There is a group of us who migrate back to Walla Walla, Washington each Fall, where we attended Whitman College. Whether or not our spouses went to Whitman, they too have come to enjoy the closeness we share, which deepens through the years. We usually rent a couple of houses on Airbnb within a block of one another and enjoy doing all of the things Wally World has to offer, much of which hasn’t changed since our early days.
Initially known for its sweet onions (yes, you can bite them like an apple!) and fertile soil for growing wheat, it has evolved into quite the destination. When we lived there in college, there were only a handful of wineries. Now the place is booming with over 100 of them. Each time we return, it’s hard to grasp how much that aspect HAS changed. The world now knows of Walla Walla because of its great wines.
A few fun facts:
STATE PENITENTIARY
The state penitentiary is located there, which makes for some unusual folks in town. Our college had a radio station and a lot of students had their own radio shows. These shows were piped into the state pen. One of my favorite stories was how a regular listener to my college roommate’s radio show, wrote her a letter about how he was in a band in prison called Raw Con!
HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURE
If you enjoy historical architecture, Walla Walla is worth the trip alone. It has beautiful old historic homes and museums. I can spend days walking and biking around town and the wheat fields - there are always neat things to see.
RICHEST TOWN IN AMERICA
Back when my mom went to school in Walla Walla in the late ‘50’s, Life Magazine claimed it to be the richest town in America, due to the wheat farmers making their wealth in farming. There are indeed some exceptional homes not only in town, but also in the rolling hills in wheat field country.
BLUE VELVET
Believe it or not, David Lynch’s cult film Blue Velvet was modeled after Walla Walla. Famous for his quirky American mystery-horror serial drama television series Twin Peaks as well as surrealist Eraserhead, Lynch grew up in nearby Yakima, Wa. He garnered a number of awards for Blue Velvet - some say it is one of the best films of the ‘80’s. It is one my my favorite films ever and features a brilliant cast including Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini and Kyle MacLauchlan. Brace yourself - it’s crazy weird, but that is precisly what makes it so appealing.
COLORFUL DIVE BARS
Several of the bars in town through the years have quirkily been named after colors, which one could say are very David Lynchesque - The Red Apple (now long-gone), the Green Lantern (alive and hopping), the Golden Horse (now closed), The Blue (tavern).
BATMAN’S HOME
One famous guy who was born and raised there was the original Batman, Adam West, who also attended Whtiman. It’s fun to drive by the picturesque street in town where the house he grew up in still stands.
SKI BLUEWOOD
The nearby Blue Mountains are gorgeous any time of year, and are especially fun to ski on during the winter. Bluewood is small-town skiing at its best. Just a 20 minute drive from town, they are a great way to gain your snow and ski fix.
BALLOON STAMPEDE
On my bucket list is to someday attend the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede. What could be more perfect or gorgeous than a hot-air balloon ride over the rolling hills of the Walla Walla Valley. My dream day will consist of this moment.
ROUND-UP RODEO
I also still have not made it to the Pendleton Round-Up, but plan to!! Located in nearby Pendleton, Oregon (known for their beautiful woolen blankets) and held in September each year, it’s a famous rodeo I’ve known about forever. I nearly made it the year Covid hit. One day for sure!
Our group of friends continue to evolve, as friendships do, and we travel from all over Oregon, Washington, California and Idaho to get together. We typically try and catch a sunset in the wheat fields and walk around downtown and hit the farmers market, sometimes riding bikes or taking a walk at Bennington Lake. Usually, one night is spent at a winery, followed by doing Karaoke. You can imagine how that goes. 😜
So lucky are we to continue this bond from long ago, to support one another through the triumphs and challenges life throws at us. I feel so fortunate to belong to this special community that will always be a part of who I am.
I don’t know if it’s the people, the place, or the combination.
If you have never been, make a point of going to Walla Walla sometime in your life. There is something special about being in the middle of the wheat fields of eastern Washington, the beautiful rolling hills of the Palouse especially, that captures a unique spirit of peace like no other. We all know this place is special.
And being here each year with these exceptional people, is what makes it that much more extraordinary.
