You’ll Like Tacoma
Tacoma’s blue-collar and industrial past sets it in contrast to Seattle’s white-collar, high-tech image. But as the old industries that made up Tacoma’s former economic base have faded or cleaned up their operations, what has emerged is a very livable, medium-sized city on the Puget Sound with many of the same attractions that make Seattle so desirable – minus the traffic congestion and the higher cost of housing. Tacoma has hills, water and mountain views, a revitalized downtown, diverse communities, a thriving cultural scene, and proximity to outdoor activities. Tacoma’s metropolitan population comes in just over 200,000, neither too big nor too small many would say. It is nestled within natural Pacific Northwest beauty, with outstanding views of Mount Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula mountain range. Tacoma has preserved many notable historic buildings, including the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum. Don’t try to convince anyone from Seattle of this, but Tacoma has great food, too. There are three farmers markets throughout Tacoma during the summer months, multi-ethnic restaurants very near to the UWT campus, friendly nightclubs, taverns and bars featuring music and dancing.