Tacoma Travel Guide

Introduction

32 miles S of Seattle, 31 miles N of Olympia, 93 miles S of Port Townsend

Tacoma is a city that, in the words of Rodney Dangerfield, "just don't get no respect." For years its industrial image made it the brunt of jokes, many of which centered around the aroma of Tacoma. I'd like to be able to tell you that the skies over Tacoma are always clear and the air is fresh and clean, but it would be stretching the truth just a bit. However, it is definitely time to forget the old jokes and take a new look at this city, which is in the midst of a profound transformation.

Things have changed a lot since the days when the city's waterfront was lined with smoke-belching lumber and paper mills, and, with a newfound commitment to the arts, Tacoma competes with Seattle as a city on the move. With its impressive museums and free downtown streetcar, Tacoma has, in some ways, made greater strides toward reinventing itself than Seattle has.

Tacoma has also reclaimed much of its shoreline,...