Olympia Guidebook!
Olympia Goodness
Welcome to Olympia! Here are a few places to check out during your wanderings.
Rainy Day Records
301 5th Ave SEVinyl.
'Nuf said.
Artsy films smack-dab in downtown Olympia. Built in 1924. The annual film festival is an Oly institution. Popcorn.
26 locals recommend
Capitol Theater
206 5th Ave SEArtsy films smack-dab in downtown Olympia. Built in 1924. The annual film festival is an Oly institution. Popcorn.
Organic foods, produce, all the ingredients you need for healthful delicious meals. Within easy strolling distance, and also on the 45 bus line which stops right in front of the house.
46 locals recommend
Olympia Food Co-op
921 Rogers St NWOrganic foods, produce, all the ingredients you need for healthful delicious meals. Within easy strolling distance, and also on the 45 bus line which stops right in front of the house.
Vintage clothes, sunglasses, whatnot and miscellany. Plus an array of tarot decks!
8 locals recommend
Psychic Sister
109 5th Ave SEVintage clothes, sunglasses, whatnot and miscellany. Plus an array of tarot decks!
Truly awesome independent bookstore. Serving Olympia bookies for 25 years. Check out their "staff picks" shelf--always stimulating. Cats prowl the dusty stacks. 1000 times funner than buying a book from Amazon.
10 locals recommend
Orca Books
315 5th Ave SETruly awesome independent bookstore. Serving Olympia bookies for 25 years. Check out their "staff picks" shelf--always stimulating. Cats prowl the dusty stacks. 1000 times funner than buying a book from Amazon.
All your natural health and healing needs. A massive wall of bulk herbs and teas. Tinctures, supplements, oils, salts, salves, you-name-it. The place to stock up if you get a sniffle.
9 locals recommend
Radiance Herbs & Massage
113 5th Ave SEAll your natural health and healing needs. A massive wall of bulk herbs and teas. Tinctures, supplements, oils, salts, salves, you-name-it. The place to stock up if you get a sniffle.
Local farmers and their produce. Also crafts of all sorts, honey, jams, butchers, bakers, as well as several open-air restaurants.
93 locals recommend
Olympia Farmers Market
Local farmers and their produce. Also crafts of all sorts, honey, jams, butchers, bakers, as well as several open-air restaurants.
Sunsets. Blackberries. Dilapidated train track bridge. Beach. In the summertime at dusk the maternity colony of bats emerges. Go.
6 locals recommend
Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area
Sunsets. Blackberries. Dilapidated train track bridge. Beach. In the summertime at dusk the maternity colony of bats emerges. Go.
Park in "F Lot," on Driftwood Road behind The Evergreen State College. Trails meander throughout the forest, leading down to the beach of Eld Inlet, all owned by the college and undeveloped.
27 locals recommend
The Evergreen State College
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NWPark in "F Lot," on Driftwood Road behind The Evergreen State College. Trails meander throughout the forest, leading down to the beach of Eld Inlet, all owned by the college and undeveloped.
A walking path encircles Capitol Lake. Views of the Capitol Rotunda, downtown, the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.
39 locals recommend
Capitol Lake Park
Water Street SouthwestA walking path encircles Capitol Lake. Views of the Capitol Rotunda, downtown, the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.
Dimly-lit with semi-private booths. Electronic dance music, world, metal: the jukebox plays all sorts. The bartenders are veritable alchemists: have them fix you their choice.
6 locals recommend
Cryptatropa Bar
421 4th Ave EDimly-lit with semi-private booths. Electronic dance music, world, metal: the jukebox plays all sorts. The bartenders are veritable alchemists: have them fix you their choice.
Second-prettiest bar in town (the titleholder will always be Sizizis). Built in an old bank, including seating inside the vault. Quality date spot. Get the bread pudding: it's unbelievable.
23 locals recommend
Dillinger's Cocktails, Kitchen & Rum Room
406 Washington St SESecond-prettiest bar in town (the titleholder will always be Sizizis). Built in an old bank, including seating inside the vault. Quality date spot. Get the bread pudding: it's unbelievable.
Closest mom-n-pop pizzeria. Even gluten-free crusts. Plus they do a great vegan chocolate cake.
21 locals recommend
Vics Pizzeria
233 Division St NWClosest mom-n-pop pizzeria. Even gluten-free crusts. Plus they do a great vegan chocolate cake.
Considered by many to be the best coffee in Olympia. Within easy strolling distance. They also do a nice chai.
79 locals recommend
Olympia Coffee Roasting
2601 N Proctor StConsidered by many to be the best coffee in Olympia. Within easy strolling distance. They also do a nice chai.
For a fancy dinner date, this is the hidden gem. Voluptuous red velvet curtains, cocktails, organic local fare. Call for reservations, the place is small and it fills up.
8 locals recommend
The Mark Olympia
407 Columbia St SWFor a fancy dinner date, this is the hidden gem. Voluptuous red velvet curtains, cocktails, organic local fare. Call for reservations, the place is small and it fills up.
Not a bar; a coffee shop. Great cappuccino served in the barista's wife's handmade pottery. Homemade shrub, chai, etc. Real Olympia caffeinates here.
9 locals recommend
Bar Francis
110 Franklin St NENot a bar; a coffee shop. Great cappuccino served in the barista's wife's handmade pottery. Homemade shrub, chai, etc. Real Olympia caffeinates here.
French bakery leavened by a bonafide Breton. Butter, sugar, and flour--all imported from France.
51 locals recommend
The Bread Peddler
222 Capitol Way NFrench bakery leavened by a bonafide Breton. Butter, sugar, and flour--all imported from France.