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.

Perfect weekend getaway vibes! ​I took a relaxing stroll…read morealong the Ruston Way Waterwalk. Watching the ferries glide across the water, feeling the cool sea breeze, and capturing videos of harbor seals gathering together--the views were absolutely breathtaking!

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

Wanted to find a new place to walk outdoors, see the water and enjoy the morning. This is a tucked…read moreaway place and I'm glad to have found it. Sasha and I had a great day. Good walk lots of smells for her. We will come back. Plenty of parking. Good vibes, calm peaceful. Lots of people were out walking with their dogs, spouse and alone. It was a very good experience. I recommend this park. They also have a restaurant across the street for afterwards if interested. You can also see more of the water on the other side. I didn't go walking there, I drove over. Very beautiful. Sasha was not having that walk too close to the water lol.

Lovely, open space park with great Sound view. Plenty of parking on a Wednesday in May. I imagine…read moreit gets busy in summer months. 1950 bathrooms. Several picnic shelters. Enjoy!

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. I'd say Wapato Park is a decent place to go…read morefor a walk along the trailhead, especially around the lake. There's a dock and pedestrian bridge area where many people fish or disembark from a boat. There's also plenty of picnic areas, pergolas, and grassy areas with shade where you can take food, read, or just have a conversation and relax. I also observed a dog park in close proximity as well as unleash areas in and around the park. My only complaint was that I had an encounter with a gaggle of aggressive geese that left me kind of uneasy, but other than that, it was a fairly calm environment.

I like walking so I don't mind to explore new place. My husband recommended me this park because he…read morespent his childhood with his siblings over there. It's about 3 or 4 miles if you go around that lake park. We walked in a sunny day, weather was so nice. You can have picnics with your family or friends , why not?

Highly recommend Jonathan and his "Trout College"! My two sons, ages 20 and 11 really learned a lot…read moreabout fishing. Both were beginner fishermen when they started and after spending the day with Jonathan they feel proficient enough to catch fish on their own. Jonathan is very knowledgeable, patient, and fun to be around. He has a lifetime of experience fishing in the Puget Sound area and is happy to share his knowledge. If you want to learn how to fish or want to improve your fishing skills I definitely recommend this business!

From the owner: Trout College takes special pride in teaching the fishing skills required to build the foundation…read moreto support a lifetime of fishing. We do this by providing low student to teacher ratios and a focus on teaching as opposed to simply providing a fishing experience.

Went looking for a pair of work shoes. Found two (2)…read morechildren working in the Shoe Department, playing and talking on their phones with "0" regard of anyone else in their Department. Would have walked out except I needed the shoes. It's obvious that Dicks does not give a shit about Customer Service!!!

Its a sporting goods store. Get all of your sporting good stuff here. They have lots of sporting…read moregoods stuff for every sport. Good sporting goods for the sport you are sporting. Very good at sporting the goods.

What an awesome place to stop by!…read more 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.

The Tacoma Nature Center is such a local gem that I've passed hundreds of times and really had no…read moreidea. 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!

KC is an incredible Guide. Professional in every way plus very personable. I do plan on returning.read more

Absolutely Amazing!! David at Adventure Angling is by far the best fishing guide in the area. Will…read morego again!

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......)

100% awesome! So much to see. John was an incredible guide. He knew so much about Gig Harbor…read more Beautiful views. We had a blast

Really wonderful!! John was so kind and accommodating! As a local it was fun to see the harbor from…read morea different view. Would recommend for anyone