Pullman, Washington, is the home of Washington State University, a massive school that takes up much of the city and is also the home of the WSU Cougars. Not only that, Pullman is a terrific place for you to take your family for a very fun day, or even several fun days! Yes, there is a lot to see in Pullman, Washington, and all of its surrounding cities in the Palouse region, which leads to the question: where do you start?
Fortunately, there are three options for visitor’s centers that will give you plenty of information about the city of Pullman as well as attractions within the city and in neighboring cities as well.
Pullman Chamber of Commerce
If you and your family are visiting from the west side of the state of Washington by car, then you will likely be travelling on Highway 270 after Highway 195. If that is you, then take a left at the first traffic light in on Grand Avenue as you come into Pullman. After just one block, and you will soon come to The Pullman Chamber of Commerce (415 N. Grand Ave) for a convenient stop to obtain more information about the city of Pullman.
The Pullman Chamber of Commerce is an excellent first place to stop in Pullman, Washington, as it will have all kinds of information on what to do within Pullman City Limits. Not only that, you will be able to find information about other places or events that are close to Pullman, Washington, such as Moscow, ID and other nearby towns like Colton, Uniontown, and the Lewiston/Clarkston area.
The Pullman Chamber of Commerce also has very friendly people who can provide you directions to whatever you want to find within the city of Pullman and its neighboring towns. Grab as many brochures as you can and plan a self-guided tour of Pullman, WSU, and the other nearby cities. You can also find a small store of souvenirs from Pullman, such as T-shirts, postcards, and much more.
If you have kids traveling with you, then the Pullman Chamber of Commerce is an excellent spot for them to stretch their legs and get excited about what fun things you can do in the area. After all, Pullman Washington is in the center of a lot of great parks, and many of them can be seen on the Palouse Scenic Byway, just one of many great day-trip opportunities in the Palouse area. Also, once you find a place to park, you can easily spend a very fun-filled day on a walking tour of Downtown Pullman.
Brelsford WSU Visitor Center
If you and your family came to Pullman, Washington to see Washington State University, then you should stop by the Brelsford WSU Visitor Center on 150 E. Spring St. Since the Brelsford WSU Visitor’s center has “WSU” in large concrete letters, it is a difficult building to miss. The Brelford WSU Visitor Center is also a very memorable photo opportunity as both kids (and adults) cannot resist climbing on these giant letters.
Brelford WSU Visitors Center is an excellent stop after a long-day of driving, and there is even a place to recharge an electric vehicle. Brelsford WSU Visitor Center literally has the history of WSU written on its walls, and you and your family can discover the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Notable Moments at WSU, as well as great WSU Cougar graduates with Distinguished Alumni.
There is a small store so you can purchase Cougar memorabilia, and you can even purchase wine “made by Cougs, for Cougs” from local vineyards. You can even get the popular Cougar Gold cheese, made locally at Ferdinand’s and comes in its unique can.
While you are at the Brelsford WSU Visitor Center, pick up a free binder full of information about WSU, complete with brochures and maps to navigate the local area, so you can create a self-guided tour of Pullman and WSU for you and your family.
Lighty Student Services Building Visitor Center
If you are actually on the WSU Campus, it is recommended that you stop by the WSU Welcome Center at the Lighty Student Services Building, but make certain that you properly pay for parking.
At the WSU Welcome Center, you will find WSU employees who will help you find what you need on WSU, Pullman, or whatever it is you are looking for! For example, you can schedule an in-person campus tour, which could be self-guided or guided. Even though WSU made for adult education, there are a lot of areas around the campus that are kid-friendly and fun for all ages like Conner Museum and the educational museums in Webster Hall.
In this area, you can walk up a small hill to get to the CUB (Compton Union Building), which is the center of activity on WSU Campus. There is an information desk near the entrance that will steer you to many great places around campus. Nearer to Lighty Student Services (and in the other direction) is the Lewis Alumni Centre, which has a lot of the history of WSU on display and much information about the history of the area as well.
Yes, the three visitor centers in Pullman will help you find what you want in the city, and beyond. Where you go from there is up to you, but no matter what your plans you make, you can be sure to have a lot of fun in Pullman, Washington.