Point Defiance Park

Just a fabulous park. Massive, with something for everyone. We stopped by to check it out recently when passing through and were quite impressed.

Short on time, we ended up just walking the beach from Owen's (where we hung out a bit to watch deer feeding) to the viewpoint. We'd hoped to go on but access stopped at that point. On that day there were pretty regular, albeit minor, slides coming off of the cliffs behind us. It was a little nervy, but I'm certainly glad we did as we were treated to viewings of eagles and seals near the point.

Clearly there's a lot to take in and do at this park. We'd love to stop by again the next time we're nearby. Animal and nature heaven for sure.

Point Defiance Park is breathtaking and if you enjoy being in nature I highly recommend visiting. I enjoy trail running here throughout the year and cycling in the summer months. There is always people here, but it never feels overly crowded. The botanical gardens are truly beautiful as well. The zoo/aquarium is here along with Owen Beach and the Fort Nisqually Museum. There is definitely something here for all ages to enjoy!

Beautiful place. Me and my family come down here by the pond and garden, of course photos were taken of literally everything.

Came here without a plan. Our gang was parked in queue with other people while waiting to be loaded on a ferry going to Vashon Island. I badly need to pee and boom - found a gem!

It's a nice big park with lush green fields and foliage are swaying. I have not explored the while park but I was sure that this would be one of the most beautiful park in Tacoma. Kids will truly love this as there are fish ponds and flower sanctuary here and most of all a green field that they can ran freely!

As per parking it's pretty plenty spaces and pretty big. Packed some food with you as this park is too pretty not to have picnic here.

PS; it was just a quick one coming on this park that's why I don't give justice on how pretty this park is.

Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps!

Yet another Yelp entry that I am surprised I haven't written for yet. To me Point Defiance is the best park in the Tacoma area. Chambers Bay comes in very close and I think has the edge when it comes to views but there are so many amenities with Point Defiance that it simply can't be beat. If I could give Point Defiance more than five stars I would.
Features here are numerous and I may even miss some. The gardens here are definitely something to take in. Probably the most popular and with good reason is the rose garden which is close to the main entrance. There are other gardens as well and I don't think I've been to all of them but there is a Rhododendron Garden worth checking out when those plants are in bloom. There is an excellent Japanese Garden as well.
There is a marina with a shop that covers more than your basic marina and fisherman needs as well as a restaurant nearby. You can take a lazy stroll on a sidewalk along Puget Sound to Owens Beach but you can drive to that beach as well.
A zoo is also housed within the park. I have been here twice now. Once during their Christmas lights displays and another in the summer to take in the exhibits. While not the biggest of zoos this one is sizeable enough and you can easily spend an afternoon here looking at the animals and going to the aquarium.
Fort Nisqually is another attraction in the park. An old fort in which going here in the summer is a lot of fun and getting a very good sample of what life was like at a fort. Some of the staff that work here are even dressed like those times of Forts in the American West.
Other features include Five Mile Drive in which you can get views of Puget Sound and the Narrows Bridge, leash free dog parks, trails that take you deep into the wooded park and plenty of areas for you and your family to pic nic at.
A nice and new added bonus is a new walking bridge that takes you over the road to the Vashon Ferry and connects to Point Ruston and Ruston Way in which there are plenty of other features and views to see there as well. That area is more for nicer dining and gorgeous views of Puget Sound.
I am sure and wouldn't be surprised that I am missing something that is well worth pursuing here but I think I covered the main and basic features as what activities and things to see here that are recommended. Many of the features and attractions I mentioned have their own Yelp entries. The pictures I am posting for this entry involves those entries and parts of the park.
Definitely a highlight and beloved place for residents of the Tacoma area as well as out of town tourists.

This is an absolutely beautiful park! It's a quick walk up to see the water.
There are lots of different trails, but we park on N 51st and N Mildred and take the forward trail.

Cherry blossoms were blooming when we visited. I can only imagine how pretty it is when all the roses are in bloom! It wasn't super busy but very peaceful. We will be heading back when the roses are sure to be colorful. We also took a stroll by the water watching the ferry come and go.

Gorgeous park that manages to combine lots of natural beauty with a feeling of safety. I highly recommend downloading a trail map onto our device because it's easy to get lost. I ended up doing more trails and loops than I expected, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Forest trails are well maintained and there are plenty of shaded spots on the roadways to give you a respite on sunny days.

The prettiest park in Tacoma, no cap.

This mega-park has tennis courts, a whole freaking zoo, a beach, a ferry dock that takes you to Vashon Island, numerous walking paths, a scenic drive, and multiple flower gardens. Summer here is truly gorgeous, and I can't wait to experience it in different seasons!

What an amazing area to visit! After the renovation the grounds are spectacular and very well manicured. A wonderful place for taking photos. All of the plant life is properly placed and with the addition of the pagoda and water well along with little bridges, it's fantastic. They also have razor scooters you can rent and you can cover a lot of ground.