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Lacey sits on a forested glacial plain between Olympia and the Nisqually River delta, a place of small lakes, long paved trails and quiet saltwater inlets reaching down from southern Puget Sound. Originally a railroad and resort stop called Woodland, it took the name of local landowner O.C. Lacey and only incorporated as a city in 1966, growing quickly into one of the larger communities of Thurston County.
The oldest institution in town is Saint Martin's, founded by Benedictine monks in 1895, whose abbey church and wooded campus still anchor the north side of the city. The small Lacey Museum tells the story of the early farms, the Woodland settlement and the arrival of the military at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Long Lake Park offers a swimming beach in summer, and the Chehalis Western and Woodland trails let cyclists ride for miles without traffic.
Lacey makes a convenient base for the wild shoreline around it: the boardwalk of the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, the harbor seals and herons of Woodard Bay, and the beach at Tolmie State Park. The state capitol in Olympia is about fifteen minutes west.
A small state park on Nisqually Reach with a sandy and cobble beach, a saltwater marsh, wooded hiking trails and an underwater park with sunken structures for scuba divers. Low tide exposes sand dollars and tide pools. A Discover Pass is required for parking.
A former logging railroad terminus on Henderson Inlet, now a protected shoreline where harbor seals haul out on old log booms, great blue herons nest in the trees and bats roost under the old trestle. A paved path follows the former rail line to the bay. Leave dogs at home; they are not allowed.
The home of the Benedictine monks who founded Saint Martin's University in 1895. Visitors can attend prayer services in the abbey church and walk the wooded campus that grew around it, one of the oldest institutions in the South Sound. Be quiet near the monastery, which is a working religious community.
A small city-run museum covering Lacey from its days as the Woodland railroad stop and resort area to its growth as a modern city, with photos, farm tools, school memorabilia and changing exhibits. Admission is free, and opening hours are limited, so check the city website before you go.
A paved multi-use trail built on a former Weyerhaeuser logging railroad, running north to Woodard Bay and south through farms and forest toward the Deschutes River valley. It is flat and easy for cycling, walking and skating. Combine it with the Woodland Trail for a long loop through Lacey and Olympia.
A paved greenway that runs through the heart of Lacey along an old rail corridor, linking neighborhoods and parks with Olympia to the west and the Chehalis Western Trail to the east. It is lined with trees and benches, making it an easy morning walk or a commuting route for local cyclists.
A lakeside city park on Long Lake with a roped swimming area, sandy beach, picnic shelters, a fishing dock and a hand-carried boat launch. Lifeguards are usually on duty on summer afternoons. Parking fills early on hot weekends, so arrive in the morning or late in the day.
A large community park in south Lacey with sports fields, a big playground, a spray ground, paved walking loops and picnic shelters. It is where many local families spend summer evenings, and on clear days there are views toward Mount Rainier from the open fields, which give the park its name.
The county fair held each summer at the Thurston County Fairgrounds in Lacey, with livestock barns, 4-H exhibits, carnival rides, live music, fair food and pie contests. It runs for several days in late July or early August. Weekday daytime visits are the least crowded and best for young children.
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Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Washington, United States
Photo: OlympiaBuebird, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Farragutful, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Loco Steve, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: BL Weeks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: kimberly barr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: kimberly barr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: kimberly barr, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jon Roanhaus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Saint Martin's Abbey, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Steven Pavlov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
