Tacoma

Tacoma in the state of Washington, is the state's second-largest city, with just under 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.

Understand

Tacoma often gets a negative description reminiscent of the one given to Oakland, California. These negative vibes are equally unrealistic and often come 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, you can certainly spend a few pleasant days in Tacoma.

  • 🌍 The Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor Bureau, 1515 Commerce St (in the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel). Its Visitor Information Center is in the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in downtown Tacoma (1515 Commerce St). Visitor guides, maps and brochures on area attractions are available. (updated Jun 2023)

Get in

By plane

The 🌍 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) (SEA IATA) is the nearest airport for commercial flights. It is 25 mi/40 km north of Tacoma. The airport serves much of the greater Seattle Metropolitan area and the Pacific NW. Options besides taxi/limo or rental car are:

  • Sound Transit Rt #574. Daily express bus between Lakewood, Tacoma, Federal Way, Kent, SeaTac light rail station and the airport. 
  • ShuttleExpress, ☏ +1 425 981-7000. Operates shared and private shuttle services between the airport and hotels & residents within the Tacoma-Seattle-Bellevue-Everett corridor and its vicinity. Catch them at the 3rd level of the parking garage. During the morning commute hours (7-10AM), it may not be best to take this transportation if you go to downtown Seattle unless you have a lot of baggage to take care of; the more spacious Link Light Rail trains will get you there for about the same duration or even quicker. Walk-ins are allowed for trips from the airport (shared vans only), reservations necessary for trips to the airport. Downtown from $18. 
  • Capital Aeroporter, toll-free: +1-800-962-3579. For areas mainly south of the airport (Tacoma, Olympia, Auburn, Kent, Chehalis, Centralia, Shelton). 
  • Bremerton-Kitsap Aeroporter, (scheduled stop) Ben Dew Clubhouse @ 6501 6th Ave (Smaller tavern in front of the larger Grocery Outlet and Mary's Auto Repair Bldg.), ☏ +1 360 876-1737. Connects the airport to Tacoma, Gig Harbor and the Kitsap Peninsula. They go south on I-5 to Tacoma and over the Narrows Bridge along WA Hwy 16 to get to the Kitsap Peninsula rather than going across on the ferry from Seattle. They also have a separate run between the airport and the Lewis-McChord Joint Military Base. Be sure to have a valid DoD ID card to enter Lewis-McChord. 

By car

Tacoma is along Interstate 5 (I-5), approximately 35 mi south of Seattle (35 min), 293 mi (5 hr) southwest of Spokane, and 143 mi (2½ hr) north of Portland.

  • & From Interstate 5 (I-5) Tacoma is accessed from exits #136 ("Port of Tacoma") through #127 ("S Tacoma Way/WA-512 to Puyallup") along I-5. To get to downtown, exit off at the Interstate 705 off ramp at Exit 133, just beyond the Tacoma dome if going south from I-5, or continue along I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy to get to old town, north Tacoma and the Ruston Way waterfront. Continue to the next exit along I-5 to 132B to get to WA-16 going west towards Gig Harbor, Bremerton and for additional access to other parts of town. To get to Joint Base Lewis McChord continue south past WA-512 to exits #125 ("Bridgeport Way/McChord Field"), #123 ("Thorne Ln"), 122 ("Berkely Ave nearest access to Madigan Hospital and Camp Murray"), 120 ("Joint Base Lewis-McChord") which is the location of the main gate & visitors center into the base, or 119 (Dupont-Steilacoom Rd). Access to the military base is controlled and a valid Dept. of Defense (DoD) ID and vehicle decal are required to be allowed through. Otherwise see the visitors center off of exit 120. Exits 119-125 will come first before getting into Tacoma if going north on I-5 from Olympia.
  • & From Interstate 90 (I-90) coming from eastern Washington exit off at WA-Hwy 18 at Exit # 25. Go south on WA Hwy 18 through Tiger Mountain, Convington, Maple Valley and Auburn to Federal Way where WA-18 merges into I-5. Follow signs to I-5 south to Tacoma.
  • to From Kitsap Peninsula Go south on Hwy 3 and follow signs for "WA-16 EAST to Port Orchard - Tacoma". Continue south along WA-16 through Gig Harbor and across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge into Tacoma. There's a toll to cross the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma but no toll coming the other way into Gig Harbor. There are 5 exits into town from along WA-16 between the bridge and where the highway ends at I-5. Follows signs for I-5 "To Seattle" and exit at the next exit to I-705 to get downtown otherwise follow signs for I-5 south "To Portland" to get to the south or east part of town.
  • N Pearl St connects the Washington State Ferry from Vashon Island to WA-Hwy 16

By bus

The bus station for Greyhound, Northwestern Trailways, Sound Transit, Intercity Transit, Pierce Transit & Link Light Rail is at the Tacoma Dome Station Parking Garage Buildings at 510 - 610 E Puyallup Ave (facing E Puyallup Ave), between East E St and East G St, one block north of Freighthouse Square (2501 East D St). Greyhound, NW Trailways and a taxi stand are at the west building while Sound Transit, Intercity & Pierce Transit buses are next door in front of the east building. The Link Light Rail to downtown Tacoma is at the opposite side of the parking buildings along E 25th, between the E Parking Garage Building and the Freighthouse Square building:

