|
Tacoma Pierce County Highlights
Washington State Travel Tip
Information courtesy Tacoma Pierce County
Major Attractions
in Tacoma-Pierce County
- Mount Rainier National Park (#1 attraction in Pierce County) (360) 569-2211
- One of five most visited national parks in the U.S.-- 2.2 million visitors a year
- 378 square miles, includes fourth highest peak in the U.S. (14,411 feet) with 26 named glaciers,
35 square miles of ice and 305 miles of hiking trails
- Point Defiance Park, Tacoma (#2 attraction in Pierce County)
(253) 305-1000
- Among top 20 largest urban parks in the nation (698 acres) which includes scenic drive, beach,
hiking trails, picnic areas, Japanese and rose gardens, ferry to Vashon Island, plus:
- Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (253) 591-5337
- Internationally-acclaimed facility with Pacific Rim theme
- Fort Nisqually (253) 591-5339
- Restored Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post circa 1855; guided tours
- Camp 6 Logging Exhibit (253) 752-0047
- Museum on Washington's history of steam logging (1880-1950)
- Never Never Land (253) 591-5845
- Children's fantasy world of sculpted storybook characters
- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville (#3 attraction in Pierce County) (360) 832-6117
- 635-acre sanctuary for native wildlife, unique in the Northwest
- One-hour, naturalist-guided tram tour through area with free-roaming herds of bison, caribou
- Wolves, grizzlies, cougars, birds of prey, wetland dwellers viewed in natural habitats
- Children's Discovery Center, nature trails, picnic meadow, gift shop, cafe
- Washington State History Museum, Tacoma (888) 238-4373
- $40.8-million, 106,000-sq. ft. facility featuring interactive and multimedia exhibits
- Home of the largest collection of pioneer, Indian and Alaskan artifacts on the Pacific Coast
- Union Station, Tacoma (253) 572-9310
- Landmark railway station with Romanesque architecture and striking copper dome;
built in 1911,used till 1983
- Now a federal courthouse with public rotunda exhibit of extraordinary glass sculptures by
internationally-acclaimed native son Dale Chihuly
- Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma (253) 272-4258
- Sculptured glass art exhibition by internationally-known native son Dale Chihuly
- Northwest artists, impressionists, classics, special quarterly exhibits from around the world
- Groundbreaking for new 50,000-sq. ft. facility Jan. 25, 2001, with opening in early 2003
Job Carr Cabin, Tacoma (253) 627-5405
- Reconstruction of the first settler's 1864 dwelling in "Old Town" area of Tacoma; opened Dec. 2, 2000
- Commemorates Tacoma's birthplace with original artifacts, photos, historical displays
1001 Pacific Avenue #400 Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: 253 627-2836 Fax: 253-627-8783
www.tourtacoma.org
- Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Tacoma (253) 383-
2575
- Original handwritten drafts, letters and documents of historical significance,
many written by some of the world's most famous individuals (e.g. Napoleon, Ben Franklin)
- One of seven Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums in the U.S.; free admission
- W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma (253) 591-5330
- 1908 Victorian-style conservatory with year-round floral displays, exotic and seasonal plants; free
- Fort Lewis Military Museum (253) 967-7206
- Military history of the Pacific Northwest from the 1803 Lewis & Clark Expedition to present
- McChord Air Force Base Museum (253) 984-2485
- Vintage aircraft and memorabilia from 1940s through 1980s; flight simulator open to public
- Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood (253) 584-4106
- 10 acres of spectacular gardens on a former private estate overlooking Gravelly Lake
- One of the largest rhododendron and Japanese maple collections in the Northwest
- The Tacoma Nature Center, Tacoma (253) 591-6439
- 54-acre wooded wildlife preserve with interpretive center, wetlands display, nature trails
- Tacoma Narrows Bridge
- Fifth largest suspension bridge in the world
- Originally completed July 1, 1940; original length was 5,939 feet
- Nicknamed "Galloping Gertie" for its unusual, undulating motion during windy weather
- Collapsed four months later -- Nov. 7, 1940 -- during a 42-mile-per-hour wind storm
- Reopened Oct. 15, 1950 at a cost of $14 million and a new length of 5,979 feet
- Steilacoom (253) 584-4133
- Oldest incorporated town in Washington (1854) featuring Steilacoom Historical Museum,
1895 Bair Drug & Hardware store/restaurant with operating 1906 soda fountain, and
Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center and Museum
- Ezra Meeker Mansion, Puyallup (253) 848-1770
- Historic 17-room Victorian mansion built in 1890 by Puyallup's founder
- Open for touring Wednesday-Sunday, April-December (special Victorian Christmas festivities)
- Pioneer Farm Museum & Ohop Indian Village, Ohop Valley (near Eatonville) (360) 832-6300
- 1-1/2-hour "hands on" living history guided tour of 1880's homestead and trading post
- 1-hour Native American Seasons Tour (summer weekends only)
- Crystal Mountain (360) 663-2265
- Washington's highest destination ski area at 7,000 feet
- Complete year-round resort; dining at Summit House, highest restaurant in the state (6,872 feet)
| Travel Tips in Related Destinations |
| Bellingham |
 |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Centralia |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Lewis County |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Seattle |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Walla Walla |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Yakima Valley |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
