Benton County · South Central
Prosser, Washington: Wineries, Things to Do and When to Go
In 1937 a young horticulturist named Walter Clore started working with grapes at the research station north of town. Today Prosser pours what that work built, from a dozen tasting rooms in Vintners Village to the Horse Heaven Hills above the Yakima River.
POPULATION
6,745 (OFM, 2026)
INCORPORATED
1899
FROM SEATTLE
3 hr 11 min drive
COUNTY
Benton (county seat)
KNOWN FOR
Yakima Valley wine
ANNUAL RAINFALL
8.7 inches
Prosser, Washington is a farm town of about 6,745 people on the Yakima River, the county seat of Benton County and the spot where the lower Yakima Valley meets the Horse Heaven Hills. It sits right on I-82, so most people see it as two exits and a rest area between Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Get off the freeway. Prosser is where Washington figured out what to grow in the desert, and then figured out how to pour it.
The Yakama people fished here at a series of falls they called Táptat long before Colonel William Farrand Prosser surveyed the area in 1879 and filed a town plat in 1885. Irrigation turned sagebrush into orchards, and in 1919 the state opened the irrigation research station that is now WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center. Two pieces of work from that station still shape what you eat and drink in Washington. In 1937 Walter Clore joined the staff and began working with grapes, research that led the state Legislature to name him the Father of Washington’s Wine Industry. In 1952 Harold Fogle crossed a Bing cherry with a Van cherry and got the Rainier.
That history is the reason to come. Walk between a dozen tasting rooms in Vintners Village, buy chocolate covered cherries at Chukar’s flagship store on Wine Country Road, and drive up into the Horse Heaven Hills for the view back over the valley. Time it right and you can watch hot air balloons lift off over the Yakima River at the Great Prosser Balloon Rally, held the last full weekend of every September.
Getting Here
Driving From Seattle: 191 Miles, Almost All of It on I-90 and I-82
Prosser is 191 miles and about 3 hours 11 minutes from Seattle by car. Take I-90 east to Ellensburg, then I-82 southeast through Yakima; Prosser is another 48.4 miles and about 53 minutes past Yakima. Two exits do all the work. Exit 80 puts you at Vintners Village and the Prosser Rest Area, which sits at milepost 80, serves both directions and has an RV dump station. Exit 82 is the one for the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center, the Prosser Wine and Food Park and Wine Country Road into downtown. From Portland, the drive is 186.9 miles and about 3 hours 35 minutes.
Flying In: Tri-Cities Airport Is 36 Minutes East
The closest commercial airport is Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) in Pasco, 34.5 miles and about 36 minutes east of Prosser on I-82. Rent a car there; you will need one. Private pilots can land at Prosser Airport (S40), a Port of Benton field with a paved runway, 100LL fuel available around the clock by card, 65 tie downs with no fee for up to seven days and no landing fees. It is also the launch field for the balloon rally.
Getting Around: Two Exits, One Wine Country Road and a Designated Driver
Wine Country Road is the spine of Prosser. It links downtown, the Prosser House, Chukar Cherries and the tasting rooms along the river, and Vintners Village is a walkable loop once you park. Everything else needs a car or a bike. The paved Lower Yakima Valley Pathway starts at the Yakima River in Prosser and runs west toward Grandview and Sunnyside. Our harvest and crush season guide puts it plainly: a designated driver or a tour van is the difference between a good day and a bad idea. During the balloon rally, Ben Franklin Transit has run a free shuttle to the Saturday Night Glow from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
Things to Do
Wine
Vintners Village: A Dozen Tasting Rooms You Can Walk Between
Vintners Village at 211 Port Avenue, just off I-82 at exit 80, is a Port of Benton wine park built around a loop you can walk, ride or drive. The Port lists about a dozen wineries here, including Airfield Estates, WIT Cellars, Thurston Wolfe and the Winemakers Loft, a cluster of small tasting rooms you can visit door to door, plus a bakery, a bistro and a bed and breakfast. Hours vary by business, so check each tasting room before you plan a route.
Wine
Walter Clore Center and Tirriddis: Where Washington Wine Honors Its Father
The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center at 2140A Wine Country Road opened in 2014 and is named for the WSU horticulturist the Legislature declared the Father of Washington Wine; today WSU Tri-Cities runs it for classes and events, so check the calendar before you go, such as Bubbles and Bites on November 7, 2026. Next door at 2140B, Tirriddis pours traditional method sparkling wine from a winery three friends from WSU's viticulture and enology program founded in 2021. Tirriddis is open 11 am to 5 pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 am to 6 pm Friday through Sunday, and closed Tuesday.
