Wow, this tour is AMAZING. It starts with a 15 minute video at the visitor center which explains…read morethe background of the geopolitical climate that prompted the construction of the reactor. It is the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built, taking uranium and converting it into plutonium-239 (used in the Trinity test in New Mexico and the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan). Then there is a 45 minute bus ride to the B reactor itself (try to avail yourself of the restrooms at the visitor center, but there's a tour bus bathroom and port-a-potties at the reactor itself). The bus ride flew by as the docent talked about the area and his own experience as an engineer. Very engrossing. As you enter, there's another short presentation by a docent explaining the physics behind the reactor, and then you're set loose. There are also small docent-led presentations at specified times too if you want to get more into the nitty-gritty of the design and operation of the reactor. I wish I had more time at the reactor, maybe 15 more minutes, since there was so much to see and read. The exhibits were so well done!

Definitely worth a visit, though most of the buildings that once were on the site at the height of…read moreHanford's operations are no longer there. Everything went on schedule as described. The bus is a comfy coach and the 45 minute ride to the actual Reactor B is enlivened by the tour guide's info about the history and geology of the area, as well as providing background on the construction and challenges of putting together the entire site so quickly. Free bottled water is provided at the site, and there's a good mix of short talks by guides (about 15 minutes or so each) and time to walk around, read info on exhibits, and take photos. Visitor Center is clean, with chairs inside for waiting as well as benches outside. Because we'd driven almost 3 hours to the site, we took advantage of a shady bench to have our lunch. The timing of the 11:45am tour means you'll want to get something to eat before setting off, because you won't return to the Visitor Center for about 4 hours (and there is no food to purchase at the Center, and no food allowed inside the Reactor B building). There is, however, a place to eat next door to the Visitor Center (The Dive) where I can at least confirm that the beer and onion rings are excellent. We got lucky and had a relatively cool (80 degrees) day. Bathrooms at the actual park site (the reactor) are limited to portable toilets, but again, all the info presented from registration to the actual tour were clear, informative, and well done.

It's not comparable to neighborhoods like the French Quarter (New Orleans), Beacon Hill (Boston),…read moreor the Jersey Shore, but who woulda thunk MY neighborhood here in Richland, WA was a "Historic District". But my neighborhood of Alphabet Houses surely has a history tied to this country, and it is kind of cool to put your residence in a historical context. Now, what drove me to write this Yelp was my noticing of historic signs popping up on Van Giesen during my drives to work in the morn. One by one, I started to see little black signs magically appear on the corners of various streets: McPherson Ave, Marshall Ave, Warren Ct, Mahan Ave, etc. Now these signs are due to the effort of a local group honoring veterans, so isn't totally Historic District-related, but it certainly helps for telling the stories history. As for the Alphabet housing. During the war effort of World War II, the small farming of town transformed from a small farming town to a metropolis of secrecy (fuel for the first atomic bombs were built on the Hanford Site). Richland Population: 1943: 500 1945: 25,000 (!!) The huge change in population needed to be handled quickly. Yes, many soldiers were housed in tents and temporary barracks, but scientists, technicians, and management (along with their families), needed honest to goodness homes. An architect from Spokane was given 90 days to design homes and neighborhoods for the huge influx of people: enter the alphabet houses (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/z_1wFu2h3fGTsjBo6jfv2A?select=TfltN_vfiTmYtBImYep2tg). Each home design was assigned a letter (hence the term "alphabet houses"). The houses range from tiny 1-bedroom houses to huge two-story duplexes. (for the record, I live in a 2-story 3bedroom, home known affectionately as an F-House). It's over a half century later, and many of these houses are still around and generally in their original state. Some areas of the district are quaint and DO look historical, but other neighborhoods do look a wee bit ghetto (like my 'hood!). This is home, and it's nice to know the history behind the area. If you ever get the chance, you should drop by the CREHST Museum (http://www.yelp.com/biz/crehst-museum-richland). There's a cool exhibit about the Alphabet Houses.

