'''Tacoma''' [http://www.cityoftacoma.org/] in Washington, is the state's second-largest city, with just under 200,000 residents. It is served by Sea-Tac airport [http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/], which serves Seattle, Tacoma, and the greater Seattle area. Tacoma often gets a negative description that is similar to the one given to Oakland, California but in the same way, this comes from those who have never lived in or even visited the city. While it has neither the tourist amenities of its neighbor Seattle to the north nor the suburban safety of Olympia to the south, one can certainly spend a few pleasant days in Tacoma and see the city's dynamic art scene as well as its great ballet.
Get in
In addition to Sea-Tac airport (and taxi/limo or rental car), there are:
Commuter rail service [http://www.soundtransit.org/x71.xml] from Tacoma to Seattle and back, with the majority of trains running to Seattle in the morning and to Tacoma in the evening.
A ferry to and from Vashon Island [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/current/index.cfm?route=pd-tal]. (Don't plan on walking anywhere when you get to Vashon Island; you'll need a car to get anywhere worth seeing.)
Amtrak Cascades trains [http://www.amtrak.com/trains/cascades.html] running between Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) and Eugene, Oregon, stopping in Tacoma. (Amtrak [http://www.amtrak.com/index.html] also has trains that go to California and to points east, from Tacoma.)
Sound Transit buses from Seattle, SeaTac, and Lakewood [http://soundtransit.org/x10314.xml]
Intercity Transit buses from Olympia [http://www.intercitytransit.com/page.cfm?id=routeExpress]
Get around
'''Tacoma LINK''' [http://www.soundtransit.org/x2099.xml] A light rail/streetcar line that runs between Freighthouse Square (near the Tacoma Dome and the train station) and downtown, with a stop that serves the Washington State History Museum / University of Washington, Tacoma area. Trains runs every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.
'''Pierce Transit''' [http://www.piercetransit.org] operates local routes on buses that run on natural gas. The system is typical of a North American public transit system: not all that nice.
See
Point Defiance Park
Over 100 years old, Point Defiance Park [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=24] features old growth forests, gardens, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium [http://www.pdza.org], Owen Beach [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=80], Fort Nisqually Living History Museum [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=825], and Camp 6 Logging Museum [http://www.camp-6-museum.org/c6.html], as well as a playground and countless hiking trails.
Museums
Tacoma is home to a variety of museums:
Washington State History Museum [http://www.wshs.org/]
Tacoma Art Museum [http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/]
Museum of Glass [http://www.museumofglass.org/] - you can cross to or from this museum on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass [http://www.chihuly.com/bridgeofglass/projectdescription.html] - and no, the bridge is not made of glass - it's 500 feet long, over Interstate 705, with glasswork exhibits.
Children's Museum of Tacoma [http://www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org/]
Fort Nisqually Living History Museum [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/page.php?id=825]
Camp 6 Logging Museum [http://www.camp-6-museum.org/c6.html]
Working Waterfront Museum [http://www.wwfrontmuseum.org/]
LeMay - America's Car Museum [http://www.lemaymuseum.org/] - while the new LeMay museum will be breaking ground soon in Downtown Tacoma, hundreds of cars in the collection are on display year round at the current museum campus in South Tacoma, near Spanaway. Vehicles of note include a 1948 Tucker, of which less than 21 are on public display worldwide, and the Flintmobile used in the 1994 Flintstones film.
Other
The Seymour Botanical Conservatory [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/parks/conservatory.view], within Wright Park [http://www.discoverparks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=parkdetails&park_id=85].
Union Station [http://w3.gsa.gov/web/p/interaia_save.nsf/0/9bd4cada2cde228c852565d90053a19c?OpenDocument] and its Dale Chihuly glass exhibits [http://www.chihuly.com/installations/unionstation/statement.html]. Next to the Washington State History Museum.
University of Washington, Tacoma [http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/shopuwt/] - located in an old business district near downtown. A suggested walking tour [http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/shopuwt/docs/walking_tour.pdf] is available. (UW Tacoma is across the street from the Washington State History Museum.)
