Cindy’s guidebook for Oly!
Food scene
The most wonderful food co-op! Friendly place; healthy, ethical food choices; beer and wine. Walking distance from the house - a lovely meandering walk through cute neighborhoods.
46 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Olympia Food Co-op
921 Rogers St NWThe most wonderful food co-op! Friendly place; healthy, ethical food choices; beer and wine. Walking distance from the house - a lovely meandering walk through cute neighborhoods.
Traditions Fair Trade
300 5th Ave SWLive music and events; fair trade goods
Sweet deck, wonderful food, and easy-going atmosphere! They also rent kayaks!
35 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Tugboat Annie's
2100 W Bay Dr NWSweet deck, wonderful food, and easy-going atmosphere! They also rent kayaks!
Sweetlees ice cream
2411 Harrison Ave NWsmall-batch homemade ice cream, close to the house, open until 9pm most nights!
Gorgeous scenery and wonderful food! A bit of a drive, but so worth it!
Fresh oysters and clams, house-smoked oysters and salmon, live and cooked crab (when available), fresh salmon, and locally produced ice cream, cheeses, grass-fed beef, chocolate, and other treats.
Hours: 9:30 - 5:00 pm, seven days a week.
71 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Hama Hama Farm Store
35846 US-101Gorgeous scenery and wonderful food! A bit of a drive, but so worth it!
Fresh oysters and clams, house-smoked oysters and salmon, live and cooked crab (when available), fresh salmon, and locally produced ice cream, cheeses, grass-fed beef, chocolate, and other treats.
Hours: 9:30 - 5:00 pm, seven days a week.
Delicious bakery, fresh baked bread and bagels, sweet garden to sit in with your treats!
34 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
San Francisco Street Bakery
1320 San Francisco Ave NEDelicious bakery, fresh baked bread and bagels, sweet garden to sit in with your treats!
Left Bank Pastry
1941 4th Ave EWonderful treats!
Great bakery with tons of choices in the heart of downtown.
51 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Bread Peddler
222 Capitol Way NGreat bakery with tons of choices in the heart of downtown.
Our favorite pizza place here! Has big salads as well as delicious pizza. Offers gluten free and dairy free, too. Great for kids. This location is walkable from the house, and there are also two other locations that are really cute!
21 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Vics Pizzeria
233 Division St NWOur favorite pizza place here! Has big salads as well as delicious pizza. Offers gluten free and dairy free, too. Great for kids. This location is walkable from the house, and there are also two other locations that are really cute!
Frenchie's on 4th
Yummy donuts, with vegan and gluten free options!
La Esquinita Taco Truck
Great tacos! Not too far, and on the way to the peninsula
Sightseeing
If you're looking for an easy but gorgeous walk/hike for kids or older people with mobility issues, this is perfect!
McLane Creek Nature Trail
McLane Creek Nature TrailIf you're looking for an easy but gorgeous walk/hike for kids or older people with mobility issues, this is perfect!
Absolutely stunning views, stand-up paddle board and kayak rentals. About 7 miles drive.
43 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Boston Harbor Marina
312 73rd Ave NEAbsolutely stunning views, stand-up paddle board and kayak rentals. About 7 miles drive.
Schirm Loop Homestead Lavender Farm
A delightful lavender farm about a 20 minute drive.
An incredibly moving and important piece, located centrally downtown. From the website: "Located at the corner of State and Capital in Olympia WA, this 4,000 sq.ft. interdisciplinary mural moves from the local to the global and was made possible by the collective effort of more than 200 groups and individuals from around the world."
You can stand in front of the mural and "Call the Wall" to hear the stories of each leaf; the phone number and key to the leaves is at the website.
Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project
119-1/2 Capitol Way NAn incredibly moving and important piece, located centrally downtown. From the website: "Located at the corner of State and Capital in Olympia WA, this 4,000 sq.ft. interdisciplinary mural moves from the local to the global and was made possible by the collective effort of more than 200 groups and individuals from around the world."
