Jump the navigation
Whitman College and Downtown Walla Walla
Waves

Our Community

The Perfect College Town

We Love Living in Walla Walla

Big skies. Blue mountains. Friendly faces. Fun around every corner. Living in a cozy college town is an adventure. Whitman students, faculty and staff enjoy Walla Walla for its easy access to the outdoors, its welcoming and big-hearted personality, and its vibrant local culture. Take a closer look at the home of one of the best liberal arts colleges in the Northwest.

Walla Walla Is a Perfect Place to …

handshake icon

Get Involved

Walla Walla has endless opportunities to break out of the campus bubble—and Whitman’s ties to the community run deep. You’ll see Whitman faces volunteering in public schools, consulting with local nonprofits, leading local climate activism, performing with arts organizations and much more. Your talents and voice will be valued here.

Sun icon

Get Outside

Walla Walla is rich with parks, hiking and biking trails, lakes and streams, and wildlife preserves. Plus campus is just a short drive away from the beautiful Blue Mountains, Bluewood Ski Resort, the Columbia and Snake rivers, and breathtaking Palouse Falls. Into kayaking? Climbing? Snowboarding? Stargazing? Get ready to soak up all nature has to offer here.

mountain icon

Get a Northwest Experience

There’s something special about the Pacific Northwest. It’s filled with friendly, earnest people who genuinely care about making the world a better place. It’s a natural home for people who love the outdoors and are passionate about the environment. And it’s a place that values diversity—of resources, people, ideas and experiences.

Wish You Were Here

Planning a visit to campus? It’s the perfect opportunity to see firsthand all that Whitman and Walla Walla have to offer. Don’t miss our top tips on planning your visit.

Staff Highlight
Ryan B., Creative Strategy & Operations

Walla Walla is a special place to call home. I love the vibrant art and music community and friendly, hometown vibes—and the beautiful surroundings become your backyard. It’s a place where you can truly savor life’s simple pleasures and find inspiration in every season (without city traffic!).”

Work At Whitman

Discover Walla Walla

Whitman students, faculty and staff come from all over the world to be part of one the top colleges in Washington. Here are a few reasons they choose call it home:

Whitman college students walking outdoors

Outdoors

Whitman’s Outdoor Program runs student trips most weekends throughout the school year—and rents equipment like tents, kayaks, skis and bikes to help anyone access the outdoors. Students, faculty and staff get special rates on equipment rentals, and every student automatically receives funds to help pay for trips and equipment.

whitman college students eating downtown

Downtown

Whitman’s central location is just steps from Walla Walla’s charming downtown. Drop by for coffee and conversation, browse the independent bookstores and fun shops, take in live music, or wander the Saturday farmers market.

Walla Walla Symphony playing at Whitman College's Cordiner Hall

Music

Whatever your jam, you’ll find live music around every corner in Walla Walla. Hear local bands perform downtown or in the vineyards. Soak up the classical beauty of the Walla Walla Symphony at Cordiner Hall. Or celebrate fun music events like the annual Guitar Festival or the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival.

Great food in downtown walla walla

Food

From gourmet restaurants featuring locally sourced ingredients to fast and friendly food trucks, Walla Walla’s food scene will hit the spot. And the bustling breweries and beautiful vineyards have made Walla Walla a flourishing tourist destination, often voted one of the best wine towns in America.

Sculpture at a downtown Walla Walla location

Arts

Walla Walla is an art lover’s dream. You can stroll through Walla Walla’s downtown galleries and tasting rooms for First Friday Art Tours, enjoy ArtWalla’s Artist Pop-Ups or visit the world-renowned Walla Walla Foundry. If performance is more your thing, you can take in dance, comedy, film, drama, music and more at local venues like the Gesa Power House Theatre.

Whitman College students working with leaders at local organizations

Connections

Whitman’s Community Fellow Program and the Career and Community Engagement Center help connect students with local nonprofit or public organizations for mentoring, consulting and internships. And Whitman faculty often collaborate with Walla Walla’s other institutions of higher education, local nonprofit and arts organizations, the state penitentiary, and tribal governments for unique teaching and learning opportunities.

whitman college students volunteering

Volunteering

Whitman’s Community Engagement Programs connect students with rewarding opportunities like Adopt-A-Grandparent, the Food Justice Project and the Walla Walla Stream Team. And communitywide service events like the Tri-College Community Day get everyone involved in making Walla Walla an amazing place to live.

public clock downtown walla walla

History

Walla Walla’s fascinating past can be seen everywhere—from the historic architecture downtown to the array of nearby museums and historic sites, like the Fort Walla Walla Museum, Frenchtown Historic Site, and Tamástslikt Cultural Institute. And Whitman’s close ties with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation bring rich collaboration and learning opportunities about the area’s past and present to campus.

differently colored umbrellas

Inclusivity

Walla Walla is a place that values originality—one-of-kind experiences and one-of-a-kind people. On campus or around town, you’ll find a friendly, supportive atmosphere that allows you to pursue your passions, express yourself fully and experience a genuine sense of belonging.