Brown & Haley's Outlet Store The [https://www.brown-haley.com/outletstores.cfm] near the factory (most famous for Almond RocaR candy).
A new convention center [http://www.tacomaconventioncenter.com/] opened in late 2004.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was recently remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $3.00 toll for those returning to Tacoma)[http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr16narrowsbridge/]. (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse [http://www.ketchum.org/bridgecollapse.html].)
Do
'''The Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor Bureau''' [http://www.traveltacoma.com/] has its Visitor Information Center at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in downtown Tacoma (1515 Commerce Street). Visitor guides, maps and brochures on area attractions are avaialable, and the center includes a new computer station where visitors can research travel information on the Internet.
'''Tacoma Musical Playhouse''' [http://tmp.org/] runs musical plays throughout the year, using local talent. This group has grown to become one of the South Sound's biggest draws, so buy your tickets early for the popular shows.
Buy
Freighthouse Square [http://www.freighthousesquare.com/] is a building three city blocks long, with shops and eating places inside, near the Tacoma Dome. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Tacoma Mall [http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=238], near Interstate 5 (at the 38th Street exit) is a major shopping center in Tacoma. A wide variety of stores extending well to the north and south of the mall, as well.
Eat
'''6th Avenue''' has some affordable restaurants.
Primo Grill. n 6th & South Pine. Moderately Priced, Italian/Mediterranean, Lunch & Dinner.
Asado. n 6th & South Pine. Pricey, Argentinian, Dinner.
Gateway to India. n 6th & South Fife. Inexpensive, Indian, Lunch & Dinner.
Southern Kitchen. n 6th & Division. Inexpensive, Southern/Soul, Lunch & Dinner.
Wild Orchid. n 6th & South Cedar. Inexpensive, Pan-Asian, Lunch & Dinner.
Silk Thai. th Ave. Mid priced, Lunch & Dinner, Delicious Thai Dishes.
Maxwell's. th Ave & St. Helens. Moderately Priced, Dinner & Cocktails, Northwest small plates.
'''Pacific Avenue''' has some of Tacoma's newest restaurants.
El Gaucho. n Downtown Tacoma near 21st Street and Pacific Avenue. Pricey, Steaks & Chops, Dinner.
Melting Pot. n Downtown Tacoma near 21st Street and Pacific Avenue. Pricey, Fondue, Dinner.
Pacific Grill. 502 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA 98402. ear the hotels and Convention Center in Downtown Tacoma on 15th Street and Pacific Avenue. 253)627-3535 . ttp://www.pacificgrilltacoma.com/. New American. Steaks & Seafood, Lunch & Dinner. Known for Tacoma's Best Happy Hour
Sea Grill. ear the hotels and Convention Center in Downtown Tacoma on 15th Street and Pacific Avenue. Pricey, Seafood, Lunch & Dinner.
Indochine. ear the University of Washington, Tacoma is on 19th and Pacific. Not pricey (and rather enjoyable), Pan-Asian, Lunch & Dinner.
</eat>
Johnny's Dock. ight across Thea Foss Waterway from Pacific Avenue on D street. Steak and Seafood, Great Views of Downtown and the Museum of Glass.
The Rock. n downtown Tacoma near S 19th and Jefferson Ave. offers a great lunch or dinner, inexpensive pizza and pasta
'''South Tacoma''' has wonderful Asian restaurants.
Wendy's II. ear the Tacoma Mall, on Tacoma Mall Blvd. Inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine, Lunch and Dinner.
The Palace Restaurant. orner of South Tacoma Way and Steilacoom Blvd. Informal Korean restaurant. Cook at the table or order ready to eat. Lunch, Dinner, Drinks. Open late.
Tacoma Szechuan. n the Paldo World stripmall, corner of 96th and South Tacoma Way. Authentic Chinese food. Moderate prices. Lunch, Dinner, Bubble Tea.
'''Lincoln District''' has international flavor.
Vien Dong. 801 Yakima Ave, Tacoma, WA, 98418. orner or 38th & Yakima west of Pacific. 253) 472-6668. Excellent & authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Low to moderate prices. Well known locally & busy at lunch. Excellent Pho soup.
