This was a fun find and part of an art installation of 5 throughout WA and one in Portland…read more This is on Maury Island, connected to Vashon Island if you're doing some island hopping while in WA. You'll find Oscar next to the parking lot for the light house, another amazing attraction done by the beach. Before walking down to the beach, head to the left side and follow the path to the troll. Once you find him, you'll need to wait patiently as others will be taking lots of pictures with this art installation. While waiting, you can walk around and follow the path. Again, this is just one of six art installations in our family is looking forward to our next visit in visiting all the other trolls. Highly recommend as this is free other than the ferry ride to the island. The family especially the kids are going to love this little adventure.

Oscar the Bird King is probably my favorite troll that I have visited so far. It is a bit of an…read moreadventure to see him. I took the car ferry from Point Defiance to Vashon Island and a 20 minute drive later I finally got to see him. He is not far from the parking lot and just a short walk to get to him. He is whimsical and magical. Sitting on his throne and reaching out to touch those that come to visit him. I sat on the benches in his courtyard and was just in awe of Oscar. He is a King indeed.

A very cool 2 lane bridge that connects Downtown Tacoma to the Port of Tacoma…read more I've driven across this bridge several times, even ran across it once. But when I was on my friends boat, I got to cruise underneath it for some very cool pics. The Murray Morgan Bridge is also known as the 11th Street Bridge since it's on, that's right, 11th street. This bridge is over 100 years old and was completely overhauled in 2007. The all black does make this bridge stand out, and it has stood the test of time.

Oh, Murray Morgan Bridge! It is really a landmark for Tacoma! It is very unique as it bridges over…read moretha marina and connects the downtown area with the Port of Tacoma. But that isn't what makes it special. Whenever boat traffic passes through and the bridge is needed to go up it doesn't tilt the road up on two sides like a drawbridge but instead it LIFTS the road up with it's mechanics so a portion of the road on the bridge is in the air. I've seen it in action several times and it's impressive to see. You can take stairs down from the bridge to Dock Street below or you can take the elevator which sometimes works. The elevator unfortunately is subject to vandalism so it's pretty battered up inside but definitely workable. So in that regard "Tacoma doesn't want nice things". But if you are out and about downtown or on Dock Street definitely give the bridge a look. You can get hood pictures of it from all kinds of angles around town.

Totally partially to giving as much love to this little big city on the outskirts of Tacoma,…read moreWashington in Pierce County as much love as possible. I've visited Puyallup (Pew-yall-up) well over half a dozen times for various lengths of time. My best friend Ryan has lived here for the last almost six years and I typically come up once or thrice. Home of the Washington State Fair, friendly faces and cold hands with warm hearts... like seriously it's usually always rainy, chilly or breezy out, but I love the cold and I always feel welcomed when I'm in town despite the last two years away and the effects of that still weighing heavy on moods and hearts... Puyallupians definitely are cut from a unique cloth and stay strong. The local must staples including Total Wine (with the amazing managers and wine stewards), Big Lots (with the best sales clerk Lois), Applebee's and of course The Ram (with Alby... dine in the bar area please) and much much more are all places that will leave an impression. Karma Indian Cuisine is top notch Indian Cuisine and a food lovers must. Huge fan of their veggie curry, naan and lemon drop cocktails. The public transit is solid though not as frequent or versed as bigger areas and cities like Seattle, Bellevue, Olympia and even the continuously growing Tacoma. Even though I always have a few places to rest my head when I'm in the great state of Washington, the hotels are pretty solid including the best western on South Hill Drive - also one of the best bars/bistros in the area you never knew about Fireside Bar & Bistro... And while the South Hill Shopping Center & Mall is a little lackluster in does have some charm and long standing businesses that continue to shine and thrive... The improvements have continued. Fred Meyer, Costco and your local Walmart Superstore Center for those food and essential items. Great small businesses and shops to support, but the bigger chains definitely dominate. This lush green town is very scenic with parks and areas to take in and surprisingly pedestrian friendly despite being mostly spread out near residential areas. Traffic is usually pretty easy even during the week and at rush hour... Pull into Puyallup

I cannot give The Little Farm high enough praise.  I just…read morehad my 2 year old daughter's birthday party here, and it was perfect, even in the 40 degree weather. And the owners Lynn and Bob are the nicest people you could hope to meet and spend the day with. They really made the party flow smoothly.  The animals are so lovely, and friendly. Especially Dolly and Blue! We had around 16 kids ranging in age from 11 months to 14 years old and they all had a great time and we're able to participate in feeding/riding/holding the animals.    The cost for this location for a birthday party is a bargain. We felt like we were under paying by the end.  I don't know if we'll ever top this one. And I have a feeling we'll be back.

