I love lighthouses and feel that they are a still a novelty to me after living in the Pacific…read moreNorthwest for over ten years and the fact of being born and raised in landlocked states prior to moving to the West Coast. Normally they are along the coast that we go to see and visit but the Clover Island Lighthouse is a river light house for the Columbia River. There used to be quite a few river lights along the Columbia but if memory serves most of them fell into disrepair or torn down. The Clover Island Lighthouse is quite new by lighthouse standards as it was built in 2010 on Clover Island where events are held as well as river views. It also serves a landmark for the island. Being such a new lighthouse I suspect it's used more for tourism rather than for practical purposes but I wouldn't rule that out either as the Columbia River is a very busy river for boat traffic. It's a little bit of a surprise to me that there was even a lighthouse in Tri-Cities as they are definitely situated in the desert but that makes it ironical in a fun way as well. Quite a few of the lighthouses on the coast have similar paint jobs and some are built similarly as well. I know there is a vast array of different lighthouses in all shapes and sizes but those seem to be more common in Michigan from what I gather. So it was quite refreshing to see a lighthouse that was not only new but also has a stucco look to it which is very appropriate for the arid environment and other housing in areas like this. The island is pretty small and there is a restaurant there and Ice Harbor Brewing has a location on the island as well so you can eat and drink along with taking a gander at this cute little lighthouse as well and any marina activities that are available for those with boats.

We stopped here for about 10 minutes to check out the lighthouse when we were in the area. It's a…read morenice quick little stop with some history. There are great views of the water and bridge and there is plenty of parking. It's definitely worth a stop if you have a few minutes. The sunset here was lovely and we were entertained by some jet skiiers on the water. There was also an ice cream vendor but he was closing up when we arrived.

Functional, Not Glamorous. Grunt, Not A Captain. Workhorse, Not A Wheeler & Dealer…read more That's how I'd describe the I-82 Bridge. It constantly has two look downriver at its sexier counterparts: Blue Bridge & the famed Cable Bridge (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). It's a hard life. But of our three big bridges here, I'd say this one is the biggest and gets the most traffic. I think the problem with this bridge is the size. It crosses the mighty Columbia and you almost wouldn't know it when crossing this bridge. I guess that's it's downfall. Oh well, it just get's the job done, and for that it can be a Captain in it's own book.

One of the best drives to and from work, when the sun rises or sets! I've been super impressed…read morewith the view of Badger Mountain and the view west of Pasco, while the sun is setting. Its calming and invigorating at the same time. Makes me want to open the sun roof, put the cruise control on, stand in my seat with one foot on the wheel to drive, and take a couple pictures of the awesomeness!!!

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.

It looks like you are in a space without offices or a traditional entry. You will need to enter…read morethru a revolving gate entry, and a security guard will meet you there. If you are 18 or over, please have your government issued photo ID available to enter the visitor's center. The visitor center is awesome! Lots of literature and pictures documenting the lock and dam. Be sure to checkout the fish ladders when entering. This experience starts the curiosity to want more information. The greeter is happy to see people and ready to share information. The facility is clean and ready for guests. This establishment has a lot of history and information to share, and we are excited to have this place available for future resourcing. If you want to learn more about Hydro-power and renewable resources, this is your place! No fees required to enter.

You know, it's not bad, especially for a free exhibit. I would say that the view of the dam from…read morethe outside is more impressive than anything on the inside, but it's still work taking a look. The interior has a view of the fish ladder where you can look at fish through the window and also see the current fish counts (yes, they count every single one, separated by species!). It also has a bunch of historical and informational stuff. However, the strangest thing about the dam is that the entire exterior is controlled by these rather large orb web spiders. No cameras and phones are allowed in the facility, so there's no way to ever get any proof, but I theorize that the humans that work there are actually automatons controlled by these overlords. They're designed to be very friendly and actually rather convincing at times, but I'm pretty sure I know what's gong on here. One visit is plenty for me, but I do think that everyone should see it once -- just don't offend the spiders because there's no doubt that they're the ones that head this operation.

We are super lucky in Benton City to have a group of people who care enough to make sure the town…read morehas a nice, proper library. A number of years ago a man passed away and left money and land for a new library. We now have a beautiful library that overlooks the Yakima River. The library has a good selection of books, magazines, and movies. You can request items from other branches and they usually come in a few days. The staff members are super nice and helpful. They have several computers and a meeting room that can be reserved. The restrooms are the cleanest in Benton City. The only downside is that this branch is part of the Mid Columbia system. In the past few years Mid Columbia has instilled a ridiculous fee system. The hours are a bit wacky as well. I guess you take the good with the bad.

This is the place you go if you want to hang out w/ trash. :) I've gone here to dispose of used…read moremotor oil, anti-freeze, etc. I've also gone here to dispose of a few things too big for my trash can. Granted, I only get my trash can picked up every 4-7 weeks (I recycle like a fiend, BIG TIME!). Be sure to have a copy of your utility bill when coming here, otherwise they'll charge you for using the facilities. There are also recycling bins here as well.

It costs $10 for the first 1500 lbs (except leaves, they will let you dump leaves for free) even if…read moreyou can prove that you own a home in Richland. I think it's a rip off but sometimes a necessity. Friendly people work there... So that's good...

On Friday, 10/25/2024 at 1:30PM my husband and I went to renew my disability placard (have to every…read more5 years). Our # was 64 and there were some folks waiting before us. The flow of service was quick & our wait time was about 10 minutes or less. I had some questions regarding the process & the staff member was: very courteous, kind, intelligent, informative & pleasant! Our business took about 5 minutes (even with my questions) & we were on our way to complete the rest of our errands. This was a great start to our errands running day!

It went very well! They were very efficient and helpful, even when I had some of the wrong…read moredocuments. They helped me to know what way was up.

Nice little RV park, walking distance to a park. Friendly staff. Nice to have washers and dryers.read more

We had planned to stay at this rv park, as it has good ratings and is advertised pet friendly…read more However, when we arrived in town and phoned in to pay, we were asked if we had any pets. We said yes, one dog. They asked what breed, and we replied that she's a mixed breed. We were asked if there was any Pitt in her, which there obviously is, so we said yes. They have a zero Pitt bull policy. No other breed. Doesn't matter if they are a mix, and the most gentle creature. In six years, traveling all over Oregon, Washington and Idaho, this was a first for us. Fortunately the other nearby rv parks aren't so ignorant.