Landing at Yakima Air Terminal in Yakima gives you an easy home base, with nearby cities and getaways close by in the sunny heart of central Washington. Yakima sits in a wide valley east of the Cascades, with about 300 days of sunshine, orchards in every direction, and most of the hops grown in the United States. The city is agricultural, bilingual, and increasingly food-focused, with taco trucks and tasting rooms sharing the same streets.

Standout experiences around Yakima: - Taste your way through the Rattlesnake Hills wineries around Zillah - Drink fresh hop beers in late summer when the harvest is on - Hike Cowiche Canyon and its trails just west of town - Walk or bike the Yakima Greenway along the river - Float the Yakima River Canyon toward Ellensburg on a hot summer day - Try the famous asparagus tamales at Los Hernandez in Union Gap - Visit the Yakama Nation Cultural Center and the murals of Toppenish - Pick apples, cherries, and peaches at valley fruit stands in season

Yakima also puts the mountains close. Mount Rainier's southeast entrance is about 90 minutes west over White Pass, Chinook Pass opens a scenic summer route toward the mountain's east side, and the Tieton River draws rafters each September. Ellensburg, a college town with a big Labor Day rodeo, is 40 minutes north, Prosser and the lower valley wine country lie an hour southeast, and the Tri-Cities are a little farther. The Fresh Hop Ale Festival each fall is the best time to taste what Yakima grows, but a sunny weekend of orchards, canyons, and tacos works any season.