Washington is an amazing place to explore; whether it be food or the outdoors, you will not have a shortage of things to do! One thing I recommend is grabbing a raincoat and begin taking a Vitamin D supplement before you need it. Check out Olympia Gear Exchange to snag some nice name-brand raincoats and other outdoor gear at great prices.
The winters can be long when it rains every day; check out my list of things to get you through a rainy PNW winter here.
WHERE TO LIVE:
Lacey - This is where we chose to live because there are great schools, and it was close enough to the city and things such as Target, Lowe's, Grocery Stores, and restaurants, but still family-friendly. Lacey is a suburb of Olympia, about 20 minutes from the base's Army side (south).
On Base - Many people live on base for convenience, but the homes are nothing special, as expected. One of the biggest complaints is not having service issues handled promptly.
DuPont - Before moving, many people told us to live in DuPont because it's very close to the base, literally 5 minutes to the gate. Some people enjoy that, but we wanted to be closer to things like shopping and restaurants. Living in DuPont, the nearest grocery store is the commissary, and for things such as Target or date nights, you'll have to drive to Lacey (south of DuPont) or Lakewood (north of DuPont).
Tumwater - I love Tumwater! Tumwater has many great things Lacey has: several parks, restaurants, excellent schools, shops, and easy access to I-5. We chose Lacey over Tumwater because it was just a little closer of a drive.
Lakewood - Personally, I would not live in Lakewood. We've driven through there twice, and the city feels very rundown.
Roy - I would also not recommend living in Roy for similar reasons.
WHERE TO GROCERY SHOP:
Local Farms - When it comes to produce, we always stop by little shops on the side of the road; Spooner Berry Farms is the best produce in the area. Unfortunately, they are only open from June-August - make sure to enjoy it while you can! Sosio's, at Pike Place Market in Seattle, is a game-changer with produce! It's a bit of a drive, 45min without traffic, but they do overnight shipping for $12!
Tacoma Boys -I love this local market! They have locally picked produce, meats, cheeses, and other fun, local must-haves.
Trader Joe's - Located in Olympia, it's just like every other Trader Joe's you've been to; we like to go here since the closest Whole Foods is in north Tacoma.
Commissary – The commissary has great produce. Most things are local; it's similar to other commissaries.
QFC – QFC is one of our favorite places to get groceries; they always have a great selection of produce, meats, cheeses, and beverages.
Safeway - This is a typical chain grocery store with everything you need.
GOOD EATS:
Coffee - Cutters Point Coffee is the best; we haven't walked into a single Starbucks since moving to Washington! Be sure to get their app, they have a great rewards system aka free coffee 🙂
Brunch - HASH is the best! I can't pick a favorite; everything I've had here has been amazing.
Pizza – Farrelli's is 100% the best pizza of my life. Get the Northwest Traditional Pizza with BBQ, their homemade cream cheese honey drizzle, and a little pesto; you'll thank me later. Also, make sure you get enough to have leftovers because this heats up amazing on the oven rack at 400° for 10min.
Burgers – Van's Burgers is a fantastic local drive-thru burger (and corndog) spot with the best shakes! They're open during the summer, Thursday-Saturdays, but the locals know they're open on Wednesdays too. Hopps 'n Drops is also a great burger spot, and they have the coldest beer in Washington! Don't forget to try their sriracha shrimp appetizer - SO GOOD! Check out their menu here.
Seafood – The Oyster House in Olympia will blow your socks off - it's right off the water, and the seafood is excellent! Our top 3 picks are 1. Drunken Chef (replace rice with penne pasta, soooo good!) 2. Dungeness Crab Boil is delicious! It has chorizo, potatoes, corn, and a mix of seafood such as scallops, shrimp, clams, and a giant Dungeness crab. 3. Cheesy Mac with Lobster, if you like smoked gouda, this will be the meal for you!
Breweries - We love E9 in Tacoma! The vibe is casual, and their pizza is delicious. We love The Upper White Trash and The Radiator - delicious! Talking Cedar in Grand Mound is a great brewery - you can wear jeans and a tee or a cute sundress AND you can bring your pup!
Sushi - Kamakura is our go-to place. We have dined in and ordered out, and each time the food has been delicious while having excellent service. I enjoyed the Caterpillar Roll, and Death by Crab Crunch was delicious, while Stephen loved the Spicy California Roll.
Italian - Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen is our go-to when it comes to Italian; their prawn scampi and chocolate mousse cake are to die for!
Our favorite restaurant – Bulgogi Hustle. Wow, just wow. We get the Bulgogi bowl with shredded beef, sweet potato noodles, lettuce, and curry rice. I'm usually not a curry person, but this is amazing; I could eat it five days a week.
EXPLORING THE AREA:
Hiking – Where do I begin?! I have a list of excellent spots, from easy, family-friendly hikes to more difficult ones that will leave you sore the next day; click here to check it out. You can also save money when you purchase a pass; click here to help determine which pass you should get.
Seattle - Many people leave without doing the must-see things of Seattle. Click here to see some of the best sites and local favorites of Seattle.
Water Sports – Boston Harbor Marina has several options for renting boats, kayaks, and paddleboards. Click here to see their prices (and make sure to ask for a military discount). Tugboat Annie's also has kayaks and a restaurant.
Winter Sports - We explored several mountains throughout the area, seven to be exact, haha. But if you're military, grab the Epic Pass for $145 versus $845 – this will be your best deal. I also have a post about surviving a rainy PNW winter here.
Pike Place Market – I love wandering around Pike Place! Don't let the tourist vibe keep you away. They have fantastic food shops; we love Sosio's and Bonnie B's - even if you don't want to buy anything, get some samples from them! And if you want to rest your legs and eat, swing by Pike Place Bar and Grill for some fantastic shrimp fettuccine. Orna Pottery also has hand-made pottery - it's beautiful.
Whale Watching - You can often see whales (and seals) at any inlet around the Puget Sound but if you want to go on a tour, check out Western Prince Whale Watching.
Seattle's Underground Tour - Did you know Seattle is built on its own ruins? Seattle has a secret underground city that burned down in 1889, and Seattle as we know it, was built on top of the ruins. Check out the famous Bill Speidel's Underground Tour to explore the underground city.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium - Stephen and I loved Point Defiance! It was walkable, great for strollers, and have so many different types of animals! They also have zoo lights during the holiday season with fun games for kids to enjoy - I highly recommend it any time of the year.
Museum of Flight - This is always a fun place to take guests interested in planes. You can go walk the aisle of JFK's Air Force One and climb aboard the West Coast's only Concorde (there are only 4 outside of Europe out of the 20 ever made). Click here to check their hours and buy tickets.
Misc Things
Nails - Lacey Nails is where I always go; Tina and Kenny are the best, and Kim does amazing pedis
Dog Boarding - Northwind Pet Care Center is our first choice but they tend to book up fast so once you know the dates you'll be gone, book them! We've also liked Freedom Kennels, they have great prices too.
Realtor - Tina Torfin is the best! I cannot say enough great things about her; she goes above and beyond and truly feels like part of the family.
Doctor - Titan Healthcare has a great team, I'm going to be bummed when we move because Morgan Zentner is truly the best I've had.
OBGYN - Laurel Dickason at South Sound Women's Center is wonderful. They also deliver at the hospital attached to the clinic which makes things so much easier!
Dentist - Lacey Modern Dentistry has done great work for me, they also use MyChart, which syncs with the other doctors I use.
Seamstress and Alterations - Alterations by Leanne, she does wonderful work and her turnaround time is fast!
Laura
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