What an awesome place to stop by! If you have kiddos this place is extra great - the playground is so delightful I just had to go down the slide! There's a building that has some really cute turtles and frogs and there are animal costumes for the kiddies. As for the adults? There's a walking trail that goes around the lake. It's pretty short, but if you go around a few times you can get a nice walk in. It's very shaded and I will definitely be coming here more when Summer comes. read more

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The Tacoma Nature Center is such a local gem that I've passed hundreds of times and really had no idea. I actually saw a local mom influencer post about it on Instagram and decided to visit with my kids! The Discovery Pond playground is super cute and was a hit with my kids (5 and 3). It's all nature themed, of course, with fun slides and climbing structures, as well as a small playground off to the side of the main playground. In addition, there's fun trails for the kids to explore surrounding the playgrounds that I felt comfortable enough letting them check out on their own since the whole area is pretty condensed and it's easy to hear/see them. There looked to be some pond areas that were all dried up. From past photos I think there are normally some frogs and bugs and other things that sometimes fill up these ponds, but it being the start of the hot season they are pretty baren. Would be cool to come back and check out in the fall! I also appreciate the amount of benches and picnic tables around the playground, as we were able to snag a shaded one that the kids could have their lunch at and take a break from running around. After we played and had lunch at the playground, we went on the little half mile ish trail behind the info center. It was mostly flat and very easy for the kids. The hit was definitely the bridge that goes over a large pond where we were able to spot several turtles, tadpoles, ducks, etc. We didn't pay attention to the time and missed out on going inside of the info center (it closes at 2) so that will be on the list for next time as well. Overall such a cute little spot that we'll I'm sure we'll hit up several times this summer! read more

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This is such a wonderful place for children and adults to explore nature! The indoor exploration is in a relatively small physical space, manageable so kids aren't overwhelmed. There are puppets and costumes for animal play, learning displays, live water creatures and taxidermic mammals in beautiful settings. There is no entry fee but visitors are welcomed to donate what their budgets allow. They offer a terrific free educational kit of games and toy equipment for parents to help their children explore nature at home, then return the kits for others to use. There's a creative outdoor play and picnic area that furthers learning in nature. There's a serene nature walk with a loop trail that's accessible for people with mobility challenges as well as children. It is a wonderful affordable place for exploration. A true gem for city visitors and dwellers. read more

There are a few turtles inside tanks and a child dress up and play area inside but for an adult it was lacking the nature information I love learning about. We took the half mile hike from the nature center but it was more swampy than pretty. The worker inside the nature center was super friendly. read more

I take my 2 and 5 year old here about once every week or two (more when the weather is bad) and they never get tired of it! They have some turtles and frogs inside with a cute little play area. The inside closes at 2, and if it's not too wet or cold out we can enjoy the Discovery Pond playground across the parking lot. read more

Tacoma Nature Center - Playground outside - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I went to high school right across the street from this place, and that colored my perceptions from an early age--it's a nature conservancy to most people, a light hike with some nice indoor displays that help the kids learn more about the natural world around them. But for me, it was where people snuck off campus when they wanted to skip class. The truancy officer was pretty familiar with the grounds. I wasn't a complete straight arrow in high school, but I was boring enough that I literally had never set foot on these grounds until yesterday. Nobody but I senses this irony so profoundly, but it still cracks me up a bit. It really is a little green oasis in the middle of town. A big elevated highway runs right along one side, and busy streets border it everywhere. But there's a little lake with birds and toads and turtles and whatnot, surrounded by woods dense enough that you sometimes don't even hear the traffic. The trails are flat and easy to walk--suitable for little kids and probably even older grandparents. There's plenty of parking and a little interpretive center with bathrooms and a gift shop. They also have terrariums with turtles and toads and other wildlife you can see up close. There are also some open spaces in the interpretive center; you can rent them for medium-sized gatherings. We threw a surprise 80th birthday party for an old family friend yesterday. From what I gathered from the organizers, it was easy to work with the building management to set up the cake and lemonade and noodles and whatnot. I'll never get to ditch class to come walk around the woods here, but I'm glad finally made it in. Great little sanctuary in town. read more

