To be fair, the last time we rode with Misti was 5 years ago and things may have changed. I…read moregenuinely hope they have. The only reason I am posting is because I'm seeing her advertise a lot, and I think this is important information to have as a prospective riding student or parent of one.  When we rode with Misti, I was initially impressed. She was present, involved, knowledgeable/experienced, and had some incredible young helpers, some of whom she'd worked with for years. After the first lesson, I stopped seeing Misti at the barn aside from one-off's. She was not involved. She hired on various trainers. Notable: most only lasted for 6 months to a year.  Also notable, multiple horses were in unhealthy states: elderly (well beyond retirement due to age or injury), battling unaddressed health issues, missing a shoe, etc. I watched her tell a rider to "go ahead" and ride an elderly horse recovering from an injury after discovering he'd thrown a shoe. Multiple horses were also not young/green-rider appropriate, and yet used with young/green riders. This resulted in multiple falls and injuries.  Having grown up with horses, I knew this was not okay and left. Shortly after we left, I learned all of her teen and pre-teen helpers had left as well and gone to other barns. The hired trainers followed suit. It wasn't safe or healthy for rider or horse.  Yes, she is affordable and promises the moon in her adverts and social media posts, but there are far better facilities out there for riding lessons. Facilities that prioritize not only the safety of their rider, but that of the horse. Many offer more contact time, and one-on-one, higher quality instruction at a comparable price.  As a side note, I am posting this anonymously because I've noticed that she "goes on the attack" when people provide constructive feedback. I watched her lose it on a 12yo helper one time, and her responses to negative/constructive reviews on the various sites are biting (she's always right, never the customer). I left on good terms with her. I simply saw that this was not where we wanted to be and moved elsewhere.

My girls went for a lessons for their summer visit. Their lesson was tailored to their skill level…read more It was nice to see more advanced girls taking lessons at the same time too. The girls also learned a bit more about horse care and the equipment. I will be signing up for lessons too!

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 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.

Oh My Goodness!! I cannot say enough about this place!…read moreFrom the first time I "enquired" about this business they were PROMPT, not pushy. Persistent but not pushy. Thorough without being annoying. A+ on info and reaching out to answer your questions and encourage you to "try on" a class before you commit. I was new to the area and thought it might be a fun way to establish a routine. As an adult with grown children I wouldn't have thought the dance studio that was a family kind of thing would have been a place for me to thrive as an adult. I'm not competitive and wanted a reason to exercise. I've found a family type of environment, a fun way to exercise with out the pressure to be more than you are (or want to be)... the folks that work here are professionals that welcome any level, positive and encouraging. At 55 I'm having the best time! Thank you SSD!

If you are looking for a dance studio with a positive learning environment, South Sound Dance is my…read morego-to studio recommendation. Experienced and knowledgeable staff offer a wide variety of dance classes for all ages and levels. As a mature (and I mean mature) adult with two left feet and zero prior dance experience, I moved out of my comfort zone and purchased pair of ballet shoes. No tutu yet but I am enjoying the exercise and comradery I found at South Sound Dance. Each class is an enjoyable learning experience.

I visited the Nisqually Reach Nature Center for the first time yesterday. The nature center is…read moreinside a large house. Piles of wet shoes lay outside the entry way. There were tanks filled with sea stars, crabs, and fish on display. A different tank housed a representation of a mud flat. Microscopes lined the perimeter on the inside of the building. Several children were peering into them shouting excitedly that "I saw this HUGE plankton!" "Look at THIS!" After I went outside and sat on the fishing dock, adult volunteers at the Nisqually Reach Nature Center took a group of children to the beach to explore. The volunteer staff at the nature center are excellent with kids. Their strong voices can be heard from a distance giving clear, fun instructions to their charges. I heard later from one staff member the kids were attending a summer camp. I didn't have a lot of time to spend at the nature center yesterday, so I will definitely be back! It's a nice area that has a surprising amount of great blue herons and even more seals. Keep in mind: This is a Discover Pass area. You will need a Discover Pass to park here.

I haven't visited the actual building, I visit the beach at least twice a week to take my dogs for…read morea walk near the beach and play. Great parking area for trailers and visitors, loading ramp for your boat, and nice starting point for kayaking near the nisqually delta...watch for the tide. No issues if you are taking the dog off leash, as long they are not near to the state park, plenty of room to play.

The parking is HORRIBLE pretty much all the time! On a very busy road and it makes it very…read moredifficult to get in or out.

as a mother that had postpartum depression the level of worry i had with sending my son to…read more"daycare" was so high. i was mess and this story starts before covid. I was crying dropping my son off with what felt like strange that is now our extended family. I was having a hard time Ms Angel, and Ms Beth along with all the magical caring staff members cared and helped even if it was a hug and talking time to bond with and my son to put me at easy! okay now let's talk about the butterfly room! My son comes home everyday with a story and a new dance long with a new skill! it brings me to tears how much they have done for our family! ms Marina is incredible and i'm so thankful to have them!