  • 🌍 Flixbus (Operated by MTR Transportation & Greyhound), (bus stop) 2499 E 'G' St (Bus will board at the yellow and red striped bus zone on East 'G' St, across from the Tacoma Dome Station). Service between Seattle and Eugene via Tacoma, Portland and Corvallis along I-5. Some of the Flixbuses may board at the Greyhound Station in the West Parking Garage @ 510 E Puyallup Ave. Check tickets. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Greyhound & Bolt Bus, (Bus station) Tacoma Dome Station, W Parking Bldg @ 510 E Puyallup Ave, ☏ +1 253 383-4621, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Travels primarily on Interstate 5 (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, Kelso/Longview and Portland.) Passengers transfer in Seattle, Olympia or Portland to get to additional destinations. 
  • Northwestern Stage Lines (Northwest Trailways / Salt Lake City Express), (Bus station) Tacoma Dome Station, W Parking Bldg @ 510 E Puyallup Ave, toll-free: +1-800-366-3830. Shuttle service between Tacoma and Spokane (via Seattle, Everett, Stevens Pass, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, George, Moses Lake, Ritzville). Tickets can also be booked with Salt Lake City Express and Megabus. $51 one way to Spokane, $97 round trip. 
  • 🌍 Sound Transit, Tacoma Dome Station, E Parking Bldg @ 610 E Puyallup Ave (Tacoma Dome bus stops, zones A, B and E), ☏ +1-888-889-6368. Operates express routes between Lakewood, Tacoma & Seattle. 
    • Rt #574 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Kent-Des Moines Hwy (SR-516), S 272nd St, Federal Way, Tacoma Dome & Lakewood
    • Rt#586 Downtown Tacoma//UW Tacoma, Tacoma Dome, Federal Way University of Washington/U-District. Operates during weekday rush hours only. No stops in downtown Seattle
    • Rt#590,594 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome Station, Downtown Tacoma/UW Tacoma & Lakewood. Rt 590 travels only between Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma Dome & Downtown Seattle during weekday rush hours only.
    • Rt#592 Downtown Seattle, Lakewood Park & Ride, Lakewood Sounder, Dupont. Northbound only during morning rush hours and southbound only during afternoon rush hours. No stops in downtown Tacoma or Tacoma Dome.
    • Rt#595 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Community College (TCC), Gig Harbor, Purdy. Operates during weekday rush hours only.
    • Link Light Rail runs frequent trains from Freighthouse Square to downtown Tacoma (just north of 9th & Commerce). The train goes by UW Tacoma, several museums, several downtown hotels and the downtown convention center. The stop is along E 25th between the parking garage buildings and the Freighthouse Square building.
  • King County Metro, ☏ +1 206 553-3000. Operates buses in and around Seattle and the surrounding cities and suburbs in King County. Nearest transfer points to King County Metro from Tacoma are in Auburn, Federal Way/NE Tacoma (Rt 182) and the Tahlequah ferry terminal (Rt 119) in the south end of Vashon Island. 
  • 🌍 Pierce Transit (Tacoma Dome Station stops, Zones C, D & E), ☏ +1 253 581-8000, toll-free: +1-800-562-8109. Operates local routes on buses that run on natural gas and connect with other regional transit systems. Pierce transit can also be tracked with a free smartphone app from One Bus Away that provides easy access to real-time transit information for the Puget Sound region and beyond. From the Tacoma Dome Station they go out to the surrounding cities and towns of Federal Way (#500,501,574); Fife (#500); Lakewood (#574, 594 or #3 from downtown); Point Defiance Pk & the Ferry Terminal (#11, The #41 bus going from Tacoma Dome Station to downtown becomes the #11); Puyallup (#400); Gig Harbor (#102 during weekday rush hour or the #1 or #2 from downtown to TCC Transit Center & transfer to Rt #101); downtown Tacoma & UW Tacoma (13, 14, 41, 500, 501, 586, 594 & Link Light Rail) Adult $2, youth $0.75 and is part of the regional Orca payment system. 
  • Intercity Transit 620 operates bus service between Lakewood (SR-512/S Tacoma Way; Lakewood Sounder STation) and Olympia via Lacey.

By train
See also: Rail travel in the United States

There are two train stations. The Amtrak & Sounder Train Stations are in the middle to the west end of the Freighthouse Square Building, adjacent to each other. Both are well marked.

By ferry
  • 🌍 Washington State Ferries, 5810 N Pearl St (North end of Pearl St in Point Defiance Park.), ☏ +1 206-464-6400, toll-free: +1-800-843-3779. There is a ferry connecting from Point Defiance Park in North Tacoma and Talehquah in the south end of Vashon Island. Don't plan on walking anywhere when you get to Vashon Island; you'll need a car to get anywhere worth seeing. Some people bike around the island, but be prepared for major hills. You can continue to Seattle or Port Orchard by crossing the island to the other ferry on the north end of the island. Connects with (Highway 163). (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 Pierce County Ferries, 56 Union Ave, Steilacoom. The county also operates a small car ferry from Steilacoom (at south end of town) to Anderson and Ketron Islands. 
  • 🌍 Tote Maritime (Totem), (port terminal) 500 E Alexander, ☏ +1 253 238-8400. Operates more as a private shipping company than a "ferry" for shipping of personal vehicles and/or personal household goods up to Anchorage AK for those moving between the lower 48 and Alaska. They offer twice weekly sailings up to Alaska. 

