Walla Walla blends wine, charm for ideal summer road trip

WALLA WALLA, Wash - It's no longer one of Washington's best kept secrets. Every year, thousands of visitors head to the town of Walla Walla, finding more than just the world-class wine.

If you're looking for an easy summer road trip from the Spokane area, just head south a couple of hours to a town steeped in history and evolving into a premiere wine destination.

"It's a small town that, I think, was built to be a city," said Guy Glaeser, Executive Director of Visit Walla Walla. "[It's been] historically significant for decades, if not centuries."

When selling the Walla Walla region to tourists, Glaeser could easily lead with the wine.

This year marks 40 years since the recognition of the Walla Walla American Viticultural Area . 130 wineries here produce wine for more than 200 labels.

Visitors come for the vineyards and stay for the small town charm.

"Main Street offers great tasting rooms, shops, restaurants, galleries," Glaeser said. "I truly believe our arts and cultural community is one of our greatest strengths and it's so accessible."

The land around Walla Walla has been home to tribes for centuries. It then became a gateway to the Pacific Ocean and to the silver mines of North Idaho.

Now, it's a destination all its own.

"Before there was wine, there was the onions, Before there was onions, there was the wheat," Glaeser said. "We kind of jokingly calling it the WOW factor. We have the wheat, we have the onions and we have the wine - it's all combined for an agricultural experience."

That combination of agriculture and tourism help drive this economy. Tourism statistics show most visitors come in the summer and fall and most make it a destination, not part of a larger trip.

They come for the wineries, then take in the history, culture and outdoor adventures.

All of those things combine to make the "town so nice they named it twice" worth revisiting over and over again.

"The simplest thing and most enjoyable experience is when they come downtown and simply enjoy the small town pace, the small town charm, the small town ease," Glaeser explained.

For a calendar of events and things to do in Walla Walla, check out this link.

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