The Pacific Northwest is a land filled with some of America’s greatest beauty. A drive through Oregon and Washington is more than scenic. It is sublime. Miles of trees, mountains, and even old western desert-like land can and will be seen from a car window as you move across the country toward the coast. It is a beautifully distracting drive.
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Of all the wonderful country in the northwest, my favorite place is Puget Sound. Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, runs from the Washington state capital of Olympia, north past Seattle, and on to a place called Deception Pass in the north. Because cities like Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia are on the Sound, there is an incredibly wide variety of activities to be found. Seattle is, of course, a bustling city with all the amenities that offers, and with Mount Rainier, a snow capped beauty just 200 miles away on one side and the ocean on the other, it is a beautiful place. Unscrewed landscape
However, despite all the options and beauty of Seattle, my choice place to go on Puget Sound is Olympia, Washington. Nestled perfectly between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Olympia (with only approximately 50,000 residents) is a mini city with most of the metropolitan amenities without all the hustle and bustle. Oly, as the residents call it, has three must see attractions on your visit.
Percival Landing.
Percival Landing is one of three waterfront parks in Oly, and sits at the southernmost tip of the sound in the heart of downtown. Percival Landing has boat dockage, a boardwalk with public art, and picnic tables for you to enjoy some eats from the another place to visit in Olympia:
Olympia Farmer’s Market.
I always loved the Oly Farmer’s Market (as a former local) because it was filled with amazing food (there are top notch farms in the Oly area not to mention the seafood selections), and it was never overcrowded with huge masses of people. Unlike the Saturday Market hosted by Oly’s cousin, Portland, Olympia’s farmer’s market is a manageable size with plenty of options and not too many people.
Olympia Salmon Run.
Before you get too excited. This isn’t a real salmon run. These are pieces of art on display at The Olympia Center (222 Columbia ST NW). The beautifully
decorated mixed media sculptures were created to promote dialogue within the community about the importance of salmon in the northwest culture. A must see for seafood fans and art lovers.
Plus, when you finish your visit in Oly, you can hop back in the car and head down the highway through Elma and Aberdeen, and then go up along the Washington coastline.
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