Is It Worth It? Why My Trip to Olympia, Washington, Was Everything I Thought It Would Be

Washington State will always have a special place in my heart. I love the Pacific Northwest and many of its incredible towns and cities. I vividly remember my first trip to Olympia many years ago. I had been to cities like Seattle and Spokane multiple times, but never Olympia. I didn’t quite know what to expect and was only there for a day, but my visit was everything I thought it would be. I can’t wait to return.

Here are just three reasons why my trip to Olympia was pure magic.

I loved walking through the downtown area.

My visit to Olympia was part of a road trip. We stopped in this city of approximately 56,000 people for one day before we continued on our way. We parked downtown and found we were able to walk to several destinations including my two favorites: Percival Landing Park and Capitol Lake. If we had our bicycles, we could have explored even more (which is something I plan to bring on my next visit). Olympia has more than 32 miles of bike lanes and 10 miles of trails, making it easy to cycle and walk throughout the city.

The views were incredible

Olympia is a fantastic base camp for bucket-list-worthy destinations like Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Forest. While we didn’t get the opportunity to visit these scenic destinations during my quick visit, I still made time to enjoy the gorgeous views of Puget Sound, the Washington Capitol Building, charming neighborhoods, and more. Olympia was beautiful.

I found myself craving the food for weeks to come

There is a lot to love about Olympia, and the locally-owned restaurants throughout the city are certainly at the top of this list. All throughout this Washington city are restaurants that come highly recommended by locals and tourists alike, such as COVE, the Olympia Oyster House, and Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar. I’m pretty sure my taste buds fell in love with Olympia.

While Olympia was everything I thought it would be, the next time I visit, I’d stay for much longer. I’d book a vacation rental and stay for several days. I’d make sure to visit one of the museums in the city, explore on a bike, and even catch a sunset at one of the city parks.

So, yes, my visit to Olympia met my expectations and I’ll always be grateful I explored this Washington city. However, one day just wasn’t enough time. Next time, I’ll know better.