Top Attractions in Olympia

Washington State Capitol

The Washington State Capitol or Legislative Building in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains chambers for the Washington State Legislature and offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer and is part of a campus consisting of several buildings. Buildings for the Washington Supreme Court, executive agencies and the Washington Governors Mansion are part of the capitol campus.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Nisqually River Delta near Puget Sound in northeastern Thurston County, Washington and northwestern Pierce County, Washington. The refuge is located just off Interstate 5, between the cities of Tacoma and Olympia. The 12.6 km2 refuge was created in 1974 to provide habitat and nesting areas for waterfowl and other migratory birds. It includes a protected estuary, salt marshes and open mudflats, freshwater marshes, open grassland, and riparian woodland and brush. An additional 3.2 square kilometres is protected by the disjoint Black River Unit on a tributary of the Chehalis River. On December 18, 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Billy Frank Jr. Tell Your Story Act into law, redesignating the wildlife refuge in honor of Nisqually tribe leader and treaty rights activist Billy Frank, Jr., who died in 2014.

Daniel R. Bigelow House

The Bigelow House, also known as the Bigelow House Museum, is a historic house museum located at 918 Glass Avenue Northeast in the Bigelow Neighborhood of Olympia, Washington. Built by Daniel Bigelow in the 1850s, the house was designed in the Carpenter Gothic style. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Olympic Flight Museum

The Olympic Flight Museum is an aviation museum at the Olympia Airport in Olympia, Washington, USA. The museum has more than 20 vintage planes and helicopters on display, most of which are in airworthy condition. The museum also hosts the annual Olympic Air Show, featuring a world-class selection of heritage and current military aircraft demonstrations.

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area is a natural reserve in Olympia, Washington protected under the Washington Natural Areas Program. Once an important processing facility for the logging industry, it has been designated as the Weyerhaeuser South Bay Log Dump Rural Historic Landscape. Today the area is a renowned sanctuary for a variety of birds, harbor seals, river otters, bald eagles, and a colony of bats, as well as serving as an important great blue heron rookery. A recent conservation program in the area between the State of Washington and the Nature Conservancy is the first of its kind in the country.

American Legion Hall

American Legion Hall, at 219 W. Legion Way in Olympia, Washington, was built in 1921. It served as a meeting hall and as a sport facility. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The concrete, stucco and brick structure was designed by Joseph Wohleb.

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the Nisqually River Delta near Puget Sound in northeastern Thurston County, Washington and northwestern Pierce County, Washington. The refuge is located just off Interstate 5, between the cities of Tacoma and Olympia. The 12.6 km2 refuge was created in 1974 to provide habitat and nesting areas for waterfowl and other migratory birds. It includes a protected estuary, salt marshes and open mudflats, freshwater marshes, open grassland, and riparian woodland and brush. An additional 3.2 square kilometres is protected by the disjoint Black River Unit on a tributary of the Chehalis River.

Dofflemyer Point Light

The Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse is a U.S. lighthouse in Boston Harbor, Washington, and was one of the first in the state of Washington to be automated. It sits at the northeastern entrance to Budd Inlet north of Olympia. It is the southernmost light in Puget Sound and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Captain Calvin and Pamela Hale House

The Hale House, also known as the Hale Residence is located at 902 Tullis St, NE Olympia, Washington. The house is an American Queen Anne style Cottage and was built in 1882 for Captain Calvin Henry Hale and Pamela Case Hale. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places January 12, 1984.

Tumwater Methodist Church

Tumwater Methodist Church is a historic church at 219 W. B Street in Tumwater, Washington. It was built in 1872 and added to the National Register in 1984. When it was built it was one of two churches in Tumwater, (the other being Baptist); initially the minister rode circuit preaching and serving much of Thurston County over the course of the week. The Olympia Methodist Church helped to support the Tumwater church's formation. In the 1930s the adjacent parsonage was sold and a two story addition was built uphill from the original church which added a social hall, classrooms, and plumbing. The building served as the location of Tumwater Methodist Church for almost 100 years until they sold the property to Unitarians in the 1960s, who worshiped there it until outgrowing it and transferring ownership, in the early 1990s, to a Quaker congregation. The building currently hosts Victory Chapel, a congregation of the Potter's House Christian Fellowship, largely serving the Guamese community.

