A short trip from Seattle, Tacoma or Portland and 15 minutes from Olympia, makes the Bluff House the perfect romantic or vacation getaway.

Professionals doing business in Olympia find the Bluff House perfect place to entertain, and relax.

Get there in time for the sunset after a day at work and you will find yourself rested before the evening is out. Settle into a chair out to the lawns edge, or take a stroll on the private beach to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

On chilly evenings, snuggle up by the gas fire and watch the sun go down from the living room. Keep an eye out for blue heron, gulls, bald eagles and an occasional deer in the yard.

Convenient location for many wonderful day trips in Washington State.

• Olympia
  • Port of Olympia: Since its formation in 1922, the Port of Olympia has served as an economic catalyst for the Thurston County port district.
  • Fine Dining, Shopping, Marina
  • Parks & Recreation: From hiking to biking, picnics to rock-climbing, Thurston County offers something for everyone! For a complete listing of parks and trails, call (360)786-5595.
    • Burfoot Park
    • Tolme State Park,
    • Priest Point Park on Puget Sound, three-mile nature trail, picnic areas, play areas and one of the most breathtaking views of the Olympic Mountains
    • Nisqually Delta, a natural sanctuary for wildlife of many kinds. Visit the wildlife museum, lookout platform situated at the tidal flats.
    • Millersylvania State Park which includes 841 acres of campgrounds, swimming, beaches, and nature trails.
  • The Olympia Farmers Market on the city's waterfront and historic Budd Inlet, the southernmost reach of Puget Sound. As the second largest outdoor marketplace in the state, the market offers fresh produce, extravagant flower bouquets, baked goods, hand-crafted items, premium meat and seafood, and more. Opening in April each year, the market also features an entertainment stage. For more information, call (360) 352-9096.
  • Waterfront activities and boat launch: Boston Harbor Marina (360) 357-5670, Fiddlehead Marina (360) 352-0528, Swantown Marina (360) 786-1400, Swantown Boatworks 360.528.8049, West Bay Marina (360) 943-2022. Zittel's Marina (360) 459-1950, Deep Lake/Millersylvania (360) 753-1519, Percival Landing (360) 753-8379
  • Port Plaza, view the working waterfront, capture the mountain views then warm up to hot coffee at the nationally recognized Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters. For more information call (360) 754-5282.
  • Olympia Symphony: From Bach, Mozart and Strauss to Bernstein, Milhaud, and Tchaikovsky. Concerts are held at The Washington Center in Olympia, 512 Washington St., Olympia
  • Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park: Open June to October, thereafter by appointment. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm daily.
  • Miller Brewing: Brewhouse Tours, Gift Shop and Hospitality Room, open Monday through Saturday 9:00 am - 4:30 pm. Closed Sunday and Selected Holidays.Take Exit #103 from Interstate 5, North or South. (360) 754-5217
  • Golf courses:
    Capitol City Golf Course(360) 491-5111
    Delphi Golf Course (360) 357-6437
    Family Golf Center, Lacey (360) 493-1000
    Family Golf Center,Tumwater (360) 786-8626
    Indian Summer Country Club (360) 923-1075
    Meriwood Golf Course (360) 412-0495
    Nisqually Valley Golf Course (360) 458-3332
    Olympia Golf and Country Club (360) 866-7121
    Scott Lake Golf Course (360) 352-4838
    Tumwater Valley Golf Course (360) 943-9500
    Vicwood Golf Course (360) 455-8383
  • Little Creek Casino: Casino games including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Let It Ride and Pai Gow Poker, minutes from Olympia on Highway 101.
• Mount St. Helens:
• Mount Rainier: Observe the rugged beauty of this snow covered wonder. Day hikes or auto trips through the National Park capture its indescribable qualities year round. Lowland forests, summit caves, pristine alpine lakes, wildflowers growing along a mountain stream, climbers setting out for the summit, trails to the base of a glacier, an endless variety of wildlife, and many more unexpected wilderness pleasures await your visit.
• Hoh Rain Forest
• Fort Lewis Military Museum: Fort Lewis Military Reservation, military history of the Pacific Northwest, military vehicles from World War I to present. Building 4320, Main Street, Exit 120 off I-5. 253-967-7206.
