Olympia, Washington

Located at the foot of 100-mile-long Puget Sound in Budd Inlet, Washington State’s waterfront state capital is an ideal cruising destination. Olympia sits in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains to the northwest and the state’s capitol dome dominating the skyline to the east.

The southern end of Budd Inlet splits into two smaller waterways, West Bay, and East Bay, surrounding the narrow finger of land that makes-up the Port of Olympia. Moorage is available in both bays. Swantown Marina & Boatworks offers ample guest moorage in a park-like setting. It’s a little further from downtown than Percival Landing in East Bay, but if you’re looking for a quieter moorage and all the marina amenities this is your best bet.

Visitors make the short walk to Capitol Way South to hop aboard the free Dash Shuttle, that travels up the hill to the  State’s Capitol Campus. Free guided tours of the Washington State Legislative Building are offered seven days a week hourly, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, and between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekends.

The informative tour lasts about 45 minutes, you learn about the building’s architecture, the dome and the massive Tiffany chandelier suspended from it. You will also hear about the magnificent colored marble from Italy, France, and Germany throughout and visit the legislative wings to learn about the workings of state law.

Then it is back down the hill, on the shuttle, to stroll along the Percival Landing docks and boardwalk. A visit to the landing would not be complete without a touring the refurbished, 100-year-old tug, Sand Man, which hauled everything from oysters to log barges for most of a century. Today, The Sand Man Foundation, a non-profit organization operates the vessel and provides tours.

On your way back to the marina make a stop at the Olympia Farmers Market for fresh provisions. With its “when pigs fly” wind vain on the roof and two hundred vendors the market is one of the largest Framers Markets in Washington. The market receives approximately 400,000 visitors a season. The airy market building teems with local fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, bakery items, flowers, crafts, takeout food, and entertainment.

The last stop on the way back to the boat is Dancing Goats® Coffee to sample some handcrafted java and watch beans from Africa, Indonesia and Latin America in the roasting process through the large windows in the tasting room.

Olympia hosts several festivals each summer, including the Olympia Dragon Boat Festival, Olympia Wooden Boat Fair, Capital Lakefair , Olympia Harbor Days Festival  featuring vintage tugboat races.

If you need a refreshment after exploring the downtown area, the Eastside Club Tavern is all about beer. With 40-plus taps pouring the finest brews from the Northwest and beyond to suit any taste. The pub was the inspiration for Moe’s Tavern on The Simpsons TV show.

When in port enjoy letting someone else do the cooking and the capitol city has no shortage of excellent restaurants and pubs. Budd Bay Café is famous for their view of Percival Landing and sunset dining, boasting 180-degree bay view and features an extensive selection of seafood and steaks. It’s hard to choose what to eat at The Olympia Oyster House, where the oyster is the star, but a look at the menu will show a selection of appetizers, seafood, steak and pasta dishes. Other can’t go wrong options, all within easy walking distance, are Anthony’s HomePort, Dockside Bistro and Wine Bar, Gardner’s, and Mercato Ristorante.