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Population: 55,605
Location: South Puget Sound
Drive Time from Seattle: 1 hour
Average High Temperature in December: 45°
Average Low Temperature in December: 33°
Calling Card
Though Olympia earned its reputation for live music back when Kurt Cobain was behind the mic and Sleater-Kinney was forming, it persists today with small but frequent shows, still advertised by paper fliers posted downtown. Olympia Funk Festival, nicknamed “Funk Off” (and organized by this author’s brother), fills downtown venues with heavy bass lines and psychedelic backdrops January 30–February 1.
Historical Record
While the manicured lawns and gardens of the Capitol Campus just southwest of downtown make for a good stroll, the 287-foot dome of the Legislative Building stands out amid the government complex; daily tours include a look at the Tiffany chandeliers inside. The town earned capital status when Washington was still a territory and then beat out competitors like Vancouver, Ellensburg, and North Yakima when statehood came.
New Directions
Capitol Lake, formed in 1951 with a small dam, sits between the government campus and Puget Sound. A state project plans to return it to its natural estuary form in the 2030s, with the Department of Ecology taking lead this year. When this end of the Deschutes River is once again marshy, seawater will fill and empty the area with every tide.
Ancient Influence
When Lisa and Jacob David launched their food truck Nineveh Assyrian in 2011, Olympians quickly fell for their traditional shawarma and falafel sandwiches. Last year, they expanded into a brick-and-mortar restaurant downtown serving even more Assyrian cuisine, with flavors whose roots go back thousands of years to Mesopotamia.
On the Rocks
Downtown’s cocktail corner came about mostly by accident, but three mixology bars of various vibes all ended up at the same cross streets. While Filibuster evokes Prohibition years in an old bank building, next door Cheeky Martini Lounge leans toward the Rat Pack era. Funky Shiny Prize, across the street in an old barbershop space, pairs expert but innovative drinks (try the seaweed-infused vodka) with irreverent modern decor.
Dark Side
Downtown Olympia shops tend to be independent and a little kooky; 50-year-old Archibald Sisters sells not only delightful lotions but gag gifts and whimsical toys. Odds and Ends, new last year, fits right in, with taxidermy animals on the wall ($1,000 for a stuffed emu head) and macabre tchotchkes.
Where It Happens
During legislative session, which starts annually in early January and runs a few months, hotel rooms near downtown can fill with visitors lobbying, testifying, or even legislating in the capitol. Though the address will be in another town, try Tumwater hotels for a quick drive up Capitol Boulevard to the city center.
Good Neighbors
When winter weather hits the South Sound, Tumwater’s Craft District keeps it under (mostly) one roof, its long hallway lined with shops and restaurants. Many tip the hat to Olympia Brewery acreage next door, from drinks at Heritage Distillery and Mount Olympus Brewing to delightful French bistro Bar C’est L’eau—the name translates to “It’s the Water,” motto of the now-defunct Oly.
