Tacoma travel guide
Tacoma Tourism | Tacoma Guide
You're Going to Love Tacoma
With a population of 198,397, Tacoma is a must-see destination in Washington, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Tacoma deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Tacoma
If you’re looking for affordable options, Lobster Shop (4015 Ruston Way) and Asado (2810 6th Avenue) are great picks.
When to visit Tacoma
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Tacoma in July, when the average temperature is 66.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 77 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as 35.6 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 6.7″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Tacoma, with an average rainfall of 0.7″.
How to Get to Tacoma
Plane
When flying to Tacoma, you’ll arrive at Seattle/Tacoma Airport (SEA), which is located 15 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Tacoma include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Tacoma departs from Los Angeles and takes around 2h 39m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Tacoma. The train journey from Tacoma to Vancouver takes 3h 07m and costs around $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Vancouver, expect to pay about $29 for a 3h 07m trip. The train station in Tacoma is called Tacoma, and is located 1.2 miles from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Tacoma is to pick up a car rental from Seattle, which is about 25 miles from Tacoma. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in Seattle.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Tacoma, including Amtrak, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Bellingham, the bus ride to Tacoma takes 135 miles and will cost you around $42. From Victoria, the ticket costs about $278 for a journey of 165 miles.
Airlines serving Tacoma
Where to stay in Tacoma
Average rates range from around $229 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $574 and up for a 5-star experience.
Where to stay in popular areas of Tacoma
Most booked hotels in Tacoma
Renting a car in Tacoma
Renting a car in Tacoma costs $53 per day, on average, or $107 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Tacoma is the Hertz branch at 4802 S Tacoma Way, which is 3 miles from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 15% cheaper than airport locations in Tacoma.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Tacoma (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Tacoma is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Leaf or similar) are, on average, 70% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.