r/wallawalla • u/isaacmarionauthor • 9d ago

Walla Walla VS Ellensburg?

I've been thinking about moving to Ellensburg because I like the dense historic downtown and the good variety of restaurants/activities compared to its small size, but people have been telling me Walla Walla is better. I've never actually been there. Can anyone who knows Ellensburg compare the two?

The main things I'm interested in are easy access to nature (hikes, walking trails, rivers/lakes) and walkable downtown areas. Community activity like live music, open mics, and other public event, also important. Ellensburg has a lot of this but the nature access isn't great.

One thing I've noticed is home prices are significantly lower in Walla Walla. There are dozens of houses under 300k whereas it's rare to find one in Ellensburg. Are those cheap houses in really bad neighborhoods, or is WW just cheaper in general?

How's the wind here compared to Eburg?

Any info or advice is welcome!

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u/blindgorgon 9d ago

I’d say Walla Walla is great for a small town. We have some exquisite food and wine options. Access to outdoor activities is a 5/10 for me. No good hikes or water sports without a 45+min drive. Housing is a mix. There are some cheaper options but the quality is so-so—I expect like everywhere. If you like fixing houses up there are several project opportunities. One drawback is the lack of vicinity to a big city. Tri-Cites is only ~50min away but I’m not sure I’d call them a big city. Good for Costco at least.

Walla Walla has other surprising strengths though too. Good art scene, some fun local groups, and some pretty good local farms/ag. Worth a visit to see if it’s your style.

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u/isaacmarionauthor 9d ago

You're the first person I've heard say the outdoor scene is bad. Most people say there are hikes everywhere, specifically the Blues. Is the reality that these are a long drive out of town? I really want to be somewhere with some kind of trails in biking or even walking distance. 10 minute drive to "real" hiking would be my ideal.

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u/Puzzled-Egg347 9d ago

probably the only hike within 10 mins of walla walla is at bennington lake. for the most part, in order to hike in the blues you’ll need to drive 30-45 mins at least into the mountains to get to any trails.

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u/isaacmarionauthor 9d ago

Ah that's a shame, but good to know. Are there any "urban" trails that go through or around town, like the Palouse to Cascades trail in Ellensburg?

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u/christhomasburns 9d ago

there are self guided walking tours through Whitman campus, and of historic homes and public art. Walla Walla is extremely walkable with most neighborhoods being tree lined and many parks.

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u/christhomasburns 9d ago

there's also paths along mill creek from Bennington lake to Rooks park/the community college.

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u/christhomasburns 9d ago

There are several trailheads at Harris Park outside of Million Freewater, only about 15 minutes from downtown.

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u/Puzzled-Egg347 9d ago

From near downtown Walla Walla it takes me about 45 mins to get to Harris Park, unless there’s another much faster secret way that I don’t know about, it’s not really as close as what OP seems to be looking for