My Tri-Cities - Why Visit Southeast Washington's Kennewick, Richland and Pasco
I was born and raised in the rolling hills of the Southeast part of Washington State, no, not DC, Washington State. I have a big passion for travel where I created a life that allows me freedom to do it more. You can read more about this in my travels in my previous posts here. When traveling outside of America people get Washington State & DC confused often or do not even know Washington State exists. Typically I will just say Seattle and then people understand, though really, it’s a 3 hour drive away and completely different then the west side of our beautiful state. The east side of Washington State has its own natural beauty. There is a good chance you have never heard of my hometown (or home cities). I was born and raised here and really take pride in where I came from. The Tri-Cities consists of three cities which are, Pasco, Richland and Kennewick. The Tri-Cities really feels just like one big city, rather than three separate cities.
view from Badger Mountain, Richland, WA, USA
This place that I call home is a very fast growing part of our state. The last three years I have been wandering the world as much as possible, but when I come back there is always something new here. New shopping, new restaurants, more housing developments and continued expansion all around the cities. The growth and development Tri-Cities continues to have amazes me.
sunset, Pasco, WA, USA
The Tri-Cities is in the heart of Washington’s wine country and is expected to continue developing into a new, more affordable destination for wine lovers. Tri-Cities may not have the big mountain ranges or evergreen trees that our state is known for, but it is not short on outdoor actives year round. Not to be missed gorgeous sunsets and sunrises. The flat landscape allows for endless views of the big open sky.
My passion for travel is always drawing me to leave The Tri-cities, but that does not mean I do not appreciate the value and beauty it holds. Honestly, after being away, my appreciation has grown for its beauty and comfort. I want to share with you where my heart lives. My hope is to inspire you find more beauty in your hometown and to visit this gem in the middle of Washington’s wine country.
sunset in Pasco, WA
About Tri-Cities:
History
The Tri-Cities includes part of the Lewis & Clark expedition trail and was also a gathering place for many Indian tribes, including the Nez Perce, Umatilla tribe and others. The “Kennewick Man” skeleton was discovered in 1906 and is one of the oldest complete skeletons found in North America, being over 9200 years old. The North Pacific Railway laid tracks that brought people through and eventually agricultural farming began to develop in the early 1900s. The addition of the nuclear power plant, Hanford, was a big stepping stone in creating a booming economy in this continuously growing region.
fall colors, Howard Amon Park, Richland, WA
Population
roughly 300,000 total (between the 3 cities)
Climate
dry, having around 300 days of sunshine a year and 4 distinct seasons to enjoy. We get hot dry summers, beautiful fall colors, mild flowery springtime and cold (sometimes snowy) winters.
the blue bridge, Tri-Cities, WA
Things to do:
River Trail, near Wade Park, Pasco, WA
Rivers
Tri-Cities is a meeting point of three rivers, the Columbia river, Snake river and the Yakima river. This provides outdoor activities especially in the summer, which includes boating, jet skiing, wake boarding, and tubing down the Yakima river. One of the best things to try is stand up paddle boarding on the river, check out Northwest Paddle Boarding for rentals and classes.
Trails
There are so many different trails around the Tri-cities that I have not even been on them all. There are several great trails for biking, jogging, and walking. Some of the best trails are through the Chamna Natural Reserve, Columbia Point trail, Columbia Park trail and Zintel Canyon Park.
view from Badger Mountain, Richland, WA
Hiking
There may not be big mountains to hike but, there are some great and popular hiking trails in our region. In Richland the most popular is hiking up Badger mountain, with more trails up this hill being added each year. Candy mountain in Richland is another popular hike and Jump Off Joe in Kennewick. (visit Hike Tri-Cities for more)
Sports Teams
We have two professional sports teams in The Tri-Cities. The most popular and longest running is the ice hockey team the Tri-City Americans. We also have the minor league baseball team the Tri-City Dust Devils .
Music & Events
the Toyota Center and now addition of the Convention Center has been starting to see some bigger names in music, shows and events roll into our town, check their schedule for events and dates. With continued growth we can only hope to see even more exciting concerts & shows come our way. The local music scene is also growing, check out Tri-City Vibe for a weekly list of live music.
silk hammock yoga @ 3D-Fitness, Kennewick, WA
Fitness
There are many ways to stay active with the biking trails, hiking and outdoor activities. Along with that there are plenty of gyms, yoga studios and other ways to stay fit whether you live in town or are just visiting. My go to workout place is Kelli’s 3D-Fitness studio in Kennewick. My favorite class is her anti-gravity silk hammock yoga, the first of its kind in the area. Check it out here: 3D-Fitness
Relax
Relax at movie at the comfy reclining seat theater in Richland, Fairchild Cinemas , enjoy a restoring spa day at Nouveau Day Spa in Kennewick, enjoy a coffee at of the local shops (listed below), read a book in one of our many parks or take a leisurely walk on one of the nature trails.
Wade Park, Pasco, WA, USA
Where to eat & Drink:
The Tri-Cities has many fast food restaurants and chain restaurants scattered around town. However, I am so happy to see new local businesses & restaurants opening up and our local community really embracing them! When you visit, give our local places a try too! A recent visit by Guy Ferrari for his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, definitely created some excitement and hype that I hope helps drive even more support of our local businesses. Below are just a a few of my favorite local hot spots.
Local Restaurants:
Wineries:
+many more in Tri-Cities & surrounding areas (Benton City, Prosser, Walla Walla…)
wine grapes, WA
a perfect cup, The Local, Kennewick, WA
Columbia Pointe, Richland, WA
Where to stay:
Why visit?
A new daily direct flight is being added from LA to Pasco creating a greater opportunity for visitors to enjoy the Columbia Basin. Currently we have direct flights connecting Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
Here are some of the best reasons to visit The Tri-Cities
Endless water sport activities in the summer
High rated golf courses
WINE, wine more wine. So many gorgeous wineries to enjoy tasting or take a wine cruise down the Columbia River with Water2Wine
Events such as the Boat Races, the Benton County Fair and a local obstacle course race Renegade Rage
an affordable trip to explore somewhere new (only 3 hours drive from Seattle & Portland, OR)
the Columbia River, Pasco, WA
For more information on things to do & about our local community check out:
Visit Tri-Cities - everything you need to know about visiting
Taylored Living Magazine - a local creative lifestyle community magazine
Hiking in Tri-Cities - for more information on hiking trails in the area
Tri-Cities Washington Guide - a great resource for community events & info about our region
The Tri-City Herald - local news paper
I hope you find my hometown as wonderful as I do
health, love & happiness,
Courtney