Wine
Mercer Wine Estates: The Cabernet Walter Clore Told the Mercers to Plant
The Mercer family has been in Washington since 1886 and wintered sheep in Prosser for decades, and in 1972 Don and Linda Mercer planted the first Cabernet Sauvignon in the Horse Heaven Hills on Walter Clore's advice. The Prosser tasting room at 3100 Lee Road is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, and groups of six or more need a reservation. Taste the Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet here, then drive up into the hills where it grows.
Food
Chukar Cherries: Chocolate Covered Cherries at the Flagship Store
Chukar Cherries started on a Washington cherry orchard in 1988 and still makes its dried and chocolate covered cherries without preservatives at its factory headquarters in Prosser. The flagship store at 320 Wine Country Road is open for tastings and purchases Monday through Saturday 8 am to 6 pm and Sunday 9 am to 5 pm. It is the easiest gift stop in wine country.
History
WSU Prosser IAREC: The Research Station Behind the Rainier Cherry
The state opened its irrigation research station on 200 acres of desert north of Prosser in 1919, and it is now WSU's Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center at 24106 North Bunn Road. Walter Clore spent his whole career here, retiring in 1976, and in 1952 Harold Fogle crossed a Bing and a Van cherry here to create the Rainier. It is a working research campus rather than a visitor attraction, so the best way in is a public event such as the Pumpkin Palooza it held with the Prosser Farmers Market in 2026.
Museums
Prosser Historical Museum: From Táptat to the Irrigation Boom
The museum sits in City Park at 1000 Paterson Road, across from Prosser High School, and its Front Room starts with the Yakama fishing site of Táptat before moving through dryland farming, irrigation, horse culture and antique firearms. A second gallery interprets the shrub steppe the town was built on, and the Parlor covers the early 1900s boom. It is open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 pm; call 509.786.3842 to set up a group tour.
Arts
Historic Downtown Prosser: A 1937 Mural and a Herd of Painted Ponies
Start at the Benton County Courthouse on Market Street, a Neoclassical Revival building finished in 1926 after the county spent two decades holding court in Prosser hotels; it has been on the National Register since 1976. The 1935 post office lobby holds Ernest Norling's 1937 New Deal mural Mail Train in the 80's, and Historic Downtown Prosser's walking tour passes the 1903 Odd Fellows Hall. Along the way, count the 20 hand painted pony statues of the Trail of Painted Ponies, a herd inspired by the Horse Heaven Hills and Prosser's Mustang spirit.
Festivals
The Great Prosser Balloon Rally: Sunrise Launches Since 1991
Balloon pilots from around the Northwest launch at sunrise from the Prosser Airport for three mornings on the last full weekend of September, and the Saturday Night Glow lights up the field after sunset with balloons that glow in time to music. Admission and parking are free, spectators are encouraged to arrive around 6:15 am, and alcohol is not allowed on airport grounds. The 2026 rally ran September 25 through 27; read our full Great Prosser Balloon Rally story before you go.
Market
Prosser Farmers Market: Saturday Mornings in City Park
The Prosser Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings from 8 am to noon at 1328 Sommers Avenue in City Park, and calls itself the Market with a Heart. Expect local fruit and vegetables, cut flowers, sourdough, local wine, youth vendors and breakfast in the park. The 2026 season ran May 30 through October 3, and Historic Downtown Prosser will post the 2027 dates later.
Outdoors
Crawford Riverfront Park: Sunset on the Yakima River
Crawford Riverfront Park is Prosser's front porch on the Yakima, with a paved walking path along the river, open lawn and picnic space. Paddlers launch kayaks here and drift past farmland, and it is a good place to catch a Prosser sunset. On rally weekend, walk to the Yakima River Bridge on Wine Country Road to watch the balloons float out over the water.
Biking
Lower Yakima Valley Pathway: 14 Paved Miles to Sunnyside
This 14 mile asphalt trail follows an old railroad grade from Prosser to Sunnyside, paralleling Wine Country Road and I-82 through orchards and vineyards. To start in Prosser, take exit 82 and head west on Wine Country Road for 1.7 miles to street parking at the Yakima River. Bring water and sun protection: the path has little shade, few services on the six rural miles out of Prosser, and a 1.5 mile gap on the road in Grandview.
