Ellensburg, WA Road Trips

MyEllensburg website, by the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce

1 Central Washington University, 400 E University Way, ☏ +1 509 963-1111. The ten thousand undergraduates of CWU very nearly outnumber all the other residents of Ellensburg. 2 Kittitas County Historical Museum, 114 E 3rd Ave (E 3rd & Pine next to post office), ☏ +1 509 925-3778. Located in the historic Cadwell Building in beautiful downtown Ellensburg and consisting of over 9,000 square feet of display space, the Kittitas County Historical Museum seek to collect and preserve the history and heritage of Kittitas County. Free. 3 Clymer Museum & Gallery, 416 N Pearl St (close to 5th.), ☏ +1 509 962-6416, [email protected]. M-F 11AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-3PM. Ellensburg's art museum. (updated Apr 2015) 4 Olmstead Place State Park, 921 N Ferguson Rd (5 miles SE of downtown along Kittitas Hwy), ☏ +1 509 925-1943. Summer 6:30AM- dusk, winter 8AM-dusk. This 217 acre state park has farm houses, barns and other outbuildings functioning as a museum of sorts depicting pioneer farm life in the 19th century. (updated Jun 2020) 5 Dick and Jane's Spot, 101 N Pearl St (NW of 1st, across from the fire dept.). A private home where the entire house and yard are covered in art. Entry is not allowed, but the house is completely visible from outside the fence. free. (updated Apr 2015) 6 Gallery One Visual Arts Center, 408 N Pearl St, ☏ +1 509-925-2670. M-F 11AM - 5PM, Sa 10AM - 4PM, Su noon - 4PM. Gallery One Visual Arts Center is dedicated to the creation, exhibition and appreciation of visual arts in Central Washington. (updated Feb 2018)

1 Wild Goose Casino, 1600 Currier St (I-90 exit 106, along W University Way going into town), ☏ +1 509 925-5825. W-Su. Poker, table games, and pull tabs (no slots). Has a sport bar and grill and happy hour 3-6PM. (updated Apr 2015) Paul Rogers Wildlife Park, 2400 Judge Ronald Road, ☏ +1 509-962-7204. Walking trails through a natural area. (updated Oct 2022) Jazz in the Valley (Downtown). Last weekend of July. Jazz in the Valley is a three-day festival with over 23 jazz artists in 10 intimate venues, all within walking distance. (updated Feb 2018) 2 Ellensburg Rodeo, toll-free: +1-800-637-2444. Labor Day weekend (usually the first week of September). The Ellensburg Rodeo has been called one of America’s top 25 rodeos. Within the Northwest, it is second in size only to the Calgary Stampede. Established in 1923, it regularly attracts more than 600 contestants $16-36. (updated Feb 2017)

1 Campus U-Tote-Em, 810 E University Way, ☏ +1 509 925-1600. Sa-Th 7AM - 9PM, F 7AM - 9:30PM. No-frills, old-school nook with counter service for signature burgers, sandwiches, fries & shakes. (updated Feb 2018) 2 El Caporal II, 201 W University Way, ☏ +1 509-962-5228. Daily 11AM - 10PM. Laid-back Mexican outfit featuring margaritas and classic eats such as tacos and enchiladas. (updated Feb 2018) 3 Ellensburg Pasta Company (EPC), 600 N Main St, ☏ +1 509-933-3330. M-Sa 11AM - 9PM. Family-friendly Italian cafe with local beer & wines, plus gluten-free options, in comfy digs. (updated Feb 2018) 4 The Tav, 117 W 4th Ave, ☏ +1 509-925-3939. Daily 11AM - 2AM. Down-home watering hole offering American pub grub, tap brews, simple cocktails, pool & pinball. (updated Feb 2018) 5 Wing Central, 1801 N Walnut St #2, ☏ +1 509-962-5400. M-Sa 11AM - 10PM, Su 11AM - 9PM. Lively hangout for sports on flat-screen TVs, plus chicken wings, burgers & over 100 beer choices. (updated Feb 2018) 6 The Palace Cafe (The Palace), 323 N Main St, ☏ +1 509 925-2327. M-Th 6AM - 9PM, F Sa 6AM - 10PM, Su 7AM - 9PM. Storied cafe serving American eats amid tin ceilings & wainscoting in a 1908 brick storefront. (updated Feb 2018)

