Pssst. Educational summer break ideas galore - but don't tell the kids

It's nearly summer - ready for a break? Step away from the crowds, frenzied airports and travel lines and set your sights on a visit to Washington's Capital City. Families find a range of hotel rooms and inns along with a plethora of activities to keep those little brains, hands and legs moving full steam ahead.  Some of our favorite picks for summertime fun follow ... just don't tell the little ones, they might learn a little, but about conservation, science or the environment mid-adventure.

Hikes for little legs. Get heart rates up and learn about local wildlife at two family-friendly trails. Wildflowers offer an ideal time to check out the Mima Mounds, a scenic and flat prairie exploration. Kids like to speculate what may have caused these mysterious mounds, and a network of trails range from 1.5 to 2.75 miles.  The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge provides a network of flat trails, overlooks and boardwalks for spotting local wildlife. The Junior Refuge Manager Program puts kids ages 4-11 "on the job" while the Nature Explore Area, designed for kids ages 2-8, provides a place for up-close and hands-on interaction with nature.  

Walk on the wild side. Get up-close and personal with wolves while learning about conservation and rehabilitation at Wolf Haven International, a nationally recognized wolf sanctuary that has rescued and provided a lifetime home for 200 displaced, captive-born animals since 1982. Recommended for kids six and above, guided 50-minute walking visits offer guests a rare, close-up view of wolves. On a typical visit, guests may see up to 10 sanctuary residents. An optional walking tour meanders a trail through restored prairie landscape.

Make a splash at the WET (Water, Education and Technology) Science Center, a hands-on destination where kids learn all about water - one of our most precious resources. Exhibits and games for all ages focus on water conservation, wastewater treatment, reclaimed water use, clean water careers, and protecting Puget Sound. Admission is always complimentary courtesy of the center's operator, the LOTT Clean Water Alliance, a nonprofit corporation. Then head across the street to the Hands On Children's Museum to splash in the water exhibits and float your own boat.

Summer break - adult style. Why let all the learning take place in the office this year? Indulge in a break for adults that hones a new hobby, career or talent with a variety of learning vacations around Thurston County.

• Become your own brewmaster at Cascadia Home Brew. This nanobrewery in downtown Olympia has all the components to support a seasoned brewer or a first timer. House recipes, equipment and classes are all at your fingertips. Learn more at cascadiahomebrew.com/u-brew.html.

• Hone culinary skills with a variety of classes at Pantry, the new community cooking school located in 222 Market.

• Get inspired with a new artistic skill. Local artisans teach their trade at Arbutus Folk School. Learn the basics of ceramics, black-smithing, stone-carving, wood-working, fiber arts and much more at Arbutus or in studios around the region.  Classes run throughout the year and often take place on the weekends. Go to arbutusfolkschool.org/current-classes for more information or to register.

• Stay a night, a week or more as you perfect your craft. A variety of hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts will provide much needed rest after a day in the "classroom." Find details at visitolympia.com or connect with the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Convention & Visitor Bureau on Facebook, Twitter (@VisitOlympia) and Instagram (@VisitOlympia).