Pullman is a city in the Palouse region of eastern Washington. It is home to Washington State University and the National Lentil Festival.
Get in
By car
& Pullman accessed by US 195, and SR 270 (E Main St/NW Davis Way). It is 7 mi (11 km) west of Moscow, ID, 75 mi (121 km) south of Spokane, and 290 mi (470 km) from Seattle. US 195 does not go into town but rather passes by, west of town.
- to E Main St & NW Davis Way From Moscow Hwy 8 goes across the west side of town and becomes WA-Hwy 270 over the state line. It comes into town as E Main St and ends at its intersection with WA-27 (Grand Ave). WA-270 continues west towards US Hwy 195 (west of town) on NW Davis Way which is one block north of Main along Grand Ave.
- Grand Ave goes north-south through town from Spokane Valley (suburb east of Spokane) via Oaksdale, Palouse and Colfax.
By bus
- Northwestern Trailways/Salt Lake Express (Northwestern Stagelines), (bus stop) Courtyard by Marriott @ 1295 NE North Fairway Rd, toll-free: +1-800-366-3830. Service to Spokane (via Colfax) in one direction and towards Boise via (Moscow, Lewiston, Craigmont, Cottonwood, etc.) in the other direction. Passengers transfer to Greyhound, Jefferson Lines and other bus lines in Spokane and Boise and to Amtrak trains only in Spokane.
- Wheatland Express, (bus stops) Residence Inn @ 1255 NE North Fairway Dr; WSU French Admin/Lighty Bldg on Grimes Way, toll-free: +1-800-334-2207. Regularly scheduled shuttle between Moscow, Pullman, Ellensubrg, Bellevue and Tukwila (in the Seattle area). Every Friday, their Weekend Express takes you from Pullman and Moscow to Seattle and return on Sundays. A special service is also deployed during the holiday season and university breaks. Journeys take 6 hours to Seattle. They also offer a separate service to Spokane Airport
By plane
- 1 Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW IATA), 3200 Airport Complex N (4.5 mi (7.2 km) NE of downtown Pullman, just NE of the WSU campus). Serving Pullman, Moscow and the surrounding communities in Palouse Country. The airport is used for general aviation and by airlines chartered by both the University of Idaho and Washington State University for their intercollegiate athletic teams. The only scheduled commercial service is offered several times a day by Alaska Airlines to/from Seattle/Tacoma and Boise. Car rental, ride-hailing, cabs, and hotel shuttles are available. No public transportation to/from airport.
- Lewiston Nez-Perce Airport, 406 Burrell Ave. Lewiston, ID, ☏ +1 208-746-4471. It is about 30 miles south of Pullman. Skywest operates daily flights to Salt Lake City as Delta Connection and to Denver as United Express. Car rental is available at the airport.
The next nearest major airport for regularly scheduled commercial flights with more airlines is the Spokane International Airport/Geiger Field (GEG IATA) located 80 mi (130 km) north. Northwestern Trailways regular shuttle services twice a day between Spokane International Airport, Pullman and Moscow.
By bike
A bike path exists to Moscow, seven miles away.
Get around
Since there is not much to the downtown area, transportation is a must. Public transportation is available from Pullman Transit, though it is often geared towards the university. Pullman has multiple bike trails for summer travel around the town. There is bike share, and Zipcar available on the WSU campus. College Cabs serves the town. The town is very hilly, so walking is great exercise.
See
Being the home of a major state university, there are many WSU centric activities available
Washington State University
Founded in 1890, WSU is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the American West with programs in a broad range of academic disciplines. With an undergraduate enrollment of 24,470 and a total enrollment of 29,686, it is the second largest institution of higher education in the state behind the University of Washington. The WSU Pullman campus is perched upon a hill, characterized by open spaces, views, deep green conifers, and a restrained red brick and basalt material palette--materials originally found on site.