Scenic
Horse Heaven Hills: Drive Ward Gap Road to the Top of the Valley
Head south out of town on South Ward Gap Road, which winds up to a ridge on top of the Horse Heaven Hills, and stop at the top for an open view back over the Yakima Valley. From there you can turn around, or continue south through dryland wheat to Sellards Road, follow McKinley Springs and Township Road along the ridge for glimpses of the valley, and drop back down on the Mabton Bickleton Road. The Horse Heaven Hills became their own wine AVA in 2005.
“Prosser is where Washington figured out what to grow in the desert, and then figured out how to pour it.”
Explore Washington State
Where to Stay
Gård Estate Wines and Inn
The wine country splurge: four guest suites with fireplaces and private balconies over the Yakima River, a short walk from the tasting room and kitchen at 2258 Wine Country Road. Every stay comes with a welcome pour and a complimentary bottle of Gård wine, and a two bedroom, pet friendly condo works for families or anyone traveling with a dog.
Visit websiteBest Western Plus The Inn at Horse Heaven
The pick for families, at 259 Merlot Drive by Vintners Village and the exit 80 tasting rooms. Free daily breakfast includes a made to order omelet bar, and the property has an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna and exercise room plus two outdoor pools for summer. Up to two dogs are allowed in a limited number of rooms for $30 a day.
Book directHoliday Inn Express & Suites Prosser
At 680 Wine Country Road, close to Chukar Cherries and the Prosser House. Free breakfast runs 6 to 9:30 am, there is an indoor pool and a 24 hour fitness center, and parking is free, with four RV spaces. Dogs are allowed in limited rooms for $45 a night with notice before arrival.
Book directWine Country RV Resort
The budget and RV option at 330 Merlot Drive, open all year, with sites from 35 foot back ins to 70 foot pull throughs with full hookups. The resort says eight tasting rooms are within a five minute walk, and it adds a seasonal pool and hot tub, a pet friendly walking trail around the park and an onsite wine bar with tastings on select evenings from March through October. Nightly rates start at $62.
Visit websiteFind a Cabin Near Prosser
Find a Cabin Near Prosser
Food & Drink
The Prosser House: Skirt Steak and Churro Fries in the First Mayor’s 1896 Home
The Prosser House has been cooking since November 2020 in the house built in 1896 for E.W. Taylor, Prosser’s first mayor, at 1232 Wine Country Road. John and Belem Gray build the menu around local, seasonal ingredients, and there is a soup and salad bar and a wraparound porch that seats about 40 all year. On the September 2026 menu, order the grilled 10 ounce Certified Angus skirt steak with red pepper chimichurri ($35.25) and finish with churro fries with caramel and condensed milk ($10.50). It is open Monday through Thursday 11 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 9 pm, and closed Sunday. The monthly Cigars Under the Stars night in the yard is next on November 5, 7 to 10 pm.
Brewminatti: Morning Americano, Evening Americana, Same Room on 6th Street
Brewminatti at 713 6th Street sits in a corner of downtown that was Beck Hardware and then Caren Mercer’s 6th Street Coffee Company; her bicycle is still on display inside. Marty and Lenee Taylor opened Brewminatti in August 2015 and built it into a listening room for touring folk and Americana acts, and Peter and Jesalyn Cole took over in 2026. Come in the morning for coffee, breakfast sandwiches and a 12 ounce bag of locally roasted beans, or at night for beer, wine and a show; Liz Longley plays October 15. Hours run 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday, to 8 pm Friday, and 8 am to 8 pm Saturday and 8 am to 7 pm Sunday.
Airfield Estates: Estate Wine on a World War II Pilot Training Field
Airfield Estates at 560 Merlot Drive is the anchor of Vintners Village and the easiest first stop in town. The family planted its first wine grapes in 1968, farms nearly 800 acres with more than 20 varieties, and still uses a few of the original airplane hangars from the World War II pilot training base that once operated on the property. A tasting is $15 and refundable with a purchase, and the room also pours wine by the glass and mimosas and serves charcuterie and seasonal wine slushies. It is open daily, 11 am to 5 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am to 6 pm Friday and Saturday; reservations are recommended but walk ins are welcome, and leashed dogs can join you on the patio.
