Tag Archives: Dunham Cellars

Wine-Making At Dunham Cellars

Oak wine barrels at the Robert Mondavi vineyar...
Image via Wikipedia

Wine-tasting with children is tricky, they’re just not as interested in a fruity nose or a hint of blackberries on the palate as you or I might be. When my boys were younger, WanderDad and I typically tag-teamed while tasting with one tasting while the other played with the kids. Now that our boys are a little older, they self-entertain with books and games and by making videos of themselves with our Flip. For example, on our recent trip to Walla Walla, while we were sampling some truly awesome wine at Dunham Cellars, we had no idea they were making this little gem:

Wine-Making At Dunham Cellars from wandermom on Vimeo.

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Family Weekend Getaways: Walla Walla Washington

walla-walla-vineyards

When the school schedules for my children’s schools synchronize so that they’re both out of school on a Friday, it’s an invitation for us to squeeze in a short break. I love these mini-vacations during the school year. Yes, it’s a pain to close the door on a pile of chores and have them waiting for me (and then some) when I get home, but it’s a great feeling to hit the open road and leave our normal routine behind even for just a few days.

Walla Walla Washington

This time we’re going to Walla Walla. A non-trivial four-hour drive from Seattle, it’s absolutely worth the effort. With our bikes strapped to the back of the car, a fun-filled but fairly low-cost weekend is pretty easy to organize.

Walla Walla Accommodation

As home to Whitman College and a host of excellent wineries and vineyards, Walla Walla has plenty of accommodation choices. From Bed-and-Breakfasts to luxury vineyard lodges to chain hotels, there’s something to suit every budget. On our cheap-and-cheerful weekend, we usually opt for a bare bones motel. If you’re planning a romantic weekend away, the Inn at the Abeja Winery is a perfect choice.

Family Activities in Walla Walla

There’s no question but that we’re drawn to Walla Walla because of the wine. This will be our fourth time to go wine tasting with children on bikes. For me, it’s a perfect family day out. We stop at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning to pick up picnic supplies, fill our backpacks and hit the long, fairly flat, fairly quiet road. We’ve cycled around wineries with a toddler in a trailer, one child using a ‘big kid bike’ which didn’t have gears and with a preschooler on a trail-a-bike. This will be our first trip where everyone will be on regular bikes. We might just all get to each stopping point at the same time. But if we don’t, that’ll be OK too because wineries are about so much more than tasting the wine. There’s rows of vines to walk along, machinery to examine and cool storerooms with oak barrels stacked high to explore (if the vintner allows, of course). And if the idea of bikes and wine-tasting with kids doesn’t work for you, downtown Walla Walla and Whitman College are both fun to walk around with younger children.

walla-walla-winery-map

Walla Walla Wineries

There are way too many wineries in Walla Walla to list here and far too many to visit in one day. We’ll plan on a 15-mile (or so) cycle and try to plan our route to hit 3-5 wineries along the way. Planning to finish at the Walla Walla Regional Airport is always a good idea since there are a cluster of tasting rooms in refurbished WWII buildings in that area. If you think that sounds a little crazy remember that this is where you’ll find Dunham Cellars, Tamarack Cellars and Buty.

Other wineries in the area include K Vintners, Seven Hills, L’Ecole No. 41 and Woodward Canyon – to name just a few.

Walla Walla Fine Dining

Now that our boys are a little older, WanderDad and I will be able to feed them early in the evening (kid-friendly food in a kid-friendly environment) and leave them watching a movie in our hotel room while we treat ourselves to a sumptuous dinner at Whitehouse Crawford.

After an active day’s cycling, great wine and great food, there’s usually a satisfied bunch in our car on the drive home to Seattle.

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Walla Walla Things To Do

Photo credit: vitruvius.

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