Winter Getaways

7 Reasons to Come to Walla Walla This Winter

By Alexa Palmer · September 25, 2026 · 3 min read

7 Reasons to Come to Walla Walla This Winter

Think winter is the quiet season in Walla Walla? We prefer to call it the season of excellent excuses to get away.

From affordable ski days to wine releases, foodie month to fireside dinners, here are 7 very good reasons to make Walla Walla your winter getaway destination.

1. Off-Season Rates = More Room for Wine

Lodging rates are discounted in the off-season, which means you can stay a little longer, sleep a little later, and save a little more for the good stuff.

A living room with a stone fireplace burning, a leather armchair and a sofa piled with blankets.

2. Skiing Without the Sticker Shock

Head to Bluewood Ski Resort, just 45 minutes outside of town, for a day on the slopes. Lift tickets are refreshingly affordable—and yes, we think that makes a ski-and-sip weekend a perfectly reasonable idea.

Bluewood Ski Resort

A skier kicking up powder on a snowy slope between frosted pine trees.

3. Fall Release Weekend | November 6–8

Come taste what’s new, discover the season’s latest releases, and make a weekend of it. Because “just one tasting” has never been a particularly convincing vacation plan.

A winery tasting room with a timber ceiling, a stone-front bar and a Christmas tree by the windows.

4. Barrel Release Weekend + Parade of Lights | December 4–6

Get an early taste of wines still in the barrel, then stick around for the Parade of Lights on December 5.

Wine by day, twinkling lights by night? Winter has its perks.

A crowd gathered around a tall lit Christmas tree on a wet downtown Walla Walla street at night.

Giant lit snowflakes strung over the Walla Walla Plaza at dusk.

Lit reindeer figures and a light-wrapped tree in a downtown plaza on a rainy winter evening.

Friends in Santa hats sharing drinks on a lit patio on Parade of Lights night.

5. Chamber Music Festival | January 15–18, 2027

Ease into the new year with beautiful music, intimate performances, and all the charms of Walla Walla in winter.

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival

Violinists mid-performance in a warmly lit concert hall.

6. February for Foodies | All Month Long

February is for eating. Fortunately, Walla Walla takes that responsibility seriously.

Spend the month exploring special menus at affordable prix fixe, local flavors, and the restaurants that make this valley such a delicious place to visit.