Eagle Island State Marine Park is an excellent little kayaking adventure that only takes a couple…read morehours. It is a gorgeous location, just off Anderson Island, with views of the Olympic Mountains, McNeil Island ("Alcatraz of the Northwest!), and the Key Peninsula. This little island is uninhabited. Nice beaches, jillions of seabirds, seals with their pups, and a short wooded trail to explore. To get their, take the Anderson Island Ferry from Steilacoom, just south of Tacoma. Drive to the old boat launch at the north end of Anderson Island. It's a short paddle there. It was an easy paddle out to and around the entire island. Lots of fun! Here's a great aerial/action video of the island. https://youtu.be/hA6BcJmaqGM Check out this video on Anderson Island https://youtu.be/SzqhN0pg_1Y Learn more about Anderson Island - http://andersonisland.org/

Chambers Creek Regional Park is one of my favorite places throughout the year. They have a wide…read morerange of activities at this park, such as golfing, biking, skateboarding, walking, running, picnicking, kite flying, and beer festivals. There's a pretty lengthy trail close to the street that also leads to the Chambers Bay Grill. At the grill, they host special events, weddings, and personal celebrations. The Grill has an average set of drinks on tap and a pretty decent food menu as well as outdoor seating for those who want to continue to take in the breathtaking views around the park. Additionally, there are several strategically placed Scenic Overlook/viewpoint areas where you can sit, take in a magnificent view of the sound and landscape of the golf course. I usually come here at least 2-3 times a month to walk down the steep decline to the golf course area/trail over to a bridge that extends slightly into the sound. Here is my meditative space - somewhere I can go for some quiet reflection.

A park for everyone! * Picnic…read more* kid-friendly * clean * bathroom available * ample parking I mean, this is almost perfection. If I'm living in Tacoma I will surely come or suggested this park for friends and family to gather altogether.

Not much sand to really feel like a beach. Hella dirt instead that we were sunbathing on, so bring…read morea towel or a blanket to lay on. Water was very beautiful and super duper clear. So many water activities going on left and right with people fishing, jetskiing, riding on their personal boat, etc. it was a good time all around. Do not think that you can drink here. Be sure to bring snacks and drinks, especially with the hot weather going right now in the month of June 2026. Pick up after yourself so we could continue to have this beauty, please! Watch out for the military police. Multiple sites to rest at, including summer cove where I was at with my Asian migration group, hehe! Many parking spots no matter where it is that you and your group decide to settle at around this site.

Out of all honesty I'm hovering between three to four stars on this park. Much of it revolves…read morearound the timing of when you go here I imagine. Most of the surrounding shore that makes up American Lake looks to be private and this park seems to be more of a boat launching point for the general public to use for utilizing the lake. The park itself is quite small and that also goes for the parking lot as well. The day I went was a warm day so the park was full as well as the designated lots. Filled lots for certain parks often times in neighborhoods aren't really that big of a deal because you can use curbside parking that is usually nearby but in this part of Lakewood there is no curbside parking at all and it looks like parking in front of someone's house doesn't seem like it's a good idea because one gets the idea you are parking in their yard and not on a curb. So what I did was park in an area that was designated for a school and carefully looked for any parking restrictions given the amount of time it would take for me to walk to the park, check it out for a bit then walk back. This proved to not be an issue parking here but the walk was a bit long. Fortunately the day that I picked to go to American Lake was a clear day and if you walk to the boat docks you can get a good view of Mount Rainier and the the lake itself is very pretty. But don't assume you can get a clear view of the mountain all of the time. Overcast is not unusual. There is also a decent looking beach here as far as lake beaches go but like everything the day I went it was fairly crowded. The boat ramp was in full use as well and a line of cars were waiting to unload as well. Definitely a very busy park the day I went despite it's size. Aside from the crowds this park isn't too bad and if you can enjoy the view of Mount Rainier and the water I'd definitely bump that aspect of the park up to four stars.

The park and lake were clean and beautiful, not unlike many other Washington parks. However, it…read morewas a unique feeling to stand next to a freshwater lake on a small island in the Puget Sound. We were next to freshwater, yet a short drive away in any direction would lead us to saltwater. Based on the number of homes on the opposite side of the lake, many people enjoyed that feeling. We were there on a Fall weekend afternoon and the island was quiet, including the park. I wonder if it is much more active in the Summer.

An absolutely pristine little family park, located on a tiny lake, at the terminus of a long, shady…read morelane. There is a pontoon raft, a small beach, a hilly embankment, picnic tables and barbecues on metal posts. I rode my bike over on the ferry with a beach towel around my neck, prepared for a swim. The beach is very clean and sandy--not pebbly. There was only a dollop of mucky bits, and those were easily avoided. Be careful if your preferred mode of ambulation has two wheels. You'll earn your swim after coming over the hills, and there a few blind spots, twisty corners, and roundish things. Come thither. Bring a sandwich. Enjoy life!

Easy to find off I-5, Harry Todd Park is on the civilian side of American Lake. With bathrooms,…read morepicnic tables, playground, covered areas, and fishing pier- my kids and I went for fishing and playground. Didn't catch any fish but saw a couple folks who did, the fishing pier was easy and not too crowded (though not empty either on a Saturday). Playground was nice though the park had a lot of trash on the ground. Seems to be a place where folks know they can have a cookout for a bigger group. At least 2 groups were meeting up and had staked a claim on parts of the green space early. There is a decent sized parking lot with handicapped parking a lot closer. There's also a beach for swimming but not for me today (too cold!).

Beautiful lake! Clean water. Can get very busy!! Not great for littles but older kids is great time!read more

This is our favorite dog park to take our pup. Simply put, it's MASSIVE. Our dog can run, play, and…read moresocialize with so many different dogs all over this park and he comes back exhausted and so happy from his fun filled day. Worth the drive no matter where you are in WA. Rain or shine this park is always open. Just don't be surprised if your pup comes back covered in mud on a rainy day .

This is on the site of a former territorial military fort, then a state mental hospital and work…read morefarm (c.1868). With the farm's closing in the 1970's, a wonderful gift to the people of Lakewood and Washington state grew out of the distress of those hospital days. A diamond rising from the ashes, so to speak. There are a few of the farm buildings remaining plus the foundation to the barracks for the hospital's farm workers. More over there is tons of room to spread out, no matter what your activity might be (sports fields, trails, picnic areas......)

By far, my favorite walking trail in the South Sound…read more It's completely paved, probably has some of the most scenic views that a walking trail boasts, has ample restrooms along the trail, and more. Up top is a playground and on the bottom is a off-leash dog park. So much green space, too. Gladly will make the 40-minute drive to visit here over and over again!

I definitely feel this is one of the pleasantly lengthy and well maintained bike and walking trails…read morein the University Place and Tacoma area. There are a few others I feel that are of this good of quality but notable exceptions would be the walking paths at Ruston Way, Cushman Trail (in Gig Harbor) and maybe a trail in Orting, WA which I have yet to go to. I am focusing on the surface of the trails because a lot of Tacoma trails have pretty significant bumps and upheavals in the path caused by roots, frost and time. And seeing them neglected is a bit sad and possible hazards. The views while walking the trail are breathtaking in which you can see the Olympic Mountains, neighboring islands and Puget Sound as well as different angles of the park in which you can get in great views of the concrete structures on one side of the park and the golf course. Definitely a trail I recommend taking if you are into scouting out bike and walking trails and don't mind going up tall hills and a giving up some time to do the loop. This trail is pretty popular as ts in the summer lots of people use it and I can easily understand why.