Spectacular waterfront trail that gives wonderful views of the water and Mt Ranier on a clear day. Easy parking and coffee shops along the path. My kind of walk! Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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This is a nice spot to walk and enjoy views of the sound. I don't love the traffic noise and pollution, but what can you do? read more

Ruston Way Waterfront - Parks Near Me

This is a great area to go to in Tacoma for a variety of reasons!!! It stretches from near downtown Tacoma and ends near Point Defiance!! Along this waterfront you will find restaurants and multiple parks and piers!! You will also get great views of Commencement Bay!! I came here to get my runs in while I was in town. Seems like this is one of the places runners go in Tacoma. It's flat, clean, and scenic, I saw plenty of walkers and bicyclists here also. The big red boat that is located near Dukes Seafood Restaurant has some interesting history, it was a boat that was built for firefighting!! Located near Old Town, I've always liked the waterfront!!! read more

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Happy Earth Day! What better day to write about an awesome outdoor space than today? :) The Ruston Way Waterfront has been a family favorite for YEARS. Back before all the shops and hotels were built up, my dad and I would come down here and walk our dogs together along the water. It's been so fun and exciting to see how much it's grown over the years! I love bringing my kids here for fresh air breaks, to find crabs under the rocks when the tide is low enough, and to grab lunch. It's also really fun to make a longer trip out of it and make the walk all the way down to the Dune Peninsula area. If you haven't done this before, highly suggest - it's such a great time to do this in the summer and catch some STELLAR sunsets. My one complaint is that this once hidden secret has become very popular over the years, but, how can everybody resist? There's plenty here to make an entire day of exploring the area and getting outdoors, so I get it. I usually choose to go during the week when it's less busy, and that helps ease the pain a little bit :) read more

Ruston Way Waterfront - Parks Near Me

If you're trying to rent space in the waterfront market for an event like i have for weeks now, these people will not get back to you. I have reached out on multiple platforms to multiple people and drove up multiple times to try to speak to someone, I have called a number that must just be a permanently shut off cell phone. It's so frustrating. But I guess they don't need the thousands of dollars for an event. If you're wanting to rent this space, beware that you're better off searching elsewhere and skipping Ruston entirely. They don't need your money but they do need a new management team to better handle these situations. read more

Today was my first time visiting this place! Wednesday, 1/19/23 at 1:00 PM. Not too many people, not too many cars on a chilly, cloudy day to walk around, get fresh air and just relax a bit. Really enjoyed our visit since we got to catch up a little, have a nice talk and get some ice cream. The waterfront view was great as well! Definitely a place I'd want to visit again on a warmer day. Recommend this area to others!!! Very enjoyable outing... read more

I love coming here. The walk is beautiful, the views are classic PNW, the restaurants and park/playground are well kept and the water works are fun. As of right now the water works are not being displayed but I've been here when they were pre covid and it was fun for kids. It can get really crowded cuz its such a nice place to take in the sights but just wear a mask. read more

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Ruston Way is definitely one of my favorite places in Tacoma to get an easy paved run in. Free parking is easy to find as you drive along the road. I love bringing my family here also and going on walks or bike rides together. I've never ran into any issues here and I've always felt safe on the days I am solo here too because there's always a lot of people running/walking/etc too. Stunning views throughout as well! read more

Ruston Waterfront is always a real treat to go to. Anytime of the year is perfect to go as you can stroll along the waters of Puget Sound. Winters are of course rainy here but if you time it right you can get a great atmospheric moodiness along the water this time of year. Falls and spring is great too! Summer of course is everyone's favorite as you can get good views from the collection of restaurants along Ruston Way and of course Point Ruston which is a different thing all together. Walking along the waterfront will grant you plenty of gorgeous views as well. And like always when involving wild animals and if your timing is right you can spot harbor seals and of course jellyfish and other aquatic life which is always an extra bonus when visiting along the water. read more

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I put in two 10-mile runs on the waterfront while in town for a family event. The sidewalk is in good condition and there are wonderful public art placements to give you reasons to stop and look. Mt Ranier put in a show both mornings I was out - it's hard to top that sort of sunrise hello!! read more

