Things To Do
Shona's Food Company
Shona makes amazing food using ingredients from local farms. Her beverages feature adaptogenic mushrooms and herbs. Visit her cozy cafe nestled within the same space as the Ewe and I yarn shop.
Shakespeare & Company: Used Books
They usually serve food from 11:30-2:30 using ingredients from local farms, as well as baked goods and beverages, herbal lemonades etc. They are the best for vegan/vegatarian/ and gluten free options. I rarely walk into the place without finding an amazing used book to take home.
Mint City Coffee Roasting
Best coffee in Chehalis.
Centralia
Definitely spend some time on Tower Ave. in downtown Centralia. We spend many weekends perusing the antique stores here. Shady Lady, Tower Antiques, Ayala Emporium, Book Bone & Stone, Timeless Treasures, and The Landlord's Daughter are some favorites. The Olympic Club used to be a gentleman's club. McMenamin's restored it beautifully and it's a great place to grab a cocktail, meal, and/or movie.
Taqueria Juquilita
Really good Mexican food.
The Centerville Cafe
Diner food that isn't greasy. Reasonably priced. No pretense. Inclusive space. Breakfast and lunch.
Jeremy's Farm to Table
Food for everyone using ingredients from local farms. They also have a farm stand.
Somsiri Thai
We love their food. It's usually just an older gentleman in the kitchen and his wife managing the front of the house, so they are often closed and service can be slow, but the food is worth it.
McFiler's
Family friendly dive bar vibes. It's always night-time inside. They have board games, pinball, kids menu, and often have shows later on weekends. They can make any burger with a veggie patty even though their menu doesn't say so. They are good!
McFiler's Chehalis Theater
Tim Filer's new place, bigger, grander, and fancier than the dive bar. Fine dining options, mostly steak. The balcony has a casual bar for smaller bites and craft cocktails. If they have an event or movie playing it will be worthwhile. They lovingly restored this historic theatre.
The Quincy
Finer dining and steakhouse. We prefer the bar in the back, Middle Duck. They have excellent craft cocktails and snacks. You can also order off the Quincy's menu at Middle Duck. This is one of Carlo's clients. The owner and staff are very friendly and work really hard.
Dawn's Delectables Dessert & Sandwich Shoppe
Breakfast and lunch. Tip: If the weather is nice, order from the window and eat in the courtyard.
Shanghai Cafe
This was originally a beloved Chinese restaurant. The current family who owns the restaurant kept the original neon sign and name but they serve mostly fresh and delicious Vietnamese food. They also have some Thai, Chinese, and Korean dishes.
Riverside Golf Club & Bistro (Including The Rooftop Bar)
You can play a round of golf or just hit up the covered driving range. This course is beautiful and hugs the Chehalis River.
Penny Playground
Best described as an extreme playground. Keep your kids occupied for hours for free. Treat yourself to a burrito at Juquilita down the street when you are done. Or even better, order to it to go on your way there and eat at a picnic table while your kids blow off steam.
Gail And Carolyn Shaw Aquatic Center
Another cool place to bring your kids.
Great Wolf Lodge Water Park | Grand Mound
For kids. If you choose not to lodge here they have day passes ($100) and half-day passes ($80) available.
McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge
Stop here on your way to or from Portland. You can watch big ships pass by along the Columbia River from their Cloudtop Bar. There's also a park with accessible restrooms, beach access, and picnic tables.
Day Trip: Union, WA
When we lived at Oyster Bay, visiting Union was a favorite activity. In fact, when we thought we were going to have a big wedding in 2020 (that joke was on us) we had picked Robinhood Village Resort in Union as our venue. Union hugs Hood Canal with views of the Olympic Mountains. We suggest eating at either Hook and Fork (food cooked on an open fire on the beach) or Alderbrook Resort. If you are really fancy, you could stay at Alderbrook Resort. Alderbrook has trails "for guest only" but no one has ever stopped us from hiking them. Alderbook also has boat and paddle board rentals. You don't need to be a hotel guest to rent them. Alderbrook also has a luxury day spa. Treatment grants you access to their enclosed swimming pool and saunas. Twanoh Falls state park has trails, a boat launch, swimming, and camping areas. I love getting ice cream and browsing the green houses at Hunter Farms. Take Hwy 101, to Purdy Creek Rd. for the most scenic drive out there.