• Wolf Haven: Sanctuary of 80 acres that cares for captive born wolves. Guided walking tours are given on the hour, and we can practically guarantee you've never seen anything quite like it. Bring the family for one of the tremendously popular "Howl-Ins," offered Friday and Saturday evenings from May to September. Wolf Haven is located in Tenino, 10 miles south of Olympia. (800) 448-9653 or (360) 264-4695
• Tacoma
  • Antique Row: Tacoma’s historic district, variety of specialty, antique and collectible stores.The Tacoma Farmers Market is held June through September. Broadway and Ninth street.
  • Broadway Theater District: Tacoma’s performing arts, cultural heritage through 25 life-size masks, representing Tacoma’s ethnic mix, Basalt sculptures.Take the walking tour through the district. 901 Broadway, 253-591-5890.
  • Children’s Museum of Tacoma: Open year-round, hands-on art, science and everyday life experiences for children and families. 936 Broadway. 253-627-6031.
  • Freighthouse Square: One block north of the Tacoma Dome, this 3-block-long, converted railroad freight house holds the Tacoma Market Place featuring specialty shops and international restaurants. 430 E. 25th St., Suite 11, 253-305-0678.
  • Tacoma Art Museum: Changing exhibitions, including art from the Northwest. A large selection of Dale Chihuly glass, ArtWORKS gallery is open to children and adults to create their own art, inspired by current exhibitors. 12th Street and Pacific Avenue, 253-272-4258.
  • Tacoma Dome: Located on Interstate 5 near the I-705 spur, the 23,000-seat Tacoma Dome hosts a variety of events such as concerts, professional and amateur sports, trade shows, conventions, family shows and more. 2727 E. D St., 24-hour events hot line: 253-572-DOME (3663), tickets: 253-627-8497.
  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge: Fifth-longest suspension bridge in the nation was built in 1950. The original structure, know as the “Galloping Gertie,” collapsed during a windstorm in 1940. A small park and museum recall the tragedy.
  • Union Station: Now a federal courthouse is restored to its turn-of-the-century elegance, adorned by glass created by internationally known artist Dale Chihuly. Free public tours Thursdays - Fridays at 1 p.m. 1717 Pacific Ave.
  • Washington State History Museum: Connected to historic Union station is a 100,000-square-foot museum, contains a traditional Coast Salish plank house, a Hooverville shack and a full-size Boeing B-17. 1911 Pacific Ave., 253-272-3500 or 1-800-BE THERE (238-4373).
  • Old Town Historic District: Located on a bluff overlooking Ruston Way in Tacoma, this site is where the city’s first mayor, Job Carr, filed a land claim in 1854. It now features art galleries and restaurants.
  • Point Defiance Park: Distinctive gardens, a public beach, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Fort Nisqually Historic Site. North Tacoma, 5400 N. Pearl St. 253-305-1000.
  • Stadium Historical District: On the National Register of Historic Places contains many historic buildings, including Stadium High School, designed in 1891 to be a luxury hotel for the Northern Pacific Railroad. It became a high school in 1906. 111 N. E St., 253-571-1325.
  • Port of Tacoma Observation Tower: View of the busy Tacoma waterway. One Sitcum Plaza, Tacoma.
  • Seymour Botanical Conservatory: Victorian-style conservatory , extensive collection of exotic tropical plants, cactuses and orchids. Seasonal displays are an added attraction. Wright Park, 316 S. G St. in Tacoma. 253-591-5330.
• Lakewold Gardens: 10-acre estate overlooking Gravelly Lake. Southwest of Tacoma. Self-guided tours year-round. Guided tours April - September by reservation. 12317 Gravelly Lake Drive S.W. 253-584-4106.
• Olympic National Park
• Olympic Peninsula
• Long Beach Peninsula
• Ocean beaches
• Port Townsend
• Portland
• Gig Harbor: Marina, scenery, shops, galleries and restaurants attract tourists year-round. Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, 253-851-6865.
• McChord Air Museum: The museum preserves the history of McChord Air Force Base and displays vintage aircraft and memorabilia. McChord Air Force Base, 253-984-2485.
• Seattle: Often called the Emerald city, seattle enjoys steep hills, lush greenery, water everywhere, Puget Sound, lakes, rivers, canals, snow-capped Mount Rainier in the distance.
  • Pike Place Market, the soul of Seattle, the oldest continually operating farmers market in the country. . .sights, smells, sounds and characters, a place where farmers and craftspeople display their wares, where visitors jostle their way along crowded aisles and brick streets. Salmon fly through the air at fish vendors, vegetable and flower displays are turned into works of art , views of ferries and freighters passing on the bay below. The market is roughhewn poetry, always in motion.
