Archive for the ‘Parks’ Category

So if you are looking for a fun day to fill a day around Olympia here is a suggestion that will not break the bank.

First head off to Wolf Haven and take a tour (which start on the hour). You get to learn a lot about wolves and why they are such a beneficial part of the ecosystem. Admission is $10, if you grab one of our maps or coupons you get $2 off. Either way it is well worth the price of admission.

Next it is off to the Monarch Sculputure Park. This is a non-profit outdoor art gallery. Self guided tours. Donations excepted. It is also located on the Chelalis Bicycle Trail. So if your keen you could do this as part of a bike ride from Olympia. It is an interesting mix of art and worth the stop.

Finally a bite to eat will be in order so on your way back to Olympia stop at Lattin’s Cider Mill. The apple cider is great! They have a country style produce store, home made pies and donuts. All the fixings for a nice casual lunch in their gardens and farm.

Of course ideally you will wind up back at our Bed and Breakfast for a relaxing late afternoon, followed by a delicious dinner at one of Olympia’s great restaurants.

Close

Olympia is the Capital of Washington State, and is located at the tip of the Puget Sound about 60 miles south of Seattle, Washington and 110 miles north of Portland, Oregon.

A diverse city with a strong community spirit, an vibrant arts movement, and wonderful events and festivals.

For more information visit: City of Olympia

One of our rooms gets its name from this historic Olympian landmark. Today’s public park and boardwalk stands on the site of Percival Dock and is well worth taking a stroll along during your visit.

Percival Landing is home to some great restaurants, most specializing in seafood.

For more information visit: Percival Landing Boardwalk

A nonprofit organization whose mission is “working for wolf conservation” by: protecting our wild wolves; providing sanctuary for captive-born wolves; promoting wolf restoration in historic ranges; and educating the public on the value of all wildlife.

For more information visit: Wolf Haven

Close

Monarch Contemporary Art Center is an 80 acre public sculpture park and a center for the visual arts. Classes, workshops, and international sculpting and ceramic symposia are held at the Center. When funds are available, scholarships and residency grants are offered to gifted young artists and professionals so that they may attend events or use the facilities at the Center.

The Park features over 100 contemporary sculptures, a Hedge Maze in shape of a butterfly, Fantasy Garden, Bird and Butterfly Garden, Japanese Garden, Sound Garden (Sculptural Musical Instruments), Nature Walk, Indoor gallery and is Handicapped accessible.

Art exhibit on the grounds open from dawn to dusk year round. Indoor Gallery open June 1st through September 4th or by appointment.

Park Hours: Dawn to dusk year round.
Entrance Fee: Free, but donations gratefully accepted.

For more information visit: Monarch Sculpture Park

Culminating seven years of planning and work, the garden represents a joint effort of the Olympia-Yashiro Sister City Association and the City of Olympia. The garden is symbolic of the ties between Olympia and Yashiro, Japan. Dedication of the garden was May 6, 1990, following a two-year construction effort of 75 volunteers. Robert Murase’s park design defines a true Japanese garden as “a visionary expression about our connectedness to nature and earth.” The specific placement of plants, water and stone carries a message of land stewardship, nature, religious thought, friendship, compassion, cultural exchange and understanding.

Open daily dawn to dusk, free, 1010 Plum St. S.E. just a short walk from the Inn

For more information call 360-753-8380 or visit: Yashiro Japanese Garden

Some 3,000 acres of salt- and freshwater marshes, grasslands, riparian and mixed forest habitats that provide resting and nesting areas for migratory waterfowl, songbirds, raptors and wading birds. The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a truly beautiful place to go for eithe ra short of longer hike. There is a boardwalk, the Twin barns, the old dikes, McAllister Creek and the Nisqually River just to name a few of the highlights.

Make certain you bring your binoculars, as there is plenty of wildlife. Some of the bird life you will maybe see;

• Sandhill crane
• Peregrine Falcon
• Barrow’s Goldeneye
• Bald eagle (sometimes in vast numbers when the Salmon are running)
• Short Eared Owl
• Great Horned Owl

Open daylight hours; $3 per family. 100 Brown Farm Road (Exit 114 off I-5).

For more information call 360-753-9467 or visit: Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Close

Capitol State Forest, just 5 miles from Olympia, is popular for a wide variety of recreation opportunities. Open to the public since 1955, campers, hikers, hunters, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and motorcycle riders play here. Whether spending a week in a campsite, an hour picking mushrooms or taking an afternoon drive for the scenic views, more than 150,000 people visit each year.

For more information visit: Capitol Forest

Olympic National Park’s true distinction lies in its stunning diversity. Few places on earth have so much of everything: human and natural history, unusual flora and fauna, utter wilderness and spots for every kind of outdoor recreation.

For more information visit: Olympic National Park

At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted.

Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing. At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments.

In 1982 the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance.

For more information visit: Mount St. Helens