You can stand in front of the mural and "Call the Wall" to hear the stories of each leaf; the phone number and key to the leaves is at the website.
Wonderful place for walking or wading. Dog friendly. Has three miles of hiking trails.
27 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Tolmie State Park
7730 61st Ave NEWonderful place for walking or wading. Dog friendly. Has three miles of hiking trails.
Activities, esp. good for families
A wonderful resource! Tons of classes, some just one day/evening (3 hr. intro to paddleboarding!), lots of things for families and kids.
City of Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
222 Columbia Street NorthwestA wonderful resource! Tons of classes, some just one day/evening (3 hr. intro to paddleboarding!), lots of things for families and kids.
An easy way to teach and entertain children!
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I-Hands On Children's Museum
414 Jefferson St NEAn easy way to teach and entertain children!
Captain Little
121 5th Ave SESweet toy-store, fun for adults, too!
Last Word Books & Press
501 4th Avenue EastThe most wonderful independent bookstore - located downtown!
Fabulous theater, with live shows + awesome films. Run by the Olympia Film Society. Website is updated regularly to reflect latest awesome films, events and shows!
26 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Capitol Theater
206 5th Ave SEFabulous theater, with live shows + awesome films. Run by the Olympia Film Society. Website is updated regularly to reflect latest awesome films, events and shows!
An easy walk down to a rocky, muddy, gorgeous beach. Has a playground and bathrooms.
Frye Cove County Park
4000 61st Ave NWAn easy walk down to a rocky, muddy, gorgeous beach. Has a playground and bathrooms.
Loads of community programs and ways to be involved, even briefly, in all kinds of folk crafts and arts. Special programs for children; has open ceramics studio time dedicated to and led by BIPOC artists and community members.
Arbutus Folk School
Loads of community programs and ways to be involved, even briefly, in all kinds of folk crafts and arts. Special programs for children; has open ceramics studio time dedicated to and led by BIPOC artists and community members.
A nationally recognized sanctuary for captive born and displaced wolves; you have to make reservations long in advance!
21 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Wolf Haven International
3111 Offut Lake Rd SEA nationally recognized sanctuary for captive born and displaced wolves; you have to make reservations long in advance!
The Procession of the Species happens in April, coinciding with Arts Walk, but has events and workshops for weeks leading up to it!
"The Procession of the Species is a joyous, spontaneous artistic pageant where community members celebrate their relationships with each other and with the natural world.
Created by the community for the community, the Procession program facilitates seven weeks of art, music, and dance workshops that inspire personal understanding of and local action for wildlife protection.
Then on Procession day, residents don their creative expressions and proceed through the streets of Olympia in masks and costumes. Carrying banners, windsocks, and giant puppets, they participate in a cultural exchange honoring the awe and splendor of the natural world."
Procession of the Species Studio, by Earthbound Productions
406 Water St SWThe Procession of the Species happens in April, coinciding with Arts Walk, but has events and workshops for weeks leading up to it!
"The Procession of the Species is a joyous, spontaneous artistic pageant where community members celebrate their relationships with each other and with the natural world.
Created by the community for the community, the Procession program facilitates seven weeks of art, music, and dance workshops that inspire personal understanding of and local action for wildlife protection.
Then on Procession day, residents don their creative expressions and proceed through the streets of Olympia in masks and costumes. Carrying banners, windsocks, and giant puppets, they participate in a cultural exchange honoring the awe and splendor of the natural world."
Amacebiso ngesixeko
Amasiko nenkcubeko
Know the complex and wonderful history of this area!
Olympia's Hidden Histories Walking Tours "use the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform to combine narrative text with historical and contemporary imagery including maps, audio, video, and data visualization, bringing Olympia's history to the palm of your hand. Users can follow the tours in chronological order, or select particular topics to learn about at different times."
If you look up "Olympia's Hidden Histories Walking Tours," you will find an amazing website with detailed instructions and stories, and simple maps to help you walk, listen, and learn.