Richland
Richland is a city of 51,000 people (2020) in the Columbia River Plateau. Together with Pasco and Kennewick they form the Tri-Cities area of Washington.
Understand
The city is home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a large national research lab. Immediately beyond the lab is the beginning of the Hanford nuclear site, where the ongoing remediation is the single largest construction project in the country.
Get in
Map of Richland
By car, Richland's central business district is immediately off of Interstate 182 at Exit 5, George Washington Way. The Tri-Cities are close to each other but a long way from anyone else: expect at least a 75-minute drive from Yakima, 3.5 hours from Seattle.
Tri-Cities Airport (PSC IATA) is located in Pasco, roughly 10 miles east of Richland. There are daily flights from Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Minneapolis/St.Paul.
Get around
Ben Franklin Transit provides bus transportation within Richland and the Tri-Cities area.
See
- Bateman Island Wildlife Area
- Chamna Nature Preserve
- Tri-Cities Raceway
- 1 Hanford Reach National Monument, ☏ +1-509 371-1801, hanfordreach@fws.gov. Most areas open from 2 hours before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset. The monumental Hanford nuclear fuel production site lies to the northwest of Richland, and strict security means that the land surrounding it was not developed — and became a surprising wildlife preserve. A National Monument since 2000, Hanford Reach covers thousands of acres in a giant U-shape along the Columbia River.
- Saddle Mountain B.L.M. Recreation Lands. A large outcrop in the plains. Popular as a hang-gliding spot. A wildlife refuge since 1953, it became part of the Hanford Reach National Monument in 2000.
- 2 The Reach Museum, 1943 Columbia Park Trail, ☏ +1 509 943-4100. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. In summer, also Su noon-4:30PM. Adults $10, seniors/students/military $6, children 5 and under free.
- 3 Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve.
- 4 LIGO Hanford Observatory (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), 127124 N Rt 10, ☏ +1 509 372-8106, outreach@ligo-wa.caltech.edu. Public walking tours on 2nd Saturday of each month, at 1ː30PM and 3ː30PM, with a science talk at 3PM. Also, visitor center/exhibits open M Tu Th F 10AM-4PM, and W 9AM-2PM. Free.
Do
- 1 Hanford Site Cleanup Tours, 2490 Garlick Blvd, ☏ +1 509 376-6969. Apr-Nov: M-Sa. Four-hour tours of the Hanford Nuclear Site focusing on Hanford's current cleanup projects. Stops include a model waste storage tank used to develop cleanup techniques (the Cold Test Facility), the 200 West Pump and Treat facility (cleaning contaminated groundwater), and the Waste Treatment Plant construction zone. Reservations required on a first come-first serve basis — registration for the year's tours opens in early March and closer dates may fill quickly. Cancellations will open up a few slots, particularly later in the season. This tour is only open to U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old.. No cameras or cell phones are allowed on the tour, and there is no storage for items at the office building where the tour begins. Free.
- 2 Manhattan Project B Reactor Tours, ☏ +1 509 373-2774. Shorter tours visit only the B Reactor, the world's first large-scale nuclear reactor. Like the site tours, advance reservations are necessary; 50 tour dates per year between April and September, including most weekends. Groups will get about two hours on site, plus 45 minutes each way on a chartered bus to reach the isolated facility. Unlike the full site tours, there is no citizenship requirement, but photo ID is mandatory. Also, visitors under 18 are allowed but must be with their parent/guardian or adult designated by them, and have a signed release form. Free.
- Pre-War Historic Site Tour. This tour covers the remaining buildings of the former farm towns of Hanford and White Bluffs, which were displaced by the military for the construction of the Hanford nuclear site during World War II. This tour does not include the nuclear cleanup projects or the B Reactor, and US citizenship is not required. Free.
- 3 The Chamna Natural Preserve. A park near the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia Rivers. It offers hiking through a multitude of habitats ranging from grasslands to riparian wooded areas.
Buy
Eat
- Apollo Authentic Greek Restaurant, 620 Cullum Ave. (Located by Lee Blvd.), ☏ +1 509-943-9841. Apollo offers a wide variety of fine Greek cuisine. Take-out is available.
- Monterosso’s Italian Restaurant, 1026 Lee Blvd, ☏ +1 509 946-4525. Lunch Tu-F 11AM-2PM, dinner M-Th 5-9PM, dinner F Sa 5-10PM. Italian restaurant in an antique railroad dining car.
- Spudnuts Donut, 228 Williams Ave (Uptown Shopping Center). M-F 4AM-6PM, Sa 4AM-4PM.
- Sterling's Restaurant, 890 George Washington Way. There is an all-you-can-eat or single trip salad bar, several soups prepared daily, and a wide and impressive menu featuring appetizers, fresh omelets (breakfast and dinner), steak, seafood, chicken, pasta, salads, burgers, and a kid's menu with shrimp, chicken fingers, french fries and fruit. Beer, wine, and spirits are on the drink menu. There is a newer branch at 2500 Queensgate Dr.
Drink
- Atomic Ale Brewpub, 1015 Lee Blvd, ☏ +1 509 946-5465. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-8PM. One of the only microbreweries in the area, this brewpub features such locally famous brews as Half-Life Hefeweizen, Atomic Amber and Plutonium Porter. The eatery features gourmet wood-fired pizzas.
- Whiskey River Bar & Grill, 775 Goethals Drive, ☏ +1 509 943 1971. 10AM - 2AM. Working class dive bar, with indoor/outdoor seating, some live music (classic rock, traditional country) and periodic karaoke.
Sleep
Richland doesn't have a large supply of hotels, and many of its travelers are on business at the Lab. As a result, hotels can unexpectedly book out at any time of the year. Kennewick's hotels are generally quite convenient to Richland as well, Pasco somewhat less so.
- Courtyard Richland Columbia Point, 480 Columbia Point Dr, ☏ +1 509 942-9400, fax: +1 509 942-9401.
- Hampton Inn, 486 Bradley Blvd., ☏ +1 509 943-4400. The budget end of the Hilton empire, it's a classic business hotel: nothing fancy, but the facilities are well maintained and the staff helpful.
- Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 1970 Center Parkway, ☏ +1 509 737-8000.
- Holiday Inn Richland on the River, 802 George Washington Way, ☏ +1 509 946-7611. The building is passing through dated and wrapping all the way back around to retro - don't overlook the long curving hallway, or the pickled wood ceilings on the upper floor. Otherwise, a standard midrange hotel. Rates are on the high side for what you get.
- 1 The Lodge at Columbia Point, 530 Columbia Point Dr, ☏ +1 509 713-7423, toll-free: +1-844-200-8641, welcome@lodgeatcolumbiapoint.com.
Go next
| Routes through Richland |
| Yakima ← Prosser ← | N  S |
→ Kennewick → Hermiston |
| Yakima ← Prosser ← | W  E |
→ Pasco → Walla Walla |