Walla Walla is a haven for outdoors-y, sporty types. Whether you bicycle, rollerblade, ski, hike, golf, fish, kayak, raft, or climb, there’s something for everyone in this little town with big muscles.

Bicycling
If you like biking, you’ll love Walla Walla. Because of the Valley’s level terrain, roadways and trails offer excellent recreational biking. Paved trails run throughout Walla Walla from Rooks Park, east of town, to the College Place city limits, near Fort Walla Walla Park. Walla Walla’s historic residential and business
neighborhoods are also great for a relaxing ride.

Spend an afternoon cycling from one tasting room to the next. A few favorites are Amavi Cellars (Wine Spectator calls the 05 Cab the best value in Washington state), Whitman Cellars (try their Port!), Seven Hills Winery (very cool, vintage-y chic tasting room and interesting varietals like Malbec and Tempranillo), and Tru Cellars (for all you white wine lovers). For some much-needed energy, fill up at local favorite CreekTown Café, which serves fresh salads, heaping sandwiches, juicy burgers, and more.

In addition, the region’s rolling wheat fields and nearby Blue Mountains are waiting for the most experienced mountain bikers and road cyclists. Pedal your way to Northstar for a taste of this prized Merlot, and end the day at Waters. Be sure to leave room in your saddlebags for a bottle or two of their 2007 Interlude, which just won the Double Gold Grand Award of Excellence at the 2009 Seattle Wine Awards.

For more information about cycling opportunities in the Walla Walla Valley, contact Walla Walla Valley Cycling and Wheatland Wheelers.

Golfing
Golfers can extend their season on this side of the state, where the sun is still out and the greens await. Walla Walla offers several courses to choose from. Two of the best are Veterans Memorial Golf Course in Walla Walla, which plays 18 holes, with a clubhouse, pro shop, club rentals, and restaurant, and Milton-Freewater Golf Course. Just outside of town, this is also an 18-hole course with a clubhouse, pro shop, club rentals, and restaurant.

For a smaller course, play Pheasant Creek Golf Course in Touchet, with 9 holes, a clubhouse, pro shop, club rentals, and restaurant or Touchet Valley Golf Course in Dayton, a community nine-hole course near the Columbia County Fairgrounds.

Less than an hour drive south of Walla Walla, The Wildhorse Golf Course at the Wildhorse Resort Casino offers championship play over an 18-hole layout with a clubhouse, pro shop, club rentals, and restaurant. Plus, when your game is over, you can play the slots or settle in for some first-class entertainment.

Depending on where you play, for a good dinner and a great Walla Walla wine list, try either Patit Creek, a lovely French restaurant in Dayton, Jimgermanbar, a watering hole in Waitsburg, or the legendary Whitehouse-Crawford, for a truly classy end to a
day on the greens.

Hiking, Skateboarding, Frisbee, and More
At 208 acres, the Fort Walla Walla Sports Complex is Walla Walla’s largest park, with the traditional picnic tables, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball facilities, and an amphitheater. Surprise: You’ll also find a 70-acre wildlife preserve with streams and a hiking trail, and for those that want something even more unique, the complex is
also home to Walla Walla’s Prop Twister Club, RC Club, Skate Park, BMX Track, 18-Hole (Competition Level) Frisbee Golf Course, and a Dog Park.

When you’re ready to slow down a bit, make your way to a nearby winery or two. It will be hard to choose, but some of Walla Walla’s most highly touted wineries are just minutes away: Basel Cellars Estate Winery (a gorgeous estate – named “Wine Destination of the Year” by Sunset), Beresan Winery (try the Cab Franc – with spice, chocolate, berry, and a hint of minerality), Va Piano Vineyards (voted one of the best places to kiss in the Northwest - ooh!), and Gramercy Cellars (very, very good reds).

Note: Before you head out for the day, get your picnic supplies from Cugini Import Italian Foods – cured meats, cheeses, and take-out pastas – essential for carbo-loading before your day of outdoor fun.

Equipment
The Outdoor Program (OP) at Walla Walla’s Whitman College offers safe and rewarding recreational experiences and provides quality rental equipment for hiking, backpacking, climbing, flatwater and whitewater kayaking, rafting, canoeing, fishing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and telemark skiing. The program serves novice, beginner, and intermediate skill levels, and best of all, Outdoor Program activities are open to anyone at anytime.

Tired yet?
After all that exercise, catch some serious z’s at the Mill House Cottage - a quaint country inn in Dayton, The Maxwell House Bed and Breakfast - a restored architectural gem on the tree-lined streets of Walla Walla, or the classic, The Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center.