Watershed Park

Watershed Park is a 153-acre temperate rain forest public park located in Olympia, Washington that supplied almost all the city's water from privately established wells in the late 1800s. The city acquired and operated the wells starting in 1917 until the 1950s when the municipal water source was replaced. In 1955 the forest was to be logged and the land sold but strong local opposition resulted in an ordinance preserving the area as a city park. Throughout, remnants of the waterworks are visible from the park trails.

Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve

Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve is a state-protected Natural Area in southwest Washington state, USA. The preserve includes some of the Washington mima mounds. The site comprises 637 acres of Garry oak woodland, oak savanna, and prairie grasslands. Several state and federal endangered species of butterfly depending on the unique prairie conditions can be found in the preserve, including Mardon Skipper, Zerene Fritillary, Puget Blue and Taylor's Checkerspot. In 1966, the mima mounds were designated a National Natural Landmark.

Capitol Theater

The Capitol Theater, at 206 East Fifth Avenue in downtown Olympia, Washington, was built in 1924. It was designed by architect Joseph Wohleb and has a capacity of 758. Since 1986, the Olympia Film Society operates the theater. The theater suffered major plaster damage to the ceiling during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, but has since undergone repair and has re-opened. The marquee, a 1940 addition, was removed in January 2008.

Washington Governor's Mansion

The Washington Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of Washington. The Georgian-style mansion is located on the grounds of the State Capitol campus in the capital city Olympia. It is on the crest of Capitol Point, with a view of mountains, ocean, and the city.

Steamboat Island

Steamboat Island is an island in southern Puget Sound. Founded in 1909, Steamboat Island was named by local settlers who thought the island resembled a steamboat. Demographically it is mostly Caucasian and made of mostly two person households. Steamboat Island lies at the northern end of a peninsula known locally as the "Steamboat Peninsula". The peninsula and island is contained within the Griffin School District and is served by the Griffin Fire Department #13 and is also known locally as the "Griffin area" of Thurston County, Washington.

Scott Lake

Scott Lake is a lake in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It is located 3.2 miles south of the Tumwater city limits, 8.4 miles south of the Olympia city limits, and 14.1 miles north of the Centralia city limits. The location for Scott Lake is in Sections 33 and 34, Township 17N, Range 2W, Willamette Meridian. The lake receives its water from a creek that comes out of Deep Lake. The creek is officially unnamed, but is referred to as Spruce Creek by the Millersylvania State Park. The creek that flows out of Scott Lake is officially named Allen Creek. Allen Creek flows into Beaver Creek, a tributary of the Black River. Thus it is part of the Chehalis River watershed. A nine hole golf course thats opened to the public, and a private park opened only to residents of the Scott Lake Community are located next to the lake. Eurasian water-milfoil, an invasive species, was found in the lake in the spring of 1996. The area is subject to occasional flooding in winter. Its causes are being studied.

Tumwater Falls

Tumwater Falls are a series of cascades on the Deschutes River in Tumwater, Washington, United States, near where the river empties into Budd Inlet, a southerly arm of Puget Sound in Olympia.

Capitol Peak

Capitol Peak is a peak in the Black Hills in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the highest peak in the Black Hills. Capitol Peak is located in the Capitol State Forest. There is a partially paved road to the summit called the Sherman Valley Road. The summit hosts a communications facility that includes an array of cell phone and radio towers. On a clear day, looking to the west is a view of Elma and the Satsop Nuclear Power Plant. Looking to the east is a view of Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, the Puget Sound, and the Olympia area.

Cloverfields

Cloverfields Dairy Farm was a model dairy farm located in Olympia, Washington. Built by former Washington State pioneer Hazard Stevens after he returned to Olympia in 1914, today the farmhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Priest Point Park

Priest Point Park is a public park located in Olympia, Washington. Established in 1905, it was the city's first waterfront park, providing access to the Budd Inlet of Puget Sound.

