Travel

Do  you, or someone you know, dream of getting married in a romantic winery setting or vineyard? A number of Washington wineries specialize in weddings, ranging from intimate groups to large receptions, and some even provide the wedding planner and on-site catering. And, of course, they serve excellent wines. Tasting Room Magazine’s list of top ten winery wedding venues will … [Read more...] about Top 10 Wineries For A Wedding

The long hillside of Rattlesnake Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA) stretches from the outskirts of Yakima to the small rural farming community of Zillah along the east side of the Yakima River.  The fertile, lush green belt of orchards in the near distance gradually recedes uphill to the brown sun bleached crest of Rattlesnake Ridge.  Wine lovers can easily spend two or … [Read more...] about Escape to the Rattlesnake Hills

We map out two days of exploration into Kirkland's intimate tasting rooms and cultural attractions. The thriving city of Kirkland on the shores of Lake Washington makes an ideal weekend getaway for wine lovers. With Woodinville’s wine tasting rooms next door reaching a saturation point, wineries and tasting rooms are spilling over to this well-heeled city located 15 miles … [Read more...] about Kirkland: Sips in the City

As you venture afield during the summer and fall wine tasting seasons, combine your wine country romp with one of the many interesting tours and activities centered around Washington State vineyards, farms, orchards, museums, wineries, even a craft distillery. Here's a list of our top ten favorites. 1. TOUR A WORLD CLASS VINEYARD Vineyard Tour Series, Yakima … [Read more...] about Top 10 Agri-Tourism Destinations in Wine Country

Few games are capable of rejuvenating the body and spirit like Bocce, and fewer still mastered with a glass of wine in one hand. In a society hooked on video games, the digital-free pastime of bocce has been catching on at wineries in the Pacific Northwest. Maryhill Winery owner Craig Leuthold built four tournament-quality courts (made from crushed and compacted oyster … [Read more...] about Play Bocce Ball!

Once you cross over Snoqualmie Pass and descend into the Central Washington steppe, you'll quickly leave behind the signature gray skies of the Puget Sound. It’s like entering another world: arid, flat, brown desert with desiccated sage plants tumbling across the road, ancient rocky outcrops of black basalt thrusting up out of nowhere, and massive wide canyons that span the … [Read more...] about A World Apart in the Tri-Cities

IN A TEEPEE Cherry Wood Bed Breakfast and Barn, Zillah Cowboy up!  Upscale-meets-rustic at this Yakima Valley bed and breakfast with western flair and peaceful pastoral surroundings.  Sleep in 20-foot tall posh teepees complete with comfy beds topped with feathery down comforters.  Owner and trail boss Pepper Fewel serves up a home-style seasonal hand-cooked breakfast of … [Read more...] about Top 10 Unique Sleeps in Wine Country

Skip away to the sunny shores of Lake Chelan where a vibrant wine culture is unfolding. Lake Chelan became an official AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 2009—and rightly so.  Ever since the first winery was licensed here in 2000, an exciting wine culture has been emerging.  As of this writing, there are 16 wineries close to the shores of this crystal clear lake.  Estate … [Read more...] about A Taste Of Lake Chelan

Walla Walla's has a strong cultural heartbeat; there’s always something new going on.  A weekend getaway to this pedestrian-friendly downtown district promises an easy and relaxing way to explore the area’s smaller, intimate wineries, a few tucked away just steps off the beaten path.  Accentuated by all things wine, this neighborhood is alive with fantastic eateries, boutique … [Read more...] about A Wine Weekend Escape to Walla Walla

In the heart of the largest wine grape producing region in Washington State, Yakima is surrounded by 70 wineries and four viticulture regions with over 15,000 acres planted in vineyards.  Wine appellations Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, Snipes Mountain and Yakima Valley skirt the Yakima River in a 65-mile swath between Yakima and Benton City. Family is everything in the … [Read more...] about In The Heart Of The Yakima Valley

Take a wine tasting detour in the Yakima Valley through the authentic western town of Toppenish and discover why the wild west still lives on. … [Read more...] about Toppenish: A Step Back In Time To The Old West

Washington State’s second largest city has morphed into wine central with eight downtown tasting rooms, a European style wine bar and an impressively stocked wine shop. A half dozen more wineries fall within a ten-mile radius of the city limits. Spokane's historic downtown Davenport District—anchored by the Davenport Hotel—has come into its own as a trendy, vibrant … [Read more...] about Downtown Spokane’s Metropolitan Vibes

Lush gardens, art walks and a resort spa make Willows Lodge an ideal base camp for those in search of superb wine and food. “Where can we put our bikes?” I ask as Sandy and I check into the Willows Lodge. Operating under the accepted theory that vigorous exercise burns excess calories, we are launching a girlfriend getaway that includes both. We have driven to … [Read more...] about Northwest Urban Escape

I'm not sure whether to lick my arm or just let the wine soak into my pores.  This is vinotherapy at its best, a Chardonnay Sugar Exfoliation followed by a massage at the Spa at SageCliffe on the grounds of the Cave B Inn and Estate Winery.  Slathered in a heady scrub of sugar, shea butter and chardonnay extract and wrapped like a mummy in plastic and blankets, I spend the next … [Read more...] about Cave B Inn: A Sense of Place