Main Street. Staying in this area may therefore suit a trip planned around tasting rooms and the surroundings of Main Street. In the Southside neighborhood, visits to wineries can be combined with views of the Walla Walla Valley.
Walla Walla Sweet Onions are also part of the region's character. They are planted in September and harvested by hand the following summer. They are available from mid-June through July; some vendors offer them through August. If you travel during this period and are interested in regional products, this seasonal detail can be incorporated into your travel plans.
Spring Release Weekend takes place every year on the first full weekend in May and combines new wine releases with special events. This weekend therefore provides a specific reference point for planning your dates if wine and events are the reason for your trip.
History in Museums and Historic Sites
Whitman Mission National Historic Site focuses on the Cayuse people's millennia-old settlement of the Columbia River Plateau and the profound changes associated with the arrival of missionaries, immigrants traveling along the Oregon Trail and disease. The Whitman Mission Museum displays Cayuse cultural objects, archaeological artifacts and items belonging to people who lived at the mission, including the Whitmans.
History can also be combined with a walk there. The Mission Trail is a mostly level, one-third-mile paved loop. It passes the Whitmans' two houses, a reconstructed millpond and other buildings of the Presbyterian mission. In addition, Whitman Mission National Historic Site has about one mile of paved walking paths and two miles of unpaved, mowed trails. From an elevated point, you can see the entire park; on a clear day, the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon are visible on the horizon.
Fort Walla Walla Museum offers five exhibition halls and an audio tour that visitors can complete at their own pace. Pioneer Village comprises 17 buildings from the Walla Walla Valley furnished with artifacts. The topics and exhibits on display include a wheat harvest with a team of 33 mules and an old cell from Washington State Penitentiary. In the Downtown Walla Walla Historic District, an area was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 2021.
Frenchtown Historic Site also offers a distinctive historical perspective. It lies in the ancestral settlement area of the Walla Walla and Cayuse and at the site of the 1855 Battle of Walla Walla. French Canadian voyageurs associated with the Hudson’s Bay Company settled in Frenchtown with their Métis families beginning in the 1820s. Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days traces its origins to Walla Walla's first county fair in 1866 and is described as the oldest fair in the state of Washington. The Frontier Days Rodeo began in 1913 with bulldogging, relay races, bronc riding, stagecoach races and appearances by cowboys and cowgirls. Each year, the 4-H and FFA programs of the Walla Walla Fair provide a showcase for the region's younger agricultural population.
Trails, Lake and Active Excursions
Bennington Lake has more than 20 miles of multi-use trails for horseback riders, cyclists and hikers. Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are also possible there. In spring, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks the lake with rainbow trout. The Mill Creek Recreation Trail is a 2.5-mile paved multi-use trail along Mill Creek and is intended for non-motorized traffic.
These different offerings make it easier to deliberately choose the focus of your vacation: you can plan visits to historic sites and museums, favor paved trails or spend time at Bennington Lake. You should view the respective locations as individual excursion destinations, each offering its own trails, exhibitions and activities.
Walla Walla as a Base
The airport operated by the Port of Walla Walla provides the region with access to and from other regions of the United States. Nearby are more than a dozen winery tasting rooms in former dining halls, hangar buildings and World War II-era fire stations. This area complements Downtown's wine perspective with its own collection of distinctive venues.
Anyone who wants to combine culture and activity can plan several clearly distinct travel ideas in Walla Walla: a historical tour at Whitman Mission, exhibitions at Fort Walla Walla Museum, trails at Bennington Lake or wine and regional experiences in Downtown and Southside. When searching for a vacation rental or holiday home, you can therefore use your desired mix of a central setting, history, nature and wine as a guide.
For more travel ideas, you can also explore Walla Walla and Touchet.
For the overview of destinations: Washington.
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