I thought Napa was the gold standard for wine trips. Then, a city in Washington changed what I look for in a vacation.

• I celebrated my 30th in Napa Valley and loved it, but the cost made it tough to justify returning.
• Later, I found Walla Walla, Washington, which had great wine, dining, and vineyard stays for less.
• I was able to have the kind of wine vacation I loved without a hefty price tag or packed itinerary.

When I turned 30, I wanted to do something different as I exited my 20s. Since I had recently developed an interest in champagne, I looked into wine destinations.

I quickly settled on Napa in Northern California since it was the only one I'd heard of, and I found out the area offered sparkling wine tours.

With stunning vineyard views, ideal weather, tours and tastings, and, of course, incredible food and wine, the destination was nothing short of magical.

My husband and I stayed at a Vrbo called "The Casa," a little house we had all to ourselves, surrounded by vineyards and an adorable farm with chickens visiting our yard throughout the trip.

As memorable as this getaway was, it came with a high price tag. The tours, tastings, meals, and Vrbo added up quickly, making our wine excursion an unlikely recurrence.

That is, until I discovered Walla Walla. This smaller city in southeastern Washington is home to a thriving wine region and is only a short plane ride from our home in Seattle.

I decided to visit with my husband for my 33rd birthday, hoping to recreate my Napa experience.

During our three-day trip, I realized that Walla Walla offered me the kind of wine vacation I'd loved in Napa, with more spontaneity, fewer crowds, and a lower price tag.

The food and drink scene was even better than I expected

There are well over 100 wineries in this little valley, with more than 30 walkable tasting rooms in downtown Walla Walla alone and five other wine districts to explore in the surrounding area.

We spent most of our time on Main Street during our trip since it was our first visit, and we weren't yet familiar with the surrounding wine pockets.

Like Napa Valley, Walla Walla is known for its Bordeaux-style reds, including cabernet sauvignon and merlot. We also tried white wines like chardonnay and viognier, along with sparkling options.

Dossier, cofounded by former NFL player Sidney Rice, is one of the newer wineries in the area, and we happened upon it while exploring downtown. We stopped in for a flight.

We also visited Pursued by Bear, founded by actor Kyle MacLachlan. As a "Twin Peaks" fan, that was a must for me (unfortunately, Agent Dale Cooper wasn't in that day).

At Grosgrain, we tried some less-conventional wines and sipped them while overlooking the vineyard right outside the tasting room.

I also wasn't sure what to expect from Walla Walla's food scene, but I was pleasantly surprised.

At The Walls Vineyards, we were able to pair our wine tasting with food, including a hummus plate and wood-fired pizzas curated by its sister restaurant Passatempo Taverna, which multiple people recommended to us during our trip.

We made reservations at a couple of restaurants based on ratings and recommendations, and ended up having two really nice dinners at The Marc, right on the main drag, and Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen. Both had great wine and cocktail lists, too.

And, as an avid coffee drinker, I always seek out the best coffee shops wherever I go. I wasn't expecting much of a specialty coffee scene in a city this size, so I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon Carte Coffee, which offers specially curated beans.

They even offer cupping classes, where you learn about brewing and tasting coffee, something I hadn't come across at my usual Seattle coffee spots.

I enjoyed vineyard and waterfront views for less than I paid in Napa

We opted to stay at Eritage Resort, a quieter property about 10 minutes from downtown, hoping to recreate the vineyard setting we'd loved in Napa. Our private bungalow offered exactly that.

Each morning, we woke up to views of the lake and vineyards beyond it. The resort also offered activities like wine tasting at its restaurant, biking through the vineyards, and canoeing or kayaking on the lake.

We ended up simply walking through the vineyards and along the lake since there was so much else we wanted to explore in the area.

Our Walla Walla bungalow cost about $296 a night before taxes, a deal compared to the $410 nightly rate we'd paid for our Napa rental three years earlier in 2023.

Each place has a range of accommodation options at different price points, and this is just what we chose to book. Ultimately, we got the kind of scenic stay we'd loved in Napa, but at a price that felt much easier to justify.

The slower pace and sense of community made me want to come back

Before our visit to Walla Walla, I scheduled most of our tastings in advance, just as I'd done in Napa Valley to secure our spots at some of the popular wineries.

But when we arrived in this smaller city, we found that we had more freedom. Walla Walla never felt too crowded, and reservations were not required for every meal and tasting (at least not during our April visit).

We were able to enjoy our vacation the way I love most — making discoveries along the way that led to memorable moments. That alone made this trip all the better.

I also liked feeling a noticeable sense of community among the people working in the hospitality industry. All of the hosts at the places we visited offered local recommendations for restaurants, wineries, and experiences. They also all seemed to know one another when we mentioned which places we'd already visited, making the city feel that much more connected.

While trying to recreate my unforgettable Napa Valley trip, I realized that what I wanted from a vacation had changed.

Instead of cramming everything into a packed schedule and trying to snag reservations at the most well-known wineries and restaurants, I found myself enjoying the freedom to explore at my own pace.

Walla Walla offered the incredible wine, hospitality, and beautiful setting I'd loved in Napa, but with fewer crowds and more opportunities for spontaneous discoveries.

I'd gone hoping to recreate Napa, but Walla Walla gave me a new appreciation for small-town travel.