Get around

By car

The area's roads are designed more or less around a grid system, where most roads are numbered based on their distance from the city center. Addresses also conform to the numbering of the roads around them. Nearly all streets run with the compass directions. "A" Street, one block east of Pacific Ave (SR-7), divides east from south while Orchard Street divides south from west. 6th Avenue and Division Avenue divide north from south. The numbered roads run east-west, parallel to 6th Avenue, while the named roads run north-south (except for one corner in the North End where everything is rotated by 60°). The addresses on the opposite side of Commencement Bay towards Federal Way between the bay and the King/Pierce County line are in the northeast (NE) part of town. The addresses in Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula all have northwest (NW) designations and Lakewood and Steilacoom are in the Southwest part of town with SW addresses. This also applies to much of the extended areas of unincorporated Pierce County, though the addresses in places like Fife, Milton, Puyallup & Sumner have their own numbering system and are not based on Tacoma's numbering system. Some of the same streets will change names when it crosses from one city/municipality to the next.

By public transit
  • Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253-581-8000. Operates local and regional public transit bus routes in Pierce County. Communities within the county served by this operator's routes include Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, Steilacoom, Tacoma. (updated Jun 2023)
  • Sound Transit, toll-free: +1-888-889-6368. Has regional public transit routes including Sounder trains, Link light rail, and express bus in King County (e.g. Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seattle), Snohomish County (e.g. Everett, Lynnwood), and Pierce County (e.g. Puyallup, Tacoma). (updated Jun 2023)
    • Tacoma LINK 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 run every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.

See

Point Defiance Park

🌍 Point Defiance Park is a 700-acre city park featuring old growth forests, gardens, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, as well as a playground, picnic areas and countless hiking trails. It is the north end of Tacoma and is accessible from I-5 by following I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy which goes along the Ruston Way waterfront to N 51st & Pearl. Go north on Pearl (right turn from N 51st coming from Ruston Way) into the main entrance of the park. From Hwy 16 go north on N Pearl (WA-163) into the park. By bus the #11 goes from downtown (10th & Commerce) to the park. From the Tacoma Dome station take the #41 bus going into downtown which becomes the #11 bus so no transferring of buses needed.

Museums

Tacoma is home to a variety of interesting museums:

  • 🌍 Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, ☏ +1 253 591-5339. Fort Nisqually, the first European settlement on Puget Sound, was a bustling center of trade that expanded into a large-scale agricultural enterprise. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 Foss Waterway Seaport (Working Waterfront Maritime Museum), 705 Dock St (On I-705 go past downtown which becomes Schuster Pkwy. Right turn at 4th which is the light past Tacoma), ☏ +1 253 272-2750. W-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. The Foss Waterway Seaport celebrates & exhibits Tacoma's rich maritime heritage—past, present and future. Located on the waterfront in a century-old wooden wheat warehouse, built for cargo arriving by rail and departing by sail ("where rails met sails") during the early years of Tacoma. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 LeMay – America's Car Museum (ACM), 2702 East D St (Across East D St from the Tacoma Dome. Entrance at south end of building), ☏ +1 253 779-8490. Daily 10AM-5PM. Guided tour daily 11AM, lasts 75-90 minutes. More than 400 cars are on display in this densely-packed four-story museum. Vehicles of note include a 1948 Tucker, of which less than 21 are on public display, and the Flintmobile used in the 1994 Flintstones film. Expect to spend 2 hours or more to see the whole museum. The permanent collection can be a bit repetitive, while rotating exhibits like supercars or alternative propulsion are more engaging. Fairly educational, but younger children may be bored by the "do not touch" displays, with only a slot car track ($3) and a racing simulator ($8) to break the monotony. Adults $18, students $14, youth 6-12 $10, children free, seniors and military $16. Guided tour $33, youth $25. (updated Jan 2018)
  • 🌍 Stratford House, 2715 North Junett Street. It is the exact reminiscence the home of the Stratford family of the high school romantic comedy movie 10 Things I Hate About You (Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 1999). Though the house is occupied, it offers a wonderful view of the house and of downtown Tacoma. Filming is also set at Stadium High School, 10 minutes away by car. Both the house and the school can only viewed from the outside from the street. Please respect the privacy of the occupants of the house. Inside viewing of the school is limited and can be done by permission of the school administration. (updated Oct 2015)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave (Pacific & Hood St), ☏ +1 253 272-4258. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Children's Museum, 1501 Pacific Ave (E 15th & Pacific Ave), ☏ +1 253 627-6031. W-Su 10AM-5PM, M 10AM-5PM for members only. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock St (E 18th & Docks St, opposite of I-705 from downtown. From Pacific Ave the Chihuly Pedestrian Bridge can be accessed from between the two Union Station Buildings, across from the UW Bookstore.), ☏ +1 253 284-4750. W-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su noon-5PM. You can cross to or from this museum on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass - and no, the bridge is not made of glass - it's 500 feet long, over Interstate 705, with glasswork exhibits. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave (South part of Union Station across from UW Tacoma), ☏ +1 253 272-3500. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM; every third Th it's 10AM-8PM. Founded in 1891 and now into its second century of service, the Washington State Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and vividly presenting Washington's rich and varied history. The Historical Society is comprised of a family of museums and research centers, offering a variety of services to researchers, historians, scholars, and the lifelong learners. Adults 18 to 64 years of age $14; children 17 & under and seniors 65 and older $11. (updated May 2015)