Great place to see a little bit of nature and get some knowledge about the indigenous plants and animals in the region without having to trek deep into the remote wilderness of the state. The Tacoma Nature Center offers 3-5 miles of flat and some hilly trails. Along the trail are points of interest with easy-to-locate trail markers. Today we saw turtles basking in the sun atop fallen logs, tadpoles, frogs, and a family of ducks. The indoor Nature center has a gift shop and a humble offering of exhibits on turtles, beavers, honey bees, and frogs. For little ones, there's a large well-designed playground that echoes the nature theme of the center. Overall, a great place for a jog or a wildlife picnic getaway for couples and/or families of all ages. Overall score: 5 / 5 read more

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Great park - fun for all kiddos! We came upon this park after we showed up to the zoo and it was closed. We had two 13 month old kiddos and one 3 year old. EVERYONE enjoyed the park and the indoor learning center. Interactive and fun - both allowed for creative, imaginative play. Had an absolute blast! read more

My granddaughter and I stopped by while her little brother visited the doctor and in an hour we were able to look at turtles, read nature books, play on the playground and take a short hike! Some special attention in a cool spot! Will do it again! Great time and the hostess did a great job explaining everything to me! read more

OMG!!! The Tacoma Nature Center (near #JBLM) was so much fun for the kiddos! Just a neat little area hidden in #Tacoma near Cheney Stadium. Fun areas to play (both inside & outside) and a nice trail to walk. https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/tacomanaturecenter/ #jblmareathingstodo #tacomanaturecenter #outdoorfun #indoorfun read more

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Nature-themed Discovery Pond playground for the kids: log to slide down, tree house to climb up, bridges to scramble across. There's an old-fashioned water pump and mud to splash in on hot days. Besides that, the water features (the aforementioned pond) are off-limits to kids. Keep that in mind if you have adventurers. Playground suggests ages of 5-12. There were younger kids there, including my own, and I really don't see why not. There are both easy and hard ways up most everything. The slide is just a little too speedy for the timid. The play area is expansive but doesn't have a whole lot to do. We there on a weekday evening in spring; I wonder how crowded the equipment gets in summer. Playground open till half an hour after sunset, but the visitors center only till 4. Restrooms and vending machines are therefore available only until then. Free parking, near plenty of amenities. Next time we'll head out on the trails, but our three kids were wearing themselves out at the park this time around. read more

Tacoma Nature Center - The Discovery Pond play area is crafted with nice elements of natural materials, blending into the landscape. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I really enjoyed my adventure in the Tacoma Nature Center! I go to Tacoma's parks in search of painted rocks that a group paints and hides around town. It is super fun! It is great motivation to get out and about and see all the parks that your city has to offer! I have went on a morning walk through here around Snake Lake. It was very tranquil and peaceful! At some point doing my circle around the lake I saw some Canadian Geese being really animated with each other which was super fun to see. A kind of behavior you don't really see when they know people are around them. There are a couple of bridges to cross the lake which is scenic and fun! There are other trails that go off from the lake as well but I did not branch off from the Snake Lake trail. Perhaps another time I will explore these other trails. The Snake Lake Trail is very manageable and if you do the loop expect to be there for about an hour. Across the parking lot there is a super fun children's section with a little pond, a tree house, climbing features and playground equipment which would be super fun for any little kid. AND a great place to hide painted rocks for them to find! Really a pleasant place! P.S. Unlike most Tacoma parks dogs are not allowed here. read more

The trail has an unexpectedly wilderness feel to it, especially for its location at 19th and Stevens! The trail around the lake is flat and easy for all types of walkers. There is some interpretive information, and the bridge over the little lake is a great spot to stop with kids and watch for the raccoon family or birds. Unfortunately the trail runs along highway 16 on one side, but you only notice the traffic sound on that little stretch. There is also a loop trail with several offshoots that goes up the hill above the lake, if you're seeking a little more exertion on your walk, as well as a cute northwest-themed playground for the kids out near the parking area. read more

The Nature Center at Snake Lake is a great way to learn about animals and plants that are native to the area. Your first stop should be at the Nature Center, which is at the base of where the trail starts. Going inside you are greeted by numerous displays and toys, it seems mostly geared to younger children. There is also a area where it looks like guides hold instruction, as well as a classroom area. The gift store is well stocked with all sorts of books. You can also borrow binoculars for a deposit, even though we didn't really use it much if at all. The star here though is the trail, walking out on the trail, which is a nice and comfortable walk through shaded woods. The first bridge is where all the action is, The water level was really low when we went, but we did see mallards, a wood duck, several turtles and a raccoon. It was interesting to see the Raccoon going fishing. Further down on the trail crossing the 2nd bridge, it was definitely much more marshy, and less lake. Make sure you also take the hillside trail as well, as you get a more remote setting. The Trail gets 4 stars because the number of trash that we found, which is to be expected however because of its close proximity to people. read more

