7 Best Sights in Yakima, Washington Wine Country

This fascinating, underrated living history museum is quite a sight to see, with rows and upon rows of antique farming equipment, including more than 150 tractors donated by families that have been farming the Yakima Valley for generations. This sprawling property is devoted to preserving the region's agrarian heritage, with additional exhibits that include pioneer-era homesteads and cabins, a vintage railroad boxcar, a vintage gas station, a blacksmith shop, a sawmill, and many more buildings. Just south of Yakima in one of the state's oldest towns, Union Gap, the museum occupies a good chunk of 15-acre Fullbright Park and offers access to trails along Ahtanum Creek and up into the high-desert hills. The grounds are open year-round, even when the buildings are closed.

Established several miles south of Yakima in 2018 by a team of wine-loving architects, this stunning modern tasting room set on a hill with clear Mt. Adams views produces accessible Pinot Gris, Syrah, and several other balanced wines. The kitchen serves tasty flatbread pizzas and other wine-friendly fare, and the winery offers overnight stays in a couple of guest homes and a restored vintage Airstream. 

It's worth the 20-minute drive from downtown Yakima to experience a tasting at this beautiful family-run vineyard specializing in blends of Rhône and Bordeaux varietals and both lightly oaked and unoaked Chardonnays. During the warmer months, music concerts are held in the amphitheater, with breathtaking mountains forming the backdrop. 

About 10 miles northwest of Yakima in one of the state's more recently trending wine-growing areas, this organic and biodynamic vineyard sits at an elevation of 1,780 feet and produces friendly priced wines, including Spanish-style Albariño and Tempranillo, and some innovative red and white blends. The tasting room has ample seating inside and sometimes hosts live music.

Just off Interstate 82 on the east side of the city, this 46-acre parklike property features hundreds of different plants, flowers, and trees. A Japanese garden and a wetland trail are highlights. The arboretum sits alongside the Yakima River and the 10-mile-long Yakima Greenway, a paved path that links a series of riverfront parks.

Exhibits at this history museum on the west side of town focus on Yakama native, pioneer, and 20th-century history, ranging from horse-drawn vehicles to a "neon garden" of street signs. Highlights include a beekeeping exhibit, a wealth of Yakama Tribe art and artifacts, and a model of Yakima native and Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas's Washington, D.C., office.