Sometimes, we attempt something that seems impossible, and we surprise ourselves with the results. A low and slow wine country weekend sounded just right, but add a baby to that recipe, and that simmer of a getaway could quickly boil over. We’d learned through trial and error that kid-friendly isn’t the same as baby-friendly, so we enlisted the experts at Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance to build a custom itinerary for a baby-friendly wine tasting weekend.
WWander Walla Walla Valley Wine Weekend
During the 2019 fall harvest, the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance partnered with eight winemakers to create a-day-in-the-life itineraries. Each winemaker shared, through a series of stops, a perfect day—from morning yoga to city parks, wine tastings to the best places to eat in Walla Walla. The collection of itineraries make up the WWander Walla Walla Valley Wine Weekend program. Wine-lovers, foodies, couples and yes, even families, are invited to experience Walla Walla through the eyes of the winemakers, along self-guided itineraries.
I poured through each itinerary, circling the activities that might be baby-friendly. For Reu, I was most excited to visit Pioneer Park, which boasted the same design team as New York’s Central Park. For our family, I couldn’t wait to taste wines at Tertulia Cellars while learning to play Pétanque with the winemaker himself. Then there was the gas station restaurant that was receiving national acclaim, Andrae’s Kitchen, which I had a feeling might be Steven’s favorite stop (if you’ve been following along, you know my husband is a chef always searching for great food without pretense).
I sent my wishlist to Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance and within about a week, Shelby delivered our very own baby-friendly edition of the WWander Weekend.
Road Trip!
On a sunny October morning, we packed the car and drove to Walla Walla from Bend, Oregon. The four and a half hour drive was quiet and picturesque, riding parallel to the Columbia River, the border of Oregon and Washington, for much of the drive. Wind turbines and farmland seemed to go on forever, while a rotating playlist of talk radio and nursery rhymes set the tone for a weekend of opposites that somehow worked.
Our weekend trip to Walla Walla landed us in the thick of fall harvest, at the front doors of winemaking families who call it home. Here, we found much more than great wine. We found a community of neighbors with good things to say about their neighbors, people who’d abandoned the corporate world to move their families here with a dream.
Nearly everyone I met was in the midst of fall harvest, and everyone seemed happy. Sure, there were mumbles of a recent frost that had threatened to cut the season short, but everyone I spoke with had managed to pull the grapes they needed to pull before the temperature dropped. But the temperature had since turned around, and we enjoyed temperatures in the high 60s throughout the weekend.
We checked into our hotel room at the Marriott Courtyard, care of the Wine Alliance, and while Reu made daddy very proud by jumped on the two queen beds, I zeroed in on the welcome amenity. The two-bottle, canvas wine tote would be full before long, and a bottle of L’Ecole 41 Luminesce, a very drinkable white Bordeaux blend, was a great start to our Walla Walla collection.
After the long drive, Steven and Reuben were hungry for dinner, and the hotel was just a block from Andrae’s Kitchen. The guys headed there for a quick bite, while I made my way to Spring Valley Vineyard’s new tasting space in downtown Walla Walla. Here, I met three out of six generations of the Spring Valley wine making family, whose family names and faces grace the labels of each bottle. The elegant space features an upstairs banquet room, where I noshed on a fully-loaded roasted vegetable panini provided by Cuigini Italian Imports & Deli, between wine tastings and great conversation led by winemaker, Serge Laville.
The final taste of the evening was a luscious Malbec paired with a welcome surprise: a dark chocolate truffle handmade by a local chocolatier. If this was any indication of the weekend ahead, we were in for a treat.
It was time to head back to the hotel for the night.
“I should’ve brought back a bottle of wine for—” the sight of Steven and Reuben curled up in white linens stopped me in my tracks. They too had found their perfect ending to our first night in Walla Walla—each holding a spoon, they sat reclined on a sea of pillows sharing a tiny carton of strawberry Haagen-Daaz. I scooted them over and climbed into bed.
Friday
8:30 AM: Breakfast at Bacon & Eggs
We wandered into this well-loved downtown establishment and took a seat at a long, rustic wood table surrounded by exposed brick. The eclectic menu, efficient and friendly service, and large portions made for an outstanding dining experience. This is the type of place that, in a larger city, would have a line around the corner to get in.
10:00 AM: Explore Pioneer Park
Established in 1902, Pioneer Park is Walla Walla’s oldest park and features a historic cannon and towering maple trees to that end. The park also houses two playgrounds for children of all ages, ping pong tables, pickleball courts, and sports fields.
