Plan to arrive downtown in time for appetizers on a summer afternoon at the swanky, organic-modern tasting room of Gilbert Cellars. Taste the Gilbert family’s love of the land in a flight of their terroir-driven wines along with a few dishes from their summer tasting menu. The Gilberts, who have lived in the Yakima Valley for several generations, describe their winery like a journey in itself: “where home meets exploration, where our past meets our future, where our mountains meet our valley.”

From Interstate 82 in Yakima, take Highway 12 West toward Naches and White Pass, exit left at Ackley Road and head towards The Tasting Room, Yakima, where you can taste over 25 Washington wines from winemaker-owned boutique wineries Naches Heights Vineyard, Wilridge Winery, and Harlequin Wine Cellars. With over 80 acres of vineyards, orchards and sageland bluffs to explore, you’ll want to spend an entire afternoon here— tasting wine, picnicking, viewing wildlife, relaxing  n the lawn, hiking, biking, and even rock climbing! (Just bring your own gear—and save the wine tasting for later.)the city with the feel of a vacation resort.