Local activities

The Bayside Bungalow is located in Olympia, Washington, in a rural setting on waterfront property overlooking the Puget Sound.  The Bungalow is about a 15 minute drive from downtown Olympia, and 10 minutes from Lacey.  Being the Washington State capital as well as the home of The Evergreen State College, Olympia is thriving with life and forward thinking!  Downtown Olympia is a great place to explore, shop, walk, kayak, eat, play in the fountain or brush up on your civics with a guided tour of the Capitol Building!

Here are some highlights to discover for yourself…

Kayaks for guests at our private beach.

Our private beach has kayaks available for guests to use, without having to leave the property!

You can also explore my Airbnb guidebook map to discover nearby highlights for yourself.  Or browse some ideas below…

Olympia/Lacey area:

  • Within walking distance of the Bungalow is a beautiful waterfront state park. Explore the 2+ miles of walking trails, collect sand dollars or search for red rock crabs on the beach.
  • The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is just 15 minutes away and has many walking trails great for viewing birds and estuary wildlife.  A long pier extends the walking path nearly a mile out over the tidewaters.
  • Downtown Olympia is a great place to spend the day!  There are numerous art galleries, great food & coffee shops, bars/pubs, a community fountain and extensive boardwalk along the harbor.
  • The Olympia Farmer’s Market, is an outdoor covered market open year round.  It has lots of produce, live plants, crafts, soaps and soft goods.  The market is located in downtown Olympia at the northern terminus of Capital Way.
  • The Washington State Capitol is awe-inspiring.  Tours are free, and given by very knowledgeable volunteers.  Or just visit the grounds & be sure to take your camera!
  • Shipwreck Beads is the largest retail bead store in the USA and is just a few miles from the Bungalow.

Kayak, Sailboat & Boat Rental/Tours:  Several restaurants and marinas rent all types of boats for hourly rental.  Take a self-guided tour of the Olympia harbor in a kayak and meet our friendly harbor seal population!

Day trips from Olympia:

  • Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park are full of great hiking trails for all abilities.
  • Mount Saint Helens erupted in 1980 and the surroundings are a lesson in the earth’s natural life cycle.  Trails and viewpoints abound, or opt for a subterranean hike through the Ape Caves (don’t worry – there really aren’t apes down there).
  • A multitude of local hikes and walks can be found on the Washington Trails Association hike finder map.
  • The Pacific Coast is a stone’s throw away (about 1 ½ -2 hours driving, depending on where you go).  Fly a kite, don a wetsuit and try your hand at surfing (I’m not kidding!), or visit find a secluded beach within Olympic National Park.
  • Tacoma Museum of Glass is a gem of the Northwest.  It’s a 30 minute drive from Olympia.  Being the birthplace of the revolutionary glass artist Dale Chihuly, it’s no wonder Tacoma has one of the nation’s coolest museums celebrating the art of glassmaking.
  • Explore Seattle!  I think that speaks for itself.  It’s about an hour’s drive away.