We had our son's 3rd birthday here. This farm is a real gem. It was a smooth operation from…read morebeginning to end. The space is small enough for intimate gatherings, but definitely big enough to accommodate larger parties. The price was more than reasonable, worth every penny. Farmer Bob and Lynn are so kind hearted, genuine and warm, really great people - A kid's party is never an easy situation and they made it so simple and stress-free. They made every effort to involve all the kids, encouraging them and were enthusiastic about the animals they had on their farm. They knew all the kids by name and really made our son feel special. We were really blown away by our experience there. Everybody was raving about what a great time they had and still talk about it to this day.

I love the Spring Fair. It's like a mini vacation where you're waiting for your grand vacation. I…read morego for the food (though my options are limited as a vegan), to see the animals, to shop, and to sometimes ride rides and play games. I think it's a food value for the price of admission, and the vibes are top notch. It's just a fun place to be and gets you excited for the big fair in the fall.

Wish there was a place to review the Sales Family Krusty Pup. Sign says it is a family institution…read moresince the 1950's. My wife said that is when they must have made the batter. The Pub looked really good. However it tasted horrible. Have to wonder if the batter person forgot an ingredient or two. Could have had a seven eleven corn dog and had a better meal. At almost $10 for it, they need to step it up.

Most think this City is POS but i was born and raised here. The water front makes for a great place…read moreto take a walk with the family and dogs. They have amazing seafood restaurants down on water also. Downtown has some pretty cool bars like The Forum which has hand carved wood from France dated to 1880s with WA based liquors. Then most importantly the fishing in the puget sound is awesome. so much life in the water around here. Point Defiance is an amazing beach with a zoo and other attractions to see. U have the Rose garden and 5 mile drive thru a awesome forest area where there is an old fort from the mid 1800s i believe

Very beautiful city, the city of Tacoma,WA is! And has a lot to offer in regards recreational…read moreactivities. Just wish there was more sports teams here other then the Tacoma Rainiers, but love going to Rainier games! My dentist (Dr.Hearon) , my church (United Church of God) are in Tacoma. There was a song made about Tacoma- (Aroma of Tacoma- which at one time there was a bad smell due to a smelter on Ruston Way, but that is long gone and the smell is long gone) Plus Toyota named their truck after Tacoma :) Plenty of parks, restaurants and other things to do! No wonder why Tacoma is known as the City of Destiny! :)

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.

Just Go (#18) My…read morefirst visit to the State of Washington was ten years ago in 2015. We've been driving up north every now and then ever since... it is also our gateway thru Blaine when we want to cross over to Surrey, British Columbia in Canada. I'm lucky that my hubby loves driving. In Washington, of course, when we think of Seattle we all check out the famous Pike Place Market first... but, actually, it was seeing the gravesites of Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee that turned out to be the highlight of our last visit to Seattle. According to Wikipedia Seattle has more than 400 permanent pieces of public artwork throughout the city... whaaat?? Well, we found three of them including a giant troll under the north end of the Aurora Bridge. CITY OF SEATTLE: Pike Place Market Post Alley Gum Wall Chihuly Garden and Glass Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee Gravesite Fremont Troll Jimi Hendrix Statue Vladimir Lenin Statue JP Patches Statue Berlin Wall NATIONAL PARKS: Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Mount Rainier National Park Olympic National Park FOOD: El Mercado Latino, Seattle Chocolate Market by Gosanko Chocolate, Seattle Virginia Inn, Seattle Bordertown Mexican Grill, Blaine LANDMARKS: Astoria-Megler Bridge Thank you, Great State of Washington for the experience of your rich cultural scene, iconic landmarks (Space Needle) and a strong coffee culture, being the birthplace of Starbucks. Review #3790