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When my husband and I arrived in Olympia, Washington I was disappointed that my hotel was farther from downtown than I expected. He was closer to the freeway and in what appeared to be a boring spot in the boonies. But still, I went for a morning walk.
On my walk I discovered a large nature park just a few blocks away with enough moss and trees to feel like I was in genuine woods—not within the city limits of Washington state’s capital. But that’s how Olympia is.
In this college town of 55,000 on Puget Sound, you’ll find quirky shops, lots of restaurants and a music scene with both a saltwater and a forest feel.
Here are some easy ways to get outdoors on a weekend trip to Olympia.
Walk the Harbor
People come to Olympia’s harbor to stroll, rent boats, eat seafood and breathe some fresh Puget Sound Air. But if you love the seafaring life, plan your visit for Labor Day weekend to participate in Olympia Habor Days.
Vintage tugboat races are a top draw for the annual event. Many boats, new and old, make the trip for Labor Day weekend.
When I visited in 2024, I watched the tugboat races from the historic 1922 steamer Victoria V and sailed on Lady Washington, Washington State’s official tall ship. You might recognize this 18th-century replica from Pirates of the Caribbean, where it starred as Johnny Depp’s pirate ship.
I especially liked touring the World War II rescue tug Comanche and meeting the young volunteers and the ship dog. But don’t wait for Harbor Days to stroll the waterfront. You never know which interesting old boats will be moored there.
Stroll the Capitol Grounds
Just up the hill from the harbor, you can visit Washington’s State Capitol. At sunset, we walked by Capitol Lake, where we saw nutria romping and eating grass. People find these big rodents a nuisance, but they’re fun to watch.
On the Capitol grounds, we walked through the gardens and admired the human-made artistry, such as the carved doors depicting Washington scenes. The World War I monument especially captivated me, with its huge, winged angel watching over soldiers and a nurse.
Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls
My dad grew up in Olympia, and one of his best friends ran the Olympia Brewery tasting room. So, I have early memories of hanging around the thriving old brewery way before it closed in 2003.
Now Brewery Park stands in its place. Olympia’s famous slogan was “it’s the water,” and the good news is, the water is still impressive.
You can walk a half-mile trail on this lively stretch of the Deschutes River, full of eddies and deep pools, with the climax of Tumwater Falls. Lots of people come out on weekends to picnic, play and walk their dogs.
Watershed Park
Watershed Park is the 153-acre park that made me realize the Courtyard Marriott wasn’t such a boring location after all. When I saw on my map that it was close by, I expected it to be a small, paved city park—and dressed accordingly. But this was a real nature park with trails and boardwalks over wetlands.
Fortunately, the 1.4-mile loop wasn’t too steep or treacherous, as I was wearing a skirt and flats. I saw lots of ferns, moss, big trees, a creek and a few other walkers and trail runners.
Watch for Critters at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Photo by Teresa Bergen
The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wetland preserve, which means it’s nice and flat for a chill walk. There’s a visitor center where you can learn about recent wildlife sightings or just set off on your own and see what you see.
This is a good place to walk on trails and boardwalks for an hour or two, looking up at the trees to watch the many small birds. The highlight of my visit was seeing an entire family of raccoons swimming together.
Take a Kayak Tour
My Harbor Days schedule was too jampacked to kayak this time, but when I return on a quieter weekend, I hope to join South Sound Kayak Tours for some water exploration.
The outfitter offers a two-hour Olympia waterfront tour in Budd Bay looking for seals, sea lions and views of the Olympic Mountains. People can also sign up for a three-hour tour of Hope Island. You’ll have time to walk on the island’s trails through old-growth forest and you might see porpoises.
Visit Mount Rainier
If you’re visiting Olympia from far away, try to visit Mount Rainier while you’re in the area. You could do a day trip from Olympia—the mountain is about 90 minutes away—or tack on an extra day and stay in or near Mount Rainier National Park.
Mount Rainier is a super important and impressive mountain. It’s an active volcano, Washington state’s highest peak and contains the largest alpine glacial system outside of Alaska. Native American tribes call it “Tahoma,” meaning “mother of waters.”
My favorite thing to do there is stay at Paradise Inn, then get up at sunrise and see the pink and orange sky shining on the snowy peak.
Paradise Inn is a classic park lodge built in 1916, with a huge fireplace to warm up guests. The inn shuts down for the winter because the area gets an incredible amount of snow.
On my most recent visit, I was there at the end of September for the last night of the season. It had just a touch of The Shining vibe, which added to the fun.
I got up at six, grabbed a cup of coffee downstairs, and wandered up the trail. The mountain was glorious (but cold) and I even saw a bear.
If You Go
Olympia is fun any time of the year. But it does get rainy in the Northwest, so be sure to pack a jacket that will keep you dry and boots that can get muddy. Olympia has lots of good restaurants for a town its size and a vibrant downtown shopping district with offbeat, independently-owned shops.
You can drive to Olympia or take Amtrak to the Olympia-Lacey stop eight miles away. The nearest major airport is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, 52 miles from Olympia.
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Author Bio: Teresa Bergen writes about adventure, eco, vegan and sober travel. She’s on a mission to kayak or SUP in every US state and Canadian province. Teresa is the author of Sober Travel Handbook and Easy Portland Outdoors.
Go World Travel Magazine is a digital magazine for world travelers. Our editorial content is produced by a dedicated team of travel journalists who know the regions they cover. We cover travel in more than 90 countries.
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