Richland is a city in the Columbia River Plateau. Together with Pasco and Kennewick they form the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

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

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 to and from Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Minneapolis/St.Paul.

See

• Bateman Island Wildlife Area
• Chamna Nature Preserve
• Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science and Technology
• Three Rivers Arts and Entertainment District
• Tri-Cities Raceway
• 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. 

Do

• Hanford Site Tours, 2000 Logston Blvd, ☏ +1 509 376-2151. Five-hour tours of the Hanford Nuclear Site with stops at the historic B Reactor, the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility, the Waste Treatment Plant construction zone. April through September only, and always on weekdays. Reservations required on a first come-first serve basis — registration for the year's tours opens in early March, and often fills in less than a day. Cancellations will open up a few slots, particularly later in the season, but you'll need luck to catch them when they happen: no waiting list. This tour is only open to U.S. citizens. Free. 
• 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. Free. 

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 T-F 11-14:00, Dinner M-Th 17-21:00, Dinner F-Sa 17-22:00. Italian restaurant in an antique railroad dining car. 
• Spudnuts Donut, 228 Williams Ave (Uptown Shopping Center). M-F 04-18:00, Sa 04-16:00. 
• 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. (updated Mar 2016)

Drink

• Atomic Ale Brewpub, 1015 Lee Blvd, ☏ +1 509 946-5465. M-Th 11-22:00, F-Sa 11-23:00, Su 11-20:00. 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. 
• Fox and Bear Public House, 430 George Washington Way, ☏ +1 509 420-4674. Very good and sedate place off of the freeway. Food and drink. (updated Dec 2015)

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. 
• Red Lion - Hanford House, 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. 

Go next

Routes through Richland

Yakima ← Prosser ←	N  S	→ Kennewick → Hermiston
Yakima ← Prosser ←	W  E	→ Pasco → Walla Walla