A walking path led us around a beautifully landscaped duck pond and to the free aviary, home to dozens more exotic species of birds and ducks. This is definitely one of Walla Walla’s hidden gems.
We spent several hours exploring the park and admiring the wildlife. Peaceful and serene, save for the constant quacking, this was the perfect place for Reu to explore and discover.
12:00 PM: Lunch at Walla Walla Bread Company
Fast and friendly, Walla Walla Bread Company is an artisan bakery and restaurant in downtown Walla Walla known for local, fresh ingredients. Since it was almost time for Reu’s nap, and since we were still pretty full from breakfast, we grabbed a light lunch to go: a cup of vegetarian chili, a southwest salad, and a chocolate chip cookie for good measure.
1:00 -3:00 PM: Naptime for Reuben
As is always the case, when we write a nap into a schedule, it never seems to pan out. Cut to me throwing on our swimsuits, wrapping ourselves in hotel towels, and walking down two flights of stairs to the hotel’s indoor pool, a haven for parents whose kids are fighting naps. We splashed and played in the heated water and by about 2:00pm, Reu began the tell-tale eye-rubbing. It was time.
While the guys rested, I took an Uber over to the airplane district to begin an afternoon of wine tasting.
3:15 PM: Tasting at Dunham Cellars
Family owned and operated for over 20 years, Dunham Cellars is one of Walla Walla’s most trusted and celebrated wineries. The winery is housed in a rustic, remodeled World War II-era airplane hangar. Here, Tasting Room Manager, Kiley Keatts, introduced me to owner Joanne before whisking me away on a behind the scenes tour of the winemaking process. Kiley’s vast knowledge and bubbly personality made the tour both comprehensive and fun.
Along the way, I had a chance to talk to winemaker, Rob Campisi. I loved getting a window into the fermentation process via a clear pane Rob had installed on the end of a chardonnay barrel.
Clearly an innovator, Rob was also experimenting with cement eggs, and although the wine wasn’t ready to pour, Rob was certain it was going to be good. I took home a bottle of Rob’s inaugural crisp, food-friendly sauvignon blanc.
4:15 PM: Tasting at Tamarack Cellars
Another 20 year veteran of Walla Walla, Tamarack Cellars helped forge what was to become one of the Northwest’s premier winegrowing regions. The winery is located in a renovated firehouse which, like Dunham’s hangar, was part of the army base. I tasted through their white and rose wines and before I knew it, Steven and Reu arrived to join me. Steven got to talking with the tasting room manager while Reu and I explored the shuffleboard table, the dog bowl (yes, this winery is also pet-friendly), and water cooler (because…toddlers). Although temperatures were in the 60s, the wind had picked up, so the garage doors were closed off. On calmer weather days, the doors open up for cornhole. I loved how minimal yet family-friendly this tasting room was—we took a few bottles home to share with friends and family.
As of this post, Tamarack Cellars is on the move—while still bottling and selling wines, their new tasting room location is coming soon.
5:00 PM: Tacos, Beer, and Games at Quirk Brewing
We didn’t have to go too far for dinner that night. The airport district affords its visitors wide-open vistas of the Blue Mountains and stunning crimson sunsets perhaps best enjoyed with a drink in hand. We swapped stems for pints that evening at Quirk Brewing, home to craft brews, a wall of board games, and fresh Mexican food from Agapas Mexican Cravings food truck.
Reu loved sipping on a tiny glass of the house-made root beer, noshed on a bean and cheese burrito, while I chowed down on chicken tacos and Steven savored something al pastor. Best of all might have been sitting around a picnic table with other wine-lovers and foodies, talking about the wine region, but also about food, movies, and current events. Sitting down with this table full of locals felt almost like sitting down with old friends.
Maybe it was too much root beer, or maybe it was the late nap that afternoon, but Reu did not want to go to bed that evening. My hero/husband took Reu down to the pool around 10:00pm that night and around 11:00pm we finally got Reu to sleep.
Saturday
9:15 AM: Yoga in the Gallery at Foundry Vineyards
While the guys slept in, I hustled over to Foundry Vineyards for yoga in their tasting room and art gallery space. The minimalist gallery space was a blank canvas for the sculpture and art works of various artists curated by Foundry general manager, Lisa Anderson. The one hour vinyasa yoga class was a restorative blend of stretching and strengthening. If I’d had more time, I would’ve loved to take home a few of the gems in Lisa’s retail shop—handpicked and mostly handmade housewares, home decor, and jewelry were calling my name, but alas, so was the next stop on our itinerary. It was also just too early for me to begin wine tasting, but I keep telling myself I will be back to sip the notably organic bubbles and white wines (my favorite!).
