6 Activities
A Southern Puget Sound Excursion: Road Trip to Olympia
Starts from
Seattle
Transportation
By Car
Guidance
Self-Guided
Activities
6
Duration
10 hours
Length
82 mi
Guide details
Starts from
Seattle
Transportation
By Car
Guidance
Self-Guided
Duration
10 hours
Length
82 mi
Lena Beck
Travel Expert
- Observe unique glass-blown exhibits at a glass museum.
- Paddle around a Puget Sound harbor in a kayak.
- Walk on a mile-long boardwalk.
On this road trip, you're going to head south along I-5. You'll stop first in Tacoma, Washington, where you'll have some coffee and visit a museum with Chihuly glass art. Then you'll carry on to Olympia, Washington, where you'll spend a lot of time outside on the water.
Bring your appetite. Lunch will be at a high-end restaurant on the Olympia waterfront, and dinner will be at a small plates Latin American eatery on your way back to Seattle. Enjoy!
Bring your appetite. Lunch will be at a high-end restaurant on the Olympia waterfront, and dinner will be at a small plates Latin American eatery on your way back to Seattle. Enjoy!
Categories
On this road trip, you're going to head south along I-5. You'll stop first in Tacoma, Washington, where you'll have some coffee and visit a museum with Chihuly glass art. Then you'll carry on to Olympia, Washington, where you'll spend a lot of time outside on the water.
Bring your appetite. Lunch will be at a high-end restaurant on the Olympia waterfront, and dinner will be at a small plates Latin American eatery on your way back to Seattle. Enjoy!
Bring your appetite. Lunch will be at a high-end restaurant on the Olympia waterfront, and dinner will be at a small plates Latin American eatery on your way back to Seattle. Enjoy!
Lena Beck
Travel Expert
- Observe unique glass-blown exhibits at a glass museum.
- Paddle around a Puget Sound harbor in a kayak.
- Walk on a mile-long boardwalk.
Day Itinerary
6 Activities
Day 1
82 mi0.2 mi
Exploring the Southern Puget Sound
Today, you'll spend time in a museum of blown glass, walking across an estuary and paddling in the Puget Sound. It's a full day with stops for good food along the way. Bring your sunscreen, even if it's cloudy; PNW beaches are famous for giving you a sunburn on overcast days.
09:4530 min
Anthem Coffee & Tea — Downtown Tacoma
Coffee Shop
Open Details
Your first stop is in Tacoma for coffee. Anthem is a sleek, open-ambiance space where you'll find all the usual espresso-based drinks, plus some more. If you like cold coffee, the "Grown-Ups Chocolate Milk" is a must-try. It's a marbled cold brew with dark and white chocolate.
0.2 mi
5 min
10:301 hr 30 min
Museum of Glass
Museum
Open Details
This unique museum in downtown Tacoma is dedicated to glass as a medium. You'll see incredible exhibits of blown glass and can even arrange to see a demonstration. A necessary part of this experience is walking across the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot pedestrian overpass linking the museum to downtown.
30.5 mi
40 min
12:451 hr
Row
Restaurant
Open Details
This incredible restaurant on the Olympia waterfront actually used to be a tire shop! You'd never know that now though, looking around at the boutique finishes and giant windows that direct the eye out onto a patio with lovely water views. The lunch menu offers a nice spread of high-quality seafood dishes.
7.9 mi
20 min
14:152 hrs
Boston Harbor Marina
Harbor / Marina
Open Details
Get out to the Boston Harbor Marina to enjoy some time by the water. From the marina, you get great views of the Olympic Mountain Range, with the Puget Sound in the forefront. Once at the marina, you can rent a kayak or stand-up paddle board and paddle around the harbor.
14.5 mi
30 min
16:451 hr
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Nature Preserve
Open Details
This wildlife preserve is located on the Nisqually River Delta. It is named for Nisqually Tribal member Billy Frank Jr., who was a leader in the movement to defend treaty-guaranteed fishing rights along the Nisqually River.
Spend some time exploring the natural splendor of the refuge. The thing you absolutely must do at this stop is walk along the mile-long boardwalk over the estuary.
Spend some time exploring the natural splendor of the refuge. The thing you absolutely must do at this stop is walk along the mile-long boardwalk over the estuary.
29.7 mi
40 min
18:301 hr 30 min
Pimienta | Bistro and Bar
Latin American Restaurant
Open Details
Next, stop in Federal Way for dinner. This is a small plates restaurant featuring Latin American cuisine. The Paella Valenciana is a must-try. Make a reservation to guarantee your spot.