Activity Guide for Friends and Family Visiting during 2015 Legislative Session

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Enjoy your tour of Olympia.
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By Natasha Ashenhurst

VCB logoAsk locals what January brings to Olympia and you’ll likely hear comments about the weather. You’ll also hear them talk about something else – legislative session.

On the second Monday in January, 49 members of the Washington State Senate and 98 members of the House of Representatives will return to Olympia for the 65th Legislative Session.

And while our legislators are hard at work, their friends and family, joining them for the first few days of the session, may be looking for activities to help them get acquainted with Olympia.

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On the second Monday in January, legislators return to Olympia. Photo credit: Andre Nordheim

To help, we’ve put together a list of things to see and do while visiting. If you are a native to Thurston County and haven’t toured the Capitol grounds, what are you waiting for?

Let’s get started!

It could prove to be a long day, so stop by Wagner’s Café and Bakery, located at 1013 Capitol Way South, and fuel up on coffee, pastries or soup and sandwiches. It is well worth the five minutes or so it will detract from your sightseeing.

Next, walk or drive about a block north and park at the Olympia Lacey Tumwater Visitor and Convention Bureau. They are located right next to the Capitol Campus, right off Capitol Boulevard on Sid Snyder Avenue.

You’ll find free parking scattered around the campus, but your best bet is to park, for a modest fee, at the Visitor’s Center. Stop in the Center and get your free Olympia stamped commemorative penny, spend some time chatting with the knowledgeable and friendly staff and volunteers, then walk over to the Legislative Building/Capitol Building. Tours start every hour on the hour, and signs will guide you to the second floor to check in. No reservation is necessary unless your group is large, around 25 people or more.

You’ll enjoy an hour with your volunteer tour guide. I was led by Dave, an incredible guide who is also a former Washington State history teacher. One fun fact – you’ll learn that all of the lamps and chandeliers were sourced from Tiffanys & Co of New York. The impressive marble that you’ll see throughout the building is sourced world-wide, including Alaska and Italy. You’ll get to visit both the House and the Senate chambers, and you’ll have the chance to step into the outer Chamber of the Governor’s offices. If the chamber is not in use, you’ll also enter the Governor’s conference room. Get a civics refresher course, if you ask the right questions.

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While legislators are only here in the cold winter months, the Capitol Building tours over Olympia’s favorite place to cool off in the summer.

The hour-long tour passes quickly and is well worth your time. If you plan to visit the campus on a Wednesday, be sure to book a tour of the Governor’s Mansion at least a week or two in advance. Get tour information here.

After your tour, head back to the Secretary of State office on your own and spend some time at the special exhibit celebrating 125 years of Statehood. There isn’t a docent for this exhibit so plan to educate yourself along the way.

Pull out your umbrella and tour the Capitol grounds, designed in 1927. At the information center you can pick up a guide explaining the variety of trees located throughout the campus, as well as information about the landscape architects, Frederick Law and John Charles Olmsted, the very same duo who designed Central Park in New York City. Guided tours are limited to summer months but during the other nine months, you can still enjoy the beauty of the botanical gardens.

Hungry? Head on down to the deli in the basement of the Capitol Building or the gift shop selling locally sourced chocolates and a few snack options.

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Enjoy your tour of Olympia.

If you have children with you, it might be time to let them run. Venture down Capitol Way and hit the Hands On Children’s Museum, located at 414 Jefferson Street NE, for an afternoon of fun. If the walk seems too long, jump on Intercity Transit’s DASH shuttle. First-time visitors are blown away by all that the Museum has to offer.

Nearby, you can step into the Olympia Farmers Market (open Saturday in January – March). With a covered shopping area, market vendors welcome you, rain or shine. And if the sun is peaking out, spend some time walking around Capitol Lake, or head on over to Tumwater Falls Park. If you are okay spending more time indoors, drive to the Olympic Flight Museum, or stay downtown for some shopping.

When you are ready for dinner, why not follow the legislators? Here is a short list of some of their preferred dining spots – the Spar Café, Budd Bay Café and Swing Wine Bar.

Enjoy your visit to Olympia.

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