Shops, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, wineries, golf, biking, hiking, skiing, and more are all options that you can select from when you spend a weekend in Walla Walla, Washington. Theater, music, art galleries, and special events throughout the entire year should also be on your weekend ‘to-do’ list!
Ideas for your weekend in Walla Walla are detailed here.
Whitman College Sculpture Walk
This is a perfect blend of the arts and the outdoors. Located on the Whitman College campus are twenty-three sculptures. Many were created by alumni of the college; others were designed and sculpted by professors who taught at Whitman. Each sculpture is unique and tells an incredible story.
Touring all the sculptures will take you through different locations in this world and others. Many suggest parking in the Hall of Science’s lot. Then walk past the Rempel Greenhouse to the Ankeny Field to see the first piece. After viewing the twenty-three works of art, you will have walked over a mile and a half.
Visit the Port of Walla Walla’s Incubators
Explore more of the area and tour vineyards and taste rooms. One location of wineries that has five options from which to choose is on Piper Avenue. With the growth of the Walla Walla Institute for Enology and Viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College, new graduates needed a place to start their careers. State grants and funding from the Port were used to build five ‘incubators’ near Walla Walla’s regional airport. The purpose of the incubators is to assist new wineries as they begin building their businesses.
Each incubator can produce 2,000 cases of wine. Reasonably priced rents on the facilities increase gradually, which allows the tenants time to grow their business. Each business can rent for a maximum of six years.
Currently the five tenants are – Smak Wines, Ita Wines, Eternal Wines, Palencia Winery, and Golden Ridge Cellars. Take a ride to the airport and visit their tasting rooms.
Go to the Theater
After touring wineries, head downtown to the Gesa Power House Theatre. Built over 125 years ago as the Walla Walla Gas Plant, this facility consumed coal to provide lighting to Walla Walla. In 1905, it was switched to use steam to generate electricity. Completely transformed in 2011, the 342-seat performing venue was created. The theater’s design was based on the Blackfriars Theatre in London, England, where Shakespeare’s plays were performed.
After its extensive renovations, the building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Not only is the building worth seeing, but the performances are also a must for your weekend in Walla Walla. Performances range from Shakespeare to musicals to films and more. Check their website for upcoming shows.
Also check out the Little Theatre of Walla Walla. For more than seventy-five years, this theater has produced live performances. Shows include Broadway musicals, comedies, and dramas. The volunteers that keep the theater operational showcase the best of community theater by making shows accessible to all.