Other
  • 🌍 W.W. Seymour Conservatory (Wright Park Arboretum) (Along S 'G' St between S 3rd & 4th St at eastside of Wright Park), ☏ +1 253 404-3975. Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. The W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory is a Victorian-style conservatory in Wright Park. Built in 1907, it was named in honor of donor William W. Seymour. Designed by Isaac J. Knapp, its wings and twelve-sided central dome contain some 3,500 panes of glass. The arboretum contains over 700 mature trees, representing about 100 native and exotic species. $3 honor system. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Union Station, 1717 Pacific Ave (next to Historic Museum and across street from UW Tacoma along Pacific Ave), ☏ +1 253 863-5173. Public viewing M-F 8AM-5PM. The Union Passenger Station in Tacoma, Washington, United States, opened in 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The distinctive architecture, dominated by a copper dome, is a landmark for the area. The Union Station facilities are available for rent for weddings, school dances, reunions, holiday parties and other public or private gathering. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 University of Washington Tacoma Campus, (administration) 1900 Commerce St (along Pacific Ave across street from Union Station/Washington Historic Museum), ☏ +1 253 692-4400. The 46-acre campus is on a hillside at the southern edge of downtown Tacoma, overlooking the Port of Tacoma and Mount Rainier. Set in the historic Union Station District, UW Tacoma renovated century-old, brick buildings that were built by businesses that depended on the railroad in the late 1880s and early 1900s. The university has earned architectural awards for transforming these buildings into modern classrooms. In the design of the campus, the UW Tacoma honored the traditions of the Northern Pacific Railway and its part in establishing the city of Tacoma. It is now a full-fledged university under the governance of the University of Washington Board of Regents along with the UW campuses in Seattle and Bothell. The UW Tacoma offers majors in business, education, nursing, computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, information technology, criminal justice, social work, environmental science, urban studies and interdisciplinary arts and sciences. Classes are offered day and evening, for full or part-time students. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, 1500 Commerce St (Commerce & S 15th St, it is accessible by Link Light Rail.), ☏ +1 253 830-6601. TBA by event. New 118,000 square feet (11,000 m²) of meeting and usable pre function space which includes a 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m²), column-free exhibition hall, a 13,650 sq ft (1,268 m²) ballroom, and eleven breakout rooms in varying sizes. Spaces can be rented for a small private or public meeting or for a large convention for 100s or 1000s of people. For most travelers there may be an event scheduled at the convention center that may be of an interest. For other travelers the scheduled event is what they came to Tacoma for. Admissions vary by scheduled event. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Dome, 2727 E 'D' St, ☏ +1 253. TBA by event. The dome opened on April 21, 1983. The arena seats 20,722 for basketball; 530 feet (160 m) in diameter and 152 feet (46 m) in height, it is able to seat 23,000, and is the largest arena with a wooden dome in the world by volume. It has also became a landmark for Tacoma and had since been a venue for concerts, sporting events, school graduation ceremonies, police/first responder funerals and other conventions and trade trade shows. For most travelers there may be an event scheduled at the Dome that may be of an interest. For others the event IS why they came to Tacoma for. Admissions vary by scheduled event. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $6 toll for those returning to Tacoma). (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.)

Do
  • 🌍 Tacoma Musical Playhouse, 7166 6th Ave (6th Ave & S MacArthur St), ☏ +1 253 565-6867. Tu-F 10AM-6PM. 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. (updated Jun 2023)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Rainiers, 2502 S Tyler St, ☏ +1 253 752-7707. The local Triple-A West minor league baseball team plays at Cheney Stadium. $7.50–$28.50. (updated Jun 2023)
  • OL Reign. Tacoma's newest sports attraction is this team in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of American women's soccer (and arguably the world's top women's soccer league). The team has had three names since the NWSL began play in 2013. They began in Seattle as Seattle Reign FC, then changed their name to Reign FC in 2019 upon moving to Tacoma. They became OL Reign in 2020 after being bought by the parent company of prominent French club Olympique Lyonnais. OL Reign is sharing Cheney Stadium with the Rainiers and Tacoma Defiance (below) until a new soccer-only stadium is built in the indefinite future. 
  • Tacoma Defiance. USL Championship soccer team, and the official reserve team for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC. This team, which also plays in Cheney Stadium (until the new soccer stadium opens in 2021), was known as Seattle Sounders FC 2 before 2019. (updated Jun 2023)

