Location: Olympia
Top Things to do in Olympia
Countries
Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Olympia, Washington (WA)
Birthplace of riot grrl music and home to an energetic independent art and music scene, Olympia is a hub of innovative cultural movements. The nontraditional Evergreen State College draws young pioneers and artists while the surrounding landscape of Puget Sound beckons the environmentally aware to its embrace. With 40 city parks incorporating 963 acres as well as a vast, municipally-funded public art collection, the city is a study in inventive and ecological civil design.
Restaurants in Olympia
1. Hands On Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 483 reviews
Come Play with Us! The award-winning Hands On Children's Museum is the largest and most visited children's museum in the Pacific Northwest. We celebrate play and believe in its importance in early learning. With over 150 exciting exhibits in 10 beautiful galleries and a fabulous art studio, we encourage children and their parents to play and learn all about science, nature, and art in settings inspired by our beautiful Northwest. Our Outdoor Discovery Center, a half-acre of unique outdoor exhibits, expands opportunities for play and learning with a trike and hike loop, lighthouse lookout, Puget Sound beach replica, children's garden, and Megan D schooner where kids can climb a six-foot rope ladder to the top deck of a real 56-foot vintage schooner, cross the rickety bridge, explore the crow's nest, and captain the ship. Online Reservations Required
Reviewed By patannlinz
We visited this awesome place with a 4 year old and 22 month old and a great time was had by all. Market place, creative arts room, construction “zone”, water tables, science area, make believe section with props for different occupations including a police car, and a hospital nursery. If needed, there is a “4 and under” escape room. There is also an outdoor play area which must be pretty awesome in the warmer months. Something for everyone at this hands on kids place.
2. Mystic Journeys
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 62 reviews
Join Captain Scott and First Mate Connie on their beautiful sailboat for a cruise in south Puget Sound. S/V Traveler is the name of the ship. She's 42 foot long and 12 foot wide, the perfect size for a group of up to 6 people. We do short cruises of Budd Inlet and longer runs to more remote destinations.
3. Oly Float
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 29 reviews
Floating is part therapy, part meditation, part transcendence, and all relaxation. Classically known as “sensory deprivation“, floatation therapy is suitable for all ages. It has a myriad of documented benefits, including improved health and well-being; deepened meditation; relief of physical pain, mental stress & anxiety; and improved sleep and immune function. Our healing arts center, The Soul Space, also offers a variety of related wellness services, including infrared sauna, massage, craniosacral therapy, kinesiology & energy work, botanical medicine, counseling, nutritional therapy, and more.
Reviewed By idiazjr
Five months ago today I was looking forward to some amazing quiet time, but life took a detour. Today, I was able to get back to some incredible self care. So ironic, my adventure out into the world, was an adventure straight to my favorite place...an isolation tank! Today I had the opportunity to float and enjoy an infrared sauna session. My friends at OlyFloat opened back up yesterday, and I am so grateful. I’ve missed my times there and I’m happy to start regular floats again. Thank you Dan and crew. The visit was spectacular and the new rules around COVID safety were very well handled and felt very kind, caring and most of all, very safe. See you again soon. Thank you. ???????? PS: The upgrades are great and the place feel so alive!
4. Nisqually Reach Nature Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By Q503AXjohnl - Olympia, United States
Back when this was a boat rental place. Folks rested row boats to go out onto the Nisqually reach, generally to fish for salmon or to hunt ducks. Now it is a nature preserve. There is a boat ramp which is busy during salmon runs and a nature interpretive center. The center is very nice with many displays and things live and preserved that you can touch. It is a wonderful place for kids. There are volunteers who are knowledgeable and informative in the center. Lots of folks come here to watch birds, mostly waterfowl and bald eagles and herons. And there is some beach combing but watch the bottom as some areas are muddy. Tides can run over fifteen feet from high to low and this are is totally different at the flood than at the ebb. Flood tide is right up against the bulkhead and the ramp is pretty much covered. The lone tide mark is maybe a mile out. It is amazing. If you intend to launch a boat, watch the tide! Good view of Mt. Rainier. Always a fun place to visit. Stop by!
5. Exit Puzzles Escape Room
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 56 reviews
Exit Puzzles offers an escape room experience that will keep you immersed for 70 minutes as you and your teammates explore a thematically decorated room for clues to solve the room's puzzles and mysteries. This room features custom-made puzzles, artwork, and interactive electronics, along with a visually striking set design. For booking and more information visit our website.
Reviewed By AreWeHavingFunYet - Olympia, United States
I (grandma) took my 15 year old grandson, plus two friends, and we did the Landlord escape room. It was excellent. We were joined by another group (4 fun ladies). We were concerned about how that would go since we didn't know each other, but it worked out great, and the boys actually were very proud to be able to help the women since it was their first time. The puzzles are not linear, so it allowed all to begin solving different ones at the same time. Compared to other escape rooms we've done, this one was better labeled, making it less frustrating to solve. We only had one hiccup. One person in the group messed up a lock trying to use the wrong key. We had to have the staff guy come fix it. He was pretty upset and flustered, which was understandable given the circumstances, but he could have handled it better. He called out the person in the group and berated her in front of anyone. I am not saying I would not have acted the same way, but come on, breathe and remember Customer Service is key. As it was, we solved all and were able to escape with seconds to spare! Afterwards, the staff person walked us through all the solutions and explained some interesting things we had missed. We highly recommend this Escape Room experience and are excited to return to try their other room. It's not really that pricey given that it's a full hour of exciting mental and rewarding fun. Afterwards, there are fun photos to pose for.
6. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 602 reviews
Located on the Nisqually River Delta in Southern Puget Sound, this refuge consists of three thousand acres of salt and freshwater marshes, grasslands and mixed forest habitats that provide a resting and nesting area for a wide variety of migratory birds.
Reviewed By finley-n-miley - Medford, United States
The paths take you into various ecosystems, each with some diversity of birds, vegetation, and other woodland creatures. Lots of enthusiastic bird watchers - all of whom were friendly and excited to show you what they have seen.
7. Priest Point Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 201 reviews
This 314-acre park offers hiking and wildlife viewing opportunities only minutes from downtown Olympia.
Reviewed By HighPriestessSusan - Olympia, United States
Priest Point has many trails packed into a beautiful area. Lots of steps and bridges. A couple of trails lead to the inlet, which was still and glass-like on the day we visited. Good for walking, trail-running and dog-walking. Peaceful and not crowded on an autumn weekday.
8. East Bay Public Plaza
9. WET Science Center
10. Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 44 reviews
Reviewed By Jotum - Knoxville, United States
Small parking area and then a paved walkway of about a mile through the woods to the end. Some uphill and downhill. This area is where rail lines used to end and logging trains drive out on the trussell where the logs were dumped in the sound to float 69 miles north to the mill. It is a pleasant walk with opportunity to see various birds, seals and other animals.
