7 Incredible Spots for Fun Activities Across the Yakima Valley

Are you ready for an adventure? Sometimes we forget the cool stuff that's right in our very own backyards! Some of it's free, some of it's a touch of cash but all of it's fun! You can pack a lunch, grab your binoculars and make sure the cameras are charged so you can capture all kinds of awesome memories!

The Mammoth Dig Outside of Selah - Pam Moore

This is a fantastic spot for all lovers of paleontology. Since discovering mammoth bones in 2005, the location overlooking the Wenas Valley has become an official archeological site! The landowners have since created the Wenas Mammoth Foundation, a 501-3c non-profit organization that includes virtual education!

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The foundation offers K-12 youth, teachers, and communities the unique opportunity to become inspired with local paleontology, geology, and archaeology, cultivate curiosity, and acquire problem solving skills and a desire to learn more.

The address is 2741 S Wenas Rd, Selah, WA 98942

The Yakima Valley Museum - Bill Mudgett

If you have never been to the Yakima Museum it's a fantastic spot to learn about the Yakima Valley as well as a great spot to keep warm during the chilliest of winter days. Learn about the animals that lived here during the Ice Age, experience what it was like to ride in a 19th-century mud wagon, catch Carolyn Schactler, a 28-year professor of apparel design at Central Washington University in Ellensburgs, couture line on display until April 30th, 2022 and more!

Located at 2105 Tieton Dr, Yakima, WA 98902

The Elk Feeding Station - Daniela Cardenas Barragan

The winter feedings begin in December but did you know that January and February are the best months to witness these incredible animals up close? You will need a Discovery Pass, they are available for $10 and can be purchased at any spot that also sells hunting and fishing licenses. Display the pass on your dashboard and it's free to view the elk from the fenceline. For a small fee, you can also enjoy a seat on a rig that drives out into the middle of the feeding station for an even closer look! You'll want to make sure you dress warm and if you happen to own binoculars, bring them!

Located at 16601 US-12, Naches, WA 98937

The Yakima Arboretum - Anita Cravy

You can get married there, walk the greenway and even offer your services to walk dogs at the Yakima Humane Society, just a seven-minute walk down the way. The gardens, tree collections, and natural areas are absolutely stunning and when the weather gets warmers it's a great spot for a family picnic!

Located at 1401 Arboretum Dr, Yakima, WA 98901

The Capitol Theater - Brian Stephenson

This stunning location is a must if you love a good play, musical, or ghost! The ceilings are incredible and the sound is tops! I recently watched the broadway play Waitress and was blown away! Coming up The Yakima Symphony Orchestra is going to be performing Bohemian Rhapsody: The Music of Queen on Saturday, February 26th, 2022. In March Black Violin, Lundu, Aquila Theatre's Great Gatsby, Shakespeare's Macbeth, and more!

Located at 19 S 3rd St, Yakima, WA 98901

The Dinosaurs Park in Granger, WA - Brian Stephenson

Another site to enjoy for the dinosaur lover in all of us. Careful with heights, Granger made national news a few years back when someone climbed to the top of one of them and couldn't shimmy her way back down without the help of firefighters!

Located at 219 Main St, Granger, WA 98932

Yakama Nation Cultural Center in Toppenish, WA - Sarah Johnson

Established in 1980, the Yakama Nation Cultural Center (YN CC) is a unique, multifaceted facility offering a variety of programs that share Yakama Nation's history and culture with all. It offers the ... Yakama Nation Museum, Heritage Inn Restaurant, Winter Lodge, Heritage Theater, Yakama Nation Library, and CC gift shop. The Cultural Center is open to the general public seven days a week and is a wonderful cultural experience!

Located at 100 Spiel-yi Loop, Toppenish, WA 98948