The Perfect College Town
You’ll Love Living in Walla Walla
Big skies. Blue mountains. Friendly faces. Fun around every corner. Living in a cozy college town is an adventure. Your four years in Walla Walla will be life-changing. This is where you’ll meet mentors and make lifelong friends. It’s where you’ll make a difference to a community that values your unique perspective. And it’s where you’ll launch a lifetime of learning, growing and giving back. At one of the best liberal arts colleges in the Northwest, in a town noted for its vibrant culture, you’ll find where you truly belong.
Walla Walla Is a Perfect Place to …
Get Involved
Walla Walla has endless opportunities to break out of the campus bubble. Whitman students teach civil rights lessons at public schools, volunteer at low-income clinics, consult and do internships with local nonprofits, lead local climate activism, perform with arts organizations and much more. Your talents and voice will be valued here.
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.
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.
I chose Whitman because I wanted to be somewhere that felt like home. The campus culture and professors I met on my tour were so wonderful, and I've met amazing people with the same interests as me. The campus aesthetics, low student-faculty ratio and even Walla Walla as a whole contributed to my decision.”
Student VoicesDiscover Walla Walla
Come for the world-class education at one of the top colleges in Washington. Stay for the …
Outdoors
Ready for adventure? Whitman’s Outdoor Program will gear you up and get you started. It runs trips most weekends throughout the school year: Beginners welcome! From kayaking to hiking, river rafting to ice climbing, there’s something for everyone. And every student receives funds to help pay for trips and equipment.
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.
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 Chamber Music Festival.
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 make Walla Walla a must-visit destination for parents.
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.
Connections
Whitman’s Community Fellow Program connects students with leaders of local organizations for professional mentoring and work on important social and environmental issues in southeastern Washington. And the Career and Community Engagement Center helps students land dream internships funded in part by Whitman Internship Grants.
Volunteering
If giving back is what gives you joy, Whitman’s student-led Community Engagement Programs can connect you with rewarding opportunities like Adopt-A-Grandparent, the Food Justice Project and the Walla Walla Stream Team. Service events like the Tri-College Community Day are another way to get everyone involved in making Walla Walla an amazing place to live.
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.
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.
