Olympia Travel Guide
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60 miles S of Seattle, 100 miles N of Portland
Located at the southernmost end of Puget Sound, Olympia is the capital of Washington and a pleasant little city, though aside from the state capitol building and a few parks, it has little of interest to attract visitors. The city does, however, cling to the shores of Budd Inlet's twin bays and boasts a fairly lively downtown and an attractive waterfront. The city is further divided by Capitol Lake, above which, on a high bluff, stands the capitol building. Despite the political importance of being the state capital, Olympia still has the air of a small town. The downtown is compact and low-rise, and when the legislature isn't in session the city can be downright ghostly. Keeping things alive, however, are the students of Evergreen State College, a very progressive liberal-arts college.
The Olympia area has a long history, and it was near here, in what is now the city of Tumwater, that the first pioneers settled in 1844. A historic district and historical park along the Deschutes River in Tumwater preserve a bit of this history.
