This free discovery center across from the Children's Museum was a lot of fun, and educational…read more They have a scavenger hunt for the kids to do to help them learn more about water, and they get a prize once they finish it. They have a small free lot for parking which is nice. Staff was very friendly and helpful when the kids needed a hint about one of the questions on the scavenger hunt.

This place makes a great stop off if you happen to be next door at the Children's Museum or at some…read moreother location nearby. It might be better for older, science oriented kids, but adults will likely find it interesting as well. It's free and all they ask you do is provide some info about how many people are in your party and the zip code you are visiting from. It's a good rainy day activity and can provide some educational moments. There is an interactive scavenger hunt which involves doing 8 tasks and ends with the ability to choose a prize. The maze pen we won is pretty cool. My 10 year old nephew was easily able to complete all the tasks and seemed to enjoy doing it. Some things were like video games, which he seemed to like and maybe it will give him some ideas about career possibilities for the future. It was a good learning opportunity about the importance of saving water and learning about what happens to all the water we waste, etc. I wish I lived in Olympia and was able to trace where the water goes when I flush the toilet. It was nice that they ask you to share what you learn when you go to redeem your prize. I'm not sure if my 8 year old niece would have found it as interesting, but there are places to sit and some kitchen toys to play with if not. It looks like they also have some crafts available. Check it out if you are in the area.

Interesting history but marred by overly strong messaging about women's suffrage, including a table…read moremanned by the members of the League of Women Voters advising me how to vote on legislative issues. I came for history, not politics.

I'm so glad I did this today! What a huge piece of amazing history. Our guild Kristen was full of…read moreknowledge and you can see her heart through her presentation. She spent over an hour and I could tell she could go on for hours! I'm excited to explore more of that area so rich in Olympia history.

My family watched The Cat in the Hat at this theater today. The staff was friendly and the theater…read moreis adorable. It's in the heart of downtown Olympia so close to museums, eateries, parks and more. Parking was easy to find. We will be back again for sure.

Reasonably priced family oriented shows. I've been a regular attendee since 2008 and I don't even…read morehave any children to bring! The shows are always entertaining and it's fun to see the children that attend enjoy themselves too! While I don't have any youngsters to enroll in the OFT camps, my friends that do, tell me that their kids had a blast.

A magnificent historic spot & a must-visit in Washington!…read more ​If you are visiting Olympia, the Washington State Capitol (Legislative Building) is a must-see! ​The architecture is stunning both inside and out. Did you know it features the 5th tallest masonry dome in the world (287 feet high)? Walking through the halls feels like stepping back in time--the intricate marble details, grand chandeliers, and historic chambers are breathtaking. The surrounding grounds are also lovely for a stroll, featuring impressive monuments like the World War I "Winged Victory" statue. Admission: Free entry! Free guided tours are also available. Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM ​Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM (Closed on Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day) Campus Grounds: Open daily from dawn to dusk. ​Parking: Paid visitor parking is available on campus ($2/hr on weekdays, free on evenings & weekends). Highly recommend taking a walk inside and snapping plenty of photos/videos!

Cool spot to visit! Love the views and gloomy Washington weather to set the vibes. Definitely a…read moregood spot to stop by at when you're visiting Olympia!

I was told Hands On Children's Museum is a must do with kids and I'm glad we finally got here…read morebefore we move back east. I think we spent close to 5 hours here and my kids would of stayed longer but I had a few stops to make and saw their was going to be some traffic going home so decided it was time to go. There 2 floors and a decent size outdoor area. It was rainy when we went but that didn't stop by kids from checking out the outdoor area. The art lab was huge. There were so many things to check out my kids were so engaged and didn't want to leave.

Children's museum is always awesome and my nephew had such a fun time. The food was pretty good - a…read morestep above fast food. I got the pizza quesadilla and while it was pretty basic it did genuinely taste good, especially dipped in their marinara sauce. Big pieces of pepperoni and melted cheese. The chicken bites were decent, the breading was a little thicker than I would have liked but the chicken meat was moist. The slushie was, well, a slushie. It didn't feel overpriced and as far as having food in the building after kiddos play for hours and hours, I was pretty happy with our meal. It's worth it to just grab some lunch here if the kids are hungry!

I've been a volunteer sand castle builder for my company a few times for the "Sand in the City"…read moreevent. It's a super fun way to show pride for your organization, learn some sandcastle/team-building skills, raise funds for charitable organizations - and get some sun and exercise while you're at it! The sandcastle building/sculpting is not a walk in the park, though. There's a lot of steps that go into just getting started. Creating the boxes to solidify the sand with water and hours and hours of tamping, learning the skill of carving away sand piece by piece (not digging into the sand too much), and many other intricacies that go into making sculptures this big! I definitely leave each year with a sore back and sunburn, but also with a sense of accomplishment and the pride of feeling that I did something good for my community.

Sand in the City 2012 was a blast! There were so many things for parents and kids to do! My…read moredaughter made animals out of vegetables, made buttons, painted pictures, made a fridge magnet, a princess hat, a necklace and more! There were too many art and craft projects to count! There was also a tank full of crabs, clams and sea stars for kids to touch. There were so many things to do we almost forgot to look at the sand sculptures! There were quite a few were large and intricate. I was very impressed teams were able to carve away the sand without it crumbling. The only downside to the day was the heat. It was oppressively hot. We were all melting! Don't be like me. Plan ahead. Bring lots of water with you. Enjoy the sand, art, and the Hands on Children's Museum! We'll be back again in 2013 with plenty of water, ice, and a camera. Sand in the City 2013 will take place August 23 - 25.

Although the place is closed for remodel, to gave the ability to still walk the gounds was nice. I…read morewas excited because they had real apple trees amd pear trees! When I say real, Im telling you full grown apples and pears like in the grocers. I would aay this would be a nice place for a picnic if allowed.

What a cute little place! Stopped in on a whim with my kids and they loved it. They were greeted…read moreand offered coloring pages and looked up close at all the aquariums and displays. A bit small but very educational. Amazing that it focuses the kids on the local environment. The back had a nice kids area with puppets and books and coloring.

The front room of this estuarium was filled with some very cool underwater items- shells to touch,…read moretanks of starfish and other interesting critters, and informative posters. The workers were extremely knowledgable and spent time sharing fascinating information with us. There was also a fun scavenger hunt (with both a version for kids, and one for adults). The downside is the size. I expected small, but this was extremely tiny. The second room is very sparse, with very little to see. I thought I had read there would be touch tanks, and while there was one in a corner, it was covered and did not seem to be available to the public. A fun experience, but much too small to make it worth admission.