Few places in Washington State offer the unique advantages of living and working in Mason County.

Scenic beauty and a variety of outdoor activities make Mason County a prime tourist destination, with outdoor enthusiasts flocking by the thousands every summer from Seattle, or traveling from as far away as Oregon to explore some of the finest underwater scuba diving in the Pacific Northwest.

Olympic National Park, with its Staircase entrance at the western edge of the county, attracts visitors from all over the world.

As world-famous as the Olympic Peninsula is for its giant trees and mist-shrouded mountains, the same stature can be claimed by Mason County’s wood products industry, for which Shelton has been a world leader since the 1850s.

Steady growth and progressive environmental practices in the county’s commercial shellfish industry have earned it a strong reputation as well. Local producers like Taylor Shellfish Farms ship their prized Pacific oysters to top restaurants, seafood and grocery stores all over the world.

Even our local ice cream has gained world-wide recognition. Family-owned Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, nestled in the fertile Skokomish Valley, was recently named by ice cream expert and syndicated columnist Stan Isaacs as one of the “Top 10” chocolate flavors in the world.

Many other aspects of Mason County are acclaimed as world class: rugged hiking and biking trails, scenic views, salmon fishing, crabbing, shrimping, and water sports on 28 spectacular lakes. Fans of golf have five courses to choose from.

However, what many business owners and residents enjoy most about Mason County is that it remains a world apart from the densely populated areas surrounding Seattle.

Though it’s only 90 minutes from Shelton to Seatac International Airport, Mason County is “worlds away” when it comes to Seattle’s traffic congestion, cost of living and price of homes.

By employing high-speed cable and other forms of Internet access, businesses in and around Shelton have remained up-to-the-minute competitive. For truck deliveries, it’s only 20 minutes from Shelton to Interstate 5, the West Coast’s main transport arterial.

As one business leader said recently, “We’re close to the hustle and bustle, but with a character all our own.”