Love wine, hate crowds? Then visit Walla Walla

Will Walla Walla intercept some of Napa Valley’s wine tourists this summer?

It could hold true if visitors heed the advice of a recent piece from online travel site Cheapism.

A story last month highlights “26 Summer Tourist Spots to Avoid — and Where to Go Instead.” Among them: a suggestion to skip Napa for Walla Walla.

“Napa is lovely, there’s no denying it, and is wonderful to visit,” the piece from writer Mia Taylor explained. “Napa’s peak season corresponds to harvest season, August through October, which is when to expect the highest prices on everything you see and do — wine tours, meals, accommodations. Better to visit September through November, or March through May.”

Instead, the piece says, try Walla Walla, which “is home to more than 120 wineries and has carved a niche as a global wine and culinary scene while maintaining a relaxed, small-town charm.”

The recommendation also includes renting a cruiser by the hour at Allegro Cyclery and biking the farm-lined roads of Washington’s unofficial wine capital.

The concept isn’t to forego any specific place, but to plan better to avoid high-season prices and crowds during the busy summer months, the introduction explained. The recommendations came with input from tourism authorities and travel bloggers.