On the Town

Waterfront
Plans call for a complete redevelopment of roughly 25 acres of city-owned downtown waterfront. The Foss Waterway, adjacent to downtown Tacoma, is the Pacific Northwest's newest mixed-use waterfront community. In the near future, a Thea Foss Waterway Esplanade will stretch along the entire one and one-half miles of the western side of the Thea Foss Waterway, and will reconnect the downtown business district and the Union Station Historical District to the waterfront.

Waterfront revitalization efforts include the Museum of Glass, Foss Waterway Marina and Thea's Landing. Thea's Landing, a mixed-use building, includes two waterfront restaurants, 189 apartments and 47 condominiums. Other potential and pending developments include a working waterfront museum, a waterfront boardwalk, and the renovation of the historic Albers Mill.

Restaurants
Tacoma is home to every kind of cooking, from down-home Southern food at the Southern Kitchen to the finest lobster in the Northwest. Among the fresh faces in the downtown scene are acclaimed Northwest steakhouse El Gaucho and fondue eatery The Melting Pot. Other long-time favorites include Stanley & Seaforts, offering fine dining high above Tacoma's cityscape. C.I. Shenanigan's, the Ram and Katie Downs tempt gourmands along Ruston Way waterfront, while Anthony's Homeport near Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is always a popular destination for visitors and locals alike. Tacoma's 6th Avenue business district is home to "restaurant row," featuring cool places to catch a bite or enjoy a more leisurely meal. Sixth Avenue favorites include Masa and Asado.

Theater District
Tacoma's Broadway Center for the Performing Arts is located in the downtown Theater District. With three unique theaters and their own acclaimed performance series, The Broadway Center serves as a vital and valuable arts steward. The Pantages, a historic 1,186-seat theater modeled after the Palace at Versailles, offers a lush performance experience and is home to a host of local arts presenters. The Rialto, a 742-seat theater that originally served as a grand movie palace, hosts the Tacoma Youth Symphony and the Northwest Sinfonietta, among others. Theatre on the Square, a 302-seat facility with a contemporary flair, is home to the region's only professional theater company and offers a more intimate setting. Each year the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts presents an excellent performance season spanning comedy, dance, musical theater, family programming, music and more.

Events & Venues
In addition to the more traditional arts and culture, Tacoma offers a wide variety of entertainment options. The Tacoma Dome has been a landmark in Tacoma's skyline for more than 25 years and welcomes over one million guests annually. The Tacoma Dome Arena and its attached Exhibition Hall host over 300 days of events every year including WIAA high school sports, major concerts, family shows and several tradeshows.

The world-famous Puyallup Fair happens every September just down the road from Tacoma. The fair, which began more than 100 years ago as a three-day country fair, has grown into the sixth largest in the world.