Yakima is located roughly in the middle of the state of Washington, on the west coast of the United States. The city is a part of and the seat for Yakima County. Nearby, you can find the Mount Rainier National Park to the north east. The city rests in the Yakima Valley, which is known as one of the world's best apple-producing areas as well as Hops. According to the U.S. Census Bureau of 2000, the estimated population of Yakima was around eighty four thousand with an area of twenty square miles.
Yakima was named after the area's original inhabitants, the Yakima Nation of Native Americans, and they still have the Yakima Indian Reservation located close by. The first explorers to the area were Lewis and Clark in 1805. To the southwest, a Catholic Mission named Ahtanum was established in 1847. The city of Yakima was incorporated in the winter of 1883. Yakima was awarded the "All-American City Award" in 1994 by the National Civic League. It was one of only ten given out each year.
There are plenty of festivals each year in Yakima, including the Central Washington State Fair, Yakima Folklife Festival, Yakima Farmer's Market, Fresh Hop Ale Festival, and the Four-Play Hockey Tournament. As for other things to do in Yakima, there are lots of local businesses. The business directory has information about the Hilton Garden Inn, The Speakeasy Bar, Grill and Nightclub, Kana Winery, Donitelia Winery, Yakima Cellars Winery, Seasons Performance Hall and many others. The downtown area host the Yakima Downtown New Year's Eve, a large Cinco de Mayo celebration, Yakima Live music festival, Yakima Summer Kickoff Party, and a "Hot Shots" 3 on 3 basketball tournament. To view a more detailed listing, visit the Washington yellow pages.