2 Best Sights in Olympia, Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys

One of the top children's museums on the West Coast, this handsome, modern building just off Marine Drive overlooks East Bay and contains more than 150 imaginatively designed interactive exhibits—including a train depot, a cargo ship, a fire engine, an art studio, and a tree house—along with a half-acre outdoor play area. There's also a café serving healthy lunch fare. During the city's First Friday art walks, the museum is open late and offers $1 admission after 5 pm.

Guided tours of this 80-acre wolf sanctuary are given every hour on the hour and run about 50 minutes, during which docents explain the recovery programs and visitors can view the wolves. It's worth taking a look at the website before visiting—tours are mandatory, and the sanctuary has a few rules regarding conduct. Most importantly, parents should know that although the sanctuary can be a wonderful place for kids, it does not provide as much stimulation as a typical zoo and may bore kids with short attention spans.