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We rented a 4-person bike and toured the park and waterfront! $38 an hour for the bike. It wasn't too crowded for a sunny Sunday. Beautiful! Clean. Parking extra. read more

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One of my favorite places to come to on a sunny day, Ruston Way's waterfront walkway on the weekend gives you the most scenic views of Mount Rainier and smiling families. Come on a weekend and you get to see the local vendors participating at a farmer market selling berries, smoothies, soaps, and all the other small business goods you expect to find at a farmer's market. With so many great places to eat in this area, one I really recommend is Stack 571 burger that features delicious and huge gourmet burgers, fries, shakes. If you make it out to the waterfront on a hot day, I also highly recommend you check out the super popular Ice Cream Social store that makes some awesome ice-cream flavors on fresh waffle cones. Activities: sprinklers for the kids to run in and out of, bikes for rent, yoga in the park, walking dogs, jogging, throwing around balls Things to do: dining, fine dining, farmers markets, shopping, boutiques read more

Beautiful place amazing views. Bathrooms are clean and accessible. Can't wait to visit again.

This place is now bullshit as all of the parking down there is paid parking. There is only a small area that is free and all those spaces are taken. read more

Beautiful walking area, beautiful view but can be a bit sketchy in the parking lots. People smoking weed in their car is very common and parking can be hard to come by on a nice day. We have seen seals on so many occasions, especially near the fishing area. read more

Great place to visit! Awesome view and love the restaurants! Parking not so good.

Growing up in historic down town Minneapolis with the Mississippi River cutting through the heart of the city I tend to miss waterfront parks and long walks. Ruston way has many of the same elements I grew up with... Historical renovated ruins, pathways and trails, docks, and stretches of flowing water. Wild life, amazing! Bald eagles, crabs, sea otters, jelly fish, you know, sound creatures. Ruston way also features beachy sand bars and rocky shores to explore. Foot traffic and cyclists utilize the pathways, share the space please. The traffic can really be a drag in the warmer months, but that's a given. There are lots to park at and plenty of places to eat or play. read more

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Run, bike, walk, skate, stroll, watch, maybe gawk? Whatever your pleasure or business, this is one place that offers up all of that =D Lots of people traffic on the sunny days in the NW, but not so crowded like other stretches of waterfront. Vendors selling there savory treats can also be found, although not plentiful. Of course, there are the usual suspect restaurants and bars to take that break and gaze out on the water. Lots of free parking along the waterfront so do NOT panic! read more

The Rustan Way Waterfront is my happy place. Even when I visit daily, I never get sick of it. Great place to exercise, relax, do some photography, have a picnic, etc. It's a beautiful place and really represents what the Pacific Northwest is all about! read more

This location is fantastic if you like to get out for a run, walk with your kids, take the dogs or just for yourself to get your mind clear. Being near big bodies of water is refreshing to the spirit. They have some piers people go for fishing, but you can get some pretty good photo ops on them as well. It's a flat surface to walk on without much uneven spots so unless you have two left feet, you shouldn't have anything to trip over. There are restaurants along the way if you get hungry like Dukes, Shenanigans and The Ram. There is a little village that has a couple of coffee shops and some other businesses you can walk past or go inside to check things out. Occasionally you will hear the trains coming and going which the tracks run parallel to Ruston Parkway. You can't miss them. You can find some areas to just stop for a rest, sit on a bench and view out onto the water and see cruising boats, ships that go in and out of the Port of Tacoma, see some just anchored in the bay or ponder at the day. You may get lucky to see some wildlife in the bay, but you will always be guaranteed to see birds and on occasion a scuba diver or two. It's not a place for beach activities. If you want that, you would need to drive up to West Seattle. Love this area and the neighborhood. read more

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Ruston Way is a lovely spectacular drive and linear park along the water front. Metro Parks has done a great job of creating various destinations like the Dickmsn Mill Site and the fire boat. However, traffic is much too heavy especially on nice days. Because it's a quick direct access from North End to Schuster Parkway and I-705 is has way too many vehicles of all types. During a weekend day it slows to a crawl with show off cats and noisy stereo systems. The parking lot at Les Davis Pier always has a heavy pot aroma and way too many, kind of sketchy people, hanging out in their cars. It is not a place to linger. read more

