Hometown Tourist
As a farmer and dog mom, I’m not really able to sneak away easily. So going & doing things generally need to be within a few hours reach and/or dog friendly. Especially during my busy season of March through September.
And since I’m relatively new to the Walla Walla valley (just 14 years now), I’m still discovering awesome places and activities.
I’ll never forget the Sunday drive we took and discovered this sunflower field.
It’s south of Walla Walla on Nursery Annex Road.
Since I know Walla Walla is a growing population, we definitely have transplants newer than me — so I thought I’d poll my local flower-loving friends to see what special honey holes they might know of.
I was mainly looking for local-ish places that can be visited (there & back) within one day, or that are dog-friendly.
I wasn’t super particular — it could be food spots, beverage joints, walking trails, interesting drives, cool views or whatever. The lesser known, the better!
And in true flower friend form, they delivered! Here are the best local places to check out!
ROAM—
The first secret spot comes from my better half, Mike. He’s an avid cyclist of all forms — road, mountain and gravel. Several years back while exploring the North Fork of the Umatilla Wilderness Area — he came across an old airplane crash site.
Mike said it has an eerie but reverent vibe…because the wreckage was just left there.
It makes sense though, the place is very remote. Removing it back in 1943 was probably impossible. So now it has become a memorial of sorts, with a plaque and a flag.
Getting there is on my list, but it’ll be by foot rather than bike. And Mike assures me, it’s far enough off the path that it’ll be an advanced hike, so I’m definitely going to need to train a bit before taking it on. But wow — I cannot wait to see it for myself — and see how the wreckage has become a part of the landscape.
June recommended Bennington Lake as a place for walking with pups, and Sara shared about Outside Walla Walla which has a feature on Bennington as well.
As a former Corps of Engineers employee myself, I was aware of Bennington.
And Mike still goes there a lot to ride, but I haven’t been in years!
They have a nice paved trail that offers sweeping views of the valley. There’s even a newish outfitter located right as you pull onto Reservoir Road — where you can rent stand up paddle boards & kayaks. Definitely on my list to explore more this year!
Umatilla Rim — It’s a short drive from Walla but it’s one of those drives where the topography changes so dramatically, you think you’ve gone further than you have!
We ventured there several times with our late pup, Greek.
There are plenty of trails — for hiking, biking and horseback riding.
The meadows feel like they could be in a movie. I’ve yet to see it in full bloom — spring is probably an incredible time to visit. But we also like to head there when it’s unbearably hot in Walla Walla because it is usually 10-15 degrees cooler.
If scenic country drives is your thing, head east! A meandering drive to Dayton, especially in spring when the rolling hillsides are green & vibrant, is well worth it!
Several years ago we piled our VW bus full of friends visiting from the west side for an adventure. We found ourselves at the wind farm.
Now, whatever you might think or believe about these massive structures…at least go out and see them up-close!
For a nominal fee, you can get a permit to explore the Dayton Wind farm grounds. They really are quite impressive. And there’s just something about how their bigness gets swallowed up by the vastness of the area.
SNACK—
While the valley has some fine & fancy restaurants, we’ve also got some tasty grub!
Here’s a selection of possibly lesser known come-as-you-are joints. In no particular order.
If you’ve gone all the way to Dayton to check out the wind farm, you’ll have to pop into the Weinhard Cafe & Bakery.
Admittedly, we haven’t been in years and it’s changed hands several times since.
I snagged this photo from their website.
It’s an adorably charming place on an adorably charming Main Street.
Surely the “Modern American Cuisine” will delight.
If you’re wanting to peep our neighbors to the south, you absolutely have to check out Oregon Grain Growers Distillery.
Also a lovely drive in spring, this quick 30 minute commute to Pendleton yields the very best pizza in all the world!
Seriously!
The Oregon Grain Growers distillery has not only the best branding, but the best food and beverage.
And hilarious menu descriptions, and kitch galore. They distill their own craft liquors using local grains — and they also make their own pizza dough! It’s that thin crust, oven-fired goodness — with all kinds of unusual and super tasty toppings.
On our last visit, we saw the Tower of Power Nachos being delivered to a table.
Just as the menu states, it’s served in a tower — which is a tall stainless coffee-pot-looking-thing. They layer chips, cheese & all the fixins, and then they unfurl it onto a large pizza pan right at your table.
They layer chips, cheese & all the fixins, and then they unfurl it onto a large pizza pan right at your table.
As I exclaimed to Mike on our very recent visit, “check that out — what is that?!!” … The folks at the table next to us said “it’s the nachos — they’re so good! It’s a lot of food, so we always get it to eat here and never finish, and then take our pizza to-go”.
Duly noted!
Last year, thanks to a social media algorithm, I was recommended a new local food truck, the Stay A-round Donuts & Fry Pies.
The algorithm may have its downsides, but this wasn’t one of them. I’ve been obsessed by this humble food truck ever since. Baked fresh in the truck, these tasty snacks can be a bit elusive.
They make small batches, and pop up in some unexpected places — like the real estate office in Milton, the Tractor Supply on Rose occasionally, at the corner of Palouse & Main in Walla, and even at Tranche Winery on Friday evenings.
If you’re like me and are unfamiliar with what a fry pie is — it’s a warm, frosted, thin layer of dough encapsulating a rotating selection of oohey-gooey seasonal berries, sweets & treats. Great as a breakfast treat or an evening snack, if you can hold onto it long enough!
They only post on FB and sell out pretty quickly. But I find the hunt is part of the charm!
Last but not least is the Wiener & Bun in Downtown Walla.
Affectionately referred to as the Wiener Window, it’s that small joint next to Starbucks on the new Plaza on 1st Street.
Open seasonally, they serve the best ‘snappy dogs’ with all kinds of cool toppings. As a Chicagoland girl, I wasn’t sure if they could out wiener my expectations…but I was wrong! Thems some good dogs!
Plus their awesome sign just about begs you to stop by…and they’re opening on April 2nd!
Hope you found a new place in our beautiful valley to explore and experience. If you have any ideas or locations, send it my way and I’ll do another post!