Tri-Cities are Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, with a quiet nod to the outlying areas of West Richland and Benton City.  The cities are located in Eastern Washington, the sunnier, arid side of the state. An easy 3.5 hours southeast of Seattle or 2 hours south of Spokane; where the Columbia River meets the Yakima and Snake Rivers.  Kennewick and Richland sit adjacent to each other on the South shore of the Columbia River, and Pasco across the river to the North.  With a combined population of over 300,00 it is a mid-sized city but definitely maintains a small-town feel.

A Little About the Tri-Cities

Tri-Cities started as a farming community; the area hit a boom with the establishment of the Hanford Nuclear Site in 1944.  The Manhattan Project was created to help in processing the nuclear material and building the “fat man” bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki to help end World War II.  The small community grew overnight with the Hanford Nuclear Reservation continuing to support job growth and economic development.

Pasco is the largest town by area and mostly agricultural; Kennewick is the largest in population and mostly industry and retail, while Richland is the smallest in population but is home to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and Columbia Generating Station (the only nuclear power plant in the Pacific Northwest).

It is a fantastic place for families, with relatively low crime rate, good schools, and plenty of parks. The area consistently makes lists such as “most livable small town” and “best place for families.”

But why should you come here? What should you do, eat, drink, and see? Well, here we go with our best suggestions from a local.

Where to Stay

We are partial to Richland, and a stay on the river is your best choice.  Either The Hampton Inn, The Lodge at Columbia Point, or the Courtyard by Marriott; all have beautiful views and are close to restaurants.

If you are in town for a conference, the hotels nearest the Tri-Cities Convention Center in Kennewick are the Springhill Suites, the Hilton Garden Inn or the Best Western. Beware the Red Lion Hotel Columbia Center (you might be tempted because it is a Red Lion, but it is not good).

Any other purpose, just reach out to us and we can help you with our best suggestions.

Definitely Do

Tri-Cities Wine tasting

Alright, winos, did you know that Washington is second only to California in United States wine production?  The Tri-Cities falls within the state’s largest AVA (American Viticultural Area), the Columbia Valley AVA and boasts over 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius.  And the Tri-Cities is situated at the same latitude as the Burgundy and Bordeaux regions of France.  Long summer days, warm temperatures, and low precipitation (5 inches/year) are prime for growing red grape varieties, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (60% of plantings) but also killer Merlot and Syrah (my personal favorite).

Wine tasting is the biggest tourism draw to the Tri-Cities, so definitely hit up some wineries while you are here.  You know how much we love day drinking, and a wine tasting tour is the perfect “excuse”.  There are several wine tours available for hire.

Wine Tasting in town

But if you’re looking to stay “in town”, you can find a fantastic triumvirate of wine on Tulip Lane in Richland with Bookwalter, Barnard Griffin, and Tagaris.  We highly suggest going later in the day, because the outdoor patio at Bookwalter is a fantastic place for dinner and sunset.  Barnard Griffin features renowned red wines and a super cool fused glass art studio.  The patio at Tagaris has live music all summer and a fabulous fountain at the center.

These wineries are beautiful locations so plan some time to hangout and enjoy.  And bring your appetite because these wineries are also making incredible food.

Wine Tasting within a Short Drive

If you have a driver and feel like getting out into wine country, venture out to Benton City.  A little further but still a day trip, Prosser (30 minutes from Richland), or better yet, Walla Walla (60 minutes from Richland).  Explore all the little family run wineries with breathtaking views and fantastic local wines.

Our Wine Tasting Recommendations

Benton City:  Cooper Winery (my personal favorite!), Col Solare, Frichette Winery, Hedges Family Estate, Terra Blanca (go for the views!), Kiona Vineyards, Tucannon Cellars, Fidelitas, Hamilton Cellars

Prosser:  Chandler Reach, Daven Lore (my recommendation), Alexandria Nicole, 14 Hands, Vintners Village, and Desert Wind

Walla Walla: L’Ecole No. 41, Waterbrook, Woodward Canyon, Walla Walla Vintners, Gramercy, Three Rivers, and Sleight of Hand (my favorite)

Museums

The B Reactor

The B Reactor Museum and Tour.  If you have a chance to tour the B Reactor, jump on it.  The location of the first full scale nuclear reactor, this place has tons of history and technological achievements of our country’s finest scientists.  It is amazing and nerdy, and full of history.

