Nestled along the western shore of Budd Inlet is Olympia's Westside neighborhood. A short drive from the capitol and only a few blocks from Olympia's trendy downtown area, this historic community boasts an active real estate market with affordable, classic homes, mostly built between 1940 and 1960.  The Westside neighborhood is bordered on the east by Puget Sound's picturesque Budd Inlet and beautiful Capitol Lake. Muirhead Avenue loosely defines the northern edge of the community, while Division Street marks the western border, and Decatur Street indicates its southern extremity.

The walkable Westside neighborhood boasts several family-friendly parks. With a lovely playground, Decatur Park in the southeastern portion of the neighborhood is a perfect place for families with kids to spend an enjoyable afternoon. Further north, the Garfield Nature Trail and Park features a well-maintained hiking trail that meanders through the five-acre park and connects the neighborhood to scenic West Bay Drive.  Along the shore of Budd Inlet is the West Bay Waterfront Park. This lovely community park offers grassy lawns, sandy beaches, paved pathways for walking and biking, and a handheld boat launch for canoes, kayaks and rubber rafts.

An assortment of locally owned businesses call Olympia's Westside neighborhood home, including:

Olympia Coffee Roasting Company

Located on Cherry Street, this locally owned and operated boutique coffee roaster was voted Roast Magazine's 2013 Roaster of the Year.

Olympia Food Co-Op

The Westside branch of this members-only food cooperative located on Northwest Roger's Street specializes in fairly priced, locally grown produce.

Tugboat Annie's

Since 1999, this family-friendly waterfront restaurant has featured freshly prepared pub food and breakfast as well as locally brewed boutique beers on tap. Annie's also offers catering and kayak rentals.

Triceratops Brewing

You can find Triceratops' craft beers on tap at various venues around the Sound.

These are just a few of the local businesses and national chains found in the Westside neighborhood, and if you can't find what you want here, the Westfield Capital Mall is just a short drive away.

Affordability, easy access to public transportation and breathtaking vistas make it easy to see why the Westside neighborhood is Olympia's best.

OLYMPIA COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 108 Cherry St. NE, Olympia, 360.753.0066

OLYMPIA FOOD CO-OP, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily,  921 Rogers St. NW, Olympia, 360.754.7666

TUGBOAT ANNIE'S, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2100 West Bay Dr. NW, Olympia, 360.943.1850