Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Kennewick, WA

  • Published 2022/11/09

Lying next to the Columbia River, Kennewick gives tourists many opportunities for fun and excitement.

It’s part of the Tri-Cities, three cities located at the confluence of the Columbia River, Snake River, and Yakima River.

Enjoy all sorts of thrilling water activities and amazing views of the pristine waters.

You can also appreciate the beautiful local artworks or explore any or all of the 27 parks here.

If you’re in the process of making your bucket list for this city, check out the best things to do in Kennewick, Washington.

Enjoy Riverside Activities at Columbia Park

Tall trees and green grass at Columbia Park.

J.D.S / Shutterstock.com

Located along the Columbia River, Columbia Park boasts 400 acres of recreational spaces.

Have water adventures with the whole family; go boating or prepare for a fishing trip.

Have some matches on the basketball court, volleyball court, or soccer field.

Ride your bike around the area and appreciate the natural scenery.

A walkway at Columbia Park.

J.D.S / Shutterstock.com

If you ever go hungry, there’s a kitchen here too, and you can enjoy your food in the picnic areas.

For a more laid-back time, you can always just go along the walking path.

In addition to these, you can also have fun at the horseshoe pits or the skate park.

With slides, a zip track, and lots of toys, the Playground of Dreams is a great place to take your kids.

If that’s not enough, you can pay tribute to the heroes at the Regional Veterans Memorial.

The sun shining down on Columbia Park.

J.D.S / Shutterstock.com

Taste the Delectable Wine at the Bartholomew Winery

Treat your taste buds to delectable wine from the Bartholomew Winery.

A must-try wine here is their Carménère wine, made from grapes that mostly only grows in Chile.

Indulge in a scenic wine tasting session.

If you want to make the most of your visit, you can join the wine club for free.

Enjoy perks such as free bottles of wine and a big discount.

The winery is located just next to Duffy’s Pond, offering a peaceful natural setting.

You can also get a gift card for your loved ones.

Ride Hand-Carved Wooden Horses at the Gesa Carousel of Dreams

Featuring beautiful, hand-crafted wooden horses by Charles Carmel, the historic Gesa Carousel of Dreams, located inside the Southridge Sports and Events Complex, will bring out the child in you.

There’s even a wooden husky and cougar hidden in plain sight.

If you manage to grab the brass ring, you’ll be treated to a free ride.

The space is great for events and equipped with a large event center.

You can avail of the birthday package for your kid, inclusive of unlimited rides, tables and chairs, a granite countertop, and a 60-inch table.

You can also take your co-workers to the meeting space the next time you need to schedule a business meeting.

The concession stand is located right in the middle of the area, too, so you’ll have easy access to snacks and drinks when you start craving.

Have an Activity-Filled Day at the Southridge Sports and Events Complex

Spanning for 52 acres, the Southridge Sports and Events Complex is a vast playground for sports lovers and families looking for some exercise.

Have some friendly competition at the open gym, where you can play basketball, soccer, pickleball, and volleyball.

Take the kids to the Fun Zone and have a blast at the playground or splash pad.

Polish your swing at the baseball and softball fields.

If you want to take a break, head to the HUB Building, equipped with restrooms and a concession stand.

You can also hold meetings here, and it has an umpire room.

The Numerica Pavilion, which can be also be found here, showcases tons of recreational and sports facilities.

It boasts 30,000 square feet of space, perfect for large events and tournaments.

In addition to all these, you can also visit the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial Monument here.

It is a steel column obtained from the rubble, which is now part of history, that is 30-feet high and weighs a total of 6,000 pounds.

Have a Relaxing Stroll on the Sacagawea Heritage Trail Loop

Connecting the cities in the Tri-Cities area, the Sacagawea Heritage Trail Loop allows visitors to have a peaceful stroll amid nature.

It has a paved path for pedestrians.

The path is relatively flat, great for walks with the whole family.

You’ll have fantastic views as you go along the trail, as it lies along the Columbia River.

The trail also goes past city parks, perfect if you want to stop by for some activities.

Watch a Broadway Show at the Toyota Center

Catch an event at the Toyota Center, a spacious multi-purpose arena opened in 1988.

Fans of Broadway can watch plays and musicals.

If you want to have the best seats in the house, you can become a suite owner.

The center offers 10 luxury suites that can accommodate up to 16 guests at a time.

