Definitely worth a stop if you're in or passing through the area. The highlight of our quick visit was the several gardens including lots of dahlias and roses. There were hummingbirds around the gardens as well. There were also many geese in the park though, so be careful where you step! read more

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Such a nice park with so many hikes and trails. It has many gardens. This time around I enjoyed the Rose garden. The beach was closed last time we were here so it was nice I got to experience it this time. I love coming here, this was the first time coming without Atom. I will continue our road trips up North in honor of Atom. read more

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Really pretty views. The beach is all rocks. Hiking trails throughout the park, walking path by the beach, play areas for kids, benches and tables. Zoo and Aquarium for a fee. They didn't have much of a view from the trails up by the road. The best view is at the walking path down by the water. Bathrooms are available. They are basic park bathrooms. The ferry is close by. read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I was in Tacoma on a beautiful winter day and got a chance to hike this 6-mile loop trail. It was mostly forest and wood with spectacular opening and views to the water. There are bathrooms along the way. Popular trail as there were many people around. Highly recommend a visit if you are in this neck of the woods. Parking lot is large and free. Please come and create your own experience. read more

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Point Defiance Park is MASSIVE. The area has so much beauty and is easy to lose time in the serenity of it. I highly recommend having a nice lunch at the benches near the little pond or inside the rose garden. Both beautiful areas! Dog friendly and the dogs I saw were all well behaved read more

Point Defiance Park - View from top of hill - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Inside city easy access no problem with parking ,free parking many trails in the forest or on the beach beautiful rose garden you feel in this park like you are away from the city read more

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Large park with both paved and dirt trails. Definitely the sort of park you can return to again and again and explore more each time. Park includes a zoo, aquarium, marina, fishing pier, rose garden, Japanese garden, picnic pavillion, swings and many, many pathways. A shop at the marina sells soda, snacks, a few souvinier items plus bait and rents gear. Lovely spot for leisure time with family or alone. read more

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Beautiful, even on a cloudy and rainy winters day! You'll find a lot of runners, people walking their dogs, the usual park things. It's clean, open, and paved with plenty of parking. Great spot to stretch your feet after a day of exploring Tacoma, with nearby shops and restaurants! read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Beautiful place to see the Puget Sound and enjoy nature. The tides here are extreme so watch the signs for warnings about walking on the beach. Also observe the information about seals. I've never seen so many close to the beach. The tide was decently low so we were able to walk fairly far. But the beach is all gravelly and the moss is slippery. Be careful walking around. Trails in this park are abundant and it's a gorgeous place. But be aware and always alert! Safety precautions first. No discovery pass required. Get out there and enjoy your life! SYOY! read more

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omg this place has so much to do with otter-seeing, kayaking ($30 for 30 minutes, I think) beach strolling, hiking, biking, running, and sunbathing because Owen Beach is nearby. there is a lot to appreciate when you are here and the nature is so stunning. such peace and quiet because the air is especially nice to breathe in. you just want to take a photo everywhere...at least I did, hehe make sure to bring snacks because the stands here are pricey. bring sunscreen to put on, a blanket to lay on, and extra clothes to change into in case that they get wet. parking was not too bad, but the car had to go in the hiking trail area lolol maybe this is what it is all about read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Can't believe I hadn't visited here before, but glad I took a few hours recently to familiarize myself with all the great space that exists here. Found parking pretty easily near the rose garden, and was able to wander amongst the many green spaces easily. Lots of people having picnics, playing games or just relaxing. Very clean, great views of Mt. Rainier and saw a doe! Seems like a stress free place to come. Many shops nearby if you want to grab a coffee and treat and then walk around. Will be back to explore more. read more

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Amazing place with fantastic views. A great experience for the entire family. Cannot recommend more highly. You do not want to miss this park. read more

Splendid park! On a sunny summer day in June the rose garden was in full bloom, the garden looked and smelled lovely. Every color of rose blossomed in tall hedges encircling a central gazebo. I'm not sure if I've ever seen so many types of roses all together before. Info about the roses and garden was helpfully located on a couple signs next to the gazebo. Shout out to the park gardeners and Tacoma Rose Society for their efforts! Located on the tip of Ruston in the Tacoma area, this is a jewel of a public resource and very well maintained. The grounds are expansive and like other reviewers mention, something for everyone--from gardens, walking trails, a zoo, beaches (pebbly), to water and nature activities, picnic areas, and a set of very long slides, many areas along the water with views of the surrounding shores and a glimpse of Mount Rainier on a clear day. At Owen Beach they have a modern pavilion facility available for rental for private events, kayak rental, and long shoreline along the water where people can sun bathe and also enjoy the water. There was a fair amount of people there on a Friday afternoon, about half the parking lot was filled, and there is a LOT of parking (no pun intended) compared to what I've seen at other local parks. The parking spaces are located along a hill incline so if you're parking closer to the entrance of the beach area (ie, further from the beach itself), that can mean quite a trudge back upwards on your way out. While I didn't have a chance to check out the zoo and slides yet, I'd gladly check these out if I go back! read more

