The City of Walla Walla, located at the foot of the Blue Mountains, is a place where natural beauty, amazing wineries, enticing restaurants, outdoor adventures, and small town friendliness come together. Downtown Walla Walla is the place where you begin to discover what makes Walla Walla so unique. A walk down tree-lined streets reveals a funky mix of vintage shops, boutiques, cafes, bookstores, tasting rooms, restaurants, and more. Add in the numerous pieces of public art and special events, like Feast Walla Walla, the seasonal Farmers Market and outdoor concerts, and you start to see why downtown has been recognized time and again as one of the best small town Main Streets in the country.
Wineries are beginning to rival the sweet-tasting Walla Walla onion as the hallmark of this lovely town. In fact, the combination of excellent wineries and appealing scenery has put Walla Walla on the map as one of the country’s hottest new wine-touring regions. The town’s rich history, starting with the Indian tribes who first settled here followed by the early pioneers, the establishment and subsequent tragic demise of a famous mission and then a gold rush, is also a tourist draw. Fascinating museums and historic attractions bring this past to life. Music and the arts are a vital part of this culturally conscious college town, which boasts one of the oldest symphony orchestras west of the Mississippi, frequent summertime blues and jazz concerts, arts festivals and at least 15 art galleries. A revitalized downtown features restored 19th-century buildings, restaurants, galleries and wine-tasting rooms. If you’re itching for outdoor fun, head east for hiking, mountain biking and fishing in the Blue Mountains or take the relatively easy Stateline Loop bike trail to Oregon and back.