7 year old class instructor did not demonstrate even one skill. Allowed the 5 girls in her class…read moreto stand around, talk, play rock, paper, scissors. No instruction or organization. Waste of time and money.

We were at Black Hills for about a year. I have a 7 year old who has been doing gymnastics for four…read moreyears and a 5 year old who started and stopped gymnastics at Black Hills. On the good side, Maddie at the front desk is overworked but a wonderful and hardworking person. Also, it seems clear to me they are fostering incredible talent with young people. The level of skill for the kids who get attention is impressive. My 7 year old was accepted into Xcel prep team. She made a close friend and really found a passion for bars. Over summer, Coach Conner said she was lacking in focus. Most of the kids were out for the summer. My daughter was camping and attending art, math and sailing camps. Her world view was broadening. Also, I was kind of transient at the time and waiting for my apartment to come through. Our routine was disrupted. While she was happy, she maybe fell out of love with gymnastics for the summer. I thought about my run with soccer as a little girl and I fell in and out of love with it, but was still committed for over a decade. I think that alone is a valuable lesson. Coach C and I set up a system where I knew if she gave 100% during practice and would get her a treat if she did. She refocused but I think Black Hills gave up on her before the fall session. She was separated from her close friend and spent four hours a week doing stretches and beams. She didn't learn new skills and never returned to the bars she loved so much. Coach Conner stayed with a group of more focused children and a wonderful and kind young woman took over with my daughter's new group. My daughter became bored and restless. Her love of gymnastics dipped further than before. First, my youngest asked to take a break from gymnastics (I just don't think it's her thing). Then my oldest asked to take a break. I was terrified her love for gymnastics was forever altered. I asked her to talk to her coach. While young people make great coaches, they don't always know how to inspire the way perhaps an older coach might. The coach kinda shrugged her shoulders and told me my daughter wanted to try other sports. I was hoping maybe my daughter would get more encouragement. Anyway, eventually she asked to try another gym. I think that is the right choice. We had such a positive experience at the gym in Kirkland, I am sorry to see her love and enthusiasm dip. It is a life lesson though! The guest wifi doesn't work most of the time which can result in the commiseration of bored parents in the parking lot. My personal hell is the little room with the cubbies when classes transition. There are so many people and no personal space. I think if your child is ordained by the coaches, it could be an intense but enriching experience. My child, however, doesn't deserve to be left on the sidelines. And not for the same cost in tuition.

Update: We have now been part of this community for 2.5 years!…read moreReviews written by my kids who attend USMAC: 7th grader: USMAC is such an amazing community to learn discipline, self defense, respect, and self- confidence. It's a great place to find community and all the instructors are helpful and kind. I especially love the Tumwater dojang because of the size and you feel like you are cared for. 6th grader: USMAC is a great place and TKD teaches you skills that are important and will help you become more self confident. The instructors are great teachers and they will teach you discipline. 2nd grader: USMAC is very good and teaches me self- confidence and how to defend myself. _____ Our family is so proud to be a part of USMAC. My husband and three children (ages 11,10,6) all train together. It's incredible that it is so family oriented that each class caters to every age. Doing TKD together has brought our family closer together. Since coming to USMAC, over a year and half ago, I have seen an increase in my children's confidence, skills, and flexibility. In addition, this school not only teaches the physical aspects of taekwondo but the culture and values. They instill values by having "Home Rules" of respect and encourage them to become leaders. This is evident by the leadership of every instructor and master. They are absolutely incredible! You can sense their care, great skills, and training. When you enter the dojang, you will be greeted with a positive atmosphere and be part of a family! Highly, highly recommend!

At this exceptional taekwondo academy, my kids discover new skills, build confidence, and have a…read moreblast, making it an integral part of their weekly routine.

Summer and winter camps are very fun. Lots of activities like: Tubing, Swimming, going on a boat,…read moreBB guns, archery, rock climbing wall, canoeing, nice camp counselors, nice service, great chapel, funny camp side theatrical plays,

My daughter and I were at a conference here in the fall of 2021, and had a lovely time. Great…read morefacility and grounds, good food, and a stellar staff. Our cabin was a little older but was being updated. We thought the food was delicious and plentiful. There were plenty of activities during the day, but also space to just get off by yourself and think, and rest. I really enjoyed the walking paths! It was a little chilly for water activities, so we didn't participate in those. Overall, though, it was a great place for a retreat or family camp. We plan to go again in the future! We were recommending this place to someone and I was surprised to see it only had a 3 star rating! Then I found 9 "not recommended" reviews below that give it high marks. I'm not sure why the Yelp algorithm marked the positive reviews as "not recommended," so I thought I'd jump on and write another positive review to balance things out. :) Happy camping, friends!