Buy
  • 🌍 Brown & Haley Factory (Almond Roca Candy Store), 110 E 26th St (I-705 & E 26th St), toll-free: +1 800 426-8400. M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Brown and Haley is a candy maker and distributor located in Tacoma, Washington, founded in 1914 by Harry Brown and J.C. Haley. They are perhaps best known for their signature product, Almond Roca, invented in 1923. (updated Dec 2019)
  • 🌍 Freighthouse Square, 2501 South D St (In an old warehouse building building three city blocks long couple blocks along E 25th between East D St & East G St north of the Tacoma Dome). M-Sa 10AM-7PM, Su noon-5PM. It was built as a warehouse and train station for the Milwaukee Railroad in 1909. It features ballrooms for rent, antique shops, small art galleries, a coin shop and eating places inside. It is also the location for the Sounder Train Station. See "#By Train" above. 
  • 🌍 Highland Hill Shopping Center, 5915-6201 6th Ave (west of the intersection of 6th Ave & Pearl St). Tacoma Place is a very popular place amongst locals living in nearby neighborhoods and travelers passing along the freeway (SR-16) or staying nearby (with a local or in an Air BnB rental). Shops & restaurants include Dollar Tree, LA Fitness, Bank of America standalone ATM, Firestone, Carl's Jr, Panda Express, Subway, PetCo, Winco, etc. There are other strip malls and free standing establishments nearby (such as McDonalds, Chase, Jack in the Box, T-Mobile Store, Super Supplements, YMCA, Grocery Outlet, Starbucks, Popeye's, etc) along 6th Ave and along Pearl St. (updated Jan 2020)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Central, 3202 S 23rd St (along N Union just north of SR-16 Jct). Tacoma Central hosts shops & restaurants such as Target, Dollar Tree, Office Depot, Game Stop, Hobby Lobby, TJ Maxx, Subway, GNC, Pet Smart etc. There are other strip malls and free standing establishments nearby (such as Wal Mart, Shari's, Jimmy Johns, McDonalds, Starbucks, T-Mobile Store, etc) along N Union between SR-16 & S 19th St (updated Jan 2020)
  • 🌍 Tacoma Mall, 4502 S Steele St (west of I-5 between S 38th & S 47th. The mall can be accessed from I-5 at S 38th (Exit #132) or at S 56th (Exit #130)). M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. Tacoma Mall hosts Nordstroms, Macy's, JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods and numerous other shops & restaurants in the mall and in the immediate surrounding area not part of the mall (Best Buy, Chick fil-A, Costco, Pier One Imports, Dollar Store, Ashley Furniture, REI, Albert Lee Appliances, amongst others). There are other smaller strip malls & free standing establishments radiating east-west along S 38th from I-5 to S Union; and south along Tacoma Mall Blvd, that parallels I-5, from the 4700 block down to the 7200 block. Construction underway to rebuild the space left vacant by Sears. Mall is still open for business. 
  • 🌍 Tacoma Place, 1901 S 72nd St (NE of I-5 & S 72nd St junction @ 72nd & Hosmer. The mall can be accessed from I-5 at S 72nd (Exit #129) or at S 56th (Exit #130)). (varies). Tacoma Place is a very popular place amongst locals living in nearby neighborhoods and travelers passing along the freeway or staying in nearby hotels south of S 72nd. Shops & restaurants include Winco Foods, LA Fitness, Mattress Depot, Olive Garden, Popeyes, Applebee's, Pho Ever, Dairy Queen, Shari's, Starbucks, Subway, etc. There are other smaller strip malls, hotels and free standing establishments nearby (such as Home Depot, Bass Pro Shop, Burger King, Hooters, and IHop) south of 72nd along S Hosmer between the 7200 and 8400 blocks and along Tacoma Mall Blvd, that parallels I-5 (at the other side), from the 7400 block up towards the Tacoma Mall at the 4700 block. 
  • 🌍 B&I Public Marketplace, 8012 S Tacoma Way (along S Tacoma Way between S 80th & 84th St), ☏ +1 253 584-2056. M-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Almost anyone who grew up in the Tacoma area has fond memories of the B&I Circus Store, a landmark on South Tacoma Way for more than 60 years, where once you could wrap your face in cotton candy while exchanging stares with a live gorilla named Ivan. Ivan is gone now (having moved to the Atlanta Zoo in 1995 and died in 2012), and B&I has morphed into a new kind of wonder — a primarily Latino marketplace where fancy boots, wigs and costumes, retro video games, streetwear, and a large arcade are interspersed with dollar stores, used computer parts, and other niche bargain vendors. Photos and newspapers commemorate B&I's history, a stark contrast to the dilapidated structure that remains today. (updated Jan 2018)
  • 🌍 Sanford & Son Antiques, 743 Broadway (along S Commerce St between S 7th & S 9th), ☏ +1 253 272-0334. Multi-level, maze-like antique store with a variety of different local shops scattered inside. They offer a range of products such as furniture, home decor, vintage toys, posters, etc. (updated Apr 2024)
  • Tacoma Farmers Market, Organization Office @ 902 Market St, ☏ +1 253 272-7077. At the markets, farmers, ranchers and nursery growers offer various conventionally and organically grown fruits, vegetables and pre-cut, pre-packaged meats (usually fish, pork or eggs) and live ornamental and food plants for gardening. There are other artisan food producers offering prepared products, ranging from fruit jams to farmstead cheeses, breads and pastries, pickles, pasta, chocolate, and more. The markets occur once weekly in different neighborhoods from the first week of May or June to the last week of August or October in the following locations: 
  • Thursdays 10AM-2PM along Broadway between 9th & 11th Ave in downtown from May to Oct.
  • Fridays 3PM-6PM in June - August @ 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Ln (Stewart Heights Park)
  • 🌍 Proctor Farmers Market (along N 27th between N Proctor & N Madison), ☏ +1 253 961-3666. Saturdays 9AM-2PM, weekly from the last weekend in March to the second weekend in December. Market day is 10AM-1PM every second Saturday (once monthly) from January through March. See linked website for specific dates. This is the only year round farmers market in town. Some of the vendors at the other farmers markets during the week are also regulars at the North Proctor market too. The organizers of the Saturday Proctors Market is a different entity than the Tacoma Farmers Markets (in the above). 

