Tacoma, Washington? You'll Be Surprised!

Overview

TACOMA NARROWS Photo - Tacoma, Washington

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Most visitors getting off the plane at Sea-Tac Airport never see this city...but head straight for Seattle, 30 miles north!Tacoma’s birthplace is the Old Town District, where it was founded in 1864.Bordering Old Town is the Ruston Way Waterfront, a 2-mile promenade perfect for jogging, biking, or simply enjoying an unobstructed view of Commencement Bay and Puget Sound. Ruston Way also boasts "Restaurant Row" with waterfront dining ranging from casual to upscale. Located in downtown Tacoma, Wright Park boasts an unusual collection of mature trees from around the world and the W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, a 1908 Victorian conservatory featuring 500 species of...Read More

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Meconi’s Pub & Eatery

Restaurant | "Meconi's...Great Food, and Lots of It!"

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Located right downtown in the oldest building on one of the city’s oldest blocks is a local Tacoma pub which boasts a true Tacoma atmosphere—part working class grit and part unabashed optimism for the future. Oh, and the food and drinks are pretty good, too. (Must be 21, no minors allowed.) I was with a group of 10 ladies... looking for a new place to eat lunch. We had picked a restaurant, and were dismayed to find it closed on Thursday! We then wandered from one restaurant to another, and couldn't find any that pleased the entire group. Meconi's was the last one after searching for many blocks.... so we reluctantly entered. "pub" was not what we were looking for... just good fo...Read More

Located right downtown in the oldest building on one of the city’s oldest blocks is a local Tacoma pub which boasts a true Tacoma atmosphere—part working class grit and part unabashed optimism for the future. Oh, and the food and drinks are pretty good, too. (Must be 21, no minors allowed.)
I was with a group of 10 ladies... looking for a new place to eat lunch. We had picked a restaurant, and were dismayed to find it closed on Thursday! We then wandered from one restaurant to another, and couldn't find any that pleased the entire group. Meconi's was the last one after searching for many blocks.... so we reluctantly entered. "pub" was not what we were looking for... just good food and a place where we could chat. We were greeted by a smiling waitress, and found it quite cheerful inside (you may also dine at tables outside). It is very quiet during the day so you can enjoy a leisurely lunch, but it has more of a pub atmosphere in the evening.
The lunch and dinner menu offers sandwiches and Italian subs... plus pasta, meat, and fish entrees... and pizzas. Entrees include a soup or salad, and pasta dishes arrive with fresh bread. Half our group chose spaghetti & meatballs, and the other half chose sandwiches & subs.
All our meals were delicious, and no one was able to finish!! "The Parm" sandwich with fries was the MOST filling of all ( a chicken cutlet topped with homemade marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and served on a fresh baked roll. $8.95). By the time we finished (well, TRIED to finish...) our waitress was calling us all by our first names. And, yes, she received a generous tip for that.... and for the good service.
This restaurant was very clean and our food was served promptly. We all agreed it was a place we would like to eat at again.
Just a little more information for you: Meconi’s has FREE on-street parking or you can catch the FREE Tacoma light rail link at any station! It is open for lunch at 11:00, and Happy Hour is from 3:00 – 6:00 pm.
Free Wi-Fi is available ALL hours. However, they recommend afternoons from 1:30 – 3:30 as your best time to enjoy this free service (between the lunch rush and Happy Hour crowd).
Visa, MasterCard, American Express and debit cards accepted. No checks. Call for Take Out: (253) 383-3388 Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 25, 2008

Meconi’s Pub & Eatery
709 Pacific Ave.
Tacoma, Washington 98402
(253) 383-3388

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Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Attraction | "Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium"

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I love this zoo!It continues to grow, and recently has built some new natural settings for the animals. Also, a second beluga whale named Qannick was just acquired. This zoo is large enough (29 acres) to offer many different animals for viewing, but is small enough to let you get close to them. It is the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Northwest. Peacocks roam freely, and I always encounter at least one with his magnificent tail spread wide...and posing for pictures. Other favorites of mine are the otters...I love watching them playing and rolling in the water. The polar bears are also entertaining, and you will often see them playing ball. Both the otters and the...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 8, 2007

