A Western Washington Girl’s First Road Trip Across the Cascades

I didn’t grow up in Washington, but I’ve lived on the western side of the state for over three years now – a small town near Bellingham to be specific. While I love to explore my own backyard, Eastern Washington always felt like so far away, like I’d literally be crossing mountains to get there. When we decided to embark on a summer road trip to Pullman, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I was just excited to be on another adventure. While we didn’t technically leave the state, Eastern Washington felt like a different world. It felt more like Montana in a way – a bit drier, but so sunny, warm, and the terrain was a bit softer and hillier instead of our jagged still-snowy peaks in the west. It wasn’t all different, though. We live in a very small farming community and Pullman has a lot of the same small-town vibes that our town boasts with a bustling Main Street, local events, and bars where everyone feels like a regular.

Driving the Palouse Scenic Byway

Driving into Pullman is one of the most scenic parts of Washington I’ve seen, and I’ve never seen anything quite like the Palouse region. Most of the highways that lead to Pullman are part of the Palouse Scenic Byway and are lined with the most stunning rolling hills. These hills are filled with wheat, canola, and other crops, so the exact colors fluctuate, but when we were visiting, the canola was blooming, and the fields looked like they had been colored in with highlighter. We spent quite a bit of time aimlessly driving around to see as many of these fields as we could. We couldn’t get enough! We also stopped by Palouse Falls Park where the main attraction is a huge waterfall about an hour and a half from Pullman. To avoid making the same mistake we did and leaving it at home, make sure you have your Washington Discover Pass with you, or you’ll have to pay for a day pass when you arrive.

Exploring Downtown Pullman

The first thing I do when I visit pretty much anywhere for the first time is walk down the Main Street. Pullman’s Main Street was buzzing with activity when we arrived in the evening. There was an Art on the Plaza event happening, people were walking to dinner reservations, and bars were just starting to play music to entice passersby to come in.

We enjoyed a couple of drinks and an appetizer at Black Cypress. The atmosphere in here was very nice. The perfect spot to go if you’d like to chat while you start your evening. Afterword, we walked across the street to go to Rico’s. When looking up different places to eat and drink in Pullman, it was clear that Rico’s is a local favorite. Right when we walked in, I saw a huge dark academia book wall which always wins me over. There was also a live band playing downstairs and pool tables upstairs. As both a restaurant and a bar, it gave off a few Irish pub vibes.

The next day, we were able to explore a few more spots along Main Street, my favorite being Pups and Cups. This is a dog-friendly café that even has a few things on the menu that you can buy your dog, an off-leash area for them to play, and a cute “take a stick, leave a stick” stand for them.

We also had a nice time walking along the river walk. There is a huge mural that you can’t miss on the back of a building that sits along the path. While we were walking, I saw a man sitting on a bench reading his book by a small pond and it looked so peaceful. It had me wishing I had a bit more time in town to do slower things like this.   

Our Quirky Home for the Night: Hotel McCoy

I must pat myself on the back for making the best choice I possibly could when it comes to hotels in Pullman. We chose Hotel McCoy because it looked like such a fun and unique place, and we were absolutely right. The outside is striking. There’s a colorful mural on the back and side of the building, and all the rooms’ doors are painted different colors.

When we arrived, we were given two drink tokens. It’s clear that they heavily encourage socialization here as there are plenty of community spaces and games including foosball, ping pong, connect four, checkers, and a couple of fire pits surrounded by lounge chairs. We got our drinks and made our way to a firepit where we chatted with a couple that was in town with their daughter for college orientation. 

While we were using our drink tokens, I saw the front desk person setting up the space for the oatmeal bar the next morning. Trust me when I say this is the longest oatmeal bar you’ll ever see. There must have been 20 different topping options!

Our Thoughts on Pullman

While we came in not knowing what to expect, we left saying “see you later” to Eastern Washington because we definitely know we’ll be back. When we visit again, I will make a point to come on a weekday to visit Ferdinand’s Ice Cream shop. I was so excited for this, but they ended up being closed while we were there. We’d also like to venture over to the Palouse Ridge Golf Club as we’ve been told their restaurant called “The Table,” and the views of the Palouse hills here are both great!

If you’re considering a trip to Eastern Washington, I would highly recommend spending at least a night or two in Pullman. Enough time to get to wander downtown and drive through the surrounding area.

If you’re driving from Western Washington like I did, you’ll have a lot of great stops to make along the way including Yakima Valley, Tri Cities, and Walla Walla. A road trip through this region ending in Pullman is the perfect way to see more of our amazing state.