It's 3am, I'm in Seattle I just picked up my girlfriend to go to a donut shop open at 3am. We eat some donuts and she asks me "Where are we going next?" I laugh and say "you'll see" but I don't really know where we are going. By the time we leave it's around 4 and I check to see when the sunrise is. It says 515am. I think, where is somewhere good to watch the sunrise. For some reason I think about the Ruston waterfront near my grandmas house. I think, it's perfect because by the time we get there the sunrise will almost be ready. She asks me where we are going again as I'm driving and I say down south to not spoil the surprise. We finally get there and are greeted by the beautiful sight in the picture I took. And as we wait for the official sunrise in this beautiful moment I think about how perfect this spot is. It's on the water with plenty of parking and multiple walkways that go over the water. It's a place that created a moment I'll never forget. read more

Ruston Way Waterfront - Sunrise - Parks Near Me

My daughter loves this place! Every restaurant we have been to has been kid friendly and been so kind, even the fancy ones. My daughter especially loves the spray park. I like that they keep it on late and it has lights. The whole area is very family friendly. Today we went to the wildfin and everything tasted delicious but yesterday we went to Stack 571 and were also very happy with our meal and service. We also rented one of the "cars" as my two year old calls them and pedaled it around until our two year old wanted to get out and dance to the live music. read more

I totally used to bang this old dude down there on the bench by the dock. I'd just look down there and he knew I wanted some old cocktail! I'd gobble down on the Lil guy till he couldn't hold back anymore and just keep suckin till he couldn't stand it and needed a break. ​ read more

Ruston Way has undergone many improvements/changes in the 7 years I've lived here. It's gone from feeling like a sleepy old school, kinda rundown place to eat seafood by the water to having great walkways and piers with maintained lawns, little beaches, some with natural seashore plant-life and little parks here and there, one which compliments the old cement mill ruins( I recommend visiting this area early morning when the sun casts light on the waves near the ruins in the most delightful of ways) the 2 monolithic naval ships which wait silently, anchored permanently near the shore at the far east end of Ruston Way. Here on shore is the Chinese Reconciliation Park (complete with pagoda, a curvy Chinese garden bridge, carved boulders shadowing the immigrants from China who wants had their shanties here, grassy knolls to fly a kite or just sit and contemplate the ships, sailboats, waves and the mountain, and it has its own free parking lot. best part is, it's never too crowded and you can always have your space to contemplate. along the path you'll find various sculptures which are interactive...touching welcomed. The far east end used to be a copper smelter before they tore town in the early 90s, and now has a brand new development of condos, some shops and restaurants and a multi-screen movie theater. There are plans for more buildings which will contain a full size grocery store. I'm looking forward to its inception as it will be nice to throw together a picnic lunch for time down by the water. There's a children's playground and a water sculpture which puts on a delightful timed show at the top of the cascading steps which bring u to the lower water trail. I don't care for the loud music the strip mall plays outside, as its some times belting out annoying elevator jazz. I'd prefer to hear the sounds of the ships, the lapping tide...but developers know best, right? maybe just turn it down a few decibels. I've heard they plan to continue this path to meet up with Point Defiance's Owen beach and the ferry area, but not sure how they'll do that given the private yacht club being a buffer. traffic can be bad at times given single lanes and having to pause for crossing pedestrians trying to reach the parking lots to some restaurants have on the other side of the street. read more