Gård Estate Wines and Inn: Lunch Over the Yakima River on Wine Country Road
The Lawrence and Merkle families bought Desert Wind Winery and its riverside building, and it now runs as Gård Estate Wines and Inn at 2258 Wine Country Road. Come for lunch: Chef Skylar’s seasonal menu covers small plates, salads, sandwiches and a signature burger, and the bar pours rotating craft beer alongside the estate wines. The tasting room is open 11 am to 5 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am to 7 pm Friday and Saturday, with walk ins welcome and reservations encouraged for groups at 509.786.7277.
Festivals & Events
April
Spring Barrel Weekend
Wineries across the Yakima Valley, Prosser included, pour barrel samples and new spring releases with food, music and tours. It is typically held the last weekend in April; the 2027 dates have not been announced.
May
Prosser Farmers Market Opening
The Saturday market returns to City Park, 8 am to noon at 1328 Sommers Avenue, and runs into early October. The 2026 season ran May 30 through October 3; 2027 dates will be posted by Historic Downtown Prosser.
June
Prosser Scottish Fest and Highland Games
A one day Saturday festival at the Port of Benton Wine and Food Park with heavy athletics, clan gatherings, Celtic bands, Highland dance competitions and youth games for ages 7 to 14. The 2026 fest was June 20, and the 25th annual is set for Saturday, June 19, 2027.
September
States Day
Prosser's oldest community event, held on Labor Day Monday; it grew out of a 1922 celebration where everyone registered by their home state, and visitors still sign in by state of origin in City Park. The Grand Parade at 10 am usually draws more than 100 entries, followed by food vendors, bingo and a stage show; the 99th States Day was September 7, 2026.
September
Great Prosser Balloon Rally and Harvest Festival
Sunrise balloon launches from the Prosser Airport for three mornings, a Saturday Night Glow, and the Harvest Festival and street painting festival downtown, all on the last full weekend of September. Admission and parking are free; the 2026 rally ran September 25 through 27.
October
Catch the Crush
The Yakima Valley's harvest weekend, with grape stomps, barrel sampling and crush pad activity at wineries from Zillah to Prosser. The 2026 main weekend ran October 9 through 11, when Airfield Estates held its Grape Stomp and a 5K vineyard run.
November
Thanksgiving in Wine Country
The day after Thanksgiving, Yakima Valley wineries open for holiday flights, mulled wine, food pairings and case discounts. The 2026 weekend runs November 27 through 29.
December
Christmas Tree Lighting
Historic Downtown Prosser lights the town tree with performances, local vendors, holiday treats and a visit from Santa at 1230 Bennett Avenue, the historic depot. It is typically held the first Friday of December, from 4 to 7 pm.
Day Trips
Red Mountain: Cabernet Country 18 Minutes East at Benton City
Benton City is 17 miles and about 18 minutes east of Prosser on I-82, and it is the gateway to Red Mountain, the AVA known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot where the first vines went in in 1975. Pair a morning in Prosser with an afternoon on the mountain, and read Spending a Weekend at Red Mountain before you go.
Richland and the Tri-Cities: Hanford History Within 40 Minutes
Richland is 27.7 miles and about 31 minutes east, and Kennewick is 34.4 miles and about 38 minutes. The connection runs deeper than the freeway: when construction began at Hanford in 1943, DuPont leased the Prosser Motel and the Strand Hotel to house workers, and some of them stayed in Prosser after the war. Start with our Richland guide and the REACH Museum at 1943 Columbia Park Trail, open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm, then use our Tri-Cities guide for the rest of the three rivers.
Zillah and Yakima: Keep Driving West Up the Valley Wine Trail
Prosser is the south end of the Yakima Valley, the state’s oldest AVA, established in 1983. Zillah is 28.8 miles and about 30 minutes west, and Yakima itself is 48.4 miles and about 53 minutes. Plan the stops with our Yakima Valley wineries guide and our Yakima guide.
Bickleton: An Hour South for 2,000 Bluebird Houses
Bickleton is 37.4 miles and about an hour and 4 minutes south of Prosser, over the Horse Heaven Hills. The bluebirds arrive in April and May, and our Bluebirds of Bickleton story counts as many as 2,000 birdhouses on fenceposts around town, a tradition that started when Jess and Elva Brinkerhoff nailed a coffee can to a tree.