This was a pleasant suprise, went for a friends childs birthday party held in a room downstairs, then they were led on a short nature walk which was a wonderful experience for the kids and a nice change of pace from the usual birthday fare. read more

It's a nice park. But it's SO TINY. The trail is short. And I had managed to tread through it with my 30lb 28 month daughter in a 4 wheeled stroller. Only a parent will understand how hard it is to maneuver a 4 wheeled stroller. The discovery pond was okay. Seriously nothing to exciting. It says it's for 5 and up but there were kids of all ages in this tiny discovery area. It's free. They have a information building. It had some coloring pages, puzzle, dress up and a variety of animals. That was cool. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back. But not because it was dirty or smelly or anything bad. Just wasn't a memorable park. read more

Tacoma Nature Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

This is the perfect place for walking toddlers! It's a relatively flat trails that's not too long but not too short. And a small but cute Nature Center that has turtles! It's just perfect enough to keep the toddlers occupied. The lake has ducklings! And you can cross over a wooden bridge! (Exclamation! Exclamation!) There's a garden by the entrance. It's not an uncommon site to see a private event going on such as birthday party... P.S. If you're unattached with toddlers or have older kids, you can explore the backside where there's some elevation for some light hiking. read more

Went on a preschool field trip here - had never even heard of the place. Kids had a great nature walks - we saw turtles, a huge ant hill and all sorts of unique plants! They loved the play area - next time we go to a Rainiers game will be sure to come here 1st for a great walk! read more

This place was a lot of fun. It is funny how many places you will find once you just YELP. I can't believe this place was right in my area. The kids had so much fun at Discovery Pond and I was amazed to see how much time and care went into the place. I will upload photos soon. I definitely recommend this place to kids and adults of all ages. My three year old lead us on an adventure up and up and up the hill to the other bridge. We went there looking for frogs, heard them did not catch any, and ended up with fun memories and a place to bring the rest of the families kids to. Will be back soon and hopefully this time we will be able to check out the nature center and catch the tour for the kids. Yeah!! read more

You never know that Highway 16 is zipping overhead when you're immersed in this hidden miracle of nature. The building houses educational displays, discussion rooms and a small shop. Go here first to get your bearings, then out on the trail. Lots of critters live around the lake area. Weather it's dripping or hot, you'll find a variety of life, not the least of which are the beautiful trees! We used to bring the kids and let them run the trails and get dirty with learning. It's the perfect diversion on a lunch break or on any Saturday. read more

I love the Tacoma Nature Center at Snake Lake!! This is my new favorite place to go jogging! The trail around the lake is wonderful for a walk or jog. It's a mostly flat trail, but there is a section where you can choose to go uphill if you desire. The lake is lovely and has a couple wooden bridges that you can cross over. Aside from the trail, there is a kid's play area, which is fairly new, and it is amazing! There is a gorgeous pond with fish in it that children just love, although it's not for swimming in. There is a slide and child-size rock wall, and there's a water pump at one end of the pond that kids love to play with. I haven't yet explored the actual Nature Center, but I've been told that it's great and also educational so I'll have to check it out soon. read more

Live five blocks from this place. Like an escape from the suburbia surrounding it, Snake Lake is a perfect place to go on a run, hike (or I guess walk), or to just look at nature. read more

If you truly care about your children, you will be sure to inform them of the wonders of outdoors. This is a good place to learn and last time I checked, it was free. Haven't done the entire trail yet. Should probably do that someday. read more

Love going for walks here. There is an easy loop trail with 2 bridges and an extension that goes up the hill for a longer hike. The playground is newer and unique. Great treehouse! They also have programs here through the year and a plant sale in the spring. read more

Lucky to have this little gem right new my house! Took my two year old daughter here for a nice simple hike and I was amazed at the natural beauty that is right off a major road near my house. The Nature Center also has fun games and books to read. The Discovery Pond was closed when we went but would love to go back to see it when it's open. read more

We had a retreat meeting in the Board Room upstairs. 12 adults. It was a great place. counter on the sie with a sink made it easy for buffet lunch. During our break, a docent took us on a tour of the property with nature museum, climbing facilities, classrooms and walking trails. It was great. I never would have thought of renting this Metro Parks childrens art and nature school for a meeting. worked great. lots of parking. read more