United States Washington 12 Fun Things to Do in Tacoma, Washington By Angela Brown Angela Brown Facebook Twitter Angela has been writing about life, travel, and recreation in the Northwest, where she grew up, since 2000. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 11/30/21 Meleah Reardon Photography / Getty Images While it sometimes gets overlooked in favor of its larger neighbor, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington state's largest port, has plenty to offer in its own right. In the late 19th-century, the city served as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Not only can you still visit the beautiful old station, but you can also explore world-class museums, old-growth forests, beaches, and enjoy the scenic waterfront and mountain views. 01 of 12 Walk Across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Veni / Getty Images View Map Address Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Washington 98335, USA Get directions Web Visit website If you luck out on a spell of good weather, walking across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a fantastic way to spend a morning or afternoon. The bridge sits 200 feet above the Puget Sound and from this vantage point you can take in fantastic views of the city of Tacoma and, on a clear day, the impressive peak of Mount Rainier looming in the distance. The best way to get on the bridge is to start at War Memorial Park and cross Jackson Avenue to find the bridge path. You will have to walk along the freeway, but a barrier separates the traffic from the pedestrian path and once you get onto the bridge, the views will be worth it. You'll see the Olympic Mountains and might even be able to spot seals in the water. If you're walking round-trip, the distance is about four miles so make sure you check the weather and have a plan for how far you're going to walk. 02 of 12 Explore 5 Mile Drive TripSavvy / Kristin Kendle View Map Address Five Mile Dr, Tacoma, WA 98407, USA Get directions If you're up for a drive, you can explore the scenic 5 miles of roads that wind through Point Defiance, the area of Tacoma that juts out into Puget Sound, offering beautiful views of the water, mountains, and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. It is made up of an inner loop, which connects attractions like Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, the rhododendron gardens, and Owen Beach, and an outer loop, which is only open to cars Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you'd rather park and stretch your legs, there are many well-marked trails for hiking and cycling and you'll find many locals getting in their daily exercise with a side helping of old-growth forest scenery. 03 of 12 Tour America's Car Museum Gregobagel / Getty Images View Map Address 2702 E D St, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-779-8490 Web Visit website Specialty Museums 4.5 This vast museum focuses on automobiles and explores the impact they have had on American culture. The museum's permanent collection shows off everything from a 1906 Cadillac to a 1963 Corvette Sting Ray to custom vehicles from movies. Special exhibitions will change throughout the year but have recently included historic BMWs and NASCAR vehicles. The LeMay Museum includes indoor and outdoor spaces for special events, car shows, and concerts. 04 of 12 Visit the Washington State History Museum Lamb Family Photos / Flickr View Map Address 1911 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402-3109, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-272-3500 Web Visit website The Washington State History Museum, located on the waterfront in downtown Tacoma, displays a fascinating collection of artifacts from the state's history. You'll find exhibits that feature Native American art and people, early European settlement, state industry and labor, and geology. In addition to the permanent collection, the WSHS always offers a variety of special exhibitions on subjects ranging from Lewis and Clark in the Northwest to the photography of Edward S. Curtis. Continue to 5 of 12 below. 05 of 12 Browse the Galleries at Tacoma Art Museum Barry Winiker / Getty Images View Map Address 1701 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-272-4258 Web Visit website The new and improved Tacoma Art Museum almost doubles the amount of exhibition space found at the previous museum facility. As visitors meander through the galleries, they will move upward from street level to the second floor. If you are a fan of Chihuly glass art, the Tacoma Art Museum features a more extensive collection than you will find inside the Museum of Glass. 06 of 12 See Animals at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Gary Braasch / Getty Images View Map Address 5400 N Pearl St, Tacoma, WA 98407, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-404-3800 Web Visit website Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium features animals from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Their Rocky Shores exhibit includes adorable sea otters, tufted puffins, and clever beluga whales. In the Asia Forest Sanctuary, you can view Sumatran tigers, white-cheeked gibbons, and Asian elephants. In other exhibits, you'll see sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, and octopi. 07 of 12 Marvel at Contemporary Glass Art Brendan Hunter / Getty Images View Map Address 1801 Dock St, Tacoma, WA 98402-3217, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-284-4750 Web Visit website The Museum of Glass is the only American museum that exclusively features contemporary works made with glass—there are just three in the world with such a focus. Here, you can watch glass artists at work in the hot shop amphitheater located in the metal-clad cone attached to the museum. The Chihuly Bridge of Glass links the waterfront Museum of Glass to the museums on the south side of I-705, including the Washington State History Museum and the Tacoma Art Museum. 08 of 12 See Tropical Plants at the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory John McAnulty / Getty Images View Map Address 316 S G St, Tacoma, WA 98405-4733, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-404-3975 Web Visit website The W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory is located in Tacoma's Wright Park. The historic glass conservatory, with a distinctive 12-sided central dome, is listed on the City of Tacoma, Washington State, and National historic registers. Exotic tropical plants and floral displays can all be seen in the lovely structure, where 3,500 panes of glass make up the dome and wings of the Conservatory. Continue to 9 of 12 below. 09 of 12 Learn About Tacoma's Historic Waterfront Foss Waterway Seaport View Map Address 705 Dock St, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA Get directions Web Visit website The Waterfront Maritime Museum inside the Foss Waterway Seaport offers visitors an opportunity to view heritage displays of maritime artifacts and to watch the restoration and construction of small watercraft. Children's activities and a maritime research library are also available. Located downtown, the Maritime Museum finished construction of its permanent venue in a section of the historic Puget Sound Freight Warehouse, which is also managed by the Foss Waterway Seaport Project. Filled with historic wooden boats, exhibits highlight a range of local legends, from the nautical milestones of the Puyallup tribes, who navigated the river for over a millennia, to the railway station that marked the end of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the late 19th century. The museum also delves into the underwater world with whale skeletons and educates visitors on the evolution of the area's fishing industry. 10 of 12 Gamble at Emerald Queen Casino Emerald Queen Casino View Map Address 5700 Pacific Hwy E, Fife, WA 98424-2515, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-594-7777 Web Visit website Tacoma is home to not one, but two, Emerald Queen locations: One in Fife and another off of I-5 in Tacoma. Both supply Vegas-style gambling, including video slots, live-action Keno, and table games including Let it Ride, Blackjack, Spanish 21, Fortune Pai Gow, Craps, Roulette, and Caribbean Stud. 11 of 12 Admire Beaux-Arts Architecture at Union Station Lfreytag / Getty Images View Map Address Tacoma, WA 98402, USA Get directions Web Visit website Tacoma's historic railroad station was once the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and it served as a train station into the 1980s. Now, the stunning example of Beaux-Arts architecture serves as a lobby of a Federal Courthouse. The Tacoma building is worth visiting at any time and luckily, the lobby, which is filled with installations of Dale Chihuly's mesmerizing glass art, can be viewed on weekdays during business hours. 12 of 12 Drink a Beer Inside a Tea Pot Kenji Ross / Flickr View Map Address 2102 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409-7515, USA Get directions Phone +1 253-475-9843 Bear with us here, but where else but Tacoma can you literally have a drink inside a giant building shaped like a teapot? Bob's Java Jive is a giant teapot-shaped dive that opened in 1927 and now holds a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. It certainly makes for a memorable photo opportunity. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email