Yakima Valley, Washington, Has 300 Days of Sunshine a Year and Excellent Craft Beer

Tucked away in south-central Washington, about 145 miles southeast of Seattle, the Yakima Valley stretches across fertile farmland framed by rolling hills, basalt ridges, and the winding Yakima River. Anchored by the city of Yakima and encompassing towns like Sunnyside, Zillah, and Selah, the region is best known as the nation’s hop capital, producing more than 70 percent of U.S. hops. It’s also a playground for food and drink lovers, with farm-to-glass breweries and a rich Mexican culinary scene. Here’s where to sip, taste, and explore the outdoors to make the most of this often-overlooked region.

Raise a glass to local brews.

Friends enjoying a beer at Bale Breaker Brewing.

Yakima Valley Tourism

Cultivating hops since 1872, the Yakima Valley is a cornerstone of the craft beer scene. For beer enthusiasts, this is a rare chance to experience farm-to-glass brews and trace your favorite beers back to their origins.

Bale Breaker Brewing Company

Aerial view of Bale Breaker Brewing Company.

Yakima Valley Tourism

Bale Breaker brings four generations of hop-farming expertise straight from the fields to your glass. The family’s hop-growing journey began in 1932 with the owners’ great-grandparents, and today, their hops come from two family farms. The Yakima taproom sits right on one of them, the Loftus Ranches in Moxee, and features 16 taps inside, plus food trucks, fire pits, outdoor seating, and lawn games outside. Try Field 41, a pale ale named for a parcel of family land, or the Topcutter IPA, a flagship West Coast–style brew bursting with pine, grapefruit, and floral notes from Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops, finishing clean and dry.

Single Hill Brewing

A beer served at Single Hill Brewing.

Nash and Co Photo/Drink Yakima

Founded in 2018, Single Hill Brewing sits in the heart of downtown Yakima. The taproom is designed to be a community hub, hosting weekly bingo, team trivia, and year-round events celebrating Yakima’s craft beer culture. Here, 24 taps feature a wide range of styles, from hoppy and light to sour, dark, and experimental, with five core beers always on offer. Their Outcross series showcases small-batch experiments and hop genetics. Don’t miss Shinrin-Yoku, a crisp and delicate Japanese-style rice lager, or the ever-popular Sightglass IPA, built on a pilsner malt base with aromas of berry and key lime.

Cowiche Creek Brewing Company

Families enjoying the patio at Cowiche Creek Brewing Company.

Yakima Valley Tourism

Set in Cowiche, just west of downtown Yakima, Cowiche Creek Brewing Company is run by third-generation central Washington farmers who built much of the brewery themselves and grow their own hops and barley. Their beers focus on hops instead of malt, delivering aromatic, citrusy, piney, and tropical notes. Start with the Tiny Dog Session IPA, which is dry, crisp, and bursting with bright citrus and pine. For something bolder, go for Tynamite, a hazy, 6.2 percent ABV IPA with clean, juicy citrus notes.

Follow the Taco and Tamale Trail.

The interior of Los Hernandez Tamales.

Steph Forrer/Yakima Valley Tourism

The Hispanic community makes up half of Yakima County’s population, a legacy that began when laborers from Mexico were brought in during World War II to fill farm jobs. Many stayed, putting down roots that grew into multigenerational farming families who continue to shape the region’s dynamic food scene. To explore the region’s standout Mexican cuisine, follow the Yakima Valley Taco and Tamale Trail, which highlights 27 family-owned spots stretching from Selah in the north to Benton City in the south.

Los Hernández Tamales

The entrance of Los Hernandez Tamales.

Steph Forrer/Yakima Valley Tourism

 Just south of Yakima in Union Gap, James Beard award-winning Los Hernández Tamales has been dedicated to tradition and handcrafted tamales since 1990. Made from family recipes, their masa is prepared in house from corn they dry and mill themselves, a key reason why they’re so beloved. Locals flock for the year-round favorites like chicken and pork, and the seasonal asparagus and pepper jack tamales, available April through June, often draw lines out the door. The humble, no-frills setup only adds to the charm, letting the food take center stage.

JJ’s Birrieria & Antojitos

Family-run favorite JJ’s Birrieria & Antojitos has grown to three locations plus a food truck across the Yakima Valley. True to its name, the spotlight is on birria tacos with savory beef. Birria is a traditional stew from Jalisco, slow-cooked until tender and rich. JJ’s is also known for creative twists on classics. The Pizzadilla layers cheese, birria, onion, and cilantro between three flour tortillas and is sliced into eight shareable pieces. The birria ramen is a playful mash-up where ramen noodles swim in consomé and birria, finished with onion and cilantro.

Javi’s Chicken & Churros

Dishes served at Javi’s Chicken and Churros.

Yakima Valley Tourism

Family-owned and inspired by both Southern California and Mexican flavors, Javi’s Chicken & Churros makes everything fresh daily, from the fan-favorite birria to the signature smoky, flame-grilled chicken to the Baja-style fish tacos. When it comes to dessert, the deep-fried, cinnamon-encrusted churros steal the show, served with a variety of dips, perfect for finishing your meal on a sweet note.

Explore the Valley’s natural playground.

A rafting trip down Yakima River Canyon.

Yakima Valley Tourism

The Yakima Valley’s landscape supports a wide range of year-round outdoor activities, including fly fishing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and horseback riding, making it a high-desert playground for outdoor enthusiasts.

Cowiche Canyon Conservancy Trails

Autumn colors in Cowiche Canyon Conservancy.

Michelle Baumbach/Getty Images

The Cowiche Canyon Conservancy manages more than 7,000 acres of protected land and maintains over 60 miles of trails suited for year-round exploration. Hike, walk, run, or bike in the warmer months, and when snow blankets the area, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing become popular picks. You’ll find trails for every pace, ranging from flat gravel paths to steeper climbs, sweeping ridgeline routes, and peaceful canyon-floor walks. 

For a more leisurely outing, head for the Cowiche Canyon Trail, a nearly six-mile, out-and-back, mostly flat, and unpaved route that follows a former railroad along Cowiche Creek, where greenery meets dramatic basalt cliffs and layers of exposed volcanic rock. 

For more of a challenge, head to Snow Mountain Ranch. Once a working cattle ranch, this 2,000-acre preserve features about 14 miles of interconnected trails with more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain. As a biodiversity hot spot, it’s home to some 200 plant species, 125 types of birds and wildlife, and 64 butterfly species. In the spring, the meadows burst with wildflowers, while oaks, aspens, and cottonwoods transform into vivid shades of yellow, red, and orange come fall.

Yakima River Canyon

Aerial view of The Yakima River Canyon.

Tegra Stone Nuess/Getty Images

Stretching 27 miles between Ellensburg and Yakima, the Yakima River holds the coveted title of a Blue Ribbon river, recognized for its exceptional water quality and prime fishing, especially for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and smallmouth bass. While the waters are fishable year-round, March through October marks the prime fly-fishing season, with spring and fall being especially productive.

The basalt cliffs, shrub-steppe, and riparian habitats of the Yakima River Canyon make this the densest nesting area for raptors in Washington, sheltering red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, American kestrels, and both golden and bald eagles. Beyond wildlife watching, rafting, and camping, you can take in the canyon’s striking scenery on a relaxed three-hour guided Eco-Tour with Red’s Fly Shop, drifting past rugged cliffs and desert hills while learning about the river’s formation.