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Walked the outer loop, 4.9 miles and 345ft of elevation gain. Beautiful and tranquil views. It was a foggy morning and pretty quiet in the park/trail. read more

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This place is SOOOO beautiful! I actually Googled it and gathered historical information about this place. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/special-reports/article25853656.html We saw a bunch of things jumping out of the water, but I wasn't able to verify what it was. This park is absolutely beautiful. If I lived here, I would probably be here fishing frequently. We didn't have a bunch of time because our flight leaves tonight. The children really enjoyed playing on the slide, the bathrooms were clean, and the trees are to die for! I love this place read more

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We visited the park and walked down to Owens beach. What a magically beautiful green space to enjoy Earth. read more

Point Defiance Park - Treasure - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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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. read more

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Pretty park with lots of places to stop and picnic. Loved the flower gardens that were in full bloom! Stop and walk among the beautiful flowers-it was so awesome! read more

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! read more

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My husband's stepmom drove us through this park. It's so lush and green with all the ferns and moss. Right in the city is a park with a whole forest with a walking trail, a beach, a Japanese garden, a flower garden and a zoo and aquarium and the only thing you have to pay for is for the zoo and aquarium. We stopped by the flower garden and saw beautiful dahlias as big as your head, banana leaf trees and a doe as we were leaving the park. Overall, a quieter visit compared to Seattle. read more

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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. read more

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Gorgeous gardens, enormous trees, extensive walking trails, waterfront and pebble beach, folks of all ages, no fee... an enviable city park. read more

Point Defiance Park - Dahlia blossom is pink pink pink. - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I went in the early spring and not much was bloomed so I'd come a little later in the season for a better experience. It's alright for walking through, some stuff to see but nothing crazy, it was not bad but I don't think I'll be back. read more

This is a very beautiful park with trails for walkers and dogs. Lots of group cold dip on the beach. Some areas are cordoned off to cars, so walkers and bikers and runners have the whole road to themselves. There is a large rose garden and dahlias collection. I go there every weekend and I am always impressed. The facilities are well maintained read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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1st. Dune Peninsula: Wonderful place to take the family, couples walk, walk the dogs, ride your bike, or just individual sitting watching the seals/whales. This place has the longest set of slides I have ever seen. We did see seals, no whales maybe next time. You can just sit watching the boats or have a picnic lunch. Bathrooms were available & clean. No matter what the age you can enjoy. Wheel chair accessible. 2nd Park area: everything is free. Great place to walk around, wonderful trees & flowers. A few of the things we wanted to see were close due to covid. I challenge you all to do the slides, they were grand for young & not so young. read more

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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! read more

Our first time visiting this park and we did not have a pleasant experience. We parked our Jeep right near the entrance booth out in the open and there were a lot of people around walking and enjoying their day. It was about 4pm on a Wednesday October 2021. We locked the car and left briefly to go take photos of the deer and of the marina view and it must've just been 15-20 mins we came back and saw our Jeep was broken into. This was the first time something like this ever happened to me so it felt really scary to be honest. They left the car bloody and I did not want to upload those photos here. They stole my day hiking backpack which I had some valuable items including work phones and passports etc.... I know they said don't leave any valuables in the car at the park but we were visiting and in transit, I did not expect to have to lug all our luggages out to just take a short stroll nearby at a nice famous public park where there were a lot of bystanders! Needles to say it ruined our whole experience. We couldn't find any info on the park to call. Had to call the police to report the incident and they were going to send someone but after over 2 hours we decided to do the over there phone option. They were super busy at the local police department and in Ruston themselves that they said they had to go through the order of the incidents reported to get out there. Wow. A park officer happened to drive by by chance right before we were leaving and we told him what happened. He was really nice and said that they reduced officers and patrolling and that's why they saw more crimes happening. He said earlier that day a bike was stolen. I feel bad for leaving a negative review but I still have stress and anxiety writing this review the morning after it happened as I'm taking my flight back home. I hope nobody will have to go through this. We are frequent travelers so we are vigilant and aware but something like this could've happened to anyone.. just by luck or bad luck of them picking our car.. really don't feel good whenever I think of this park now! Thanks a lot Tacoma. read more