Walla Walla: Better as an Overnight Than a Day Trip From Prosser
Walla Walla is 81.7 miles and about 1 hour 27 minutes from Prosser. That is a long round trip for one day of tasting, so book a night and start with our Walla Walla guide.
Planning Your Visit
Best Time to Visit Prosser: Late September, When the Balloons and the Crush Overlap
The last full weekend of September is Prosser’s big weekend: the Great Prosser Balloon Rally launches at sunrise from the airport, and the Harvest Festival and a street painting festival fill historic downtown. Two weeks later, the Yakima Valley’s Catch the Crush weekend opens the crush pads; in 2026 it ran October 9 through 11. May and June are the other sweet spot, with warm days, the Scottish Fest in June and the Saturday farmers market back in City Park.
July and August Run Hot and Dry, So Taste Early
On the 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals, Prosser’s average high is 90.4 degrees in July and 89.2 in August, and July and August together average well under half an inch of rain. The whole year brings about 8.7 inches. Do the walking, biking and hill drives in the morning and save the tasting rooms for the afternoon. Winter is cold and quiet, with January highs near 40 degrees, and the wine calendar picks back up with Spring Barrel weekend in April.
How Long to Stay and What to Check Before You Go
One full day covers Vintners Village, Chukar Cherries, downtown and dinner at the Prosser House. Stay two nights to add the Horse Heaven Hills drive, a bike ride on the pathway and a day trip to Red Mountain or the Tri-Cities. Hours vary by tasting room, so check ahead: Tirriddis is closed Tuesdays, Mercer is open Wednesday through Sunday, the Prosser House is closed Sundays and the historical museum keeps afternoon hours Wednesday through Saturday. The farmers market season ended October 3, 2026, and the 2027 dates are not posted yet.
More Prosser on EWS
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The Great Prosser Balloon Rally
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Washington Wine Harvest and Crush Season: When to Go and What You’ll Actually See
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Festivals in Washington State
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Benton County
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South Central Washington
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Get your free cardFrequently Asked Questions
What is Prosser, Washington known for?
Wine and agricultural research. Prosser is home to WSU’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, where Walter Clore did the grape research that made him the Father of Washington Wine and where Harold Fogle developed the Rainier cherry in 1952. Today the town has nearly 30 wineries in and around it, the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center, Chukar Cherries and the Great Prosser Balloon Rally every September.
Is Prosser, Washington worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you like wine, farm country or small town festivals. You can walk between about a dozen tasting rooms in Vintners Village, eat well on Wine Country Road and drive into the Horse Heaven Hills in the same day. Plan one full day in town, or two nights if you want to add Red Mountain or the Tri-Cities.
How far is Prosser from Seattle?
Prosser is about 191 miles and 3 hours 11 minutes from Seattle by car, by way of I-90 to Ellensburg and I-82 through Yakima. The nearest commercial airport is Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, 34.5 miles and about 36 minutes east.
How many wineries are in Prosser?
Nearly 30 wineries operate in the city and the surrounding area. About a dozen of them sit in Vintners Village off exit 80, and more line Wine Country Road and the Prosser Wine and Food Park off exit 82. Hours vary by winery, so check ahead, especially midweek.
When is the Great Prosser Balloon Rally?
The rally is held the last full weekend of September, with sunrise launches from the Prosser Airport on three mornings and a Night Glow on Saturday evening. The 2026 rally ran September 25 through 27, and admission and parking are free. It has run since 1991; read our Great Prosser Balloon Rally story for tips.
Is Prosser part of the Tri-Cities?
No. The Tri-Cities are Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, and Prosser is a separate city about 27.7 miles west of Richland on I-82. It is, however, the county seat of Benton County, which also includes Kennewick and Richland. See our Tri-Cities guide for the rest of the metro.
Where was the Rainier cherry developed?
In Prosser. Harold Fogle, a research scientist at Washington State University’s station in Prosser, crossed the Bing cherry with the Van cherry in 1952, and the result was the yellow and red Rainier, named for Mount Rainier. The same station, now the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, also developed the Chinook cherry.
What is the best time to visit Prosser?
Late September for the Balloon Rally and Harvest Festival, and early October for Catch the Crush. May and June are warm without the peak heat; July averages 90.4 degrees for a high and August 89.2. Winter is quiet, with January highs near 40 degrees.