This Wine Industry Insider Will Make Your
Next Trip to the Tri-Cities the Best Ever
Imagine knowing the owner of a concierge service who is a wine-industry insider. She could not only tell you the best wineries to visit but could get you access to the winemakers and arrange for behind-the-scenes tours.
And being a local, she could also point you to the best restaurants, activities, and even tell you about the local happenings for the weekend that you planned to visit. Now imagine she made all your reservations, including lodging, so that when you show up all you had to do was follow an itinerary for the weekend.
This is exactly what Wendy VanArsdale, owner of Experience 46 Degrees, offers visitors to Tri-Cities, Washington. Wendy says the inspiration for her business came about as she was investigating articles for her personal blog –https://startsmall-andthrive.com.
“I went to a lot of local events and spoke to a lot of tourists, particularly tourists visiting wineries, and I would always hear the same thing – what else is there to do here?” Wendy explains. She knew there was a lot that the Tri-Cities has to offer, from horseback trail rides through the vineyards, to paddle board tours, river boat tours, hiking, and spectacular fishing on the mighty Columbia River.
What was missing was a service that could pull all these activities together into curated weekend packages. So, Wendy began reaching out to local tour operators, restaurants, and wineries to find out more about their offerings and to pick those that she felt would offer a great experience to visitors. She also partnered with the area’s only river front 4-star property, The Lodge at Columbia Point in Richland, WA., so she could include premier rooms in the weekend packages.
Wendy personally visits each winery, restaurant, and tour before deciding whether to include them in her recommendations. “I want to make sure that visitors are having the best experience they can,” she explains. “I want their weekend to be spectacular. And for that, I have to ensure that the businesses they interact with are of the highest caliber.”
Wendy admits that she is excited about this fall, as the weather cools down to a beautiful mid 70’s and the harvest festivals kick off. “There are events happening every weekend, so there are many options to choose from,” she adds.
Looking ahead to 2022, Wendy says she is planning to expand her business to include additional activities such as hiking and fishing. She’s particularly interested in partnering with local fishing guides. Being an avid fisherman herself, she spends a good amount of time on the Columbia River fishing for walleye, sturgeon, and salmon. She wants to offer that as an option for visitors who may not otherwise have access to a boat or the equipment.
If you are planning a visit to Tri-Cities, WA, check out the Experience 46 Degrees website – www.experience46degrees.com — or call her (509) 521-1957. She’ll curate a custom weekend for you that you’ll remember for years to come.