I’ll Throw a Fish at You in Tacoma for Free
Summer is only a couple billing cycles away. Soon, the school buildings will be as empty as The Mecca. Many locals are planning summer trips and vacations, or preparing for visits from out-of-town family and friends.
If your visitors are anything like mine, they want to indulge your enthusiasm for Tacoma by agreeing to be escorted to our various attractions; But what they really want is to go to Seattle. This is endlessly frustrating to me. Oh, sure, I understand the draw of Pike Market and The Space Needle. So iconic.
My aggravation with the obligatory Seattle tourism circuit is probably a touch overwrought. I’ll admit, I take it personally because I identify with Tacoma. I’m a modest individual. But I’m not modest because I’m humble – I’m modest because it serves me best to keep my lack of achievement and collection of grand failures to myself.
My Dad was here in October. I took him to The Red Hot for a beer and a hot dog, but I’m not sure he understood that he was taking the Eucharist with me. When he asked if we could spend some time in Seattle, he may as well have reminded me that my sister is a nurse with an executive title working on a graduate degree. I dropped out of college at 21 and got a job at Wal-Mart so I could afford child support.
I don’t dislike Seattle, and I certainly don’t dislike my sister. I don’t believe in slacker mystique or that authenticity can only be found on the fringes. But I do believe that it’s possible to vacation splendidly in Tacoma without paying a visit to the First Starbucks. We have the first Satellite, for goodness sakes! The view from the S. 34th Street bridge rivals any vantage point in Queen Anne. Titlow Park is a comprehensive Puget Sound beach experience. If cruising Mercer Island looking at wealthy people’s stuff is your bag, Tacoma froze one of its wealthy people in stone (ala “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”). Then, we left him and some chunks of his house on the corner of N. 26th and Washington. Now, he’s forever hailing a cab.
Where do you take your visitors when they come to Tacoma? Have you ever hosted a Tacoma-centric vacation? There is certainly plenty to do here. But can we convince our guests to ignore the Call of the North? Can it be done? Should it be done?
NEXT WEEK: Bringing Manatees Back to Commencement Bay
Filed under: General
27 comments
R RR Anderson May 24, 2010
zoo lights is big with the inlaws. also a “frozen in carbonite” metaphor may have afforded the author with a greater slacker ROI social capital.
OH THE HUGE MANATEE!
J jp solyom May 24, 2010
There is a big difference between world-class attraction and me-too attraction. It’s usually the “dare to be different” or “have no choice to be different” cities that create the “on the edge of chaos” conditions necessary for creativity and innovation to flourish.
Most people forget that you cannot mandate creativity… you can only create an ecosystem for creatives to flourish and wait until one hits upon the innovation that resonates with a large number of people..
If Tacoma wants to find itself, then it needs to create some zones of chaos for innovation to flourish… without the heavy regulatory blanket that snuffs it out before it has a chance to take root…
A Altered Chords May 24, 2010
jp – the zones of chaos must reside in the minds of the creative.
Tacoma is doing a great job of creating zones of chaos in the minds of its residents.
One need only listen to the comments at city council meetings for proof.
Re: Tacoma centric vacation – I do it every weekend.
2 weekends ago we “got away” to the Villa Cafe. Last weekend we “got away” to Larua’s Bayview Cafe.
That concludes our cafe tour.
R RR Anderson May 24, 2010
@3
Tacoma still has a long way to go. I’m talking about the residential-mind-chaos gap with city of Ruston during their council meeting comments.
you’re not hardcore till you reach the verge of collapse.
for god sakes, we’re only a two zine town (viz: CLAW + Vex)
M Mofo from the Hood May 24, 2010
Yesterday I took a lady friend to a recently opened Mexican bakery on the NW corner of South 38th & G. They have a great selection of scones @ 3 for $1.00 plus other pastries that are cheese or cream filled and cookies @ 5 for $1.00. Small loaves of bread too. They don’t serve hot coffee or hot tea, but they do have bottled cold tea and pop and water. Best feature: Ceiling mounted big screen t.v. with a Mexican soccer match cranked loud. Those Mexican sportscasters are so enthusiastic and expressive that I almost got accused of avoiding my date.
W whatever May 24, 2010
I give them tours of Hilltop and watch gang activity.
Usually they respond with, “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be.”
C captiveyak May 24, 2010
i saw LARPers in Hilltop once.
No joke.
Yet, no headlines saying “LARPers Bring Peace to Hilltop.”
A Altered Chords May 24, 2010
Mofo – thanks for the tip! 3 for $1.00!!!!
T Trashtown May 24, 2010
Take ‘em down the cliff to Salmon beach, then stuff em with frisko freeze!
Y You're Welcome May 24, 2010
I park at the Dome and take them on the link. Lunch at PSP, and a perusal through Antique Row. Back to the link for The MoG and a Hello cupcake. Maybe a beer at The New Frontier.
I always get the same reaction: “Tacoma’s not as bad as I thought it would be.”
Hmph!
C captiveyak May 24, 2010
I like what I see so far.
Also – photo credit goes to Alicia Wilkinson. Thank you!
C crenshaw sepulveda May 24, 2010
So long as your guests are only in Tacoma for a day or two you will be good to go.
M MOW! May 24, 2010
Hey, as long as they’re of age and like to drink, 6th Ave is always a good place to take people. Never a shortage of bars in Tacoma.
