Explore the Pacific Northwest
Tacoma
Tacoma is Washington State’s third-largest city, with approximately 203,400 residents. Explore the City Of Tacoma website to find out why Tacoma is known as the City of Destiny.
Tacoma, Washington is nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest and is the cultural center for the South Puget Sound Region. A mid-size city with a bustling port, Tacoma is poised for international trade and shipping. Tacoma is a unique contemporary city that values its history and has a strong historic preservation program. Public Art in Tacoma includes the renowned Chihuly Bridge of Glass with smaller stellar works attracting visitors to all neighborhoods in our City. The performing arts are alive and well in Tacoma. The City is home to classical music groups, theatre, an opera company and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts presents nationally recognized artists throughout the year. Tacoma is a place of creative synergy and we welcome you to explore our dynamic city. TacomaCulture.org is a service of the City of Tacoma.
Tacoma's Children's Museum A trip to the Museum is sure to inspire creativity, learning, play and fun as children Zing! into the power of play, create masterpieces in Becka's Studio, garden in New Digs and design skyscrapers in Design, Build, Play! Drop in for one of the Museum's most popular programs, WOW and Play to Learn!
Museum of Glass: The Museum of Glass is a hot destination. Come experience exhibitions with work by world-renowned contemporary artists and be enthralled by artists in the Hot Shop making artwork from molten glass right before your eyes.
Washington Historical Society: Located in the heart of Tacoma's Museum District, the Washington State History Museum brings history to life through multimedia presentations, interactive exhibits, walk-through dioramas, and oral histories of life in the Evergreen State.
Metro Parks Tacoma
Metro Parks Tacoma was created in 1907 as a municipal corporation to manage park, recreation and zoological services and facilities for the citizens of Tacoma.
Great Community, Great Zoo!
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is a must see for the whole family. Visit their website to see what events are currently happening at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
The
Olympic Game Farm has been entertaining families for over 40 years. For more than 28 years, the
Olympic Game Farm worked exclusively with Walt Disney Studios and many others on features for theatre and television including: "The Grizzly Adams Series", "The Incredible Journey", "Charlie The Lonesome Cougar", "Beachcombers" and many more. Today, the farm is home to over 20 different exotic and non exotic species, with hundreds of animals on site for families to "Get Face to Face with Wildlife" from the comfort of their vehicles on our famous Driving Tour.
SPEND THE DAY IN AWE
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a treasure for wildlife enthusiasts. This 725-acre park has a little bit of everything: lakes, trails, meadows and plenty of animals. Northwest Trek is home to more than 200 North American animals.
A different kind of wildlife park
See bighorn sheep, deer, Roosevelt elk, woodland caribou, mountain goats, bison and more up close from comfortable
trams while touring the free-roaming area. Walk
forested pathways to view grizzlies, black bears, wolves, bobcats, lynx, cougars, owls, eagles and wetland animals in beautiful natural exhibits. Explore five miles of
nature trails and enjoy exciting hands-on experiences in the
Cheney Family Discovery Center.
Seattle
Seattle lies on a narrow strip of land between the salt waters of Puget Sound and the fresh waters of Lake Washington. Beyond the waters lie two rugged mountain ranges, the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east. It is a city built on hills and around water, in a mild marine climate that encourages prolific vegetation and abundant natural resources.
Points of Interest
Seattle has many unique points of interests people identify with. Here are a few ideas and links to help you plan your visit.
Sight Seeing
Go Northwest! is a travel guide for the Pacific Northwest and a comprehensive directory of listings for accommodations, activities, attractions, dining, shopping and general travel information for more than 1,000 cities and towns in the states of
Idaho,
Montana,
Oregon,
Washington,
Wyoming and the province of
British Columbia, Canada.
Volcano-watching and photographing America's volcano is the top past-time at the National Park followed by touring the exhibits and movies at these two main Mount St. Helens National Park Visitor Centers.
Mount Rainier hasfive developed areas: Longmire, Paradise, Ohanapecosh, Sunrise, and Carbon/Mowich. Although the level of development in these areas ranges from basic -little more than a campground and picnic area- to extensive -hotel, restaurant, visitor center, campgrounds and picnic areas- each can serve as a base for exploring the rest of the park.
Ocean Shores
Welcome to Ocean Shores. We are a friendly affordable community surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Grays Harbor. Our residents and visitors enjoy two fresh water lakes, twenty three miles of canals, great beaches and many natural areas. Whether you come to live, work, shop, play or just relax, we're glad you're here.
Pacific Beaches
Washington State’s Pacific Ocean beaches are basically split up into two areas. We have split them into north and south. The reason is twofold; first, that the two areas are physically separated by over 50 miles of driving along Willapa Bay and secondly, because they are distinctively different areas in terms of both geography and accommodations
State Capital Building
Washington State's Legislative Building, completed in 1928 after six years of construction, serves as both a working governmental center and a symbol of Washington's free and democratic government. It is the centerpiece of the five historic buildings designed by New York architects Walter Wilder and Harry White. Conceived in the architectural competition of 1911 and selected by the State Capitol Commission, Wilder and White's designs for the Legislative Building were completed and set into motion in 1922.
Popular Towns
Whidbey Island / Deception Pass
Between the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges of the Pacific Northwest, Whidbey Island offers quality lodging accommodations, gourmet dining, unique art galleries and gifts, antiques, wineries, watchable wildlife, sustainable villages and hamlets, historical sites and recreational adventures for all seasons. There are trails for bikers and hikers, and amazing routes for sea kayakers, whether beginners or advanced.
First-time visitors usually see the bridge from their car. Equally impressive is the view from the beaches below. Above the water soars an achievement of vision and persistence - humans adding to nature's scenic wonder. The bridge facilitated North Whidbey development, fostered the eventual placement of the Naval Air Station Whidbey in Oak Harbor, and became the local image that visitors thrill to see. Truly a crown, the Deception Pass Bridge has brought a new dimension of romantic flavor to this intriguing and majestic area.
Hoh Rainforest
The Hoh RainForestis located in the stretch of the Pacific Northwest rainforest which once spanned the Pacificcoastfrom southeastern Alaska to the central coast of California. The Hoh is one of the finest remaining examples of temperate rainforest in the United States and is one of the park's most popular destinations.
Leavenworth Your Bavarian Getaway. The vast natural surroundings of Leavenworth, Plain, and Lake Wenatchee include the Wenatchee National Forest, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and Glacier Peak Wilderness. For recreationalists, these surroundings provide four seasons of activity and adventure. Snowmobile, cross-country ski, hike, rock climb, bike, fish, kayak, raft, inner tube, ride horses, golf - there's always something to do in and around Leavenworth.
Forks Washington This 2,000 square mile area is bordered on the north and west by over 100 miles of saltwater shores, and to the south and east by alpine meadows and rain forest valleys. Over 200 miles of wild rivers criss-cross the region, providing healthy runs of native salmon and steelhead. Experience world class attractions such as the Olympic National Park, Rialto Beach, the Hoh Rain Forest, Kalaloch Beach, Lake Ozette, Cape Flattery and the Northwest Coast, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc Falls and our many scenic rivers and mountain trails.
Lake Chelan Tourism Nestled in the heart of the Cascades,
Lake Chelan is Washington's premier waterfront destination. For generations families have been making the journey to the lake, creating priceless memories. Lake Chelan has a small town resort charm that gets harder and harder to find these days.