There are many events and places to see and do on campus and in the community off campus for visitors. The below are some of the places of interest on campus for visitors:
- 1 Washington State University (a 640-acre campus on the east side of town; it can be accessed from several directions surrounding the campus), ☏ +1 509 335-3564 (Switchboard).
- 1 Brelsford WSU Visitors Center, (off campus) 150 E Spring St (E Main St (SR-270) at Spring St, east of downtown.), ☏ +1 509 335-4636. M-F 7AM-5PM; Sa 9AM-2PM. The Brelsford WSU Visitor Center serves as the gateway to Washington State University, functioning as an information center for the University and a resource for the campus community, featuring WSU’s teaching, research, athletics, student and faculty contributions in a unique visual setting.
- 2 Museum of Anthropology, College Hall (Library Rd & Glenn Terrell Mall, south of the Holland & Terrell Library (main library)). M-F 9AM-4PM. The Museum of Anthropology at Washington State University rehabilitates and curates archaeological and ethnographic collections. The Museum is an official repository for archaeological collections generated by the work of Federal, State, and County agencies in Eastern Washington. The Museum also houses a collection of objects representative of the culture of Native American tribes in the Inland Northwest since contact with Europeans.
- 3 The Bears (WSU Grizzly Research), Terre View Dr & Grimes Way (east end of campus at Grimes Way & Terre View Dr), ☏ +1 509 335-3009. One common sight is the Grizzly Bear research facility on Airport road. The bears usually come out of hibernation around March, and you can see them in their outdoor facility.
- 4 Beasley Coliseum, 925 NE North Fairway, ☏ +1 509 335-3526. Home of the Cougs basketball team and a convention center for other events.
- 5 Charles R Conner Museum, Abselon Hall (south of the first floor of the Abselon Hall), ☏ +1 509-592-8922. Daily 8AM-5PM. The Conner Museum contains the largest collections of taxidermied birds and mammals in the Pacific Northwest. They have a large selection of animals on view, ranging from shrews to bison. Free Admission.
- 6 Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (along College Rd SW of the stadium), ☏ +1 509 335-1910. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM; Office Hours M-F 8AM-5PM. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art houses a permanent collection nearing 3,500 objects which provide a lasting legacy of the 20th and 21st century’s visual language.
- 7 Martin Stadium, 1750 NE Stadium Way (center of campus at NE Stadium Way & Wilson Rd), ☏ +1 509 335-3564. Football stadium with 40,000 seats at Washington State University, home field of the PAC-12 Cougars. Ticket windows at Gate B in the NE entrance of the stadium.
Non WSU
- 8 Kamiak Butte, Grand Avenue. A large butte just north of Pullman. Travel north approximately 10 miles, turn left at the sign for Kamiak Butte.
- 9 The Chipman Trail. A bicycle and walking path that connects Pullman to Moscow (the trail continues to Troy, Idaho). It features a number of geographical information signs where a visitor can learn more about the unique topography of the Palouse. The trail follows Paradise Creek, a small stream which flows from Moscow.
Do
Buy
- 1 Pullman's Farmers Market, Brelsford WSU Visitors Center @ 150 E Spring St, ☏ +1 509 360-8802. May-Oct: W 3:30-6:30PM; winters 10AM-2PM every third Sa from Nov-April. A place for the community to buy high quality grown food & products from local farmers during the middle of the week. The farmer's market is sponsored by the Pullman Chambers of Commerce.
- 2 Rosauers (formerly Dissmore's IGA), 1205 N Grand Ave (N Grand Ave & NE Stadium Way), ☏ +1 509-332-2918. Open 24/7. Local supermarket.
Eat
- 1 Ferdinand's Creamery, ☏ +1 509 335-2141. M-F 9:30AM-4:30PM. Home to Cougar Gold Cheese and some delicious ice cream that is made from beginning to end on campus. Check the hours in advance, they close early.
- 2 Sella's Calzone & Pizza, 1115 E Main St, ☏ +1 509 334-1895. M-Th 11AM-2PM, 4-8PM; F-Su 11AM-8PM. A great place to stop for a bite to eat in a university themed restaurant. Make an elaborate drawing on their blank placemats and you might just make it to their wall of fame!