Drone image of Walla Walla with Whitman College and Ankeny Field visible in the center.

Our Place in Walla Walla

Whitman College is located in the Walla Walla Valley, rich with people, places and events that make it a unique place to live and learn. Explore Whitman's many connections to the surrounding community in a periodic column that dives deeper into various topics, from flagstone annual events to influential community leaders.

Read “Our Place in Walla Walla”

Stories

View All
A horse grazes on a lawn while people stand nearby

5 Fun & Unique Clubs at Whitman College

Learn More

Whitman Students on a trip.

New Endowment To Help More Students Enjoy the Full Whitman Experience

Learn More

Laura Sanchez ’07

Laura Sanchez ’07: Creating Impact Through Research

Learn More

Veggies offered at Whitman's 2024 First Food Festival

Whitman College Hosts Inaugural First Foods Festival

Learn More

Three students dressed as Janet, Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Brad from the Rocky Horror Picture Show

Weird Whitman History: ‘Rocky Horror’ Celebrates 30 Years on Campus

Learn More

Three Whitman College community members

President Bolton Highlights Whitman’s Unique Curriculum at Family Weekend

Learn More

Georgia Cloepfil

Cloepfil To Explore Athletics, Art & Identity in Upcoming Reading

Learn More

Bob Carson with a group of Whitman College students.

Alums Charlie & Patti Nelson Honor Whitman Icons With Outdoor Program Gift

Learn More

A rocky hillside and hiking trail near White Pine Lake, Utah

NPR Highlights Climate-Significant Work of Whitman Geology Alum

Learn More
Anna Taft ’02

Anna Taft ’02 Shares Lessons From 20 Years of Intercultural Community Engagement

Learn More

An illustration of a city landscape

‘Lyd’ Sci-Fi Film Screening Sparks Conversations About Global Issues

Learn More

Election buttons scattered with the word "VOTE".

Democracy in Action: Whitman Students Co-Host Candidate Forum

Learn More

Two loves of sweet bread and a purple drink on a counter

5 Ways To Celebrate & Learn About Día de los Muertos

Learn More

Photo of Georgia Cloepfil

Pahlke Shares Thoughts on Talking With Kids About the Election

Learn More
A group of a cappella singers performing on a stage

Speakeasy Concert To Raise Money for SOS Health Clinic

Learn More

Noé Álvarez sitting in front of a brick wall

‘Spirit Run’ Author Noé Álvarez ’07 To Read at Whitman

Learn More

Five women sitting on deck chairs by a pool

Post-Reunion Reflections From a Weekend in Walla Walla

Learn More

KWCW radio station console

A Radio Renaissance on Campus

Learn More

A black and white graphic drawing of a square. Inside the square are four hearts with their tips pointing out to the four corners. The center of the square is a mass of thread surrounded by sewing needles whose points fan out and over the edges of the square.

Social Justice Concentration Is a Pathway for Changemakers

Learn More

Peter and Christine Dawson

It Takes a Village: Whitman Parents Support a Vibrant Campus Community

Learn More

Whitman College Receives National Award for Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Learn More

New Opportunity for Students at 2024-2025 Visiting Writer Reading Series

Learn More

Wing Lam

Gratitude Inspires This Whittie To Give Annually to The Whitman Fund

Learn More

The Third Space Center sign in front of the Third Space Center house.

Whitman’s New Third Space Center Celebrates Communities of Color

Learn More

Jonathan Sposato

A New Internship Endowment Will Power Strong Launches to Tech Careers

Learn More

View All

Take The Next Step

Our Admission team is excited to show prospective students all the opportunities that await them at Whitman—including top academics, career coaching and a caring community that truly wants them to thrive.

Not ready yet? Contact us to request more information.

beaker duck hiker icon-a-to-z icon-arrow-circle-down icon-arrow-circle-up icon-arrow-down icon-arrow-left icon-arrow-right icon-arrow-up icon-calendar-no-circle icon-calendar icon-camera icon-clock icon-cv icon-dot icon-down-triangle icon-email-circle icon-email icon-external-link icon-facebook icon-flickr icon-generic-blog icon-google-plus icon-home icon-instagram icon-library icon-link-circle icon-link-inverted icon-linkedin icon-lock icon-magazine icon-map-pin icon-map2 icon-menu-hamburger icon-menu-mobile-a icon-menu-mobile-b icon-menu-x icon-mywhitman-cog icon-news icon-phone icon-pinterest icon-play icon-quote icon-search-a icon-search-b icon-search-mobile-a icon-search-mobile-b icon-share icon-snail-mail icon-tumblr icon-twitter icon-vimeo icon-youtube logo-whitman-nc-flat logo-whitman-nc-stacked logo-whitman-no-clocktower slider-category-arrow-2px slider-category-arrow-no-line slider-category-arrow-solid slider-category-arrow slider-category-line-2px slider-category-line-solid slider-category-line tc_icon-filmstrip-fl tc_icon-filmstrip-ln tc_icon-play-fl-closed tc_icon-play-fl-open tc_icon-play-ln-closed tc_icon-play-ln-open wifi