  • A lively downtown district of department stores, specialty shops, renovated historic theaters, multi-plex cinemas, espresso stands, restaurants and unexpected shopping experiences.
  • City Centre's atrium includes a dazzling display of art glass, with work by Dale Chihuly and others from the internationally known Pilchuck School .
  • Westlake Center spacious exterior balconies overlook Westlake Park, the city's unofficial gathering place, where the paving tiles display a Northwest Indian design.
  • The Washington State Convention & Trade Center sits atop Interstate 5, an ingenious solution that put it within walking distance of more than 6,000 hotel rooms and also linked it with Freeway Park, a peaceful urban oasis with a cascading waterfall.
  • Seattle's downtown is enjoying a cultural and structural rebirth. The Nordstrom flagship store at 6th & Pine is a brilliant counterpoint to Pacific Place, an upscale retail, dining and entertainment complex in the adjoining block. In fact, entertainment abounds in the downtown core, with new dining and shopping options appearing regularly. New hotels including the W Hotel Seattle and the Elliott (connected to an expanding convention center) heighten the downtown view as
    well. "Hammering Man," a mammoth sculpture, stands guard at the entrance to the Seattle Art Museum, a striking post-modern structure designed by famed architect Robert Venturi. A dramatic grand staircase leading to noteworthy permanent exhibits of art from Africa and Native American Northwest art, as well as traveling exhibits from around the globe.
  • The Denny Regrade, also known as Belltown, is downtown's hippest area, a fast-developing scene of cutting edge clubs, boutiques, taverns, galleries and restaurants, plus high-rise condominiums and apartments that have suddenly jump-started this long-neglected part of the city. Now, it's Axis and The Vogue, where Flying Fish meets the Crocodile Cafe.
  • Tillicum Village (Waterfront)
  • Elliott Bay Book Company (Pioneer Square)
  • Uwajimaya Market (Chinatown/International District)
  • Space Needle (Seattle Center/Queen Anne)
  • Woodland Park Zoo (North Seattle)
  • Alki Drive (West Seattle)
  • Snoqualmie Falls (Bellevue & Eastside)
  • Ferries (Puget Sound & Beyond)
• Meeker Mansion: 1890 Victorian homebuilt by pioneer Ezra Meeker contains original stained glass and hand-carved fireplaces that were shipped around Cape Horn. 312 Spring St., Puyallup, 253-848-1770.
• Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad: Vintage steam engine tour through 14 miles of scenic wilderness area. Runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The Cascadian Dinner Train - Saturday evenings. 54124 Mountain Highway E., Elbe, 360-569-2588.
• Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge: One of the few untouched river deltas in the country, wildlife-viewing trails, 5.5 miles of hiking trails. Take Exit 114 off Interstate 5. 100 Brown Farm Road, 360-753-9467.
• Northwest Trek Wildlife Park: The 635-acre park, North American animals such as bison, bears, wolves, cougars, moose and birds of prey, naturalist-guided trams, animals roam freely, Cheney Discovery Center. 11610 Trek Drive E., Eatonville, 253-847-1901 or 1-800-433-8735.
• Ohop Indian Village: Hands-on, living-history educational facility depicting coastal American Indian life before contact with Europeans. 7716 Ohop Valley Road E., 360-832-6300.
• Pioneer Farm Museum: 1887 and 1888 log cabins, a pole barn, a blacksmith shop, pioneer chores. Hands on living history Museum is open seven days a week during summer and on weekends in spring and fall. Three miles north of Eatonville between Highway 7 and Highway 161, 7761 Ohop Valley Road E., Eatonville. 360-832-6300.
• Steilacoom: 1854 community was designated a National Historic District in 1974 withThirty-two buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Site of the state’s first courthouse, oldest church north of the Columbia River. Steilacoom Historical Museum Association, 112 Main St., Steilacoom, 253-584-4133.
  • Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center and Museum: A 1903 church building houses the museum, exhibits covering the life and history of the Steilacoom Indians, gift shop features American Indian artists. Closed Mondays. 1515 Lafayette St., Steilacoom, 253-584-6308.