The Best Day Trips Near Tri-Cities, WA

There are so many things to do around the Tri-Cities. Some activities are well known like wine tasting, and some are hidden gems that you may not have known about.

We are just a couple hours from the Cascades, surrounded by rivers and lakes, and are provided a plethora of different outdoor activities to do. You may be looking for a day out with your family or friends, or just want to take in some sights on your own, the best day trips can be found here. Whether you’re a foodie, a wino, an adventurer, a shopaholic, or all of the above, you won’t be disappointed here in the Tri-Cities.

WINERIES

Within a fifty-mile radius of the Tri-Cities area, there are more than two-hundred wineries to explore.  Taking the day to sample various wines, view the gorgeous scenery along the way, or simply explore the surrounding area makes for a wonderful day trip.  You can visit all of these wineries yourself, or you can look for different tour options. Each winery listed below is hyperlinked to their website so you can find their most up-to-date information on products and events.  Wine tourism is very abundant in the area and if you haven’t tried a few wineries out you are missing out! You can visit our entire list here.

Some of our favorite choices for wine tasting include:

• Goose Ridge Wines
• Bookwalter Wines
• Terra Blanca
• Hamilton Cellars
• Moonlight Sparkling Wine Cellars 
• Gordon Brothers Estate Winery
• Kitzke Cellars
• Purple Star Wines 
• Wautoma Springs Winery
• Market Vineyards

Outdoor Adventures in the Tri-Cities

9/11 Memorial

Do you like memorials? In Kennewick, there is a memorial in honor of 9/11. It may not look like much, but it is powerful in all of its simplicity. Just looking at the inscriptions of the names is enough to remind you of this horrific and life-altering event.

Carousel of Dreams

If you are out with your children, you should absolutely check out the Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick. It is inexpensive to ride and the food nearby is also inexpensive. This can provide your family with hours of fun and classic carnival type food. It is beautifully taken care of so that it stays in great condition to enjoy for years to come. If you live in the area and are looking for a great place for a birthday party for your child, this is a great place to consider.

Howard Amon Park Trail

If you are looking for a picturesque location, the Howard Amon Park is a stunning area to take a walk, have a picnic, run or bike around. You can even take a swim while you are here on a hot summer day. The park always has benches available for those who just want to take in the serene beauty of this location. The play structures are perfect for families to play on and are well-maintained. They even have a wading pool for the children to enjoy. This park is perfect for people of all ages.

Hanford Reach Interpretive Center

For those history buffs, the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center has so much historical information packed into this architecturally stunning building. It is rich with the history of this area including information about the Manhattan Project, the Columbia basin history, and many other things to see here. They even put on performances that you can enjoy during specific times.

Regional Veteran’s Memorial

Another memorial you should check out is the Regional Veteran’s Memorial. Located in the Columbia River Park, this memorial honors the past and present veterans, allowing you to reflect on their sacrifices with a beautiful and peaceful backdrop. This park also has many walking paths and offer ponds for you to enjoy fishing at.

Badger Mountain Trails

If you haven’t already, make sure to hike Badger Mountain. It is arguably the areas greatest attraction, and provides a beautiful view of the Tri-Cities at the top. There are multiple trails and paths to take, so plan on spending a couple hours while you are out there.

Getting out of the Tri Cities

Sacajawea State Park

Sacajawea State Park is a 284-acre inland waters, day-use park at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers. It features 9,100 feet of freshwater shoreline. The park has two boat ramps and 200 feet of dock. This is the perfect place to take your family for a day at the park, have a picnic, and go float around on the river.

Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area

Juniper Dunes is not too far from the Tri-Cities, and it can be accesses via the Kahlotus Highway heading east from Pasco. It features tons of wildlife, camping, picnic areas, and is the best off-roading spot around. If you have an ATV or dirt bike, then this the place for you to visit. There are acres upon acres of riding terrain, sand dunes, and trails to be found.

Wine in Walla Walla, WA

Walla Walla is known for wine. They have dozens of wineries and their downtown is full of opportunity to go wine tasting. Taking a day trip there is definitely work the hour drive!

Palouse Falls

This breath taking state park is just a mere 75 miles from the Tri-Cities on your way towards Pullman, WA.  This park offers one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the state.  The falls drop from a height of 198 feet.  There are areas to hike, picnic & camp.

The Cascade and Blue Mountains

The Tri-cities are located between two large mountain ranges.  About 70 miles to the east are the Blue Mountains and approximately 95 miles to the west lay the Cascade Mountain Range.  Both offer a variety of sight-seeing, hiking, waterfalls, streams, camping and scenic views. Instead of listing them all here, hop on over to the Washington Trails Association. They have the best hiking trails in Washington listed out by location and geographic area.

If you have lived here for years, or are just traveling through, there is an abundance of fun that would make for the best day trip here in the Tri-Cities. You do not need to have money in order to take in the beauty of our home. The wineries are breath taking, and with over two hundred of them on our wine-belt, you will always find a new taste or experience. What do you prefer? Red or white? Or are you like me: all of the above!