There are parks located around Tacoma and they range in size from small tracts of land to very large green spaces with many things to do within its limits. Most of the parks are managed by Metro Parks Tacoma and are lovely places to find a shady spot on a hot summer day, or a place to peek into the leaves in the fall. All parks open half an hour before sunrise and close half an hour after sunset. Below is not a complete list of parks (which you can find on the Metro Parks site), but rather a list of the biggest, best, and most unique parks in Tacoma.
Along with many green spaces, Metro Parks also manages places like Northwest Trek and the Point Defiance Zoo. Many of the parks contain some of the best hiking in Tacoma.
Parque Point Defiance
Point Defiance Park is by far the largest and best-known park in Tacoma. This expansive space is located on a peninsula in North Tacoma. The park has miles of hiking trails, including a paved path and a trail called Five Mile Drive, but more than that, this is the location of some of Tacoma’s top attractions. The Point Defiance Zoo, Fort Nisqually, a rhododendron garden, and Owen’s Beach are located here. Near the park entrance is a Japanese Garden that is much smaller than Seattle’s Japanese Garden, but is free to enter and a quiet place to sit or stroll.
Point Defiance is also the site of some larger events, including the Taste of Tacoma in June.
Location: 5400 N Pearl Street
Charlotte’s Blueberry Park
Blueberry Park, one of Tacoma’s most unique parks, is exactly what it sounds like: a park full of blueberries. There are hundreds of blueberry bushes here and visitors can pick as many blueberries as they like. Blueberries are generally ready to harvest between June and October. The park is maintained by volunteers, so if you really enjoy the idea of free fresh produce, you can join in!
Location: 7402 East D Street
Brown’s Point Lighthouse Park
Located in northeast Tacoma, Brown’s Point is special because it has a lighthouse right on its grounds. On any given day, visitors can climb outside the lighthouse and look around, but tours are also available. You can even stay at the lighthouse for a week and be its caretaker if you want to get to know this structure better. Also in the park are picnic and barbecue facilities and a beach that is a great place to walk and explore.
Location: 201 Tulalip Street NE
Swan Creek
Currently 250 acres of undeveloped wooded wilderness await along Swan Creek Canyon in East Tacoma. This is one of the best hikes in Tacoma, but relatively few people hike throughout the park. The entrances to this park are located just off 56th and Portland Avenue (there is actually no parking at this end, however), as well as along Pioneer Way E (a small parking lot is available). There are a few facilities located near the Pioneer Way entrance, but once you hit the trails in the woods, there is only nature to greet you.
Location: 2820 Pioneer Way E
Parque Stewart Heights
One of the best parks in East Tacoma has grown over the years to include not only a park and playground, but also an 8,500-square-foot skate park and pool with lanes, play areas, and a Water slide. Facilities also include a bathhouse, community meeting space, and an underground in-pool complex. Due to the large number of facilities, this park is unmatched.
Location: 402 E 56th Street
Across from the Tacoma
The Waterfront along Ruston Way is more than just a park – it’s a two-mile-long walkway along the Puget Sound with fantastic views of the mountain, Northeast Tacoma, Vashon Island, and the Tacoma Harbor. Along the way, there are several parks, including Dickman Mill Park, Hamilton Park, and Jack Hyde Park. None of the parks here are large, but they do offer places to sit and relax. During some of the festivals that take place here, including the July Freedom Fair, these parks are lit up with live events and entertainment.
Location: Along Ruston Way, accessible by I-705 and from various neighborhood streets in North Tacoma
Titlow Beach
Titlow Beach, another of Tacoma’s coastal parks, is quieter than the more popular Waterfront and Owen Beach, but this is what makes it so appealing. Here is a full park near the water with a duck pond, playground equipment, barbecue facilities, and a lodge that can be rented for events. Behind the park is a network of forest trails. Along the water, there is a small walkway and a long stretch of beach that is accessible at low tide.
Location: 8425 6th Avenue
Wapato Park
Wapato Park surrounds Lake Wapato and is the best located park in South Tacoma. It has a good number of walking trails around the lake, barbecue facilities, and playground equipment. There are usually ducks and geese on the lake, but be aware that it is now a crime to fine ducks in Tacoma parks. The park is beautifully landscaped and is a treasure trove of natural surroundings.
Location: 6500 S Sheridan Avenue
Wright Park
Wright Park is one of the most historic places in Tacoma. Its WW Seymour Botanical Garden dates back to 1907 and the park itself is even older. There are sculptures located throughout the park, including the prominent white sculptures at the entrance to Division Street, dating from the late 19th century. Within the park limits there is a duck pond, sports fields, a playground, the botanical garden and plenty of space to relax with a picnic.
Location: 501 South I Street
