Downtown Olympia WA...Info please

[Eagles_Ball]

A couple of years ago I remember Raw and Cards and maybe a few others having some thoughts on the Seattle area. Anyone familiar at all with downtown Olympia? "Get" to spend Xmas there this year. VRBO the wife had booked got cancelled. I despise the whole area, but am hoping Olympia is a bit better than our stay near the Seattle airport was last time. We'll have our 2 yr old in tow, so keep that in mind with any advice. Lacy will be our area most frequented. Pretty sure we want to stay away from Tacoma, I seem to remember that advice from a couple years ago. You couldn't pay my bill to stay in downtown Seattle. We'd prefer the Airbnb/VRBO type route rather than a hotel, just to let the little one have some room to roam. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[bhunt95]

Stay away from Portland and Seattle. Those downtowns have turned into 3rd world countries.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Stay away from Portland and Seattle. Those downtowns have turned into 3rd world countries.

Oh no, we won’t be anywhere near downtown Seattle. Did that two yrs ago. Told the wife never again. Found a good meal and a neat place to grab a drink or two…but other than that, absolute cesspool.

 

[quadzilla200]

Venture down to Astoria, Oregon and visit the Goonies landmarks.

 

[shoot90draw]

A couple of years ago I remember Raw and Cards and maybe a few others having some thoughts on the Seattle area. Anyone familiar at all with downtown Olympia? "Get" to spend Xmas there this year. VRBO the wife had booked got cancelled. I despise the whole area, but am hoping Olympia is a bit better than our stay near the Seattle airport was last time. We'll have our 2 yr old in tow, so keep that in mind with any advice. Lacy will be our area most frequented. Pretty sure we want to stay away from Tacoma, I seem to remember that advice from a couple years ago. You couldn't pay my bill to stay in downtown Seattle. We'd prefer the Airbnb/VRBO type route rather than a hotel, just to let the little one have some room to roam. Any advice is appreciated!

I lived in Yelm, WA for three years. Dad was in the army and stationed at Fort Lewis. Saw lots all around WA. I've been itching to get back and experience the area as an adult. Anyways, I digress.

Fish Tale Brew Pub. AMAZING if you like fresh seafood. Not sure if it's still there but the Olympia farmers market was a cool place to check out. Great sandwich shop but the name escapes me. Capitol State Forest is just outside Olympia. Some awesome hiking there.

 

[Cheetah King]

Oh no, we won’t be anywhere near downtown Seattle. Did that two yrs ago. Told the wife never again. Found a good meal and a neat place to grab a drink or two…but other than that, absolute cesspool.

Free beer in the Chop zone.

 

[BoosterBosko]

A couple of years ago I remember Raw and Cards and maybe a few others having some thoughts on the Seattle area. Anyone familiar at all with downtown Olympia? "Get" to spend Xmas there this year. VRBO the wife had booked got cancelled. I despise the whole area, but am hoping Olympia is a bit better than our stay near the Seattle airport was last time. We'll have our 2 yr old in tow, so keep that in mind with any advice. Lacy will be our area most frequented. Pretty sure we want to stay away from Tacoma, I seem to remember that advice from a couple years ago. You couldn't pay my bill to stay in downtown Seattle. We'd prefer the Airbnb/VRBO type route rather than a hotel, just to let the little one have some room to roam. Any advice is appreciated!

You should go hang out with the hippies living in the CHAZ!

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I lived in Yelm, WA for three years. Dad was in the army and stationed at Fort Lewis. Saw lots all around WA. I've been itching to get back and experience the area as an adult. Anyways, I digress.

Fish Tale Brew Pub. AMAZING if you like fresh seafood. Not sure if it's still there but the Olympia farmers market was a cool place to check out. Great sandwich shop but the name escapes me. Capitol State Forest is just outside Olympia. Some awesome hiking there.

Thanks! I'll check them all out. That's basically what the wife and I look forward to when we travel. The food and beverage. With the 2 yr old in tow, it's all in moderation now. And typically the daylight hours too!