Been a favorite spot of mine the last dozen years that I've lived in Tacoma. Most people choose to go here on sunny days during the mid afternoon, but I prefer the night. My iPod, a pair of sneakers and a sweatshirt and you'd never know that it's 2am. It can get kind of sketchy as you get between The Lobster Shop and Duke's late at night, as kids like to hang out and party, but on the north side of the drive, you'll likely be left alone- save the occasional couple walking in the park looking for 'privacy', or a car full of kids that want to skinny dip, but have no idea you're standing there enjoying the peace and quiet.... By the way, if I could get into a time machine and tell 15 year old me that one day I would sneak to get AWAY from skinny dipping girls, I think 15 year old me's head would have exploded. There's always something down there that you weren't expecting, from local wildlife like the occasional Blue Heron or a curious seal, to things interesting in human form. Any time of day or night is great for Ruston Way. read more

This is a great place for a little stroll or to watch the world go by...or both! Really great views and there are several places to stop along the way to eat or play. The parking can be a major downside. Tons of traffic to navigate through and while there are several parking lots they fill up quickly and it can be difficult to pin down a spot. read more

One of my favorite places to jog or walk. There's no "closing" hours so if I'm itching for a midnight stroll... or it just becomes dusk too early in Washington state... this is my place of choice. The south side offers a Chinese Rememberance Park. The north side offers high-end new construction condos. And all in-between waterfront jogging. It's at least a good six miles plus to complete the entire jog to make it back to your car. My friends and I usually do half for around 2-3 miles.:) read more

Beautiful place! We will definitely be back. The fountains at night were so cool. Loved the fish and chips we enjoyed on the dock. read more

Ruston Way Waterfront - Parks Near Me

I love this place. I almost forget I'm in Tacoma when I'm here. I took my dog here and walked down the path by the Puget Sound. So beautiful! It probably goes a good 5 miles so you can choose how far you want to walk. There's a few parks in between if you want to relax on a bench and just enjoy the view of the water. You can watch the boats, the ships sailing by, or watch people parasailing and kayaking. There's a lot of waterfront restaurants to choose from and a handful of piers right on the water. There is plenty of parking, so that wasn't an issue for me. Also, this is not far from downtown Tacoma, which is pretty cool if you wanna just hang around down there afterwards. read more

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People watching is at its best here. My favorite past time: finding a bench and watching everyone walk by. read more

Ruston Way Waterfront - Sunset at Ruston Way. Beautiful! - Parks Near Me

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Nice views. Good area to run or walk and even bike. I like this place because it is not too congested. However, they have build some condos overlooking the water. The condos are not at full capacity and I have a feeling that when this happens the area will get more crowded. There's a movie theater in the works soon. Parking isn't always great. You might have to park in the gravel/rocky area. read more

Love this place! Even when the weather is chilly the views you get from this park are amazing! If you are a runner I would highly recommend this place for running or walking your dog. In the summer it get pretty busy but I like to park a little ways out and walk in to stay away from the traffic but still get to enjoy being on the water. read more

My favorite go to place to chill, I love the waterfront in Tacoma and down the road they have their little plaza area filled with shops and a theater, not to mention a beautiful walk through along side the water. Lately when I go they have a little market going on selling a variety of items. Definitely would recommend if your meeting a friend or going on a date. read more

Been here and is really nice relaxing place you enjoy the view and surroundings love this place. I loved going walking in the afternoons with my family, its a really safe place to be in the afternoons. My kids love to take there scooters and just enjoy the surroundings. read more

I'd give the view 5 stars but the traffic is HORRID so I'm giving it 4. I usually run here at least once a week and if you go early in the morning, around 5am, you'll get to see a beautiful sunrise and enjoy a less-traffiky and gawky run or stroll. read more

It's a pretty skyline! The water is kind of merky but there are a lot of little crabs running around the rocks at the end of the summer!

Views are spectacular, no matter the weather. There are mini parks, benches, small lawns, and a lovely walkway. Dog-friendly, and people-friend, too. My go-to when I want to take a reflective stroll and have it paired with a great view. read more

We have a toddler and overweight dog (that we are trying to help her lose weight) so we can't take too long of a walk and sometimes need to sit and take a break. This place is perfect. There's plenty of benches and a few places for my son to run around. read more

We love going here. It's a great place to walk the dogs. The view is beautiful. You see all sorts of people wearing all sorts of things out getting their exercise on. It's such a great spot to go unwind or just enjoy nature. We love it and go at least once a week. read more