Bicycle Tours Visit Walla Walla Wine Country
If you’re from Washington, you doubtlessly know that Walla Walla produces onions, lots and lots of sweet onions (and if you’re not from Washington and you’ve never chanced across a Walla Walla Sweet Onion, now you know something new). What you might not know is that in the last ten years or so Walla Walla has been earning recognition for something else it grows: wine (okay, it grows grapes, but those are made into wine, and that’s what’s getting the recognition).
Walla Walla might not be the first place that pops into your head as a vacation destination, but if you like bicycling and you enjoy wine, it may have something for you. If you can imagine yourself cruising past scenic vineyards full of grapes ripening under early summer sun, you can sign up for a bicycle tour through the town’s wine country.
Various outfits offer these tours, which typically include overnight accommodations, meals, and entrance into wine tasting events. If you’re looking to save money or can only get away for a couple days, you could check out the June 3-4 2007 (Sunday/Monday) bicycle tour put on by the Spokane Parks Department: “You will be amazed at the great wines, wonderful riding, and beautiful scenery of this area. Your lodging is in the historic and elegant Marcus Whitman Hotel located within walking distance of some outstanding northwest restaurants.”
The price is $199 and registration can be done online:
Remember, the nice thing about bicycle tours is that anything you eat (or “taste”) is burned off on the next day’s ride, so there’s no need for the usual vacation guilt about indulging yourself too much.