What's that downtown Olympia area like to stay in? We got an Airbnb just west of downtown right off Harrison. Seems to be an okay area, but some of the reviews on places on the east side of the bridge were sketchy.

 

[runbillyrun]

A couple of years ago I remember Raw and Cards and maybe a few others having some thoughts on the Seattle area. Anyone familiar at all with downtown Olympia? "Get" to spend Xmas there this year. VRBO the wife had booked got cancelled. I despise the whole area, but am hoping Olympia is a bit better than our stay near the Seattle airport was last time. We'll have our 2 yr old in tow, so keep that in mind with any advice. Lacy will be our area most frequented. Pretty sure we want to stay away from Tacoma, I seem to remember that advice from a couple years ago. You couldn't pay my bill to stay in downtown Seattle. We'd prefer the Airbnb/VRBO type route rather than a hotel, just to let the little one have some room to roam. Any advice is appreciated!

It'd be a drive from Olympia....but my wife and boys loved when we took the ferry from Anacortes over to Friday harbor. Probably mostly because none of us had ever been on a ferry ride, beautiful scenery.

 

[Veer2Eternity]

A couple of years ago I remember Raw and Cards and maybe a few others having some thoughts on the Seattle area. Anyone familiar at all with downtown Olympia? "Get" to spend Xmas there this year. VRBO the wife had booked got cancelled. I despise the whole area, but am hoping Olympia is a bit better than our stay near the Seattle airport was last time. We'll have our 2 yr old in tow, so keep that in mind with any advice. Lacy will be our area most frequented. Pretty sure we want to stay away from Tacoma, I seem to remember that advice from a couple years ago. You couldn't pay my bill to stay in downtown Seattle. We'd prefer the Airbnb/VRBO type route rather than a hotel, just to let the little one have some room to roam. Any advice is appreciated!

Advice:

Pack heat.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

It'd be a drive from Olympia....but my wife and boys loved when we took the ferry from Anacortes over to Friday harbor. Probably mostly because none of us had ever been on a ferry ride, beautiful scenery.

We considered Gig Harbor for a hot minute, or any of those harbor towns close to Olympia really. But with the little one in two, figured it best to keep it simple and as close to Lacy as we could. If we have to do this in another couple years (Gawd I hope we don't), I think that might be the route we go. Fingers crossed this is the last trip though.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Advice:

Pack heat.

No ish...Thankfully the "family" we visit here is Special Forces. I feel pretty comfy when he's around. Lol. I'm a horrible vacationer anyway, but man, inject a cesspool area like this and it's just brutal. My wife is a saint for putting up with me.

 

[runbillyrun]

No ish...Thankfully the "family" we visit here is Special Forces. I feel pretty comfy when he's around. Lol. I'm a horrible vacationer anyway, but man, inject a cesspool area like this and it's just brutal. My wife is a saint for putting up with me.

Why is it that you are a horrible vacationer? I ask because I hate them.
people - "Well did you have fun in Florida at the beach?"
Me - "The wife and boys loved it so I guess that means I had fun." -

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Why is it that you are a horrible vacationer? I ask because I hate them.
people - "Well did you have fun in Florida at the beach?"
Me - "The wife and boys loved it so I guess that means I had fun." -

That's me in a nutshell. Vacations are work man. Planning, paying, packing, driving, flying...All with a wife and three kids. And while I don't HATE the beach, I don't necessarily love it either. We went to Tampa area last year for spring break. Drove. It was brutal. And really, once there I get joy from the kids having fun. But lordy, it's a chore getting there. As much as I love the kiddos, my dream vacay is normally somewhere the wife and I can go and enjoy some people watching, good food, and libations. And that happens pretty much never. Lol

 

[Veer2Eternity]

No ish...Thankfully the "family" we visit here is Special Forces. I feel pretty comfy when he's around. Lol. I'm a horrible vacationer anyway, but man, inject a cesspool area like this and it's just brutal. My wife is a saint for putting up with me.

Our vacations are to non-touristy/people places.
Take the jeep into the ozarks and disappear for a week. Going to the empty Hawaiian island next summer.