Yashiro Japanese Garden

Yashiro Japanese Garden is a Japanese garden located in Olympia, Washington, United States. Designed by Robert Murase and dedicated on May 6, 1990, the garden was created to symbolize the relationship between Olympia and its sister city of Yashiro, Japan.

Capitol State Forest

The Capitol State Forest is a 91,650-acre state forest in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties of the U.S. state of Washington. It includes part of the unusual Mima Mounds geologic feature. The Capitol State Forest is managed by Washington Department of Natural Resources. It is a multi-use forest with active logging operations and is open for off-road motorcycles, mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking. It is approximately bounded by U.S. Route 12 to the southwest, Interstate 5 to the east and State Route 8 to the north. It roughly contains the Black Hills. Topographical Relief - 600 ft - 2,659ft -- 575 Miles of Gravel Road Cities and towns near its borders include Olympia, Tumwater, Littlerock, Oakville, and McCleary.

Chehalis Gap

The Chehalis Gap is a gap in the Coast Range of Washington State between the southernmost foothills of the Olympic Mountains called the Satsop Hills, and the Willapa Hills. The gap is a major geographic feature of the northwestern United States. Other geographic features in the gap include Chehalis River, Grays Harbor, and Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge in its estuary. U.S. Route 12 runs through the gap from Elma near Capitol State Forest to Aberdeen on Grays Harbor near the coast, paralleled by the former U.S. Route 410 and Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad.

Old Capitol Building

The Old Capitol Building or The Castle, as it is locally known, is a building in Olympia, Washington. Designed by Willis A. Ritchie, it was built 1890-1892 as the Thurston County Courthouse, and served 1905-1928 as the state capitol, seat of the legislature of Washington; in 1928 the legislature moved to the current Capitol Building. It is now the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The building has survived several disasters, after each of which it has been repaired. A fire in 1928 resulted in the loss of a central tower.

The Evergreen State College

The Evergreen State College is an accredited public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, located in Olympia, Washington, USA. Founded in 1967, Evergreen was formed to be an experimental and non-traditional college. Full-time students enroll in interdisciplinary academic programs instead of classes. Programs typically offer students the opportunity to study several disciplines in a coordinated manner. Faculty write narrative evaluations of students' work in place of issuing grades. Evergreen offers a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Bachelor of Science, Master of Environmental Studies, Master of Public Administration, and Master in Teaching. In 2012, there were 4,509 students, 4,193 of whom were undergraduates, and 240 faculty members.

Hands On Children's Museum

Hands On Childrens Museum is a childrens museum in Olympia, Washington, USA. It was founded in 1987 and received over 150,000 visitors a year at its old location near the Washington State Capitol. After moving to its new, permanent home on Olympias East Bay, at 414 Jefferson Street on Olympias East Bay, visitorship grew to over 300,000 in its first year . The New Hands On Childrens Museum, geared for children ages 0-11, features 8 themed galleries focusing on science and nature, plus an enhanced Arts Parts Studio. The galleries include: "Good For You!"; "Our Puget Sound;" "Emergency!;" "Our Fabulous Forest;" "Move It!;" "Build It!;" "Snug Harbor"; and the two-story "Tides-to-Trees Climber and Stream Slide." The half-acre Outdoor Discovery Center was chosen by the Association of Childrens Museums as one of only three "Going Wild!" pilot sites to demonstrate innovative ways to connect kids with nature; it is the only one of its kind in Washington. Opened in late Summer 2013, the Outdoor Discovery Center includes a Beach, Driftwood Forts, Mud Pie Pit, an interactive Stickworks sculpture "Raccoon Run," and a Fire Pit/Storytelling Ring. Once complete, the Outdoor Discovery Center will also feature a Hike-and-Trike Loop, Childrens Garden with edibles and flowers, Compost and Worm bins, an educational Rain Garden, a Naturalist Cabin for holding nature workshops, a ride-up Ferry, a Lighthouse, and much more. Check their website for the most updated exhibit plans: www.hocm.org. Founded on the belief that all children deserve respect and the opportunity to learn, regardless of their ability to pay, the Museum offers a robust and award-winning Access Program for underserved and at-risk families. Access Programs served 86,000 children, families and educators in 2013, which represented a 37% increase since 2012. Programs include free monthly parenting classes, a free weekly preschool enrichment program, Free Friday Nights every month, and a library partnership to “check out” family admission passes. The Museum also offers discounted military admission and memberships, free field trips for rural, Title I and underserved elementary schools, and several family support programs. Its signature event Sand in the City is the second largest event in the region, offering free art and science activities for 35,000 children and families every year since 2000. In 2013, Hands On was received the #4 spot in King5’s Best “Fun Place to Take Kids” in Western Washington, and the Museum received the Best of South Sound’s “Best Museum” and “Best Family Entertainment” Awards. The Museum is the first childrens museum to receive a three Green Globes certification for green building and LEED certification.