- 3 The Old European Restaurant (The Old European Restaurant), 455 South Grand Ave (south of Main St on Grand), ☏ +1 509 334-6381. 6AM-2PM. Known for the best breakfast in the area. Family owned and operated and it shows! Can't get Danish Aebelskivers, Potato Pancakes or Dutch Babies anywhere else.
Drink
- 1 My Office Tavern. A local favorite and often-joke ("Let's meet at My Office"), it features cheap beer and food.
- 2 Rico's. Live jazz on weekends, a slightly pricier bar with a real British pub style.
- Valhalla. An excellent 1980s themed night on Saturdays, but always cramped and usually pretty stuffy (go there to dance only!)
- The Coug. Greek hangout, lots of interesting "quotes" scribbled all over the place. Good luck finding toilet paper or soap in the bathroom
Sleep
- 1 Courtyard by Marriott, 1295 NE North Fairway Rd (on northeast side of WSU, 2.2 miles from the airport, 1 mile from WSU and 1.8 miles from downtown Pullman), ☏ +1 509 332-1500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. The hotel also serves as a bus stop for Northwestern Trailways
- 2 Coast Hilltop Inn, 928 NW Olsen St (end of NW Olsen St at Wawawai Rd), ☏ +1 509 332-0928, fax: +1 509 334-5275.
- 3 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 1190 SE Bishop Blvd (SE of Klemgard & Bishop), ☏ +1 509 334-4437, fax: +1 509 334-4447.
- 4 Quality Inn Paradise Creek, 1400 SE Bishop Blvd, ☏ +1 509 332-0500, fax: +1 509 334-4271.
- 5 Residence Inn by Marriott, 1255 NE North Fairway Rd (on northeast side of WSU, 2.2 miles from the airport, 1 mile from WSU and 1.8 miles from downtown Pullman), ☏ +1 509 332-4400. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Pool, breakfast, airport shuttle, and convenience store with WSU merchandise.
Connect
- 2 WSU Libraries, Holland & Terrill Library (Main Library) (Library Rd & Terrell Mall Rd next to Cub Compton Union Building), ☏ +1 509 335-9672. The WSU Libraries do offer limited number of computers for public use to check e-mail, surf the web and use MS Office applications. Otherwise members of the public can bring their own laptop computer and/or other mobile devices to use with their WIFI. Laptop checkout available only to students, faculty and other staff members. See https://libraries.wsu.edu/ for additional information on WSU library resources.
- 3 Neill Public Library, 210 N Grand Ave (N Grand & NE Olsen St, a block north of E Main St.), ☏ +1 509 334-3595. M-Th 9AM-7PM, F Sa noon-6PM.
By mail
- 4 Pullman Post Office (US Postal Service), 1135 S Grand Ave (along Grand Ave south of Crestview next to Wysup Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dealership.), ☏ +1 509 334-3093, toll-free: +1-800-275-8777. M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-1PM. The zip code for Pullman and the surrounding Palouse Country is 99163 excluding WSU. The WSU campus has its own zip code at 99164.
- 5 Cougprints & Cub Mailing, Ground Floor of Compton Union Bldg, Cub 80 (Between Holland & Terrell Library and Martin Stadium along Terrell Mall Rd), ☏ +1 509 335-2328. M-F 7:30AM-6PM; Summers M-F 7:30AM-5PM. Offers outgoing shipping for USPS and FedEx from students and the public on campus and printing services. See https://ucomm.wsu.edu/mailing/ for interdepartment and off campus mailing for faculty and staff. The on campus zip code for WSU is 99164.
Go next
Pullman is 8 miles away from Moscow, Idaho, which has many attractions worth checking out.
Routes through Pullman |
Spokane ← Colfax ← | N S | → Lewiston via |
Spokane ← Palouse ← | N S | → END |
END ← | W E | → becomes → Moscow |