With over 300 days of sunshine, Wenatchee offers some fresh new enticements for everyone — beautiful vistas, gourmet food, fresh produce, and recreational activities that beckon the independent traveler, couple or the entire family .
Stay:
The Hilton Garden Inn is a brand new hotel along the banks of the Columbia River. It is well-appointed and located less than a mile from the Wenatchee Convention Center, downtown, and conveniently located right next to the bustling Pybus Public Market.
Shop:
The Pybus Public Market houses more than 20 restaurants, shops, and specialty stores inside a former steel warehouse on the Columbia River waterfront. There are plenty of charming items to shop for at this local favorite.
Speaking of local, right on the property you can also enjoy the Wenatchee Farmers Market that features 35 local artists and local fresh foods that are unique to the area. In addition, on the grounds outside, up to 35 vendors associated with the Wenatchee Farmers Market sell fruits and vegetables grown in the Wenatchee Valley from May until October.
Play and Discover:
The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center shares a variety of exhibits interpreting life in the Valley from the mid-Columbia era dating back to the Ice Age. The past comes alive at the Wenatchee Valley Museum.
Learn about 11,500-year-old Clovis spearhead points discovered in an East Wenatchee orchard used to trade goods between Native Americans in centuries past. Exhibits also include household articles used in Wenatchee homes around 1900. More recent history is highlighted as well: the landing in Wenatchee of the world’s first trans-Pacific flight in 1931 and a comprehensive look at Washington’s apple industry.
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy renting e-bikes from family-owned Arlberg Sports also located at the Pybus Public Market. Experience riding the ten-mile Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail which takes you along the river.
Hiking Saddle Rock is another adventure not to miss in Wenatchee. The terrain is steep and hiking shoes are advised but exploring this 2.5-mile loop trail is worth the challenge. Vistas at the top look down over the entire Wenatchee Valley. The best times to visit this trail are May through October.
Dine:
Wenatchee offers a very diverse array of foods including steakhouses, European and Indian cuisine.
The downtown area has a thriving dining scene. Atlas Fare is a full-service upscale restaurant serving New American cuisine in the heart of historic downtown Wenatchee. Dishes are well-appointed and expertly presented by the welcoming staff. Inna’s Cuisine, located at 26 North Wenatchee Avenue, is an old-school white-tablecloth restaurant serving classic European dishes with wine and a full bar. Iwa Sushi Bar and Grill has a relaxed and rather busy brick-lined space with a sushi bar for inventive maki, Japanese entrees and sake.
Chateau Faire Le Pont, is a beautifully renovated 1920’s brick warehouse formerly used for staging fruit to be loaded onto trains. With rustic yet elegant ambiance, the winery and restaurant have expansive windows that frame a panoramic view of the mountains. The head chef offers amazing meals that are creative and flavorful.
Sip and Taste:
Snowdrift Cider Company has quintessential ciders that are grown on the sunny East Wenatchee slopes. This incredible region gives the trees the ideal conditions to grow apples that are packed with the flavors necessary to produce fine ciders. Taste them for yourself and take some home to share.
Wenatchee Valley Brewing has a wall of beers, tasty food, and the brew pub is kid and pet friendly. You can even bike to their location on the Loop Trail.
There are so many new things to experience and try in Wenatchee! To plan your visit, go to visitwenatchee.org.
By Morgan Marici