Whether Ellensburg has always been ‘home’ or is now just becoming it, it’s more important than not to get better acquainted with the city and what it has to offer in all its entirety. Here are the top 10 must do’s in Ellensburg for you to check out.

1.   Local grub at the Farmers Market

Name it, and you can probably find it at the local downtown farmer’s market. From locally produced honey and coffee to pet treats and woven baskets, the Ellensburg Farmers Market has something for you.

2.   Paint the town

Exploring the town has probably made you realize one thing: there’s a lot of talent here in our very own city. Just taking a stroll downtown, you’ll find a variety of different murals and sculptures. Popping into our very own Gallery One art gallery will suffice all your artistic mediums.

3.   Live music

When I say our city has talent, I mean Ellensburg has some TALENT. You can find several shows downtown at establishments like Old Skools who host local band shows all throughout the week and weekend with open mic nights every Sunday. There are even more local places to get your live music fix, such as Pounder’s or the Morgan Performing Arts Center.

4.   Exploring the CWU campus

I’ll be honest, up until last week, my only scope of campus was from Black Hall to Language and Literature Hall. Finally having the excuse to walk down a different path on campus, I discovered that there was way more ground that I needed to cover. CWU campus includes a Japanese garden, unique sculptures, several coffee shops, a rock-climbing wall, a few sporting fields, the Sarah Spurgeon Art Gallery and even access to banking right on campus for all student’s convenience.

5.   Local events

Looking for something to do during some down time? The ‘Burg is constantly buzzing with local events for you to check out. For this fall season, you can find pumpkins at the Fall Festival, participate in the pub crawl hosted by the Kittitas County hospital, trick-or-treating downtown and even ghost hunting at the ‘haunted’ Hotel Windrow.

6.   Hiking trails

Get some fresh air. Ellensburg is home to some beautiful trails to take a stroll on, all ranging from easy to a nice moderate hike. Some trails include Rattlesnake Dance Ridge Trail, John Wayne Pioneer Trail and the Rotary Park and Irene Rinehart Riverfront Trail.

7.   Views

In accompaniment to the trails, the city offers up even more beautiful views to experience during your time here in the ‘Burg, including catching some cool mountain air up on Manastash Ridge, catching some slopes during the winter at Reed Park and even enjoying a beautiful sunset at Lion’s Rock.

8.   Hot food

Who doesn’t like some good food? Here in Ellensburg, the food is spectacular. You can find not only something to satisfy the taste buds, but also a place to satisfy the eyes. Each restaurant in town has its own personal look and vibe, offering something for everyone. Feeling like a casual night out? Check out The Red Pickle. Something a bit fancier? Ellensburg Pasta Company or The Palace will seat you shortly. Need some danger? Wing Central homes one of the hottest chicken wing sauces around, the Hell Wing. This city has something for everybody.

9.   Ellensburg Blues

One of the coolest hidden gems found in Ellensburg is the Ellensburg Blue Agate. This stone is one of the rarest stones in the *world*. You can check it out for yourself at the Kittitas County Historical Museum. You never know when you could come across one of these beautiful stones.

10. Eburg hearts pets

We can’t forget about some of our very best friends and fur babies. Here in Ellensburg, there are several options to take your pet out on one of the best shopping sprees of their life, ranging from food products to toys. Even taking your pet out to the park, there’s plenty of space to roam and to be explored.

Know of the coolest places and it wasn’t mentioned? We’d love to know about it. Let us know by contacting us at [email protected].