Things to Do in Tacoma
Glass art, museums and a huge forested park on Commencement Bay.
See top-rated activities »About Tacoma
Tacoma grew up as the western end of the Northern Pacific Railroad in the 1880s and spent most of the next century as a gritty mill and port town. In recent decades it has turned its old warehouse district along Thea Foss Waterway into one of the most enjoyable museum clusters in the Northwest, and the city is an easy day out from Seattle or a quieter base close to the airport and Mount Rainier.
Glass is the theme. Dale Chihuly, the glass artist, was born in Tacoma, and his Bridge of Glass, a pedestrian bridge lined with his work, connects the downtown core with the Museum of Glass, where you can watch artists work molten glass in the hot shop under a tilted steel cone. Across the bridge, the restored Union Station, now a federal courthouse, displays more Chihuly pieces in its domed rotunda and is open to visitors on weekdays. The Tacoma Art Museum, with its collection of Northwest and Western American art, and the Washington State History Museum, with large model railroad and hands-on exhibits, are a few steps away. At the south end of the district, LeMay, America's Car Museum, fills a sweeping wooden-roofed building with hundreds of vintage cars.
Point Defiance Park, at the northern tip of the city, covers more than 700 acres of old-growth forest, gardens and beaches. A five-mile drive loops through it, trails lead down to the water, and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium focuses on animals of the Pacific Rim. A ferry leaves from the park for nearby Vashon Island. Between downtown and the park, Ruston Way runs along Commencement Bay with a waterfront path, piers and seafood restaurants.
On clear days, Mount Rainier looms over Tacoma more dramatically than over Seattle, and the city is the closer starting point for the park's Paradise and Sunrise areas.
Don’t Miss
Contemporary glass art and a live hot shop where visiting artists demonstrate glassblowing.
A 500-foot pedestrian bridge with a ceiling of glass seaforms and towers of blue glass, free to walk.
Hundreds of cars, from early horseless carriages to race cars, in a four-level building overlooking the waterway.
Northwest art, Western American art and a gallery of Chihuly glass.
The state's story told through interactive exhibits and a large model railroad.
A zoo and aquarium devoted to Pacific Rim species, set in Tacoma's largest park.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Tacoma
Tours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Seattle-Tacoma may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Tacoma — FAQ
How do I get from Seattle to Tacoma without a car?
Sound Transit runs Sounder commuter trains and express buses between the two cities, and the 1 Line light rail connects Seattle with Sea-Tac Airport. Check schedules, since some services run mainly on weekdays. In Tacoma, the T Line streetcar links the Museum District with downtown.
Can I see the glass museums in a single day?
Yes. The Museum of Glass, the Bridge of Glass, Union Station, the Tacoma Art Museum and the History Museum are all within a few blocks of each other.
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