Take a Geological Field Trip of Olympia, WA
As a kid, I remember taking a trip to the state capitol in Olympia. It was a long drive and it seemed like it was never going to end. Once we got there though, the big buildings were kind of cool, made of marble and all. Times have definitely changed and I’ve gotten old and boring. Rocks are now interesting. Over the summer, I might make a jaunt down there with this handy brochure and find out just where the stone source of all of these buildings came from. Click here for a link to a web page and PDF brochure or just visit: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/captour.htm
Another visit that might be of interest would be to the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. The building was constructed to show abstract interpretations of the landscape of Washington. You can also visit the extensive collection of fossils in this building. The Division of Geology and Earth Resources, room 148 on the first floor, has a large display of rocks, fossils, and minerals. They are available for viewing Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. For more information, visit their page here: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/nrbtour.htm
This kind of adventure is a bit off the beaten path, so don’t expect to see hoards of tour buses around, which might be a nice change, and a bit easeir on the pocket-book!