2018

• Travelocity - number one small city road trip destination for 2018
  
  
• Travel + Leisure named Walla Walla one of the 50 Best Places to Travel to in 2018
  
  
• MSN, Trip Ideas - one of the 31 Most Romantic Weekend Getaways in America  
  
  
• 49th spot on moveBuddha’s list of 100 popular cities to move to with populations between 10,000 and 50,000.
  
  
• Selected to host 2018 Wine Bloggers Conference
  
  
• Whitman College listed as Fulbright top producer - The Chronicle of Higher Education (Click here for additional rankings)

2017

• Walla Walla featured in "Where to Retire Magazine" as a top retirement destination in the November/December 2017 issue

• Top 50 most searched destinations under 65,000 population – moveBuddha.com, a relocation assistance service

• Downtown Walla Walla Foundation received an Economic Vitality award from Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
  
  
• 20 Best Romantic Vacations in America for a Couples' Getaway - Tripadvisor
  
  
• 15 Relaxing Fall Getaways - Travel Channel
  
  
• Whitman College ranks 47th in Kiplinger's Personal Finance's 300 Best College Values for 2018

2016

• Complete Streets Award from Washington Transportation Improvement Board 

• Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community designation  

• Ranked 104^th out of 200 for Best Small Places for Business and Careers by Forbes

• Received 23^rd Tree City USA Award

• Parks & Recreation Department received the Washington Recreation and Park Association’s Spotlight Program Excellence Award in the category of Arts and Cultural Services for the Gentleman of the Road Stopover

• Finalist for Best Food Town category of the Sunset Travel Awards, along with Portland, Oregon; St. Helena, California; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
  
  
• Port of Walla Walla Snake River Wastewater Crossing Project received a “Best in State: Silver Award for Successful Fulfillment of Client/Owner Needs” from the American Council of Engineering (ACEC)

• Whitman College received a top 10 spot on Forbe's America's Top Colleges for 2016-2017 academic year.

2015

• The Foodie's 5 Must-See Wine Country Destinations - Wine Enthusiast
  
  
• Sunset Magazine Best Food Town finalist with Portland, Oregon; Berkeley, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada. 

• Lifetime of GMA Achievement Award for excellence in city planning awarded by Governor Jay Inslee

• Named Breathtaking Wine Country Destination by Fit Travel by Shape

• Named one of the 10 Most Beautiful Town in Washington by The Culture Trip

• Named one of the 15 Most Underrated Cities in the USA by Global Yodel

• Ranked 33^rd out of more than 1,300 places as Best Small City in the US by NerdWallet

• Featured as Wine with a Splash of Sunshine by 425 Magazine
  
  
• Selected as one of the 2015 Gentlemen of the Roads Stopovers

 2014

• Downtown Walla Walla Foundation's Residential Guidelines was recognized as an Outstanding Special Project by Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
  
  
• One of the 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations – Wine Enthusiast Magazine

• One of the 24 Best Places to Live and Work – Sunset Magazine

• Excellence on Main Award from the Washington State Main Street Program

• Washington State Governor’s Smart Communities Award

• Named one of the Top 6 Affordable Wine Regions in the US by Bankrate.com

 2013

• Finalist for America’s Best Small Town for Food in Rand McNally’s Best of the Road competition

• Fodor’s lists Walla Walla in 10 Best Small Towns in America

• Received 19^th Tree City USA Award

• Walla Walla Police Department Merit Award for Masonry from the Masonry Industry Promotions Group

• Walla Walla named as semifinalist for Smart 21 Intelligent Communities
  
  
• Walla Walla Community College named Top Community College in Nation - by the Aspen Institute

2012

• "Travel + Leisure" magazine list of America's Prettiest Winter Towns
  
  
• American Planning Association names Walla Walla in Top Ten Greatest Neighborhoods

• Community Facilities Award from the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council

• The Daily Meal names Walla Walla one of the Country’s eight Best Small Towns for Food

• Finalist for America’s Best Small Town for Food in Rand McNally’s Best of the Road Competition

• Municipal Excellence in Public Works Award for Infrastructure Repair and Replacement Plan from Association of Washington Cities

• One of the five global finalists for Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year Award

• Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award from Tyler Technologies

• Tonique Magazine Names Walla Walla as Most Authentic Wine Region in America

• Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance from Washington State Department of Ecology
  
  
• Charles Smith World Headquarters received an Outstanding Design or Rehabilitation award from Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

2011

• Friendliest Town in the Country – USA Today

• Friendliest Small Town in America – Rand McNally

• One of the Five Best Small Towns in America – USA Today

• Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association

• Going Above & Beyond in Drinking Water Award from the Washington State Department of Health

• State of Washington Governor’s Smart Communities Award for the Washington Park Gathering Place project

2010

• America’s New Wine Capital – The Today Show

• Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association

• Government Fleet Magazine awards the Fleet Services Division with the Environmental Leadership Award

2009

• Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association

• Named one of The West’s 20 Best Small Town – Sunset Magazine
  
  
• Governor's Smart Communities Award for Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 

2008

• Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association

2007

• Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association

2006

• Top 5 Places to Retire – CNNMoney.com

• Port of Walla Walla receives "Port of the Year Award" by the Washington Public Ports Association

• Port of Walla Walla receives the Governor's Economic & Workforce Development Award

2005

• ESRI Special Achievement in Geographic Information Systems

• Excellence in Downtown Revitalization Award – National Trust for Historic Preservation

• 2005 Wine Destination of the Year – Sunset Magazine  

2004

• Best Economic Restructuring Story – Department of Community Trade and Economic Development
  
  
• Downtown nominated for the 2005 Preserve America Presidential Award

• Received its 10^th Tree City USA Award and its 4^th Tree Grow Award

2002

• One of 12 national Distinctive Destinations –  National Trust for Historic Preservation

• The West’s Best Place to Live  – Sunset Magazine
  
  
• Best Main Street  – Sunset Magazine

2001

• Arbor Day Award – the Washington Arbor Day Council
  
  
• Great American Main Street Award – National Trust for Historic Preservation 

2000

• Semi-Finalist for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Great American Main Street Award

1999

• City receives Honorable Mention from National Trust for Historic Preservation 

1996

• Named One of the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America in a book by John Villani, John Muir Publications