But never an abundance of clubs…
S Squid May 24, 2010
Go Karts and Batting Cages, topped of by a Green River at Don’s.
J jexx May 24, 2010
I took my parents to the Glass Museum (parked at Tacoma Dome and took the Link, too!). I had never been there before, and was kind of skeptical, but it was magnificent. We ate at the cafe inside, as well, and it was inexpensive and delicious. Of course, we had to go to Seattle a couple of days later, but I felt good that I had shown them MY favorite city first.
A alps May 25, 2010
I wish I could take them to Hilltop as I thought I lived there, but apparently it is now called “Upper” Tacoma (see Metro Parks District maps etc.) So I can take them North and South, Statium and Brewery…and Upper.
J Jesse May 25, 2010
I usually take people to see the north slope houses, old town, Proctor through Stadium to Pacific Ave downtown, Hello Cupcake, 6th Ave, and Gig Harbor. Also been to the zoo and park. Usually we stop to eat at Pomodaros, Tides Tavern, Two Koi, Silk Thai, or someplace on Ruston Way.
J Jessica Spring May 25, 2010
Out-of-towners are usually impressed by Tatanka Take Out or Infinite Soups—both quirky and delicious. Same goes for King’s Books.
C crenshaw sepulveda May 25, 2010
Does the Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor count as Tacoma? No love for an old Tacoma institution, Harbor Lights, albeit bought out by Anthony’s.
L Lacey May 25, 2010
Lets not forget Wright Park and the Conservatory. And I always (ALWAYS) bring my out of town guests to The Parkway. Ahhh.
I inacomaintacoma May 25, 2010
“There is a big difference between world-class attraction and me-too attraction. It’s usually the “dare to be different” or “have no choice to be different” cities that create the “on the edge of chaos” conditions necessary for creativity and innovation to flourish.
Most people forget that you cannot mandate creativity… you can only create an ecosystem for creatives to flourish and wait until one hits upon the innovation that resonates with a large number of people..
If Tacoma wants to find itself, then it needs to create some zones of chaos for innovation to flourish… without the heavy regulatory blanket that snuffs it out before it has a chance to take root…”
keep the military out and the lakewood wannabe gangsters and the dumb puyallup hicks and bring in something like SXSW. and boldly call it NXNW to compete. but it will donminate because NW media would release a mf cracken of coolness. NXNW at the tacoma dome. let that shit rip. get fleetfoxes and new pornographers and then fire up the tacoma film fesitval at the same time. that’s how you get shit started in this town. and do it now before that bitch seattle finds out.
I I'm for Change (for tacoma) May 25, 2010
My ‘rents passed thru town a year or 2 ago & stayed for a few days @ the Murona. They were very happy with the hotel. We ate at Maxwell’s, they went to the MoG, wandered around UWT, we went on the boat. They commented that they were more impressed with TAC than expected (I don’t think they expected much, we used to summer in SEA) and they liked it. The only grumble was 13th was closed (due to the Luzon) and the stairs (around 12th) were closed for construction; made it hard to get back to their room, but they did get to see more stuff. They were confused by the Toffelson cement park.
R rick May 25, 2010
I had some of my family elders in town for nearly a week last summer. I put ‘em up at the Chinaberry B&B on N 3rd and Tacoma Ave. Among other places we ate/drank at Doyle’s, Parkway, Spar, E-9, Rosewood Cafe, Europa Bistro, Stanley’s… visited the Glass Museum, Point Defiance and the 5 mile drive and took quite a few drives (they’re older, remember) around north Tacoma to see houses and vistas and such. We took the ferry across to Vashon, then from there over to Port Orchard and wound our way back through to Gig Harbor on roads less travelled. On the final full day, we went up to Seattle to visit the obligatory sites. A nice time had by all, and Tacoma was the centerpiece—though that’s primarily because they came to see me, and Tacoma is where I was.
That said, I certainly experienced no emotional reaction to their wish to visit Seattle. When I visit family near major cities, I often like to find my into NYC, Atlanta and Chicago. Seems like a reasonable thing to do…
T T'wina May 26, 2010
Tacoma Rocks! Shout out to the Mayor and her fellow council members!! Love you Marilyn! Shout out to Exit 133 for reppin’ Tacoma! Though I’m a resident of Fircrest!
F Flannel Animal May 26, 2010
I totally understand this article. My sister and her family will be visiting from Florida this summer. They want to visit all the touristy stuff in Seattle, Mariners game, Pikes, Space needle…which I understand. I am just not sure there will be time to show them MY town…my adopted home of Tacoma that I love so much….the one Tacoma sight on the list is the Parkway though :)
C crenshaw sepulveda May 26, 2010
Kind of like living in Oakland and all your family from out of town wants to do is go to San Francisco. You tell the we have bars and hot dogs in Oakland and they say sure you do, they just aren’t in San Francisco.
M Matthew Erlich May 26, 2010
Looking for something in the Hilltop neighborhood? There’s a lot to see at Tacoma Goodwill’s Milgard Work Opportunity Center! The Living Wall by famed French vertical garden artist Patrick Blanc is world class. And the food at the Neighborhood Bistro, prepared by Culinary Arts students, makes for a good lunch as well. Coffee is also available at the Goodwill Buzz, which serves Starbucks. Of course, I do work for Goodwill, but the Living Wall really should be part of any Tacoma visit!