11:30 AM: Pétanque and Tasting at Tertulia Cellars
The 15-minute drive from downtown Walla Walla to Tertulia Cellars is just beautiful, wide open farmland gives way to rolling hills until we arrive at the Spanish-inspired Tertulia Cellars.
Manager Kristine welcomed us from the moment we arrived—right down to a Capri Sun tasting for Reu. We shared stories and watched winemaker Ryan Raber in action, in the production rooms and out on the pétanque court. Tertulia is Spanish for "a social gathering of friends," which sums up our experience perfectly.
Lunch was delivered by Best Pizza Ever, kid-friendly and adult-approved. Between bites of pizza and sips of wine, we were equal parts educated and entertained by Ryan and Kristine, and competed in a round of pétanque with another family who was on the same tour.
2:30 PM: Visit the Children’s Museum of Walla Walla
The Children’s Museum of Walla Walla is a multi-room hands-on museum for children of all ages. From a kitchen, to a vet and medical room, a farmers market, to a river simulator, an outdoor teepee, boat and firetruck to play in, there was plenty for Reu to explore. So much so that after an hour, there were still a few rooms left to see, so I headed off to the next tasting white Reu and Steven played and played.
3:30 PM: Tasting at Armstrong Family Vineyards
Jen Armstrong greeted me at the front door of her downtown Walla Walla tasting room with a warm smile. The Armstrong Family is a first-generation winemaking family who bid farewell to the Windy City and landed in Washington with a dream of winemaking. It wasn’t long before Armstrong Family Winery was born. The classic, Old World-style Washington wines were second only to the good company. I took home a bottle of the Scottish-style Syrah. The tasting room’s exposed brick and hardwood floors are refined yet casual, and comfortable couch seating adjacent to a tall chalk wall, makes a family tasting experience possible. According to Jen, the basement is also full of toys, and as Reu awoke from his car nap (hey, we do what we can), Jen appeared with a bag of Magic Bricks. While Reu and I became immersed in building a tower, Steven had an adult-moment of wine tasting and conversation with Jen and friendly and knowledgeable tasting room manager, Carl.
6:00 PM: Dinner at Crossbuck Brewing
After a full day of wine tastings, we decided to walk the half mile or so to Crossbuck Brewing, which was adjacent to downtown in the renovated Walla Walla train depot. The lively, indoor-outdoor and in-train dining experiences suggest a full-service, family-friendly taproom.
The restaurant was extremely busy, service was slow, and Reuben was itching to run around as he had the night before in Quirk Brewing’s more casual setting. We dined on roasted chicken, salmon, green beans, and mashed potatoes, as fast as we could...to avoid total meltdown. You can’t win them all.
Sunday
9:30 AM: Breakfast at Andrae’s Kitchen
Eager to end our experience on a high note, we headed over to Andrae’s Kitchen for one last great meal. We’d learned that Andrae’s serves beignets on Sundays, which sounded like the perfect send off. The unassuming setting, inside of a run of the mill gas station, is a key ingredient in what makes this place so special. Sure, white linens and polished silverware might amplify a fine dining experience, but in Andrae’s case, the low-key, fuss-free setting lets the food shine.
We shared breakfast tacos, huevos rancheros, and of course beignets. Everything was delicious, perfectly seasoned and executed, but the beignets…let me tell you! Served simply in a brown bag loaded with six piping hot, chewy, fluffy powdered-sugar-coated-confections definitely took the cake. We seriously considered ordering another round for the road not once, but twice—noticing the drive-thru window on our way out of town. Breakfast like this from a gas station and a drive-thru window? Just wow.
On The Road Again
As we left Walla Walla in the rear view, I flipped through the photos of our weekend, stopping to admire the people we’d met along the way who made us feel so welcome in their hometown. It felt familiar, like the small town in upstate New York where Indian Ladder Farms was our marker on the map. We’d pick apples, sip cider, and devour fresh, hot cider donuts as often as our parents would allow. These memories seeped in somewhere between the crunch of leaves at Pioneer Park, the warm welcome walking into Tertulia Cellars, and of course the beignets.
Walla Walla is the small town you wish you’d grown up in—or if you were lucky enough to grow up in a small town like I was—it’s the type of place that makes you nostalgic for home. We bid farewell with full bellies and wine-tinged lips curled up into smiles. If there was ever a place to taste to wander wine country as a family, Walla Walla is it.
This post was sponsored by Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, but you can trust that my opinion is my own.
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