Bigelow Neighborhood

Bigelow Neighborhood, also called the Bigelow Historic District, is a historic district located on the eastside of Olympia, Washington. It is located along Olympia Avenue, between East Bay Drive and Tullis Street.

South Puget Sound Community College

South Puget Sound Community College is a community college located in southwest Olympia, Washington, USA. It is located in a residential area just off the junction between US Route 101 and Interstate 5. The college contains 125 acres and is serving about 6,800 full and part-time students as of the 2008 fall quarter student count. Average full-time tuition rates are $980–$2700 (this depends on the residential standing of the student.) There are a large variety of certifications, degrees, and general education opportunities at this institution. STUDENT SENATE The student senate of SPSCC is a large part of the operating staff of the institution. They are essentially the representatives of the student body to the president's staff, and the rest of the administrative branch of the school. There are 3 executive officers in this operation. These include Associated Student Body (ASB) President, Vice-President for Administration & Finance, and Vice-President for Clubs & Organizations. The Senate is made up of 4 somewhat interchangeable positions. They include Senator for Legislative Affairs, Senator for Diversity & Equity, Senator for Administration, and Senator for Public Relations. Campus Activities Board Plan, organize and run on and off campus events. THE SOUNDS NEWSPAPER A student-led newspaper is provided approximately once a month, for free throughout the school. Library Media Center The Library/Instructional Support Services provides access to information, ideas and creative works to further the South Puget Sound Community College’s mission of student success in postsecondary academic transfer and workforce education that responds to the needs of the South Sound region. The library website gives student access to many online databases, eReserves, and eBooks. The website was maintained by the webmaster Robert Pratt. HAWKS PRAIRIE CAMPUS A satellite campus (referred to as the Hawks Prairie campus) was located in the neighboring city of Lacey at the Hawks Prairie center until spring of 2015. It has since been replaced by the new Lacey Campus.

Providence St. Peter Hospital

Providence St. Peter Hospital, located in the Lilly Road Medical District of Olympia, Washington is Providence Health & Services’s second largest Washington state hospital. Providence St. Peter features 390 beds in the medical/surgical tower with 42 private rooms in the emergency department (including a four-bed locked mental health evaluation unit), 18 beds in the Psychiatry Building, and 32 beds in the Critical Care Unit. This facility is a non-profit teaching hospital founded by the Sisters of Providence in 1887. Providence St. Peter Hospital offers comprehensive medical, surgical and behavioral health services. Providence St. Peter has been named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation for cardiology, orthopedics and stroke care. The outpatient surgery center has received national benchmark awards for its work in cataract surgery, knee arthroscopy and many other procedures.

Heritage Park

Heritage Park is a 24-acre state-owned park adjacent to the campus of the Washington State Capitol, Capitol Lake and downtown Olympia, Washington.

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Top Attractions in Olympia

Washington State Capitol

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Daniel R. Bigelow House

Olympic Flight Museum

Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area

American Legion Hall

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Dofflemyer Point Light

Captain Calvin and Pamela Hale House

Tumwater Methodist Church

Watershed Park

Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve

Capitol Theater

Washington Governor's Mansion

Steamboat Island

Scott Lake

Tumwater Falls

Capitol Peak

Cloverfields

Priest Point Park

Yashiro Japanese Garden

Capitol State Forest

Chehalis Gap

Old Capitol Building

The Evergreen State College

Hands On Children's Museum

Bigelow Neighborhood

South Puget Sound Community College

Providence St. Peter Hospital

Heritage Park

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