Eat

6th Avenue has some affordable restaurants. Most of the suggested venues below are along 6th Ave between Sprague and Union. Sixth Ave divides north from south so some of the listed establishments in the below may be in the north or the south side of 6th Ave.

  • 🌍 Primo Grill, 2701 6th Ave (on 6th & N Oakes (moved into where the Tattoo Parlor used to be)), ☏ +1 253 383-7000. Su-Th 4PM-11PM; F Sa 4PM-midnight. Moderately priced, Italian/Mediterranean, lunch & dinner. 
  • 🌍 Asado, 2810 6th Ave (on 6th & S Pine), ☏ +1 253 272-7770. M-W 11AM-10PM; Th 11AM-midnight; F 11:30AM-1:30AM; Sa 4PM-1:30AM; Su 4PM-10PM. Pricey Argentinian dinner. 
  • 🌍 Gateway to India, 2603 6th Ave (on 6th & N Fife), ☏ +1 253 552-5022. M-F 11AM-9PM; Sa Su noon-9PM. Inexpensive Indian lunch & dinner. They serve lunch buffet 
  • 🌍 Shakabra, 2618 6th Ave (SE corner of 6th & S Oakes), ☏ +1 253 572-2787. M-Sa 7AM-4PM, Su 8AM-4PM. Casual breakfast spot with hearty English-style breakfast dishes such as egg dishes, sausages & pancakes all day, plus burgers & sandwiches at lunch. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 🌍 Southern Kitchen, 1716 6th Ave (on 6th & S Sprague next to Bucky's Auto Repair), ☏ +1 253 627-4282. M-Th 8AM-8PM; F Sa 8AM-9PM; Su 8AM-7PM. Inexpensive Southern/Soul lunch & dinner. 
  • 🌍 Wild Orchid, 3023 6th Ave (on 6th & N Cedar), ☏ +1 253 627-5889. M-Sa 11AM-9PM; Sa Su noon-9PM. Inexpensive pan-Asian lunch & dinner. 
  • 🌍 Silk Thai, 3401 6th Ave (6th Ave and N Warner, across from Mt Zion Church), ☏ +1 253 756-1737. Mid-priced, lunch & dinner, delicious Thai dishes. 
  • 🌍 Farreli's, 3518 6th Ave (6th Ave & S Union in the Poole Corner Building), ☏ +1 253 759-1999. A pizzeria that is a popular hangout place for college students from the nearby UPS and UW Tacoma. 

Downtown Tacoma has a wide range of restaurants, from fine dining to casual. Most of the downtown restaurants suggested in the below are in the immediate areas surrounding the University of Washington Tacoma campus, Tacoma Convention Center and Union Station which are along the Link Light Rail route. They are also found elsewhere such as towards the Stadium District north of downtown such as Maxwell's (one of the suggested venues).

  • 🌍 El Gaucho, 2119 Pacific Ave (in Downtown Tacoma southeast of S 21st Street and Pacific Avenue intersection, next to the Melting Pot), ☏ +1 253 272-1510. Su-Th 4PM-10PM; F Sa 4PM-midnight. Pricey, steaks & chops, dinner. 
  • 🌍 Melting Pot, 2121 Pacific Ave (in Downtown Tacoma southeast of S 21st Street and Pacific Avenue intersection, next to El Guacho), ☏ +1 253 535-3939. M-F 5PM-10PM; Sa 4PM-10:30PM, Su 4PM-10PM. Pricey, fondue, dinner. 
  • 🌍 Indochine Asian Dining Lounge, 1924 Pacific Ave (near the University of Washington, Tacoma is on 19th and Pacific), ☏ +1 253 272-8200. Tu-Th 11AM-9PM; F 11AM-10PM; Sa noon-10PM; Su noon-9PM. Not pricey (and rather enjoyable), pan-Asian, lunch & dinner. 
  • 🌍 The Rock, Wood Fire Kitchen, 1920 Jefferson Ave (in downtown Tacoma along Jefferson Ave south of S 19th, west of the UW Tacoma campus), ☏ +1 253 272-1221. Daily 11:30AM to midnight. It offers a great lunch or dinner, inexpensive pizza and pasta 

Hilltop just up the hill from Downtown Tacoma has many choices for dining. Most of the mentioned venues in Hilltop are clustered around S Martin Luther King & S 11th St. They can be located further north or south along S MLK and east or west along the cross streets too.

