Olympia Tourism Guide

Sightseeing

Olympia doesn’t feel like a capital, and that’s the point. Downtown is low-key and indie, the kind of place where you can wander the waterfront, pop into shops and still make the Capitol grounds the same morning. This section starts close in — falls, waterfront, the Capitol Campus, the children’s museum — and ends with the big one: Mount Rainier, through Yelm.

Tumwater Falls Park has waterfall walks at Brewery Park in Tumwater. It’s a pretty first stop before the downtown sights.

Downtown Olympia waterfront, shops and entertainment is where the capital feels most laid-back and indie. The waterfront, the shops and the entertainment are all here, in the same downtown.

Washington State Capitol Campus sits at 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, with guided tours and grounds to walk. Hours run Monday–Friday 7:30 AM–5:00 PM and Saturday–Sunday 11:00 AM–4:00 PM, so a weekday visit gives you the longest window.

Hands On Children’s Museum sits at 414 Jefferson St NE. It’s the Pacific Northwest’s largest children’s museum, with hands-on STEAM galleries and an outdoor discovery center. Plan on a long visit — there’s a lot here for kids to get into.

Paddle boarding in the bay, or a hike in the surrounding nature covers two ways to get outside: paddle boarding in the bay, or a hike in the surrounding nature. Pick the water on a calm day, the trails if you’d rather stay dry.

Olympia Farmers Market brings together local makers, produce and crafts. It’s a good first stop if you want a sense of what the area grows and makes.

Lacey has lakes, parks, golf courses and a nature preserve.

Day trip to Mount Rainier via Yelm runs through Yelm, the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park. From there, head to the Nisqually entrance, then on to Longmire and Paradise for trails, waterfalls and summer wildflowers. Give it a full day — it’s the payoff at the end of this guide.

Base it all from our Olympia lakefront home, which sleeps 13 — Olympia house manual

Shops

After the sights, the shopping keeps the same indie mood. Capitol Way and the downtown streets hold a community bookstore, a retro boutique, mid-century home goods and vintage furniture — the kind of small shops that make a downtown worth wandering.

Orca Books Cooperative is a community-run indie bookstore at 315 5th Ave SE. It’s worth a browse if you like bookshops with a local feel.

Hot Toddy is a retro women’s boutique at 410 Capitol Way S. Good for a browse if retro styles are your thing.

Sound and Vision Living sells mid-century modern home goods and gifts at 112 Capitol Way N. It’s a good stop for gifts with a mid-century feel.

Peacock Vintage stocks mid-century vintage furniture and decor at 512 4th Ave E. If you like vintage furniture, this is the stop.

Downtown shopping pairs naturally with a stay at our Olympia lakefront home — Olympia house manual

Where to eat & drink

End the day the way Olympia likes it: eating and drinking downtown. The picks below run from Pacific Northwest seafood on the waterfront to a historic pub-cafe and a fine-dining room where you’ll want a reservation, with coffee along the way. Come hungry — or at least thirsty.

Budd Bay Cafe serves Pacific Northwest seafood on the Percival Landing waterfront, downtown Olympia. It’s our downtown waterfront pick for seafood.

McMenamins Spar Cafe sits at 114 4th Ave E in Olympia. This historic pub-cafe serves breakfast through dinner, so it works for a morning coffee or an evening meal.

Gardner’s Restaurant sits at 111 Thurston Ave NW in Olympia. It’s contemporary American fine dining, and reservations are recommended — book ahead if you’re set on it.

Olympia Coffee Roasting sits at 600 4th Ave E in Olympia.

Ember Goods sits at 422 Washington St SE in Olympia.

End the day back at our Olympia lakefront home — Olympia house manual

Staying with us?

See the house manual for our Olympia home:

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