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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Richland
Spend 1–2 days in Richland: a quick museum visit, a Hanford tour (if booked), and a short hike; no need to stay overnight unless you want a relaxed pace.
Richland sits on the Columbia River Plateau, part of the Tri‑Cities. Its main draws are the Reach Museum, LIGO Hanford Observatory, and guided tours of the Hanford nuclear cleanup site. The town is small, so a half‑day covers the museums and a nearby park; a full day adds a Hanford tour and a hike on Badger Mountain.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct (warm, dry, and tours run)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, possible snow on trails, limited tour days)
- Stay
- 1 (optional) nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–$100 excl. bed · Mid $120–$180 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police / Fire / Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–$4 |
| Burrito (local spot) | $6–$9 |
| Beer (draft, bar) | $5–$7 |
| Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (3.1 mi (5 km)) | $15–$20 |
| Ben Franklin Transit single ride | $1.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PSC · Tri‑Cities Airport (Pasco)
- 10 mi east, daily flights to Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, etc.
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Rent a car for flexibility (I‑182 exit 5). Ben Franklin Transit buses run $1.50 cash fare within the Tri‑Cities; limited service to Hanford tours.
See and do
Known for
- Hanford Nuclear Site tours
- The Reach Museum
- LIGO Hanford Observatory
- Badger Mountain hiking
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hanford Site Cleanup Tour | Chartered bus from Richland (reservation required) | ≈2 h total |
| Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve | Drive 10 min north, park at trailhead | ≈1 h round‑trip hike |
| The Reach Museum (Richland) | Walk or short drive from downtown | ≈30 min visit |
Sleep
- Richland hotels
- Limited supply; book early. Options range from budget (Hampton Inn) to mid‑range (Holiday Inn Richland on the River).
- Kennewick
- Larger hotel pool 5 min drive; convenient for overnight stays.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Hanford tours require advance reservation months ahead; check dates on the official site.
- Tour eligibility: only U.S. citizens 18+ for the full site tour; bring ID.
- Winter weather can close Badger Mountain roads; check conditions before hiking.
Richland is a typical small U.S. city; crime is low. Usual precautions apply, especially after dark in isolated areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Richland yet. Suggested stay: 1 (optional) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hanford Nuclear Site tours
- The Reach Museum
- LIGO Hanford Observatory
- Badger Mountain hiking
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Richland: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1138453
- Wikivoyage: Richland, revision 5240440 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240440
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Richland
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / Fire / Ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/richland). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.