When you see signs for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge… recall this video.  The raw footage of this event is among the first video clips ever preserved in the National Archives.  Next year will be the 70th anniversary of the collapse.

• The Fish- They brew all their own beer.
• The Brotherhood- A socialist theme bar with lots of JFK memorabilia.  I don’t really get it either, but they do have shuffleboard.  Cash only, very cheap… the place to go to watch Olympia scenesters.
• Jezebel’s- They have a mechanical bull!
• Eastside Tavern- This place has probably the best collection of microbrews… and all of them are $3 on Thursday nights.  They also serve Oly in cans.  Ping Pong is king here.
• Ballyhoo- Fantastic Irish bar that always has rugby and soccer on.   Authentic Irish Food (take that for what it is).  Beer pong table.  Absurd.  Only problem is that it isn’t downtown.  Upside: right across the street from the abandoned Olympia Brewery.

Places to avoid:

• The Vault- 18 and older dance club… they charge a cover… just don’t go in there.
• McCoy’s Tavern- Rough crowd.
• The Royal- they took out the bocce ball, they lost our patronage.  A very young crowd.

• The Fishtail Brewpub (515 Jefferson Street SE)- An Olympia institution and you need to go here.  Angela and I eat here more than anywhere else when we go out- the beer might have something to do with that.  The second largest craft brewery in the state of Washington.  Golden Ale, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Amber Ale always on tap plus 4 or so seasonals.  And they do serve food.  Good burgers and lots of vegetarian options.
• Quality Burrito (234 E Fourth Ave SE)- Olympia does a lot of things well, but Mexican food is not one of them.  Having said that, it does a hippy’s interpretation of Mexican food quite well.  If you are a carnivore, do yourself a favor and have Ramona’s Steak, Potato and Bacon Burrito.  The Quesadillas are among the best I’ve ever had, even though it’s not all that authentic Mexican food.  A good place to experience the younger punk set.
• Le Voyeur (404 E Fourth Ave SE) -One of Clint’s favorites that he cannot seem to get a lot of folks to rally around.  Great selection of international beers.  One of the best vegetarian options available.
• The Oyster House (320 E Fourth Ave SE)- Fantastic location at the southern terminus of the Puget Sound, if you love seafood and you aren’t going to be here that long… this is a great choice.  For $25, you can get a survey of pretty much all the most important Pacific Northwest fish delicacies.  Kind of a vanilla atmosphere on the inside, sit on the deck.  Expect lots of anti-tax people on Saturday for lunch.  Service can be slow.

If you need to use the wheelchair enterance or have any ADA needs, please e-mail Clint or Angela directly and we will work out the logistics.  If you need help interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act… e-mail Angela.

Give us a shout.  We’ll be around, and would enjoy spending time with you.

Getting in on Wednesday Night

If the weather is good, Clint is planning on an organized hike if the weather is good.  If I’m able to get some folks in decent shape, I plan on climbing Mt. Ellinor in the Olympic Mountains.  If people are not in fantastic shape, we’ll go up to the Pinnacle Peak saddle.  Either spot has spectacular views- Ellinor has the more fun drive up.

If you are on you own, consider a day in Seattle.  Pike Street Market, the original Starbucks, the original Nordstroms, and about 20 breweries are there for the taking.  Ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island and enjoy the views… and the jewel of our transportation system.  If you want to spend the night in Seattle, 3 star hotels are going for about $94 a night on hotwire.com right now.

Another good time would be to spend the night at the Paradise Inn on Mt. Rainier.  There is availability at the Paradise Inn, which sits at 5,000 feet above sea level… and 9,000 feet below the summit.  Great views, lots of hikes, but none of the camping  hassles.

If you are coming from Portland, many similar experiences exist there.  A night at the Timberline Lodge (where “The Shining” was filmed) on Mt. Hood is a fantastic idea.  It’s relatively cheap and a good time, but you are a good 3.5 hour drive from Oly if you go there.  Downtown Portland has Powell’s Bookstore (it is huuuge), about 30 breweries, the rose garden, and lots of great restaurants.  Oregon has no sales tax- Washington’s is between 8-9% depending on where you go.  A four star hotel in Downtown Portland is going for $93 on hotwire.com.

Getting in on Thursday Night

Come on down to Oly.  We’re planning a golf outing at Chamber’s Bay in Tacoma on Friday morning.  While it is spendy there-$170 for non-Pierce County WA residents, it is one of the best (if not the best) new golf course in America.  The USGA decided within a year of the course opening that it would host the 2015 US Open.  It is a spectacular links style course.  If you are interested in playing, contact me ASAP.

Don’t like Golf?  Try going to the Mt. St. Helens Volcano Observatory.  It’s 2 hours southeast of Olympia, and a great place to go see some nature and take some pictures.

If you’re getting in Friday Night

Call us when you get in and we’ll tell you where we are!

If you get there Saturday…

Show up at the wedding at the State Capitol at 5 PM, and then follow the herd for the Indian Summer Country Club.