| Olympia, first visited by the British Vancouver Expedition in 1792, has grown from "The Black Bear Place" of the Native inhabitants to its present status as Washington State Capital. Children will be delighted visiting the Hands On Children's Museum with the new Build It Gallery which will contain Construction, Waterfront, Design and Gears centers for hours of learning and fun!
Discover the wonder of wolves at Wolf Haven, a nationally recognized, private nonprofit sanctuary of 80 acres that cares for captive born wolves.
Olympia maintains a variety of trails and bike paths in its scenic park system. The McLane Creek Nature Trail is a favorite where you'll find a variety of birds and maybe even spot some deer or a pesky raccoon.
Capital Lake, with the magnificent Capital dome peeping over the trees, is a popular spot for jogging, skating or just relaxing in the sun.
Music, dance and theatre are on stage at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia. Be sure and check their web site for a complete calendar of performances
The Capitol and its campus includes the historic Capitol and Legislative Buildings as well as several monuments, the Executive Mansion and Capitol Museum. Guided tours are available on request.
Old Capitol Building--Constructed in 1892, this downtown Olympia building served as the Capitol from 1901 until 1928.
The one and a half mile Percival Landing boardwalk offers views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and Budd Inlet; sailboats are moored here at the Landing and other nearby marinas. There are also numerous shops and restaurants in the vicinity.
Yashiro Japanese Garden On 9th and Plum the Olympia Japanese Garden lies just south of Olympia City Hall and is an excellent example of the Hill and Pond style of classic Japanese gardens.
A number of natural artesian wells bubble up in various spots in downtown Olympia. One of the most popular — and peculiar — is in the Diamond parking lot along Fourth Avenue, across the street from the Eastside Club.
The Olympic Flight Museum is dedicated to the preservation and flying of vintage and historic aircraft from around the world.
Indian gaming and live entertainment are on hand at Little Creek Casino just north of Olympia at Hwy 101 and 108.
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