  • 🌍 LeLe, 1012 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (along S MLK between S 11th & S 12th), ☏ +1 253 572-9491. Daily 11AM to 9PM. Vietnamese cuisine with a mix of Thai. The spacious dining room allows for large groups. LeLe is popular spot for lunch with downtown workers. 
  • 🌍 Pho Boc Cafe, 1143 South 11th St (NW corner of S 11th St & MLK; closer to alley along S 11th St), ☏ +1 253-272-7270. A popular spot for pho in Tacoma. Cash only. 
  • 🌍 Pho King, 1020 Martin Luther King Jr Way (near 11th & MLK), ☏ +1 253-272-6287. M-Sa 11AM to 8PM. Popular pho & Vietnamese food. Very affordable. Has vegetarian pho. Inexpensive. 
  • 🌍 Quickie Too: A Vegan Cafe, 1324 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (Corner of 14th & MLK), ☏ +1 253-572-4549. Su 11AM-3PM; M W F 11AM-8PM; Th 11AM-6PM. Tacoma's only all vegan restaurant adds a Jamaican flair to all of their food. Service can be slow but is worth the wait. Meat eaters will love the flavors and won't know the meat is missing. 
  • 🌍 The Fish House, 1814 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (middle of block along MLK between S 18th & 19th St, a couple blocks west of St Joseph's Hospital), ☏ +1 253-383-7144. M-Sa 11AM-8PM. offers Southern cooking at affordable prices. Small place so you can always get orders to go. 
  • 🌍 Bob's Bar-B-Que Pit, 911 S 11th St (along 11th between J St & I St, next to alley), ☏ +1 253-627-4899. Tu-Sa 11AM-8PM. A popular BBQ joint in Tacoma. 

South Tacoma has wonderful Asian restaurants.

  • 🌍 The Palace Restaurant, 8718 S Tacoma Way (corner of South Tacoma Way and Steilacoom Blvd), ☏ +1 253 581-0880. Informal Korean restaurant. Cook at the table or order ready to eat. Lunch, dinner, drinks. Open late. 
  • 🌍 Tacoma Szechuan, 9601 S Tacoma Way (in the Paldo World stripmall, corner of 96th and S Tacoma Way), ☏ +1 253 581-0102. Authentic Chinese food. Moderate prices. Lunch, dinner, bubble tea. 

Lincoln District has international flavor.

  • 🌍 Vien Dong, 3801 Yakima Ave (corner of 38th & Yakima west of Pacific), ☏ +1 253 472-6668. M-Sa 9AM-9PM, Su 10AM-8PM. Excellent & authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Low to moderate prices. Well known locally & busy at lunch. Excellent pho soup. 

Drink
  • 🌍 Airport Tavern, 5406 S Tacoma Way, ☏ +1 253 212-0709. Su Tu-Th 3PM-midnight; F Sa 3PM-2AM; closed M. Pinball, brews, pool table, and intimate venue for live shows. Although they don't serve grub, they do take food orders. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 The Church Cantina, 5420 S Tacoma Way (S Tacoma Way & 54th St), ☏ +1 253 292-0544. Tu-Su noon-2AM. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Engine House 9 or 'E9', 611 N Pine St (in an old firehouse building up on N Pine from 6th Ave), ☏ +1 253 272-3435. M-W 11AM-midnight; Th 11AM-1AM; F 11AM-2AM; Sa 8:30AM-2AM; Su 8:30PM-10PM. 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. 
  • 🌍 McMenamins Elk's Temple Brewery, 562 Broadway (Broadway & 7th St. Up the street from the antique shops along Broadway), ☏ +1 253 300-8747. (updated Sep 2020)
  • 🌍 The Mix, 635 St Helens Ave (NE corner of S 7th & St Helens Ave). Daily 2PM-2AM. In Downtown's St. Helens Neighborhood caters to a mostly gay crowd. On weekend nights The Mix is packed with 20- and 30-somethings having a good time. 
  • 🌍 Club Silverstone, 739 St Helens Ave (SE of St Helens Ave & Court C), ☏ +1 253 404-0273. Daily 11AM-2AM. Tacoma's largest gay nightclub, in the Theater District in Downtown Tacoma. During the week the club is low-key but on the weekends the club gets busy with dancing all night long. 
  • 🌍 Tacoma Wine Merchants, 21 N Tacoma Ave, ☏ +1 253 779-8258. Located in the Stadium District, this cozy, European-style wine bar offers over thirty wines by the glass. Cheese plates, panini, soups and salads available. 
  • 🌍 Top Pot Doughnuts, 2724 N Proctor (N Proctor & 28th St), ☏ +1 253 433-3853. M-F 6AM-5PM, Sa Su 7AM-5PM. Nestled into the neighborhood and a favorite weekend hang-out for locals. Incredible doughnuts (try the feather boa doughnut!) in a very Seattle-y atmosphere in Tacoma. Drip coffee isn't so hot, but the freshly-brewed options are all good. 