Drink
Up on Tacoma's MLK Way is the terrific Tempest Lounge [http://www.tempestlounge.com/]. Scenesters and neighbors mingle in this gay-friendly bar, craving the cool cocktails and tasty treats.
Right around the corner from Tempest is the equally fabulous Monsoon Room [http://themonsoonroom.com/]. Featuring a huge list of traditional - and some very non-traditional - cocktails, they turn out some astonishing flavors. The Mai Tai is not to be missed. -'''The Monsoon Room closed in late 2008'''-
For old-school, straight-out-of-the-'70s flava, the bar at Johnny's Dock [http://www.johnnysdock.com/] is a must [especially for the nice days on the deck]. From the naugahyde swivel chairs to the odd touches of brass, this place hasn't had its mousse ruffled in a while. They serve workmanlike drinks, but they've got a great deck and happy hour prices apply during any televised sporting event.
Engine House 9, aka E9 [http://www.ehouse9.com/about.php] is in the trendy 6th avenue area. A great beer list and karaoke on Thursdays make this bar very popular with college students from the local University of Puget Sound. Metrosexual atmosphere welcome & encouraged. <6th and Pine>
Farrelli's is located up 6th Ave from E9, popular place for college students
'''The Mix''' 635 St Helens Ave. in Downtown's St. Helens Neighborhood caters to a mostly gay crowd but all are welcome with open arms. On weekend nights The Mix [http://www.myspace.com/themixtacoma] is packed with 20 and 30 somethings having a good time.
Club Silverstone. 39 1/2 St. Helens Ave.. 253) 404-0273. ttp://clubsilverstone.com/. Club Silverstone is Tacoma's largest gay nightclub. It is in the Theater District in Downtown Tacoma. During the week the club is lowkey but on the weekends the club gets busy with dancing all night long.
Sleep
The four major downtown hotels in the city are:
'''Hotel Murano''',[http://www.hotelmuranotacoma.com/] 1320 Broadway Plaza, +1 253 238-8000.
Silver Cloud [http://www.silvercloud.com/tacoma.htm], on a two-mile long scenic waterfront, Ruston Way [http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/parks/rustonway.view].
A Courtyard by Marriott [http://marriott.com/property/propertyPage/SEATD], which opened in June 2005, downtown near the Convention Center.
Comfort Inn Tacoma [http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel/wa087] is a 90 room hotel located 5 miles south from the downtown corridor.
The Villa [http://www.villabb.com/] is a highly rated, luxury six-room bed and breakfast hotel in the Stadium district. Their website has restaurant recommendations [http://www.villabb.com/restaurant.htm].
Stay safe
While Tacoma's crime problem has improved over the past decade, the city still has a high crime rate relative to other Northwest cities. While traveling in Tacoma, exercise the same caution you would in any other urban area. Visitors should especially exercise caution when entering seedy neighborhoods such as East Tacoma and Hill Top after dark. Visitors should also be careful when entering the surrounding suburbs of Lakewood, Spanaway and Parkland. Crime problems in Lakewood sometimes run over into near by Parkland. As always when traveling alone or at night, avoid poorly-lit areas with little foot traffic.
Get out
Near Tacoma are some other things worth visiting, listed roughly north to south:
To the northwest, the waterfront town of Gig Harbor [http://www.gigharborchamber.com/visitors.html].
To the northeast, Rhododendron Species Foundation and Garden [http://www.rhodygarden.org], and the adjacent Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection [http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/aboutus/whereweoperate/worldheadquarters/bonsaicollection.asp] in Federal Way, just off Interstate 5.
Wild Waves [http://www.wildwaves.com/], a water-themed amusement park, also in Federal Way, just off Interstate 5.
To the south, Lakewold Gardens Estate [http://www.lakewold.org/], in Lakewood.
Also to the south, Northwest Trek [http://www.nwtrek.org/], a 615-acre park that is home to more than 200 North American animals.
To the southeast, Mount Rainier National Park [http://www.nps.gov/mora/home.htm], and the nearby Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad [http://www.MRSR.com].