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Photo: Turtleey, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A 700-acre city park in the north end, 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.
Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington, United States, is a large urban park. The 760-acre (3.1 km2) park includes Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Rose Garden, Rhododendron Garden, beaches, trails, a boardwalk, a boathouse, a Washington State Ferries ferry dock for the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route to Vashon Island, Fort Nisqually, an off-leash dog park, and most notably about 400 acres of old-growth forest. It receives more than three million visitors every year. Point Defiance Park is maintained and operated by Metro Parks Tacoma.
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Fort Nisqually, the first European settlement on Puget Sound, was a bustling center of trade that expanded into a large-scale agricultural enterprise.
The gateway to Gig Harbor and the Kitsap Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span. The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.
The home of the Stratford family in 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.
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.
The local Triple-A West minor league baseball team plays at Cheney Stadium.
Working Waterfront Maritime Museum
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.