D&M Coffee, (Headquarters & roasting plant) 307 E 5th Ave, ☏ +1 509 925-5313. M-F 9AM-5PM. Locally roasted coffee with five locations. 2 D&M Coffee Downtown, 323 N Pearl (SE of intersection of N Pearl & E 4th Ave), ☏ +1 509 962-9333. Daily 7AM-7PM. Popular hangout in the middle of downtown. 3 D&M Coffee Pie Hole, 307 E 5th Ave (E 5th Ave & N Sprague, north of the Safeway parking lot), ☏ +1 509 925-5813. M-F 6AM-4PM; Sa Su 7AM-1PM. Popular hangout for uptown. 4 D&M Coffee Drive-Thru, 204 S Water St (Along S Water St between W Capitol & Washington Ave), ☏ +1 509 962-6333. M-Sa 5AM-7PM; Su 6AM-7PM. A small hangout in the SW edge of town. 5 D&M Coffee Canyon, 1711 Canyon Rd Suite #2 (Small drive-thru kiosk across street from Chevron SE part of town), ☏ +1 509 925-5313. Daily 9AM-6PM. A small drive-thru kiosk for drivers on their way into or out of town along I-90. (updated Nov 2019) D&M KVH, 603 S Chestnut (KVH Hospital Cafeteria), ☏ +1 509 933-8777. M-F 8AM-5PM. (updated Nov 2019) 6 Iron Horse Brewery, 412 N Main St (Along N Main St between W 4th & 5th Ave), ☏ +1 509 933-3134, [email protected]. Su 1-7PM, M-W 4-9PM, Th 2-9PM, F Sa 1-9PM. Small microbrewery and pub in downtown Ellensburg. 7 The Tav, 117 W 4th Ave, ☏ +1 509-925-3939. Daily 11AM - 2AM. Down-home watering hole offering American pub grub, tap brews, simple cocktails, pool & pinball. (updated Feb 2018) 8 Whipsaw Brewing, 704 N Wenas St (along Wenas between W University & 7th Ave, northwestern part of town), ☏ +1 509 968-5111.

1 Motel 6, 403 W University Way (W University Way & N Columbia), ☏ +1 509 962-5585. (updated Nov 2019) 2 Rainbow Inn, 1025 W University (W University & Cascade Ct behind China Inn Restaurant), ☏ +1 509 933-7100. (updated Nov 2019) The hotels below are either 2.5 mi (4.0 km) NW of town at W University Way & I-90 (Exit #106) or 2 mi (3.2 km) south of town at Canyon Rd & I-90 (Exit #109): 3 Best Western Lincoln Inn & Suites, 211 W Umptanum Rd, ☏ +1 509 925-4244, toll-free: +1-866-925-4288, fax: +1 509 925-4211. 4 Comfort Inn, 1722 Canyon Rd (behind ConicoPhillips 76 Gas station from Canyon Rd), ☏ +1 509 243-6026. (updated Nov 2019) 5 Days Inn, 901 Berry Rd (behind Flying J Truck Stop at Berry and Canyon Rd south of the freeway (Exit #109)), ☏ +1 509 933-1500. There's also a lot for RV parking & 'camping' if travelers choose that option. (updated Nov 2019) 6 Econo Lodge, 1390 N Dolarway Rd (SE of the University Way/Dolarway Rd roundabout, behind Mini-Mart store), ☏ + 1 509 925-9844. (updated Nov 2019) 7 Hampton Inn, 2705 Triple 'L' Loop (behind Ihop Restaurant along US Hwy 97, across street from Loves Truck Stop (Greyhound Lines, Apple Line bus)), ☏ +509 933-7500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Nov 2019) 8 Holiday Inn Express, 1620 Canyon Rd (behind Starbucks & Taco Del Mar from Canyon Rd), ☏ +1 509 925-9400. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. There's also a Tesla (electric car) charger on site too. $125+.

Ellensburg is at the junction of Interstates 90 and 82. Road is the only practical way in, there is no air or rail service. Interstate 90 (I-90) is along the southwest edge of town. It is 110 mi (180 km) (1 hr 38 min) east of Seattle and 170 mi (270 km) (2 hr 44 min) west of Spokane. Exit #106 W. University Way & Thorp Hwy. US-97 northbound is the first left (north) from the east side of the freeway. Exit #109 S Canyon Rd. Interstate 82 (I-82) begins southeast of Ellensburg at Exit 110 from I-90. I-82 goes southeast through Yakima 36 mi (58 km), Toppenish, Sunnyside, Tri-Cities 113 mi (182 km) and down into Hermiston, Oregon 142 mi (229 km) to Interstate 84. US 97 goes north across Blewett Pass to Wenatchee, Omak 160 mi (260 km) (3 hr) and another 48 mi (77 km) (45 min) to Osoyoos, BC at the Canadian border. Going southbound, US-97 follows I-82 to Union Gap just south of Yakima. The 1 Love's Travel Stop on 1512 Hwy 97, on US Hwy 97 & University Rd (Exit #106 of I-90) in the outskirts of town serves as a de facto bus station for: 1 Greyhound & Flixbus (Flixbus operated by MTR Western and Greyhound), (bus stop) Love's Truck Stop @ 1512 US Hwy 97 (Hwy 97 & University Dr, off of Exit #106 along I-90), ☏ +1 509 925-1177, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Travels primarily on Interstate 90 (Seattle,Ellensburg, Moses Lake and Spokane) and another branch continues east on Interstate 82 (Ellensburg, Yakima, Sunnyside, Pasco (in Tri-Cities) and Spokane. Additional local stop at 900 E 10th, next to Starbucks near CWU parking lot. Four departures daily to Seattle.

The city is small enough to walk on foot in less than an hour. 1 Ellensburg Central Transit, (main bus stops) E 4th Ave & N Ruby, ☏ +1 509 933-2287. Central Transit operates local buses in/around Ellensburg and the Central Washington University campus (Rt #12, 13, 14, 15 & 16). The main transfer points for all bus lines are at the southwest corner of the Safeway parking lot on E 4th Ave & N Ruby, at opposite sides of the street (N Ruby) from each other. (updated Sep 2019)