The alphabet housing "district" in Richland is interesting to say the least - the new small metal…read moresigns giving some history about the street names are neat, but unless you go on a walking tour of the area I can't see how you would read them. This part of town is probably the least expensive part of northern Richland, the houses have been remodeled and modified, a least most of them have, but the area still retains its unique vibe.

an affront to the senses since 1978 the Ed Hendler Bridge connects Kennewick to Pasco in the worst…read morepossible way. when it was dedicated it was the first major cable stayed bridge in the United States and the second longest in the world coming in at just over 2500 feet long and carrying Washington 379 some 50 feet above the Columbia River. adding insult to injury the last bit of the way cooler looking cantilevered Green Bridge (officially: the Pasco-Kennewick Bridge) that it "replaced" sits as a viewing platform beside. it's not too horrible for a cable stayed bridge but I wouldn't want it in my backyard...

The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes the Intercity Bridge, spans…read morethe Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick as State Route 397. It was constructed in 1978 and replaced the Pasco-Kennewick Bridge, an earlier span built in 1922 and demolished in 1990. I not only crossed this bridge, but got to see it up close from a boat on the Columbia River (in and out from Clover Island). The "cable stayed" design is quite a sight to see and admire. The Cable Bridge, from the time of its opening, has proved to be a popular landmark in the Tri-City area, so much so it has become an unofficial symbol of the area. The Bridge is lit up at night, and there's an annual Cable Bridge Run across the span. At the foot of the Kennewick end is the Tri-Cities Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The remaining pier of the old Pasco-Kennewick bridge now serves as a scenic lookout, from which one can view its successor bridge.

it's a bridge! and it's blue! and the official name 'Pioneer Memorial Bridge' never had a chance…read more it's not really a bad bridge but it's not really noteworthy either except that it was originally green like the Green Bridge that it replaced and now it's blue. and now the Blue Bridge is about gonna get a fresh coat of blue! the project started some six years ago and work just recently resumed after a years-long hiatus just in time to spoil the commute for thousands of people in the tri-cities area for about fifteen more months. yea!? clocking in a little over 2500 feet from the tips the Blue Bridge caries Route 395 and a much maligned pedestrian way across the Columbia River from Kennewick to Pasco and back. like almost every bridge in the world it is not up to handling the amount of traffic it sees but if y'all drive nice, move over early, and learn to zipper-merge it should work okay for a while longer :-)

A bridge builder once told my uncle and I in Idaho the taller you build it the more likely people…read morewill commit suicide on it (it was a lot dirtier than that but I cleaned it up for Yelp). Now this bridge isn't tall like the one's those peeps are looking for but the jump still isn't pain free unless the dive is perfect. However with that said if you're a good climber you can reach that sexy red/white/blue USA flag on top before plummeting towards the frigid Columbia Blue. Finally, the bridge is like a D- for safety so make sure you don't fall through like the bridge on I-5 in Western WA.

Highly recommend without reservation. Every year the performances get better. The actors are…read morevery good and the sets are well done. I feel so fortunate to have a local production company who provides me just lovely experiences. Couldn't be happier.