Granted we're down to one kid in the house and he's old enough he doesn't want to hang with dad and mom anymore so we just kinda do what we want.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Our vacations are to non-touristy/people places.
Take the jeep into the ozarks and disappear for a week. Going to the empty Hawaiian island next summer.

Granted we're down to one kid in the house and he's old enough he doesn't want to hang with dad and mom anymore so we just kinda do what we want.

Niihua or Molokai? Once there, I could dig that...but man, I'd have to have so much bourbon I'd need two or three days to recover just to get on that plane over the Pacific.

That's the biggest thing for me, the kids are a ton of work. But, I mean, that's kinda the fun part too. Getting them experiences. But it's EXHAUSTING. The wife and I have been to NOLA a few times on our own. Love it. Stay on Bourbon, but normally in bed by 10. We just love the food, drinks, and people watching.

 

[TheRealJoey]

Skip washington, go to Oregon. Go up McKenzie Bend and stay at Belknap Springs

 

[Veer2Eternity]

Niihua or Molokai? Once there, I could dig that...but man, I'd have to have so much bourbon I'd need two or three days to recover just to get on that plane over the Pacific.

That's the biggest thing for me, the kids are a ton of work. But, I mean, that's kinda the fun part too. Getting them experiences. But it's EXHAUSTING. The wife and I have been to NOLA a few times on our own. Love it. Stay on Bourbon, but normally in bed by 10. We just love the food, drinks, and people watching.

West Molokai is what we're looking at for that trip.

I enjoyed those trips with the whole family as well. Now it's on to a new life phase.

 

[J. Kane]

 

[Eagles_Ball]

West Molokai is what we're looking at for that trip.

I enjoyed those trips with the whole family as well. Now it's on to a new life phase.

I'm gonna get to that new phase one of these days. I'll be equal parts sad and elated probably.

 

[shoot90draw]

If you're venturing outside of the Olympia area, Stewart's Meat Market is a fun stop. A butcher shop that's been in the same spot forever. Has some great beef jerkey and you used to be able to buy exotic meats. Now I haven't been there in like 15 years or so, but I know it's still there!

 

[meattent]

My wife used to live outside Gig Harbor. She says Tukwila Family fun center is about 45 minutes away from Lacy. Said your two year old might enjoy that. Also on the way you stop in Auburn where there is a nice outlet mall.

 

[Missouri Kid]

I'm gonna get to that new phase one of these days. I'll be equal parts sad and elated probably.

Both of those phases are wonderful and you want to enjoy each but the good news is that the best is yet to come. Let me tell you that when the grandkids start climbing onto your lap and asking if you would push them in the swing or find the kitty cat, etc. and you allow as to how you could do that for a little hug and you get two small arms around your neck squeezing as hard as they can and causing you to recall your relationship with your own grandparents then you know you have really lived and come full circle.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

Tampa’s just a wee drive… nothin to it!

I'm telling you...half the day just to get out of FL it seemed like...only to be rewarded with the crap show that Atlanta driving is. Oof.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

I drove to the NW corner of Montana and back a few weeks back. A haul! Especially alone.

Lots of podcast time!

My wife spins a pretty good yarn about a Fayetteville NC to Great Falls MT trip "solo" with a 5 yr old and 1 yr old. Think she did it in 48 hours. Right at 2200 miles. True story, she sold the car and flew home.

 

[Eagles_Ball]

My wife used to live outside Gig Harbor. She says Tukwila Family fun center is about 45 minutes away from Lacy. Said your two year old might enjoy that. Also on the way you stop in Auburn where there is a nice outlet mall.

Dude! I somehow missed this post over the weekend. I remember your advice now from a couple years ago!!! We were so close to getting a place in Gig Harbor, but were reluctant with the little one and water all around the places. We will check out the fun center. Thanks! She have any feelings on Olympia??? We are staying right across the bridge just west of the capitol area.

 

[Majost]

It'd be a drive from Olympia....but my wife and boys loved when we took the ferry from Anacortes over to Friday harbor. Probably mostly because none of us had ever been on a ferry ride, beautiful scenery.

love friday harbor and all the islands around it. Great boat ride scenery