What a fun attraction in Issaquah - and a great way to learn more about the area. My friend told…read moreme about the miscellaneous trolls that are around the western Washington area, created by artist, Thomas Dambo from Denmark. So, I had to see it for myself. I took my dog on a walk around Issaquah - and we made it a point to check out Jakob Two Trees while in the area. To get here, online sources referenced the Rainier Multiple Use Trail in the old town of Issaquah. If you map to Rainier Trail, it does not take you to the entrance to the trail. However, this trail is near the Issaquah Community Center, which is where I mapped and was easily able to find the entrance to the trail. Along the Rainier Multiple Use Trail in a short distance is Jakob Two Trees. There's a sign that explains more of the artwork and artist, using only up-cycled materials to create these trolls. It was cool to see and you're able to walk all around the giant troll and get pictures up close. Although I am not Scandinavian, I do love how treasured trolls are to the Nordic countries, so now I want to find more of the trolls around the Pacific Northwest.

We visited Jakob Two Trees 2 years ago, it was our first troll my wife wanted to seek out. I didn't…read morerealize how cool they would be till I saw Jakob! Now we have found 5, and this year have more on our bucket list to visit this summer! Totally hooked and hoping to see so many more!

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.

Located in Point Robinson park on Vashon Island. Didn't have to walk far to get to the structure…read more Beautifully design and log benches in front you can sit and relax and stare at Oscar. A short walk down to the lighthouse and beach

We have been trying to track down Thomas Dambo's trolls around Seattle last year we found 3 and we…read moreset out to find the last 2 this year. Oscar is easy to find, but I didn't know we were near a lighthouse so now he gave us another reason to come back and visit next year!

In the 80's Tacoma, Washington was home to the infamous Hilltop Crips. If you venture over to 810…read moreYakima Avenue today, you'd be standing in their old 'hood. But, tweak your GPS settings slightly and point to 810 N. Yakima Avenue and you'd be standing in front of the house where that movie called "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" was filmed. Click here to see the house - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjtfG8r14Uk

I mean, what can be said about this strange abandoned art installation that hasn't been said…read morealready. It's not a great area, there's currently a homeless encampment right behind it. It has a chain link fence surrounding it giving it a 'We haven't torn this down yet' vibe. Being from the Bay Area and having seen pieces created at The Crucible I personally would call it exceptionally lazy art - if you're generous with the word 'art'. It's a sign, with some pointed cylinders around it. In my opinion the painted pieces at Gas Works are more interesting. I personally think it's only a matter of time before they tear it out and make it into another park so all in all, it's an easy skip.

At one point, I'm sure The Wall of Death was a very cool public art installation in Seattle. It's a…read morepermanently sited installation located along the Burke-Gilman Trail under the University Bridge along NE 40th Street. It was designed and built by Mowry Baden and his son Colin in 1993. While the exhibit sounds ominous, it's neither a memorial or some gothic art piece. Instead, it's a tribute to the structure used to perform "the wall of death," a motorcycle and miniature automobile stunt. While it looks like it was initially quite amazing, The Wall of Death has largely fallen victim to time and graffiti and it's really that graffiti that negatively impacts the appeal of the exhibit. The exhibit includes the cylinder itself on the south side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a concrete ramp to the north of the trail, which includes a "series of stylized metal chairs mounted to the existing concrete bridge columns and serves as the stands from which the stunts were viewed. The exhibit was originally intended as interactive with skateboarders intended to use it. However, after several skateboarding accidents including one involving a head-on collision between a skateboarder and a cyclist the exhibit was adapted, by Baden himself, to include 25 concrete parking stops. At this point, the exhibit is somewhat fenced in and much more difficult to access. However, it remains one of the more intriguing public art exhibits in Seattle and is still free to see. It's listed in Atlas Obscura. The exhibit was also reportedly damaged on 11/15/20 when a homeless camp tent caught fire. The exhibit is made of concrete, steel, and aluminum and measures 16' x 65' x 30'. It's easy to access the exhibit from the Burke Gilman Trail in the University District. It's near University of Washington housing and only a few blocks from Lake Union. The trail itself is wheelchair friendly and accessible quite easily.

Great place to walk around and take in the gorgeous view of the puget sound. Very peaceful place to…read moreclear your head or enjoy with the family

Secret?! i think not. ;) Although it can appear rather secretive if you consider walking through it…read morethe first time (w/o knowing it's a tunnel) and ask yourself upon exiting "I was in an underground tunnel?" Yup. And a super COOL one at that, too. :) Fine shops, great lunch options, and a jackpot of historic Seattle photos - everything from the early days of dumping Pill Hill fill into Elliot Bay to the early Boeing airplanes. Downtown? Take a stroll down this tunnel. It begins/ends in Rainier Square and ends/begins in One/Two Union Square. Happy strolling. :)

I haven't visited enough underground tunnels to know if this one deserves 5 stars or not, so let's…read morework this out, arithmetic-style! 1 star for keeping me out of the rain, cold, and wind and away from motor traffic and waiting for crosswalk signals. 1 star for neat photos of old-time Seattle 1 star for a display of upcoming shows from the 5th Ave 1 star for the convenience store selling cards and snacks. There are also some little deli type eateries, a salon, and an art gallery, though I haven't taken advantage of any of them yet. All in all, this is a pretty spiffy way to get from 7th and Union to 4th and University without having to set foot outside - always a plus when it comes to dealing with Seattle's variable weather.

I poked the beast. It roared but quickly went back into hibernation. Lol. But seriously, whoever is…read moreclimbing to the top just to throw away their blizzard cups needs to stop. It's just tacky hand pathetic you can't put your trash in the bin.

1) The Lake Stevens Monster is very cool geology, but a few things detracted from the experience…read more 1a) some developer thought it would be a great idea to build a neighborhood around this piece of incredible geology and it is near impossible to get a good look at it or appreciate it because the homes are so close to it, they left no wiggle room to squeeze a trail or park area by it. 1b) the surrounding area is not well maintained.

Cool Landmark in Seattle, Washington…read more.. I've had "The Center of the Universe" bookmarked for a while. It's a good thing to look at the bookmarked items on the Yelp app once in a while. I totally forgot about this novel and unique piece of Public Art! I should have visited it when I saw the Troll and the blue Fremont Bridge yesterday... darn! Anyway... I parked across the street and got a good shot of this directional sign! As I drew closer, I saw places on the sign that I would like to see - such as Machu Piccu and Rio de Janeiro. Other interesting places include The North Pole and The Milky Way. What a fun tourist stop! Check it out when you have time! It's free, quick, and a good break from daily routine!

One of the few photo ops (like the Rocket, dinosaurs, the Troll, etc) in Fremont…read more I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. Life is demanding without understanding. To reiterate, I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign. No one's gonna drag you up To get into the light where you belong But where do you belong? Now if you excuse me, all that she wants is another baby, and she's gone tomorrow, boy.