Where: Ellensburg, a small central Washington town filled with old-school architecture, locally owned shops and quaint cafés, located about 100 miles southeast of downtown Seattle.
Why: To get “hopped up” on local beers at Winterhop Brewfest, an annual festival that draws about 1,600 beer fanatics to stroll through the historic downtown and sip some of Washington’s finest ales, lagers and ciders from more than 30 Northwest breweries.
Drink it in: The local culture, that is: View works by contemporary regional artists at the 420 Loft Art Gallery, housed in a 1930 Art Deco building, or head to the Clymer Museum and Gallery, dedicated to native son John Clymer, whose paintings of the Western frontier graced more than 80 covers of The Saturday Evening Post.
Sleep it off: Get cozy and take in scenic views of Yakima River Canyon in one of the lodge suites at Canyon River Ranch, 15 miles south of Ellensburg.