Romance is in Olympia's Air
Six Romantic Things to Do in the Olympia Region
Bags packed. ✔️ Reservations made. ✔️ Sitter scheduled. ✔️
The only thing left is a little inspiration to kickstart your romantic getaway to the Olympia region. Do date-night a little different or enjoy a classic romance that will create timeless memories; whatever catches you and your partner's fancy! If you're searching for something special, keep scrolling for some adventures in the Olympia region that will be sure to light the spark and have you returning year-after-year!
Whether you're looking for an outdoor-centered date or seeking a cozy restaurant for a scrumptious meal, the Olympia region features a variety of romantic outings that will amaze your special someone. With plenty of charming inns, picturesque parks, and culinary hotspots, Thurston County sets the scene for the perfect real-life romantic comedy.
1. Enjoy sweet dreams at a Bed & Breakfast
![Breakfast is served at the Marie Bed and Breakfast](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=a79da8d9011bd5ffbaa82aa8acab2ea4 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=5505a7e5024b453dbf982ee5cc5bbae6 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=6813cc92803c86c041375cdffef1e6d5 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=0c49b0ccb2d241ffc0530baa6d87e8e6 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=bd515617f6e9c8762e912d35a9e36704 1200w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=80574c3ad3bf923ae245caa019140fc2 1440w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/the-marie-bed-and-breakfast-07.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=eec0f109c5c2117ce5bbd3fc75b6a05d 1920w)
Waterfront views and fresh morning brews make waking up in one of the Olympia region's bed & breakfasts a relaxing, rejuvenating experience. Try a traditional room at the historic Marie B&B or opt for modern amenities in one of their cabin-suites. Gaze off into the sunset along Eld Inlet with waterfront views aplenty and enjoy a handcrafted cabin all to yourself at the Eld House. Not far from the beautiful Tolmie State Park you'll find an English, Tudor-style home known as The Inn at Mallard Cove. Overlooking the Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve, it's the perfect jumping-off point for couples-kayaking and exploration. And, if you're searching for something closer to the city, Swantown Inn & Spa is located in a quiet neighborhood in the heart of Olympia and includes an onsite Day Spa that will have you and your partner living in luxury.
2. Walk along the whimsical waterfront
![A scenic shot of Tumwater Falls in Brewery Park, WA.](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=449b9f36c9fd4d3ce84775478f594991 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=b3f07b9db17469e0ff924acc461136f1 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=3a34c6388c659e4e17ea0771577d694d 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=c7e569963875e6cb98297710ee302a86 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=206a5a62235df4499ad7dd4c3badba93 1200w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=be789aa387c102acd523a31d295bb163 1440w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/tumwater-falls-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=6a2e44158cfeb2254c974a06a184f1b8 1920w)
Lean into the dating-profile cliche and take a walk along the whimsical waterways that wind their way through this area. The urban waterfront in downtown Olympia creates a scenic playground for those looking to meander, while boardwalks provide easy access to locations immersed in natural beauty like the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, McLane Creek Nature Trail or Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls. If it's sandy beaches you seek, several dot the Olympia region including Tolmie State Park, Priest Point Park and Burfoot Park to name a few.
3. Take it slow with dinner and a show
Don't wind up in the drive-thru for dinner. Plan ahead and make special plans for dinner and a show. For ideas for where to eat, follow this link for foodie-delights! From casual dining to upscale eating there's plenty to pick from. As for the show, If it's live entertainment you're after, Harlequinn Productions and The Washington Center for the Performing Arts both offer impressive playbills. To enjoy some scenes on the big-screen, head to the Capitol Theater home of the Olympia Film Society or feed-two-birds-with-one-scone and hit up Uptown Lounge and Yelm Cinemas for dinner and a movie under the same roof!
4. Steal a kiss under the world's largest Tiffany chandelier
![visitors view the world's largest Tiffany Chandelier at Washington State's Capitol Campus](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/2018_Nick_Verbelchuck.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=ea81338cb37fb686fd3019c9fb516c41 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/2018_Nick_Verbelchuck.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=e3baf2ea143f5774ea5d225ca5817269 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/2018_Nick_Verbelchuck.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=e911d066a2c292b8d7a444b8f21b1824 600w)
For fans of the Art Deco style, Washington State's Capitol Campus (located in Olympia) is a dream-come-true. Be transported to a time of Gatsby-like glamour and take an especially close look at the lighting throughout the Capitol Building for a treat you can't find anywhere else. Step under the 3rd-largest masonry dome in the world and now you're standing beneath a beautiful chandelier built by the famous Tiffany & Co. that just so happens to be the world's largest. Steal a kiss (and a photo) beneath the chandelier that will last a lifetime.
5. Test your tastebuds together
![A person enjoying fries and a beer at a restaurant in Olympia, WA.](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/craft_beer_fries_food.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=90f3b5fcb7c46fff12d888197beabdcb 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/craft_beer_fries_food.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=100ffd815194b387dba5b73d64d036f5 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/craft_beer_fries_food.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=484b8a144a9898b0ff4a06884454512f 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/craft_beer_fries_food.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=1be75800cef0cf77c9b17186cbf629d4 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/craft_beer_fries_food.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=74d1bf327def47453b7196b6c700d379 1080w)
Be it beer, wine, or liquor, our local makers handcraft some of the best brews from local ingredients. Try something new or go with the tried-and-true. Find your way to the Thurston Bountiful Byway, the region's agritourism adventure for maps and descriptions of all of the places you can grab an artisan drink.
6. Bond Over Retro Arcade Games
![A brightly-lit snack bar where people are lined up to buy snacks](https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=35b8740355b3f5b7e6bbeb2e1976a8b5 320w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=32cdc0aad03997881a8059aa2a9ae10a 540w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=667d8135796542e99386850df7a986d8 768w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=57bfbbcc11c20185dec38ce2297bff5b 1024w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=b6e045234f6cb5f143dea4719cf2666d 1200w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=a897655e5192757b751a9d42676ea7fb 1440w, https://experience-olympia.imgix.net/images/blog-photos/legends-arcade.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=5528ca32fb458d6f52b7da1328d50fd6 1920w)
Looking for a casual romantic outing? Make your way to Legends Arcade, where neon-lit games and pinball fun await. Including more than 50 iconic arcade machines, this date night spot offers nostalgic excitement for all couples. Don't miss indulging in a variety of sweet and savory treats by the kitchen and bar area, enjoying warm paninis, chips with a side of caramelized onion dip, and more. Enhance your arcade experience by choosing from a variety of refreshing brews and drinks, including Pacman- and Power Glove-inspired beverages.
Spend the weekend and find dining, lodging, events, festivals and entertainment ideas at www.experienceolympia.com. Make sure to share your best shots with us by tagging social posts #ExperienceOlympia and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter (@Experience_Oly) and Instagram (@ExperienceOly).
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Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
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