Sister Side Note (ssn) – The B Reactor Museum is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, so you National Park counters can check this one off.

The museum also covers a lot of information about the region’s contribution to the ending of WWII by the development of nuclear technology.  It is fascinating learning about the work camps set up here and the secrecy surrounding the mission. The exhibit speaks to a lot of the attitude of patriotism and community pride in the 1940s.

The REACH Museum

The Hanford Reach Interpretive Center shares the cultural, natural history, and scientific history of the area.  You can learn about the ice age effects on the local landscape, and local wildlife.  It’s a very interesting experience for anyone interested in a shrub steppe ecosystem, or anyone who knows what a shrub steppe ecosystem is.  As I type this, it sounds rather boring, but I actually enjoyed the museum and all the information contained in it.

Experience the Outdoors

The area boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year, which means there are seven golf courses in the area, three local disc golf courses, and ample opportunities to hit the water for some water skiing, fishing, kayaking, and Stand-up Paddleboarding (and SUP Yoga, too). Because of this, it is a very outdoorsy area, with hiking, biking, and walking paths around the city. 

The favorite local spot for a hike is Badger Mountain. It is a moderately challenging 3-mile up and back that climbs to 1,579 ft and gives sweeping views of the whole Columbia Basin.

ssn – “hiking Badger” is the sisbehaving code for sneaking out for morning mimosas and sister-time.

On the Water

A great option for getting out on the water is the Water2Wine tour, a dinner and drinking experience that takes you on a tour of the Columbia River. Or maybe you’d like to rent a boat and spend the day on the river just soaking up the sun.

Fishing

Finally, there are many opportunities to hire a fishing charter to experience some of the best fishing in Washington State.  The Columbia River offers some of the best salmon and steelhead runs, along with bass, walleye, sturgeon. If fly fishing is your thing, the Yakima River Canyon is world class.

We highly recommend Hester’s Sportfishing if you would like to hire a guide service.

Tri-Cities Events

During the summer, the Tri-Cities host many festivals, art shows, cultural celebrations, car shows and farmers markets.  Each of the cities has farmers markets that run June – October and are definitely worth a visit for the local produce, food products and crafts.

The most notable event of the year is the Tri-Cities Water Follies – unlimited hydroplane racing on the Columbia River. 

The Columbia Cup (aka, The Boat Races)

On the last weekend in July, tens of thousands of visitors flock to the shores of the Columbia for the Unlimited Hydroplane Races. This event has been the ultimate party of the summer since we were teenagers sneaking in drinks by any means possible.

Ready to Eat?

The Tri-Cities has amazing local restaurants, so don’t bother with the chains, you will be missing out.

ssn – in 2019, Guy Fieri featured the Tri-Cities on several episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. We’ve recommended Frost Me Sweet (Richland, below) but the others are definitely worthy of your time. Porter’s Real BBQ (one in each city), The Folded Pie, Vinny’s Bakery (Pasco), Ethos Bakery (one of our favorite mimosa stops on our way to “hike Badger”.

Breakfast & Brunch

For breakfast, our favorite for the 21 and over crowd is Amendment XXI, only open Fri, Sat, and Sunday, they offer the best chicken fried steak in town, and “The Stack” which is corn tortillas layered with pulled pork, cabbage, and avocado, topped with a fried egg.

Any day of the week you can get into Sageport Grille, get in on their breakfast. A full menu with a wide variety of food, this place is a local favorite and fills up fast on weekends.

Just Joel’s is flat out amazing, but tiny. So get there when they open, Joel is in the back cooking up his favorites that will become your favorites, and don’t skip getting a piece of pie, even if you are there at 9 am.

Sushi

For sushi, Aki is our favorite, the owner meets his seafood connection every morning fresh out of Seattle for the freshest sushi in town, and none of that “but I can’t see the water” nonsense to worry about.

In Richland, our newest sushi restaurant, Ara, is ranking right up there with some of the best I’ve ever had, and a wide variety of chef special rolls. Ara also has plenty of grill options for those in your party who might not enjoy a good roll. 