These suites come with an exclusive menu, a wait staff, and concierge services.

You will also be treated to fabulous perks, including a private entrance and VIP parking.

Enjoy premier comfort and convenience, with amenities such as a wet bar, fridge, and flat-screen TV.

Your viewing experience will be hassle-free because of the personal server that will cater to your food and bev*+erage needs.

Gulp Down an Award-Winning Cider at D’s Wicked Cider

For wickedly good drinks, drive down to D’s Wicked Cider, with delicious crafts from only high-quality apples.

They offer ciders with different personalities.

Enjoy a cold drink at the Cider House and Tasting Room.

The ciders made here are gluten-free and only use natural ingredients, great for even health-conscious tourists.

They have also won several awards, so you can be sure they are high quality.

Shop to Your Heart’s Content at the Columbia Center Mall

Entrance to the Columbia Center Mall.

Ceeceeee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For an awesome shopping day, make your way to the Columbia Center Mall, featuring a myriad of retailers, dining options, and entertainment facilities.

It has been serving visitors since 1969.

Shop for clothes, accessories, or jewelry.

If you’re looking for a specific thing, the department store has all you need in one place.

Get some pastries, explore the food court, or dine at one of their amazing restaurants.

Look around for various décor and furniture to beautify your home with.

There are also great deals and discounts on some occasions, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Many special events are held here occasionally.

If you’re bringing a car, there’s a spacious parking area here.

The Ben Franklin Transit also offers a shuttle service.

Interact with the Rare Suri Alpacas at Sandollar Farms and Alpacas

There are tons of ways to enjoy your trip in Sandollar Farms and Alpacas, a working alpaca farm.

They breed the rare suri alpacas, which only consist a minuscule portion of the total population of alpacas.

You’ll also see Great Pyrenees dogs here, which serve as the guard dogs.

Visit during open barn days and explore the area at your leisure.

You can also go on an escorted farm tour, during which you can take close-up pictures and hand-feed the alpacas.

If you want a friendly alpaca companion, you can try the alpaca trek too.

If you have an upcoming event, you can also book the space.

For those interested in taking care of their alpacas, you can purchase their quality alpacas.

To add to that, you can get an Addi knitting machine and products made from alpaca fiber and leather here.

If you want to have the complete experience, book a night at the Suite Sandollar, a cozy one-bedroom studio apartment that can accommodate up to four guests.

Observe the Exhibits at the East Benton County Historical Society and Museum

Explore the past in the East Benton County Historical Society and Museum, filled with relics of early life in eastern Benton County.

Check out the six different rooms offering various artifacts.

You can also observe the collections here, like record books.

You can even listen to the songs from their vinyl record collection.

If you want your kids to learn about the area’s history, the museum accepts field trips, too.

Before you leave, stop by the Museum Store and go through its selection of unique items.

You can also attend the events held here.

Attend the Tri-Cities Wine Festival with Your Friends

If you’re into sampling different wines in a festive atmosphere, come and join the Tri-Cities Wine Festival.

Pair the wines with a side of hors d’oeuvres.

If there’s something you really want, you can try to get it by attending the silent auction.

If you’re confident in your wine-making skills, then you can enter the wine competition.

The competition will be judged by professionals, so you can be sure that only the best wine-maker wins.

Gulp Down a Pint While Enjoying the Smell of Bacon during the Craft Brew and Bacon Festival

Combining two wonderful things, the annual Craft Brew and Bacon Festival gives you the chance to enjoy amazing drinks while watching live entertainment.

It holds microbrew tastings, and you’ll get to savor delicious, unique drinks.

Stay a while longer for the bacon competition, where restaurants and caterers will fight to show who makes the meanest bacon dish.

As you eat, you can wash your food down with a glass of wine or cider.

Your tickets include beer tokens and a shirt to commemorate the day.

Hit Your Mark with an Axe at Heber Hatchets

For a one-of-a-kind experience, head to Heber Hatchets, where you can fulfill your axe-throwing fantasies.

It’s an alcohol-free zone, so guests can throw their axes in peace.

Looking for the perfect activity to enjoy with your friends and family?

Heber Hatchets houses all sorts of events, like birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, corporate events, and more.

Make sure to avail of the special packages, if applicable, to get the most bang for your buck.

If you want your loved ones to have the same amazing experience, you can also get them a gift card.

