This time of year, you can feel the excitement in the air all around Yakima Valley wine country. Harvest is well underway and Valley vintners are getting ready to craft the next great vintage. Fall in the vineyards is a stunning time visit wine country and Catch the Crutch is on the horizon, October 12 and 13. Plan ahead for this weekend-long harvest party at Valley wineries to celebrate the culmination of harvest!
A visit to Yakima Valley wine country can be fun for the whole family, this fall or any time of year. Most wineries in the valley are graced by lovely open spaces to explore, play and picnic. Some wineries offer hiking and family-friendly activities and games, or you can bring your own football, soccer ball, or Frisbee to play under the sunny skies. Several of the wineries offer kid-friendly beverages and many provide snack options. Everyone is welcome in Yakima Valley wine country!
In addition to these wineries that offer special activities, beverages or snacks for kids (and grownups), check out other Yakima Valley wineries where kids can play outdoors under sunny skies.
Yakima Area
Owen Roe At Owen Roe, find majestic vineyard and valley views from their large lawn where kids can run and play. Take time to picnic while you enjoy the sights. They offer juice boxes and numerous games such as a giant Jenga and a small corn hole. A little cart holds an assortment of books for both young and old.
Treveri Cellars This is a stroller-accessible facility with juice and soda for the youngsters as well as lawn games like corn hole and Jenga. They offer an array of small plates, flatbreads and charcuterie plates for purchase and often have food vendors on site. Families enjoy the large patio with plenty of umbrella covered tables on the Valley’s 300 sunny days, as well as the expansive lawn where kids can play and explore the gardens. The hillside views of the valley are stunning.
Freehand Cellars This architecturally award-winning setting is family and pet friendly. Grown-ups and kids alike enjoy the large lawn and unparalleled views of the valley and mountains beyond. Freehand offers kid-friendly pairings such as apple juice paired with hummus and carrot sticks. Games such as corn hole, giant Jenga and lawn dice are available. Pets are allowed outdoors only and guests must clean up after their pets (bags provided). Coming Soon! Guests big and small will be able to “Paint the Scenery” with paints, brushes and easels available to rent (kid easels and small canvases will be available). Canvas can be purchased to paint outside.
Wilridge Vineyard, Winery & Distillery Visit 80 acres of pure heaven at Wilridge Winery, with a network of hiking trails through the vineyards and along the Cowiche Canyon trails. Kids ask to revisit Wilridge time and again! Parents love sharing a bottle, relaxing with a charcuterie plate on the large lawn or wrap-around deck of the 100-year-old farmhouse. Child-friendly beverages are available, or you can bring your own picnic items. Wilridge often hosts all ages live concerts with a food truck onsite. At Wilridge, you’ll find outdoor games and activities, such as corn hole, swings, fruit to pick from their organic trees and chalk to draw on their pathways. You’ll often see kids throwing or kicking balls. Kids are welcome to feed the chickens and cats and help gather the eggs. As a special treat, Wilridge also sells Otter Pops during the warm summer months. You’ll also find a water pump and bowl for thirsty pups!
Zillah Area
Bonair Winery Let the kids feed the six ducks (and hungry carp) living in Bonair’s pond with feed provided by the winery while parents sit on the outside terrace enjoying a glass Bonair wine. Children under eight need parent supervision. Inside the winery there are several shelves of toys children can play with while the parents are wine-tasting. Bonair also offers a large grassy picnic area for kids to run and play. Dogs are welcome too.
J Bell Cellars Outside the lovely tasting room, find a courtyard shaded by pear trees and shade sails with plenty of seating to enjoy wood-fired dining. Find fantastic food from the wood-fired oven serving pizza, wood-fired brie, oven-roasted seasonal vegetables, seasonal salads, charcuterie boards and several kid-friendly beverages. Kids love to watch the large koi and turtles in the small pond that swim up to the surface and then hide. On the expansive lawn, play corn hole, bocce ball and disc golf provided by J Bell and enjoy wandering through the lovely lavender fields and chefs garden.
Two Mountain Winery They provide chalk for children to draw inside or outside the tasting room. have toy tractors for kids to play with, yard games and a lawn area for fun and picnics.
VanArnam Vineyards Little ones and adults alike enjoy a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches and salads at VanArnam’s Tin Roof Grill. They also offer non-alcoholic beverages. Parents enjoying wine and the amazing view from the shaded patio! The entire family can enjoy ladder golf and corn hole on the large grassy area. Or, bring your own fun activities.
HopTown Wood Fired Pizza Looking for a place to stop with the family during your wine tasting experience in Zillah Area? While it’s not a winery, HopTown Wood Fired Pizza has several offerings for the family during your wine tasting trip. Enjoy bocce ball for kids and adults and a grassy area where kids can play while parents enjoy the nearby tables under the shade. They offer corn hole, limited disc golf, yard jingo and sidewalk chalk. HopTown also offers Kid’s Night on Tuesdays where kids build their own pizzas right there at the table. Staff then brings it up to the wood-fired oven and children are able to watch their pizza being cooked.
Prosser Area Wineries
Guests visiting any of the wineries located around the Prosser wine park can easily enjoy the expansive open green space for playing and picnicking between winery visits.
Mercer Wine Estates Play games such as corn hole and ladder golf or enjoy coloring books and coloring pencils provided by the winery. There are great walking trails on the winery property. They offer available breadsticks, crackers and cheese plates to munch on and outside food is permitted.
Milbrandt Vineyards They offer crayons and coloring mats for children to draw and have a Bocce ball court for club members and their guests.
Columbia River Gorge Area
Columbia Crest Winery Overlooking the Columbia River, enjoy a huge lawn for picnicking where children can run and play. The tasting room is child-friendly and kids can go on free, self-guided tours with parents. Water and soft drinks are available.
Maryhill Winery Visitors can enjoy picnicking on beautiful grounds, tours, special events and four tournament-quality bocce courts with an adjacent grassy area for the kids to play on. Maryhill offers a quality menu to enhance your wine tasting experience, including charcuterie boards, antipasto bruschetta, salads, pizza and other small, shareable plates, all made to order and often including summertime fresh ingredients from our garden. For the children there are San Pellegrino flavored juices and water. Children are allowed in the tasting room and there are books and toys available for toddlers.
Categorized in: Family Fun, Wine Country
