Summer Travel Series: Tacoma, WA

How is it Monday again?? The weeks last forever but the weekends always go by so fast…Oh well, let’s make the most of this new week!

Today I’m sharing 8 things to do if you’re visiting Tacoma, a city outside of Seattle, in case you’ve never been/heard of it. Yes, it can smell weird at times, but no, it is not as bad as everyone says it is.

1. Rent kayaks and set sail on the Puget Sound. It’s so fun to explore the water and embrace your inner adventure. When I did this with my brother, we saw a ton of fish, a few jellyfish, and a seal! It’s super fun and not too expensive. I recommend only going for an hour if you’re a beginner though because it’s quite the arm workout!

2. Just hang out at Owen Beach in Point Defiance. If kayaking isn’t your thing, you can just chill on the beach and eat a picnic. You might even get some sun, if you’re lucky. 😉

3. Go to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. This is such a great zoo, and they had really cool art while I was there (you can check it out in this post or in the sixth picture). Plus, they had this super awesome live performance in the amphitheater where a bunch of real animals participated as the “actors”.

4. Go shopping on Proctor Street. There are some really fun shops on Proctor Street and the surrounding roads, and on Saturdays they have a little market with yummy food and what-not. My favorite stores are Envy and Compass Rose (I got this dress from Envy).

5. Get ice cream at Ice Cream Social and walk along the beach. Mmm, this place has good ice cream. Grab a classic or exotic flavor and then drive down to Ruston Way, where the beach is filled with great sea glass—I’m such a collector! Just make sure to bring your patience because the line for Ice Cream Social is always out the door (it goes quick though).

6. Visit the Museum of Glass downtown. I haven’t actually been inside it, but the architecture of the building is super cool (I think part of it was an old train depot, see it in pictures 1, 4, and 9). If you don’t want to go to the whole museum, walk along the sky bridge and check out all the amazing Chihuly glass! The bridge is open to the public.

7. Tour Stadium High School. If you’re a fan of the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, then this is the activity for you. The high school that the movie is filmed at is located in Tacoma, and it’s actually an amazing piece of architecture. The school part looks like Hogwarts and the stadium has a rich history of flooding. Take a walk around the campus (on the weekend, of course) and look up the school to give yourself your own tour.

8. See someone play at the Tacoma Dome. My brother and I were supposed to go see Ed Sheeran here over the summer, but we never did. Nonetheless, they have a ton of bands and artists that come, so if you have a free night, see if there are tickets!

What do you think? Sounds like fun, right? Tacoma is a great alternative to Seattle if you want to get away from all the hustle and bustle for a while (or if, like me, you’ve already seen and done so much in Seattle). Which one of these activities sounds the most fun to you?

Also, for Friday’s Ernest Exposed post, little Ernest is in the first picture. If you look at my pink belt and then look to the left of it to that purple flower, Ernest is on the right of the flower. He is so well camouflaged! Even I had trouble finding him.

Have a wonderful Monday! I’m off to make my lunch. If you want to see more pics of Tacoma, you can view the original posts here, here, here, and here. If you need packing tips, you can check out this post.

Miles of smiles,

Grace