Day Trip: Olympic National Park - Staircase and Lake Cushman
Staircase is the southern access point to Olympic National Park. It also tends to be a little less crowded than the coastal options. To get there you drive up 101 along Hood Canal to Hoodsport. You do have to take a gravel road to access the park, but it winds along Lake Cushman where there are many places to stop for lake access. It can get crowded in the summer, so best on a weekday. The trails at staircase are easy to manage. I have a secret river spot about a 2 mile hike in, that I can point you to where you could easily spend an entire day with a book.
Olympic Bakery & Deli
Neil and Judith own this modest bakery serving mainly the Island town called Harstine. They are a destination stop in the heart of Shelton. Neil's Ruglas are the best and Judith's food is amazing. The Bakery started out as one of Carlo's wine accounts, then they quickly became friends. If anyone ends up in Union it's a must visit.
Extended Trip: Olympic Peninsula
A lot of people travel to WA to do the Olympic Peninsula loop. We've done it. I'd say the highlights are Hamma Hamma, Port Townsend, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc Falls and Hot Springs, Kalaloch, and Quinault Lake/Lodge. It can get very crowded in the summer which takes some of the magic away from incredible places like Ruby Beach and the Hoh Rainforest. I'd give yourself at least 3 days to explore this area properly. If you want to camp or stay in a lodge, you need to book 6-9 months out.
Day Trip: Portland
If you are flying in to Portland, you might as well spend some time here exploring. Marissa has lived in the Alberta neighborhood as well as East Bursnide. There are amazing restaurants, parks and neighborhoods. Marissa's favorite is Mississippi.
Day Trip: Seattle
There are endless things to do and see in Seattle, from museums, to markets, to neighborhoods.
Day Trip: Snoqualmie
Get a taste of the mountains, 30 minutes outside of Seattle. Snoqualmie and North Bend are the filming location for Twin Peaks. Hike one of the areas many trails and reward yourself with a meal at our favorite Thai restaurant in WA, Thai Eatery. Yes, it's next to a gas station. Visit Salish Lodge and see the falls. There is an easy 1 mile hike down to the bottom of them. If you go at sunset you might catch a rainbow in the spray. The town of Snoqualmie is charming and the brewery is nice.
Day Trip: Packwood
Drive out into the mountains along scenic Hwy 12. Explore parks and lakes on your way. Mayfield Lake is 20 minutes away from Chehalis and best accessed from Ike Kwinsa State Park. It has swimming and areas to paddle board, a boat launch, and cabins. Randle has Cowlitz Falls Lavender Farm and Lake Scanewa, one of our favorite paddle spots. We stayed in Packwood for my birthday last year. Hotel Packwood is charming. Packwood Brewery is fun and delicious. The Ice Cream Air Stream parks in their beer garden with views of the Goat Rocks wilderness. There is a Thai food truck, a bakery, and numerous trails. What more do you need in life?
Day Trip: Willapa Bay and the Discovery Coast
We like driving west on HWY 6. There is a bike trail, the Willapa Hills trail that stretches this route from Chehalis to South Bend. Stop at Tokeland Hotel for the best biscuits of your life. Marissa enjoyed staying here overnight, but Carlo disagreed, so decide for yourself. You can drive from Tokeland all the way down the coast to the Long Beach Peninsula and Astoria. If you want to skip Tokeland you can drive more directly there on I-5. We love Astoria and Cape Disappointment State Park. Long Beach has a ton of cool places most notably: Adrift (hotel and distillery). Their restaurant, the Pickled Fish, has excellent food and views. The Shelburne Hotel is charming and delicious.