If you go to Walla Walla

The next Napa?

Where

Walla Walla is about a four-hour drive from Seattle. Take Interstate 90 east to Ellensburg, then follow Interstate 82 toward Yakima. Proceed through the Yakima Valley and at Richland merge onto Highway 12 East and continue to Walla Walla.

Sights of interest

Fort Walla Walla Museum,755 Myra Road; 509-525-7703 or fortwallawallamuseum.org

Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 328 Whitman Mission Road; 509-529-276 or www.nps.gov/whmi

Foundry Gallery at Walla Walla Foundry; 405 Woodland Ave.; 509-522-2114 or wallawallafoundry.com

Autumn events

Sept. 22: Three Rivers Winery Music on the Lawn Summer Concert Series, featuring Jazz Connection with Kate Bray; $25. 509-526-9463.

Sept. 22-23: Fall Harvest Festival/German Heritage Day, featuring pioneer crafts, living history programs, quilt display, music, dancing, storytelling and food. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fort Walla Walla Museum, 755 Myra Road, Walla Walla.

Sept. 29: The Gran Fondo, wine tasting, cycling through wine country, walking, horseback riding, Oktoberfest food, wine and dessert tour. $40. Events start 8 a.m. at Walla Walla Community College. www.smmc.com/The-Gran-Fondo.granfondo.0.html.

Sept. 29: Walla Walla Crush 5K Walk/Run and Va Piano 10K, through the Pepper Bridge, Northstar and Va Piano Vineyards, Walla Walla. 9 a.m., Pepper Bridge Vineyards. $15-$25. More info: www.active.com.

Oct. 12: Entwine, wine tasting with more than 50 Walla Walla Valley wineries, plus dinner and charity auction at Marcus Whitman Hotel. 5:30 p.m. $150. For tickets, call Linda Hardy, 509-527-4253.

Oct. 13: VIP winery tour and gourmet picnic at the Walla Walla Foundry. $75. 509-527-4253.

Restaurants

Creektown Café, 1129 S. Second, Suite D; 509-522-4777

26 brix, 207 W. Main; 509-526-4075

Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant, 55 W. Cherry St.; 509-525-2222

Grapefields, 4 E. Main St.; 509-522-3993

Luscious by Nature, 33 S. Colville St.; 509-522-0424

Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, 125 W. Alder; 509-525-2112

Other noted eating

establishments

Monteillet Fromagerie, 109 Ward Road, Dayton; 509-382-1917

Walla Walla Roastery, 290 A St.; 509-526-3211

Colville St. Patisserie, 40 S. Colville St.; 509-301-7289

Dining options

Near Walla Walla

Whoopemup Hollow Café, 120 Main St., Waitsburg; 509-337-9000

Weinhard Café, 258 E. Main St., Dayton; 509-382-1681

Patit Creek Restaurant, 725 E. Dayton Ave., Dayton; 509-382-2625

More information

Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce: www.wwvchamber.com

Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance: www.wallawallawine.com

Walla Walla wine-touring tips

With more than 100 wineries, Walla Walla may seem overwhelming. But it is less intimidating if you group the wineries into five regions: west, east, south, downtown and around the airport. Then visit one or two regions a day. Most wineries have wine-tour maps.

Walla Walla is busiest during the first weekend in May (spring release), first weekend in June (Vintage Walla Walla, a tasting of premium wines) and first weekend in December (Holiday Barrel Tasting). Most lodgings within a 30-mile radius of town are booked weeks in advance for these weekend events. But tourism officials suggest calling hotels a few days before events for last-minute cancellations. For lodging options, check wallawalla.org/lodging.cfm

Many wineries open either just on Saturdays or Tuesdays through the weekend. Check hours of operation or check wallawallawine.com. Leonetti Cellar and Cayuse Vineyards are not open to the public and a few wineries, including Abeja, take visitors by appointment only. If you don't want to deal with crowds or worry about hotel and dinner reservations, start your trip on Wednesday or Thursday, but not Monday, when many wineries and restaurants shut down.

Wineries are open as early as 10 a.m. Go early to avoid a crowd and you get more time with the winemakers.

The alcohol content in Walla Walla wines now hovers near 15 percent. Pace yourself. You don't have to taste every wine, the biggest mistake that tourists make, winemakers say. Remember to designate a driver.

Be weather-aware. Summer days can heat up to the mid-90s. Bring water, and if you buy wine, get bottles out of your hot car as soon as possible.