Red and golden leaves color the autumn trails Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at the Yakima Area Arboretum in Yakima, Wash.
Red and golden leaves color the autumn trails Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at the Yakima Area Arboretum in Yakima, Wash.
“Crisp air, vibrant leaves, and a bountiful harvest put Washington’s Yakima Valley on fall bucket lists.” That’s the opening sentence of a listing for our community in the USA Today’s “10 Best Destinations for Fall Travel in 2025.”
As I write this column, the Yakima Valley is in the top 10 of the 20 communities provided.
The USA Today’s 10Best is a travel and lifestyle section of USA Today, focusing on reader-voted and editor-recommended lists. It provides recommendations for travel destinations, food and drink experiences and more, with a strong emphasis on reader participation in selecting the 10 best in various categories.
For the past two years, the Yakima Valley has been featured as a top wine destination, ranking No. 4 this year and as the winner in 2024.
Why is this important? USA Today’s print and online outlets reach seven million readers daily. USA Today is a leader in mobile applications with more than 21 million downloads on mobile devices. In addition, it’s the fifth largest newspaper in the U.S.
When a destination is ranked on one of their 10 Best lists, other media and online sources may take note, leading to new coverage for the Yakima Valley. In turn, this exposure could lead to visitors coming to check out our community.
In addition, with online search engines and AI sourcing, the profile of the Yakima Valley could get additional exposure, which could also generate new visits.
The fall months are a great time to visit our region. As the nomination highlighted, we have several seasonal celebrations and events including the Fresh Hop Ale Festival, the Central Washington State Fair plus the Yakima Valley Crush which celebrates the wine grape harvest.
In addition to those featured events, our valley has dozens of other festivals and cultural offerings during this season including the debut of the new Capitol Best Season at the Capitol Theatre in Yakima, the Great Prosser Balloon Rally, Día de los Muertos celebrations plus numerous lighted parades and events like the famous Lighted Farm Implement Parade in Sunnyside.
The feature also mentions the many farms bringing in the harvest with u-pick apples, pumpkins, and other fall crops. The selection at the farmers markets is at its peak this season.
For those who’d like to explore the outdoors, the Tieton River rages in September, making it one of the few rafting runs operating this time of year. Cooler temperatures make hikes and cycling more enjoyable and the fall foliage is in its prime along the Yakima River Canyon. Cowiche Canyon and in the Cascade Range corridors. Plus, the lighting in the early morning and late afternoon during autumn is stunning and makes for great photography opportunities.
Other reasons why fall is a great time to travel to the Yakima Valley is that travel costs tend to be less, summer crowds are gone and local restaurants are infusing their menus with locally harvested crops and craft beverages.
Let’s keep the Yakima Valley in the top 10 for the USA Today 10 Best Places to Visit for Fall. Vote daily through 9 a.m. Sept. 6. Go to www.visityakima.com/vote
John Cooper is the president and CEO of Yakima Valley Tourism.
Journalists at the Yakima Herald-Republic bring you timely, in-depth and credible local news. Your generous donation supports their work.
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