Yakima River Valley: Places to Explore

The Yakima River zigzags north, making a giant bend around Red Mountain and the West Richland district before pouring into the Columbia River. Benton City—which, with a mere 3,000 residents, is hardly... Read more

A former railroad, coal, and logging town, Cle Elum (pronounced "klee ell-um") now caters to travelers stopping for a breath of air before or after tackling Snoqualmie Pass.... Read more

This university and college town is one of the state's friendliest and most easygoing places. "Modern" Ellensburg had its origin in a July 4 fire that engulfed the original city in 1889. Almost overnight... Read more

On the south bank of the Yakima River, Prosser feels like small-town America of the 1950s. The seat of Benton County since 1905, it has a 1926 courthouse and a charming museum in City Park. In 2005, Prosser's... Read more

The largest community in the lower Yakima Valley and the hometown of astronaut Bonnie Dunbar, Sunnyside runs along the sunny southern slopes of the Rattlesnake Hills.... Read more

An intriguing small town with a rustic Old West sensibility, Toppenish—which lies within the Yakama Indian Reservation—blends history and culture, art and agriculture. You can't miss the 70... Read more

The gateway to Washington wine country is sunny Yakima (pronounced yak-imah), with about 72,000 people. Spread along the west bank of the Yakima River just south of its confluence with the Naches, it's... Read more

The south-facing slopes above Zillah, a tiny town named after the daughter of a railroad manager, are covered with orchards and vineyards. Several wineries are in or near the community; more are near Granger... Read more