From Wikitravel

Richland is a city in the Columbia River Plateau. Together with Pasco and Kennewick they form the Tri-Cities area of Washington.

The city is home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a large national research lab. Immediately beyond the lab is the beginning of the Hanford nuclear site, where the ongoing remediation is the single largest construction project in the country.

[edit] Get in

By car, Richland's central business district is immediately off of Interstate 182 at Exit 5, George Washington Way. The Tri-Cities are close to each other but a long way from anyone else: expect at least a 75 minute drive from Yakima, 3.5 hours from Seattle.

Tri-Cities Airport (IATA: PSC) is located in Pasco, roughly 10 miles east of Richland. There are daily flights to and from Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Minneapolis/St.Paul.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

• Bateman Island Wildlife Area[1]
• Chamna Nature Preserve[2]
• Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science and Technology[3]
• Three Rivers Arts and Entertainment District[4]
• Tri-Cities Raceway
• Hanford Reach National Monument, ☎ +1-(509) 371-1801 (hanfordreach@fws.gov), [5]. Most areas open from 2 hours before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset. The monumental Hanford nuclear fuel production site lies to the northwest of Richland, and strict security means that the land surrounding it was not developed — and became a surprising wildlife preserve. A National Monument since 2000, Hanford Reach covers thousands of acres in a giant U-shape along the Columbia River.  edit
• Saddle Mountain B.L.M. Recreation Lands, [6]. A large outcrop in the plains. Popular as a hang-gliding spot. A wildlife refuge since 1953, it became part of the Hanford Reach National Monument in 2000.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Hanford Site Tours, 2000 Logston Boulevard, ☎ (509) 376-2151, [7]. Five-hour tours of the Hanford Nuclear Site with stops at the historic B Reactor, the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility, the Waste Treatment Plant construction zone. April through September only, and always on weekdays. Reservations required on a first come-first serve basis — registration for the year's tours opens in early March, and often fills in less than a day. Cancellations will open up a few slots, particularly later in the season, but you'll need luck to catch them when they happen: no waiting list. This tour is only open to U.S. citizens. Free.  edit
• Manhattan Project B Reactor Tours, ☎ (509) 373-2774, [8]. Shorter tours visit only the B Reactor, the world's first large-scale nuclear reactor. Like the site tours, advance reservations are necessary; 50 tour dates per year between April and September, including most weekends. Groups will get about two hours on site, plus 45 minutes each way on a chartered bus to reach the isolated facility. Unlike the full site tours, there is no citizenship requirement, but photo ID is mandatory. Free.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

Apollo Authentic Greek Restaurant, 620 Cullum Ave. (Located by Lee Blvd.), ☎ 509-943-9841. Apollo offers a wide variety of fine Greek cuisine. Take-out is available.  edit

• Spudnuts Donut Shop 228 Williams Boulevard Uptown Plaza [9]

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Richland doesn't have a large supply of hotels, and many of its travelers are on business at the Lab. As a result, hotels can unexpectedly book out at any time of the year. Kennewick's hotels are generally quite convenient to Richland as well, Pasco somewhat less so.

• Courtyard Richland Columbia Point, 480 Columbia Point Drive, ☎ +1 509 942-9400 (fax: +1 509 942-9401), [10].  edit
• Hampton Inn, 486 Bradley Blvd., ☎ +1 509-943-4400, [11]. The budget end of the Hilton empire, it's a classic business hotel: nothing fancy, but the facilities are well maintained and the staff helpful.  edit
• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 1970 Center Parkway, ☎ +1 509 737-8000, [12].  edit
• Red Lion - Hanford House, 802 George Washington Way, ☎ +1 509-946-7611, [13]. The building is passing through dated and wrapping all the way back around to retro - don't overlook the long curving hallway, or the pickled wood ceilings on the upper floor. Otherwise, a standard midrange hotel. Rates are on the high side for what you get.  edit

[edit] Get out

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