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
5400 N Pearl Street
Tacoma, Washington 98407
(253) 591-5337

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Museum of Glass

Attraction

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Home to the famous Chihuly Bridge of Glass!Before you even enter this museum you will be walking through the Chihuly "Bridge of Glass," a 500-foot long pedestrian overpass. It isn't very long, but you can stand there gazing up at the many artworks in the ceiling for quite some time. This "Seaform Pavilion" is a ceiling made of 2,364 objects from Chihuly's Seaform and Persian series. As visitors walk through, they experience a seemingly underwater world of glass shapes and forms a few feet above their heads. It is illuminated at night.Continuing on, you approach the 40-foot high Crystal Towers, which mark the center of the bridge. The 63 large crystals in each tower are hollow, ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 8, 2007

Museum of Glass
1801 Dock St.
Tacoma, Washington
(253) 284-4750

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Washington State of: Historical Society & Washington State History Museu

Attraction | "Washington State History Museum - Interesting...and Fun!"

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A great place to visit.... both adults and children will enjoy this museum !! Through interactive exhibits, theatrical storytelling, high-tech displays, and dramatic artifacts.... learn about Washington state's unique people and places, as well as their impact on the country and the world. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece designed by Charles Moore and Arthur Andersson. The 106,000 square foot museum building boasts soaring spaces and dramatic archways that invite you into a history experience full of colors, textures, sights, and sounds. It is a beautiful building ! In the Great Hall you can take a video trip down the Columbia in the three-screen Colu...Read More

A great place to visit.... both adults and children will enjoy this museum !!
Through interactive exhibits, theatrical storytelling, high-tech displays, and dramatic artifacts.... learn about Washington state's unique people and places, as well as their impact on the country and the world.
The building itself is an architectural masterpiece designed by Charles Moore and Arthur Andersson. The 106,000 square foot museum building boasts soaring spaces and dramatic archways that invite you into a history experience full of colors, textures, sights, and sounds. It is a beautiful building !
In the Great Hall you can take a video trip down the Columbia in the three-screen Columbia River Theater, use an interactive computer to learn Native languages, walk through a traditional Southern Coast Salish plank house and listen in on a conversation with a basket maker and her granddaughter, and also look at the many other colorful, interactive exhibits and walk-through dioramas here.
Model Railroad.... I think they are still working on this, but you should be able to view the progress. The Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers club is constructing an 1,800 square foot permanent layout depicting the rail lines from Tacoma's Point Defiance Park to the Stampede Pass tunnel in the Cascades.
Ezra Meeker's beloved oxen, Dave and Dandy, are back on display in the History Lab, an interactive learning experience, which is now open on the 5th floor. It engages visitors with interactive exhibits featuring such historical concepts as Time, Place, Viewpoint, Exploration, and Precedent. In the learning center, visitors of all ages are encouraged to use the Tools of the History Trade (artifacts, ephemera, books & periodicals, people, maps, and images) to think like detectives in search of evidence.
The museum also offers special events and limited time exhibits throughout the year. A very nice shop with some interesting gift items is located on the lower floor.
Driving directions: From I-5 North or South take the City Center exit #133. Follow the I-705/City Center signs to 21st Street where you'll turn left, and then turn right onto Pacific Avenue. The museum parking lot is located on Pacific Avenue and behind the museum near the Group Entrance.
Hours may change during the year, but most days the museum is open 10-5pm. (Sundays 12-5) Thursdays the hours are extended, and from 5pm-8pm admission is FREE. After 5:00 you may also park on Pacific Avenue across from the museum for free.
Admission Charges: Adult (18 & over): $8.00
Senior (60+): $7.00 Student (6-17 yrs): $6.00
Military: $6.00 Children 5 and under: Free
Family (2 adults and up to 4 children): $25.00
This is located next to Chihuly's famous Bridge of Glass. It is free to walk through the Bridge of Glass, and it is definitely something you should not miss. The museum is also next to the Train Station which is interesting enough for a quick visit, too. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 25, 2008

Washington State of: Historical Society & Washington State History Museu
1911 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, Washington 98402
(253) 272-9747

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Tacoma Journals

Tacoma, Washington? You'll Be Surprised!