Walla Walla sits in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in the Southeastern corner of Washington State. The many waters flowing down from the Blue Mountains help provide irrigation for the numerous crops grown in the region as well as add to the beautiful rural landscape. Always closely linked to farming, the Walla Walla Valley has 2,964 acres of grapes growing next to fruit orchards and wheat fi
elds, and the area is now home to over 120 wineries with tasting rooms as varied as the wineries themselves. In the heart of this winegrowing region is award-winning historic downtown Walla Walla, a charming, and pedestrian-friendly place with up-scale restaurants, boutique shops, cafés, and tasting rooms. It is home to a rich and diverse arts scene complete with public sculptures, art studios, galleries, theatres, the world-renowned Walla Walla Foundry, and the longest continuously running symphony west of the Mississippi River. Beyond downtown, visitors will find beautifully kept historic homes in the residential neighborhoods throughout town. These homes date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, when Walla Walla was the biggest town in the Columbia Basin and was almost named Washington’s state capitol. Nearby are beautiful golf courses, expansive city parks, and attractions such as Fort Walla Walla Museum and Whitman Mission, both of which tell the rich Native American and pioneer history of the area. Walla Walla residents are closely linked to the natural environment that surrounds them. Walla Walla has always been an agricultural community, well-known for its apples, asparagus, onions, strawberries, and wheat. The area offers numerous outdoor recreational opportunities with fishing in nearby rivers and lakes, and hiking, cycling and skiing in the Blue Mountains. The largest single wind farm in the United States – The Stateline Wind Energy Center – lies southwest of Walla Walla on the Oregon-Washington border. Through VINEA – The Winegrowers’ Sustainable Trust – local growers and vintners are working together to minimize their impact on the environment through sustainable, organic, and biodynamic growing and winemaking processes. There is a commitment throughout the Valley to conserve our natural resources and ensure that generations to come will be able to farm and live here. Walla Walla is home to Whitman College and Walla Walla University, as well as Walla Walla Community College’s Center for Enology and Viticulture, which offers cutting edge instruction in viticulture, enology, and wine marketing for students passionate about careers in the wine industry
