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.

There is nothing here but a giant wagon wheel and a bench to look down at.. brush?…read more There are a couple parking spots.

The Pet Parade in Olympia, WA takes place on the 3rd Saturday of August. It is an absolute blast…read more I've been going to the parade ever since I was a participant back in 1992. It is a great chance to see kids and their pets in themed costumes. The participants are very enthusiastic. Everyone has a great time. There are also prizes! We don't have a pet so my kid hasn't participated yet. The Pet Parade is still fun to watch! We will definitely be there again this year cheering everyone on. INFO The 2013 Pet Parade will be on August 17th. Contestants will arrive at 8 am at Heritage Park. Parade starts at 10 am at Heritage Park and ends at Sylvester Park.

This is a famous Tacoma landmark - a glass bridge that performs its job well as a pedestrian bridge…read morewith a touch of beauty from the glass artwork instillation that lines the sides of the bridge. It's a great alternative to visiting the Museum of Glass for people who are short on time or arriving during closed hours (this bridge is open 27/7), yet still want to experience some beauty in their lives. This bridge connects the Thea Foss Waterway and the Museum of Glass. When I visited, it was quite hot and the sun was beating down. This illuminated the three amazing Chihuly glass installations, but I wished that there was more than a little covered area on the bridge to protect me. Oh well, they do say that beauty is pain, don't they? I saw that there were multiple photographers on the bridge to take in the peaceful surroundings. Definitely don't miss this in your visit to Tacoma.

On our drive north, we made a quick stop at the Bridge of Glass, and it was worth the 15-minute…read moredetour. Parking was easy, and it was the perfect place to stretch our legs while enjoying some beautiful public art. We didn't have time to visit the Museum of Glass, so I was glad we could still experience some of Chihuly's work with this free outdoor exhibit. From the bridge, it also looked like the nearby courthouse features Chihuly glass, but unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore further. If you're passing through Tacoma, this is an easy, free stop that's well worth it. It's a great way to experience a bit of Pacific Northwest art and it's perfect for a few memorable photos before getting back on the road.

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

Fred Meyer CHECKLIST where you order you groceries from there app AMAZING !!! CONVENIENT!!!…read moreBRILLIANT IDEA !!! I do it all the time I order, pick a pick up time , and go get my grocery's Park call the number they bring you groceries out and put them in your car for you that's it quick and easy !!! Wait time is less than a min for them to bring your stuff out !!! I do this weekly

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.

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! :)