Mexican

Due to the diverse local population of migrant workers and immigrants, the area really does an amazing job with Mexican restaurants.  Pasco definitely has the best brick and mortar restaurants, with El Asadora being a personal favorite, but there are taco trucks everywhere.  With the birria taco crazy growing we have Casita Maria as the best birria in town.  We also have a new Birrieria El Sazon bringing you fantastic options. 

And while not Mexican, but Salvadorian, Pupuseria Salvendorena hits the mark every time.

Other Worthy Mentions

A quick overview of styles and recommendations (because I love to eat, and eat out):

Thai:  Bhan Kun Ya in Richland (translates to Grandma’s kitchen? Yes, please). Thai Garden, because two sons bought it for their mom to cook in, and she’s amazing.

Indian:  Maharajah is my favorite, their ambiance matches their food, and bring out the best of Indian flavors and comfort.  Love Curry is also strong, less fancy but definitely amazing tandoori.

Pho:  Lao Kitchen, hands down the best Pho.  However, there is also Lotus Café just a few doors down which also serves some seriously soul warming Pho.

Greek:  Greek Isles, they also do a Greek pizza and calzones.  Kabob House is a small local chain doing Mediterranean food from dolmas to shawarma, they get me with the best baba ghanoush every time.

Sandwiches:  Go to Graze.  They call their Rueben “La Tronka” and it’s huge, and mouthwatering; but I am a huge fan of their “Sexy Time”, chicken, bacon, grilled onions, and brie.

Fine Dining

For fine dining, our local fare is way better than the chain restaurants in town.  Bookwalter Winery’s restaurant, Fiction, does simple, local ingredients elevated to perfection.

ssn – hands down the best food in town, we highly recommend!

ssn -my favorite steak is at Bookwalter, the flat iron topped with truffle butter.

Frost Me Sweet Bistro and Bakery is definitely one of our favorites. Their Bistro menu has a little of everything and everything is fantastic! Along with a Guy Fieri DDD pick, she has also been featured on a couple episodes of Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge and Holiday Wars)

A little-known gem, hidden away off the main street in Richland is Monterosso’s.  Located in an old, refurbished train car, they specialize in authentic Italian food and a fantastic local wine selection.

Not in the fine dining category but if you can’t get into Monterosso’s seek out Atomic Ale just across the street. They feature several of Monterosso’s pasta options but also do amazing pizza and sandwiches, but absolutely get the Red Potato Soup, it’s the best soup on the planet.

Tri-Cities Local Beer Scene

The geographic location of the Tri-Cities makes it a great area for hop growing.  Hops, as in one of the main ingredients in beer.  Right up the freeway is the Yakima Valley which is the #1 hop producer in the world.  Which means we have a growing beer scene with 9 local microbreweries, and I’m including this under food because a couple have fantastic food, and a couple bring in local food trucks all week long.

White Bluffs Brewing

Ranking the best beer in town is White Bluffs Brewing.  Their standard taps include Nectar of the Gods IPA, Mighty Knight Stout which are winners, but they consistently put out quality beers and have won several GABF gold medals for their brews.

Bombing Range Brewing Company

On the next block from White Bluffs, conveniently found next to the B Reactor Museum, is Bombing Range Brewing.  They are a local favorite with a solid beer selection, and a fantastic menu of pizza and mac and cheese.  This is a great place to eat, not just drink, so definitely try one of everything.

Moonshot Brewing

Moonshot brewing brings in Fast and Curryous food truck every Friday for Indian Cuisine.  Moonshot spreads its beer wings and does some standard brewery fare mixed with eclectic beers, definitely not afraid to step out of the box and try something new and different, they keep a wide variety on tap and rotate frequently.

Sage Brewing

Sage Brewing is growing and expanding, with a brewery and a taproom in the Tri-Cities.  Opened just before the pandemic, they survived and grew because their beer is just that good.  Their Pasco location has a great taco truck in the parking lot, and they strive to bring in a rotation of local food offerings from Pho to Corndogs, go for the beer, stay for the food truck.

Thanks for Letting Us Share our Hometown Tri-Cities

The Tri-Cities have come a long way since we were kids when I’m sure we swore to leave the small town and never return. Now, the booming wine and craft beer scenes are worthy of a weekend visit any time of year. But combined with the rivers and the sunshine, it is a pretty nice place to be.

If you decide to make the trek over from Seattle or Portland, be sure to check out our other posts.