Sleep

Downtown
  • 🌍 Comfort Inn Tacoma Dome, 2611 East 'E' St (E 26th & E St, between Tacoma Dome and Freighthouse Square), ☏ +1 253 272-7737. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. In between the Tacoma Dome and Freighthouse Square and in close proximity to Amtrak, the bus stations and downtown. (updated Aug 2018)
  • 🌍 Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza, ☏ +1 253 238-8000. 
  • 🌍 Courtyard Marriott - Tacoma Downtown, 1515 Commerce St (Across from the Great Tacoma Convention Center), ☏ +1 253-591-9100. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. The hotel is connected to the historic Waddell building. The Waddell building's ground floor features the Pacific Grill, run by famed chef, Gordon Naccarato. Above Pacific Grill are 2 luxury suites. On the lower level of the hotel is the new Pacific Grill Events Center that host many events year-round. 
  • 🌍 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tacoma Downtown, 2102 South C St (C St & S 21st, a couple of blocks up the hill on S 21st from Pacific), ☏ +1 253 272-2434. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated May 2015)
  • 🌍 McMenamins Elk's Temple Hotel, 562 Broadway (Broadway & 7th St. Up the street from the antique shops along Broadway), ☏ +1 253 300-8777. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. The Elks Temple includes 45 king guestrooms, each appointed with a private bathroom, wifi, television and usb ports. Threads of local history are woven throughout the rooms – and the entire structure – through art and written stories. (updated Sep 2020)
  • 🌍 The Tree House, 402 S 'i' St (S 'i' & 4th St, overlooking Wright Park.), ☏ +1 253 403-8510. Accommodations for families who have a loved one hospitalized at the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital with a serious illness or injury and who don't live near the hospital or have accommodations close by. $55 night. (updated Sep 2020)

North End

The North End neighborhood is an upscale neighborhood especially those east of Pearl, in old town and up along N Ruston Way. Except the Silver Cloud by the waterfront most of the accommodations in the North End are in large (historic) homes that have been permitted and converted to board guests as a Bed & Breakfast and are located in quiet residential neighborhoods.

South Tacoma

The South Tacoma accommodations are near some of the large shopping complexes as well as quicker access to the Lewis McChord military reservation. The accommodations are typically lined up along S Hosmer from the 7400 block (accessed off of S 72nd at Exit #129) through 9200 block where S Hosmer become S Steele (accessed from Exit #128 if going north bound I-5). The area have also been an epicenter of crime particularly at the 8800 of S Hosmer. Safer to be closer to S 74th. They're the typical national chain hotels and motels surrounded by different restaurants such as Ihop, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Subway:

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. Much of the crime is concentrated on the Hilltop and Eastside neighborhoods and the hotels along S Hosmer/Steele St between 8400-9900 blocks, particularly at a boarded up hotel on 8820 S Hosmer St and its surrounding area(s). The Stadium District area towards the north end has the lowest crime rate in the city and Downtown has a low crime rate compared to downtown areas of other cities (including Seattle), however visitors should be cautious as in any urban area. 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.

Connect

The area code for the Tacoma area and South King County is 253.

  • 🌍 Tacoma public Library (Downtown Main Library), 1102 Tacoma Ave S, ☏ +1 253 292-2001. Tu W 11AM-8PM, Th-Sa 9AM-6PM. Issues one-hour guest passes for Internet terminal use. Numerous branch libraries scattered around Tacoma. Free wi-fi available to public while the libraries are open. Wi-fi shuts off 30 minutes before the libraries close and stays off until the library opens again. The below are additional Tacoma Public Library branches that may be closer to where you are staying and typically offer free off-street parking in quieter neighborhoods: 

By mail
  • 🌍 Evergreen Post Office (Main Post Office) (US Postal Service), 4001 S Pine St (Along S Pine St between S 39th & S 42nd St east of the mall. Not accessible from the Tacoma Mall.), ☏ +1 253 471-5384. M-F 8AM-7PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. The main post office distributes mail to and receives from zip codes 983xx to 984xx. There are numerous post office branches in different neighborhoods and at least one (or more) in each adjacent city/municipality serving the other zip codes: 
  • 🌍 Downtown Post Office (US Postal Service), (downtown post office) 1102 A St (Along A St between S 11th & S 12th St.), ☏ +1 253 627-4026. Retail counter: M-F 8AM-5PM; passport acceptance: M-F 10AM-3PM by appointment. Serving zip codes 98402 & 98403. 
  • 🌍 MLK (Hilltop) Post Office, 1220 S Martin Luther King Jr (S MLK & 13th St), ☏ +1 253 272-3082. M-F 9:30AM-4PM. Post office for 98405. Mail to this zip code is delivered from University Place. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 North Proctor Post Office (US Postal Service), 3801 N 27th St (Along N 27th between N Proctor and), ☏ +1 253 759-7709. M-F 9AM-6PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. Serving zip code 98407. Nearest post office to Point Defiance Park. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 Parkland Post Office, 320 Garfield St S, ☏ +1 253. M-F 9AM-5:30PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. Serving zip code 98444. (updated Nov 2019)
  • 🌍 University Place Post Office, 6817 27th Ave W, University Place. M-F 8AM-5PM; Sa 8AM-3PM. Serving zip codes 98406, 98405, 98466, 98467. (updated Nov 2019)

Go next

Near Tacoma are some other things worth visiting, listed roughly north to south:

Routes through Tacoma
Seattle ← Fife ←  N  S  → Lacey → Portland
Bremerton ← Gig Harbor ←  N  S  → END
END ←  W  E  → Puyallup → Renton
Seattle ← Federal Way ← Dash Point ←  N  S  → END
END ←  N  S  → Jct Mount Rainier → Ends at Jct in Morton
Seattle ← Tukwila ←  N  S  → Lacey → Portland


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