Everything You Need To Know About Wine Tasting in Walla Walla, Washington (Part One)
Hello friends! I’ve started this post about a hundred times. Trying to make the title catching with the perfect SEOs (yadda yadda) but the truth of the matter is, I don’t want to tell you “The Best Things to do in Walla Walla” because, to be frank… the best thing to do in Walla Walla is to GO WINE TASTING. Sure – there are other things to do. The truth is, nothing is as fun. So, here is literally Everything You Need to Know About Wine Tasting in Walla Walla, Washington (Part One).
Everything You Need To Know About Wine Tasting in Walla Walla, Washington
Let’s start with some very fun facts for you.
We’ve had grapes growing in Eastern Washington since 1859. Which means, many of these vineyards and grape species survived the great depression, prohibition and WWII. How wild is that?
Washington State is the second highest producer of wine in the United States (aprés California) and grow over 80 different varieties of grapes; many were brought over from France. As of today, Walla Walla has over 120 wineries… so get excited! Haha.
On to my kick 🍑 trip!
Getting Walla Walla, WA
Now, there are multiple routes to get to South Eastern Washington State. You can drive the 4 hours from Seattle, take an amtrak bus or fly. Personally, we didn’t consider any other option but to drive because we knew we’d be stocking up on bottles. So, we took I-90E to 82S and then got on I-182E which will take you to the 12. You can take I-90E directly to I-182E but we decided to take a detour and stopped for lunch in Yakima and hit up 3 vineyards on the way. If I can recommend anything, it’s to take a day off to travel. I promise, you won’t regret it!
If you’re coming from out of state, flying is a simple option and a fantastic idea if you plan to stay in Downtown Walla Walla. Everything is walking distance and there are tons of wine tasting rooms to keep you occupied for a weekend. If you want to check out some of the vineyards on the outskirts of town, well you’re in luck! There are quite a few car services available. They’re perfect for couples, friends or parties, etc. They also have Wine Tours!
That said, another pro for flying: Alaska Airlines has an awesome program that allows wine to fly free.
Where to Stay
From Downtown Main Street to a few miles out, there are tons of great places to stay in Walla Walla. I recommend getting your reservations done and out of the way early. I looked up airbnbs a month out and then 2 weeks before our trip, there was nothing left in the whole valley!
There are normally tons of Airbnbs and hotels. We ended up staying at Hilton’s Hampton Inn & Suite. It ended up being a great decision for us because it was near the Dutch Brother Coffee stand and a Safeway. It was also super reasonably priced for an early Spring Weekend and we got free breakfast (always a plus!).
Here are some great stay options:
- The One Bedroom Knotty Alder Guest House (Airbnb)
- The Walla Walla Wine Suite (Airbnb)
- The Downtown Walla Walla Birch Bungalow (Airbnb)
- The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton – $$ (We got this for $ during April)
- The Courtyard by Marriott – $$
- Marcus Whitman Hotel – Locally Owned $$$
How to Plan Your Weekend
Majority of the vineyards and tasting rooms will have openings day off but it’s not guaranteed. To be honest, right after I booked our hotel, I made reservations for the entire weekend. You can easily get through 3 wine tastings a day. I have a friend of mine who did 7 and she said that was the limit! Haha.
Most places open at 10/10:30am and that’s their earliest appointment. Conveniently, every reservation I was able to book online. I loved this because I could easily add to my virtual calendar and even easier, invite my friend to the “event”.
The best way to schedule your tastings is to make sure each vineyard is in close proximity to the next vineyard appt, or meal locations. Example, I wouldn’t want to book my Seven Hills reservation (which is downtown) and then my Brooks & Bull tasting (in the country) and then go right back into downtown to go to Mark Ryan. I try and keep Downtown tasting rooms separate from vineyard tastings or factor in time.
Don’t Over Do it
The fact of the matter is, you’re not going to be able to do it all in one weekend. Need I remind you, there are 120 vineyards! That’s a LOT of wine to taste in 2.5 days.
Day drinking can get to you. What you don’t want is to lose your taste buds and not enjoy each experience. Plus, most wineries are thrilled to send you home with a few bottles. Even more so if you’re able to sit back, relax and open one right then and there on it’s own property. That’s the real way to enjoy your time in Walla Walla.
My friend and I reallyyyyy spread out our tastings for this reason but we’re also pretty active and adventurous travelers. We liked to walk downtown’s Main St., support local grocers, hop into some shops and take a stroll through one of the beautiful parks. In short, we’re all for day drinking but we definitely enjoy going slow. Due to this, we weren’t late to any of our reservations and set realistic goals for ourselves.
Not to worry, friends! Part Two will be posted this Thursday so, stay tuned! It’s going to cover all of your wine questions: What to pack, What to expect at Wineries and What Wineries to go to!
I hope you enjoying learning a bit about Eastern Washington. Thanks for reading Everything You Need To Know About Wine Tasting in Walla Walla, Washington (part one)!
Wishing you the best relaxing stay while basking in the in the ambiance of Wine Country Washington. 🥰
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Other posts you might enjoy:
- How to Spend a Rainy Day on Bainbridge Island – if you’re looking to get away in Seattle!
- Why Overnight Camping Shouldn’t be Cancelled – when you aren’t sure about camping this year.
- How to Pack for Your Next Airbnb – for your summer stay.
