What better place is there for wine and craft beer lovers than right at the source of it all? Surrounded by rolling vineyards, the Yakima Valley is where Washington wine was born. Known for producing more premium wine grapes than anywhere else in the state, the Yakima Valley became the state’s first recognized AVA more than 40 years ago. As one of the largest hop producing regions in the world, the Valley is also where you find fields of hops climbing and twining to become your next favorite craft beer.

It's where great grapes and the best hops fuel innovation and excellence you can experience in the tasting room and at the tap. So, what’s the best way to take in those hop and vineyard views on your wine tasting and craft beer trail trip? Enjoy a tour and let someone else take the wheel!

Touring Among the Vines and Bines

Local experts have crafted can’t-miss tours to take you right into the vineyards and hop fields to learn, experience and taste. The Little Hopper and Rooted Yakima Valley have come together to curate a one-of-a-kind Hop Farm & Sensory Tour. Visit family hop farms where you’ll learn about growing the world’s best hops. For instance, did you know hops don’t grow on vines? Hops grow on plants called bines, which require a support system (such as trellis and twine) to climb. Your guides will take you on a sensory journey like professional brewers experience and wrap up at one of the valley’s best breweries with a production tour and, of course, craft beers! Book your spot on a limited number of tours from now to August. Take a Between the Vines Estate Vineyard Tour at Whitman Hill Winery. Hop on their UTV for an up-close tour through the vineyards and learn how the grapes are grown at different stages throughout the season. Your tour includes a glass of wine on your ride and a guided VIP tasting experience back at the winery.

Unique Tasting Tours The folks at Kickstand Tours are ready to take you on an expertly led e-bike wine tasting tour. Their comfortable bikes make for an easy ride through beautiful wine country with at least three Zillah/Rattlesnake Hills, Prosser or Red Mountain winery stops. Each trip takes about five hours and includes a lunch stop (lunch not included in cost) and a support vehicle to follow along and collect your purchases along the way. If you don’t find a pre-scheduled tour that meets your needs, they’re happy to plan private tours for your group. They don’t require a minimum number of riders and you can have them curate your tour or choose your own winery stops.

We all know and love the Little Hopper as Yakima Valley’s craft beer bus, but they recently launched their brand new Grapevine Wine Tours. With the same comfortable ride and knowledgeable, entertaining guides ready to share the inside scoop, you can sit back and enjoy. Enjoy a specially curated tour of two to three upper Yakima Valley wineries on Fridays or three or four wineries in Yakima Valley wine regions on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. You can also schedule tours with the itinerary of your choice as well as special event transportation. Coming soon, take a Grapevine vineyard tour!

Plan Your Trip Check out more winery, vineyard, brewery and hop tours and explore all to see, do and taste in Yakima Valley Wine Country and Hop Country.