There are other reviews under the Yelp shorter title of Richland players. They should be…read moreconsolidated. Richland Players performance of "And Then There Were None". My wife and I attended the Richland Players' performance of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" last night, 9/16/2023. The theater is very nice, especially for a small amateur company. It is clean and well appointed. The décor shows clever use of budget giving it the feel, amenities and ambiance of a large commercial theater without chintzing on anything, including on-going maintenance - often overlooked by similar organizations. My hat off to those who designed and executed it. It looks very professional. The layout is practical and inviting including a bar in the pleasant open lobby area, offering a limited selection of refreshments and snack items that still cover the range of what you might expect to access for pre-show and intermissions. Overall, they have very efficiently achieved an impressive venue, with a large number of enthusiastic volunteers supporting it in every role. As to the performance, one has to take into account that this is an amateur theatrical company and it is unreasonable to expect profession perfection. In "And Then There Were None" they took on a complex and unusual subject about justice and fairness with a psychological twist and they executed petty well overall. Scenery and lighting, etc. were extremely well executed. We enjoyed the play but there were some disappointments. It was difficult to hear and understand some of the actors much of the time (we were seated only about half way back in the auditorium). In fact, I would estimate that we missed at least 25% of the total dialogue. Many other audience members had the same complaint. In fact, some left during the first of the two intermissions because of it. The majority of the problems were accounted for by several of the actors. But they are mostly the director's responsibility. She should have coached them to overcome these very obvious deficiencies. It is difficult to imagine her sitting through a dress rehearsal and not noticing and correcting them as the audience certainly did. Granted, some of the cast have much more experience in this medium and it showed. The actors playing Thomas Rogers, Fred Narracott (also responsible for the excellent set) and occasionally Dr. Edward Armstrong, need learn to speak up (did I mention speak up?), slow down and annunciate more clearly. They and Miss Vera Claythorne also need to learnt to speak to the audience, not the back of the stage. The others generally did well in that regard, with Inspector Blore being a standout. Unfortunately, while getting convincingly into the character and content of her performance, Miss Clayborne, especially during the critical emotional closing scene, uttered much of her lines in a high pitched, garbled machine gun stream that was completely incomprehensible. On the other hand, Mr. Justice Lawrence Wargrave's performance was overly dramatic, including his lines, which though certainly loud were very hard to decipher at times. He seemed to be over emphasizing his interpretation of his character and accent. He needs to tone it down a little to a more natural level. However, he definitely had good subtle acting stage presence when he was not the center of attention, while some others tended to just sit or stand motionless until it was their turn to speak or take an action. As to the rest of the actors and performances, they, or in the case of those specifically mentioned the rest of the time, did a solid well execute job certainly demonstrating their enthusiasm. Obviously, amateurs are not trained professionals and often have much to learn. It is easy to forget things up on stage in front of an audience trying to remember your lines, cues, actions, etc., (been there, done that). But as I previously mentioned, the vast majority of the issues are solidly the responsibility of the director. It is her job to direct the actors and teach and guide them in how to perform their roles. So, she has much to learn in her craft too. But I hope and anticipate that further performances of the play will show marked improvement. Overall, we enjoyed the performance and theater in general, but did come away with some disappointments. Given that this is an amateur group, I give the venue 5 stars and I still give the performance 4 stars, which with some work, could easily be raised to 5. I would certainly recommend it for a very pleasant and different evening out in Tri Cities. It is definitely a treat to be able to enjoy live theater like this outside of major metropolitan areas. We will certainly be looking forward to attending some of their other performance in future - notably "Silvia" by A.R. Gurney in January, also an interesting and unusual play.

The Gallery at the Park is aptly named, as it sits right at the entrance of Amon Park. The…read moreorganization running the gallery and the building itself have a fascinating history, which you can check out here, if you're curious: http://www.galleryatthepark.org/HTML/history.html Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00am to 5:30pm Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm I visited on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, sunlight streaming through the windows, resting on the local artisan wares in the gift shop at the entrance of the gallery. Pottery, jewelry, wood and glass work... trinkets and statement pieces adorn the quiet gallery shop shelves and walls. Beyond that, the space opens up into the gallery itself. A single, brightly-lit room that showcases the work of local artists. It's run by the Allied Arts Association who states that they seek to provide "art development, awareness and education for the Mid-Columbia region of Washington State, including the cities of Pasco, Kennewick, Richland and surrounding areas." Currently, they are running a show themed: Urban Sketchers: Tri-Cities and David Wyatt. The work was well-displayed, with room to breathe -- I should think that any artist would be honored to have their artwork displayed there. The Allied Arts Association and Gallery also have adult and children's workshops, and host an annual Art in the Park festival. The gallery is a great dip into the local art scene, to go along with a visit to the park!

They have been in the TC for many years. Their art is fantastic, inspiring…read more I am always confused or wondering why they dont have classes or ads for classes.

Just great entertainment and a cast that gives you a great show. We live 2,500 miles away, but if…read morewe lived in the Tri-cities we would be at every show.

Attended Fools Neil Simon play 7/1. The actors did a great job. Was a lot of fun had romance, a…read morevillain & a crazy sheepless sheep herder.

This is the first major cable stayed bridge in the US. It is a very cool looking bridge. There is…read morea small parking area on the N side that provides access to the paved trail that runs along the river. This also provides excellent views of the bridge and the barges running the river.

Finally stopped by to try this after recommendations from friends. Overall it was ok, the…read morewine/cocktail selection was great. (Although they were out of Rosé during Summer). I tried the scallops and the pizza. Both were ok, the scallops were a very small portion and for my taste were a bit underdone. The pizza had great flavor I just prefer a pizza with a nicer crust this was very soggy from soo much oil. I would still try again.

Wine was good, great atmosphere. Try the Scallops and Bacon Wrapped dates, Avocado fries, etc. My…read moretop pick in the tri-cities.