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City guide

Tacoma, Washington

Tacoma is a city in and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Puget Sound roughly 30 miles (48 km) from Seattle and Olympia, and 58 miles (93 km) northwest of Mount Rainier National Park.

Type CityPopulation 219,346

Why go

  • City in Washington, United States.
  • 1 recommended spot to eat and drink.
  • Served by Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW).

History

Tacoma is a city in and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Puget Sound roughly 30 miles (48 km) from Seattle and Olympia, and 58 miles (93 km) northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. Tacoma is the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area and the third-most populous city in the state with a population of 219,346 at the 2020 census. Tacoma is the economic and cultural center of the South Sound region, which has a population of about 1 million.

Eat & drink

Indoor

Airports

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) 18 mi to the centre
17801 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98158 — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 33 airlines (Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines…) · direct flights to 90 destinations incl. London, Atlanta, Denver, Beijing, Honolulu… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 33 airlines, 90 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
King County International Airport - Boeing Field (BFI) 23 mi to the centre
Seattle, WA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Kenmore Air) · direct flights to 2 destinations incl. Eastsound, Port Angeles (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 2 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW) 5.8 mi to the centre
Tacoma, WA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Bremerton National Airport (PWT) 23 mi to the centre
Bremerton, WA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Renton Municipal Airport (RNT) 22 mi to the centre
Renton, WA, US — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Shady Acres Airport 11 mi to the centre
Spanaway, WA, US
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Pier 7-A
Ferry terminal · 4.4 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Pier 7-B
Ferry terminal · 4.4 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Pier 7-C
Ferry terminal · 4.4 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Pier 7-D
Ferry terminal · 4.5 mi from the centre
Outdoor
P3
Ferry terminal · 4.9 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Pier 4 North
Ferry terminal · 4.9 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Point Defiance-Tahlequah Ferry
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Point Defiance to Tahlequah
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Tahlequah to Point Defiance
Ferry route · Washington State Ferries
Outdoor
Steilacoom-Ketron-Anderson Island Ferry
Ferry route · Pierce County
Outdoor
Ketron Island to Steilacoom
Ferry route · Pierce County
Outdoor
Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry
Ferry route · Pierce County
Outdoor
Anderson Island to Steilacoom
Ferry route · Pierce County
Outdoor
Steilacoom to Anderson Island
Ferry route · Pierce County
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW); 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 6 ferry terminals within 12 mi (nearest: Pier 7-A, 4.4 mi); routes include Point Defiance-Tahlequah Ferry, Point Defiance to Tahlequah, Tahlequah to Point Defiance.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Tacoma, Washington. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Metro · Seattle, Washington · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Bus, Metro · King County, Washington · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet card, management · Managed fleet across US bases · Locally based jet card and aircraft management with private terminals in ~20 US cities.
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.
Membership charter · King Air 350i, Citation, Hawker, Global · US membership and on-demand charter; Delta Air Lines is a major shareholder.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, light to ultra-long-range · Charter, management and FBOs at Van Nuys and Orange County; the original Hollywood jet operator.