Book an Event at the Three Rivers Convention Center

With about 75,000 square feet of conference space, the Three Rivers Convention Center is an ideal venue for any kind of event.

You can book the Great Hall for a large event, with 21,600 square feet of event space.

In addition to expansive spaces, there are individual rooms and meeting rooms, perfect if you just need to meet with a few of your colleagues.

There’s also Wi-Fi all throughout, so your meetings will run much more smoothly.

If your event runs for the whole day, you’re sure to get hungry.

Don’t worry, as the convention center also offers catering services and accommodates concession stands.

In light of this, it’s also a fantastic place to get married, featuring multiple venue options and offering high-quality services.

Also, if you don’t want to miss out on great events, make sure to check the schedule.

There’s also spacious parking area here, so you can bring as many people as you want.

Choose from a Wide Selection of Tasty Wines at the Badger Mountain Vineyard

As the first USDA-certified organic wine grape vineyard in Washington, the Badger Mountain Vineyard brings you wines made from only the freshest grapes.

They don’t use any harmful chemicals on their grapes, like pesticides.

They use an ingenious way to solve insect problems – predatory insects.

In addition, the winery also collects used cooking oil from restaurants and converts them into biodiesel.

The winery was established in 1982 with a vision to be environment-conscious.

If you want to receive their wines regularly, you can join their wine club.

You can see their wine selection and order on their online store.

There are also events held here occasionally.

Bring Your Kids to Max Air Trampoline Park

Kids and adults may have a good time in the thousands of square feet of Jump City, Kennewick’s only indoor trampoline park.

It features a Ninja Course with dynamic, exciting, and physically demanding obstacles.

Because of its modular design, you may experience new challenging courses each visit.

You may jump off a 7-foot-high platform, slanted trampoline, or rock wall into a 30-by-36-foot airbag.

Put your agility and strength to the test on all four levels of our Warped Walls!

Your kid’s next party or get-together will be a blast at Max Air Trampoline Park.

Active and entertaining, what could be better?

Hit a Strike at Spare Time Lanes

Spare Time Lanes began in 1983, and it has since become the best bowling center in Kennewick.

People of all ages may come here and have a good time using our various entertainment options.

Bowling on 24 lanes with automatic bumpers is available.

It also has the largest prize wall in Central Washington and an arcade with more than 40 games.

When you need a break, check out the lounge, where they serve a variety of rotating microbrews and a full bar.

The neighborhood Family Entertainment Center is family-run and community-focused.

Learn Various Gardening Methods at WSU Master Gardener Demonstration Garden

Washington State University (WSU) is home to not one but three Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens. One trip to any of these would brighten your day.

Three options are available: McCollum Park’s Demonstration Garden, Jennings Park’s Demonstration Garden, and the Evergreen Arboretum’s Demonstration Garden Border.

Discover new gardening methods you may use for your land plot here.

You’ll also learn about the trees, bushes, and other vegetation that thrive in your area during different seasons.

Taking in the park’s tranquil garden will increase your appreciation for it.

WSU has about twenty-four themed gardens that are constantly evolving.

There is a 2-acre Children’s Garden for the little ones that will teach them to love and appreciate nature while getting their hands dirty.

Go Antique-Hunting at Bergan’s Timeless Treasures

In 2013, Bergan’s Timeless Treasures opened in Kennewick, Washington’s Old Town District.

It’s a mom-and-pop store run by a single family, and we’re here to help!

For a relaxing shopping experience, the complex features 5,000 square feet of shopping space.

Along with its products, It also features those of several other merchants.

Make sure to grab one for your living space or for your loved ones!

Enjoy Ice-Cold Local Beer at Moonshot Brewing

Are you looking for a place in the city to chill and enjoy ice-cold beer?

Check out Moonshot Brewing, a family-friendly brewery in Kennewick.

This neighborhood brewery features a wide selection of beers, a welcoming taproom, and TVs to watch the Sounders and the national team.

The 3.5 barrel Stout system is made specifically for brewing beers in small batches and allowing the brewery to experiment with new varieties.

It has a rotating collection of beers that draws from the owner’s background in the wine business, including lagers, IPAs, sours, and barrel-aged brews.

Final Thoughts

Kennewick’s location in the Tri-Cities area gives it fabulous perks – stunning river views and scenic attractions.

To fully appreciate this wonderful city, check out the best things to do in Kennewick, Washington, listed above.

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