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Before heading to dinner, we stopped at the botanical garden in Point Defiance Park. Thankfully for us, the flowers were all in full bloom, the weather was gorgeous, and this wonderful place is free! There are rows and rows of amazing flowers that circle the gazebo in the center of the garden. Each row had amazing flowers of all colors, shapes, and sizes. There were flowers we got to see that we never knew existed before. The setting was extremely beautiful and relaxing. There were people sitting on blankets and reading or people watching. Also, a lot of photographers taking photos of girls. It seemed to be a buzzing spot. I mean that literally with bees too as they flew around pollinating the flowers. While we were there, a few deer came out of nowhere and were near the garden. That was a fun surprise. I don't know what the seasonal months for the flowers are, but I hope you get to experience them when you go. read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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Beautiful scenery and quiet place to enjoy your day. We grew up going here as kids and love it still. They have a zoo, beach, Japanese Garden, playgrounds, duck pond, trails, and a cool Fort. Definitely check it out read more

I am in love with this park. Such a great place to take your kids on a fun and pretty stroll. Have them play at the playground and picnic at the park. See some deer and family while walking in the gardens along the trees. I was able to catch when they opened the flower area and it was beautiful. I loved the little pond they had that was filled with turtles and ducks. There was a Japanese themed area with a lot of history to read about. I believe there was an information center for that too, but did not go inside. I definitely recommend this place because I had so much fun taking in every little detail about the place. There is also a zoo and aquarium that you could go to, but I have yet to check out. You can make it a whole day to do with your family. And also the family dog! Great place to take your dog on a long walk. I also still have to check out the 5 mile drive. I bet it's beautiful too! read more

Point Defiance is a gorgeous park along the water. The trails are really well-maintained and provide beautiful views along the perimeter of the park and lush forest throughout. I saw some deer in the forest and seals out in the water. It wasn't crowded on a week day, but I can imagine it would be busy on a weekend. Loved it here! read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I super love this place. It's quite and just relaxing and not so crowded. When you take a stroll, I feel Like everything just stop and you are on your own little world. It's very serene. It has beautiful scenery of the water, lush greenery, and at times if you get lucky you might see some wildlife such as Seals , Otters , Sea lions , Turtles and Whale ... read more

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This is a great park located in Tacoma! This park is pretty expansive with the zoo and Owens beach located here too. The park itself has lovely paths to walk around and great views, such as, the duck ponds and the rose garden. I went when it was not in bloom, but I can tell it will be gorgeous. There is also a Japanese garden and pagoda . I have heard the park also has noticeable wildlife too. There are benches located throughout the park so it is nice to sit, enjoy the view and take in the moment, either by yourself or with a close friend. read more

Point Defiance Park - Parks Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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I've lived in Seattle for almost my entire life and just now visited Point Defiance Park a few weeks ago (after making a day trip to Tacoma for the LeMay Car Museum). Anyway, I can't believe I've been missing out on this huge park for so long. Granted, I don't make it down to Tacoma too often, but still! This park could be compared to Stanley Park in Vancouver, as it's situated on the water and is huge. We checked out the rose garden, dahlia garden, a pond area, and then part of the beach..beautiful! There's lots to see/do. It was a nice fall day so we saw people just enjoying the sun, while others had photo shoots with the fall leaves in the background. The 5-mile drive was a nice way to see things (just park and get out of the car when you want to) since it's such a vast space. It's awesome that this park is free since I've seen other cities charge for entrance into a rose garden, etc. It was also nice that since the park is so big, it didn't feel super crowded, even if there were a bunch of people there. I'll definitely make it a point to come back sooner rather than later! read more

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This place is awesome. There's a lot of everything here. I enjoyed the garden part at the start of the park, which I was able to go for free. There were a variety of flowers and a gazebo in the center. That's only one area. I saw many people walking around the whole park and it looked like you can get a lot of steps in. If you follow Apple Maps, I recommend stopping as soon as you find something interesting because the park surroundings will take you in one giant one-way circle so if you want to go back to something you need to find an exit which might just be really far from where you are. read more

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. read more

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