Tacoma’s landscape and culture reflect a diverse history, from its long-time Native American inhabitants to nineteenth-century American settlers to ensuing waves of immigrants from around the world seeking work at its deepwater port or transcontinental railway. City leaders and citizens have long supported historic preservation efforts, and Tacoma features many diverse, well-preserved examples of architecture from the 1870s to the 1960s, including the turreted Stadium High School, the site of several big-screen movie sets. In pedestrian-friendly downtown Tacoma and surrounding neighborhoods you’ll see industrial, residential and commercial buildings in the Victorian, Craftsman, Chicago School, Beaux Arts and Art Deco styles, along with artfully blended contemporary structures.

With Commencement Bay and the Tacoma Narrows at its sides and Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is a growing urban center with a thriving cultural core. Projects such as the luminous Chihuly Bridge of Glass, an enclosed cross-highway walkway that native son and renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly helped to design and execute, connect downtown’s interesting business districts to its historically significant industrial waterfront. Tacoma’s thriving arts community offers live music, theater, fine arts and a number of grand museums to enjoy.

Outdoor enthusiasts will love Tacoma for its miles of Puget Sound waterways and proximity to deep forests and mountain wilderness. Enjoy fishing, sailing, scuba diving, kayaking, bicycling and hiking year-round at one of the city, county or state parks, and in winter head east to Crystal Mountain or beyond for a day of skiing in the beautiful Cascades. Thanks to its great ecological diversity, a simple stroll in a local park can also be a wildlife adventure.