Tacoma is a vibrant, diverse, and culturally sound port city in Washington State, located just about 30 miles southwest of Seattle. Tacoma was not only named one of the most livable areas in the country, but also the most walkable cities as well.

The Washington State History Museum, located right on the waterfront in downtown Tacoma, displays a fascinating collection of artifacts from the history of the state. Fortunately, you can visit the museum, which is filled to the brim with artifacts and exhibits, during the week or on weekends. The Museum of Glass is also located in Tacoma and features the work of Tacoma native Dale Chihuly. The museum is connected to the Museum District by Chihuly's Bridge of Glass.

Tacoma colleges include the University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma Community College, University of Puget Sound, and Bates Technical College, to name a few. Opened in 2001 in downtown Tacoma, the Tacoma School of the Arts is an art-oriented high school that serves as a national model for educational innovation.

The Tacoma Arts Live area hosts three theaters, two of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. The city has a long history of preservation, with many properties listed in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's database of National Historic Landmarks.

The development of the city center includes a restored urban waterfront with a mix of residential, office, retail, and commercial buildings. Sound Transit has also established a new light rail line from the University of Washington Tacoma with all parts of the city. Sound Transit is also building a light rail line between Tacoma and Seattle with the new Tacoma Transit Center at the southeast corner of Tacoma Boulevard and Tacoma Avenue, which is connected to the Seattle-Washington State University campus at Tacoma Dome Station.

Tacoma is served several times a day in both directions by the Cascade Railway, which goes far north to Vancouver. The Coast Starlight long-distance service operates between Tacoma and Seattle. Sound Transit, the regional transportation authority, also operates bus services between Tacoma and Seattle seven days a week.

As part of Pierce County, Tacoma is home to other notable venues and neighborhoods where adventure awaits. The Port of Tacoma is an attraction in and of itself, being the largest port in the United States and the second-largest in North America.

You can even visit Tacoma Bike and rent a bike for the day and just enjoy a nice ride through the city. Tacoma has all the attractions, leisure, shops, and more to keep you entertained and busy for as long as necessary.

In addition to many shops, restaurants, and bars, the bustling downtown Tacoma area stretches across the Puyallup River waterway and serves as the port of Tacoma. The Washington State Ferries System, which has a jetty at Point Defiance, provides ferry services from Tacoma to the Puget Sound ports of Port Tacoma and others.

There are more than 50 parks in the Tacoma area, which offer outdoor actives like hiking, biking, camping, and more.