Tacoma EDB - Quality of Life/ Recreation

Year after year, Tacoma-Pierce County has been named one of America’s Most Livable Cities. From its schools to its recreational opportunities, it’s an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family.

For additional information about Quality of Life and Recreation here in Tacoma-Pierce County, visit the Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitor Bureau at www.traveltacoma.com.

Climate:		Offers an ideal living environment
Schools & Universities:		Provides opportunity to excel
Arts & Culture:		Highlights an artistic heritage
Shopping:		A full range of amenities
Recreation & Sports:		For athletes and spectators
Hospitals:		Provides state-of-the-art care
Affordable Housing:		Suits any family’s needs
Public Safety:		A priority for the region

Climate:

Pierce County’s climate provides an ideal living environment. Typical summer afternoon temperatures range in the 70s and low 80s with average winter temperatures in the 40s. Summer afternoon winds ranging from zero to 15 mph are ideal for sailing on Puget Sound and lakes within the county, such as Gravelly, American, Steilacoom and Tapps. Three quarters of our annual rainfall is accumulated from October through March. July is the driest month and December the wettest. Snowfall is variable and generally melts before it accumulates, except in the mountains where excellent skiing conditions prevail. Crystal Mountain Ski Resort is located east of Buckley in Pierce County. Altitude in Pierce County ranges from sea level at Puget Sound to 14,411 feet at the summit of Mount Rainier.

In Tacoma-Pierce County there are 15 public school districts with a combined enrollment of nearly 100,000 students. Special programs include year-round, extended and magnet schools, plus integrated schools organized around specialized themes such as banking and economics.

In addition, Tacoma-Pierce County boasts a number of fine private schools and academies. For a complete directory of private schools in the State of Washington, contact the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia at (360) 725-6000. To research the best school for your child, visit the Puget Sound Educational Service District.

Information on Pierce County School Districts:

For information about higher education, click here.

Tacoma-Pierce County has a strong and growing arts and cultural sector that offers a multitude of attractions for residents and visitors. The hub of activity is Tacoma’s Museum District with the Tacoma Art Museum, the Museum of Glass, and the Washington State History Museum – three museums that have been central to Downtown Tacoma’s transformation. For exquisite musical and arts performances, Tacoma turns to the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, including the beautifully restored Pantages and Rialto theaters and the new Theatre on the Square. The 1,169-seat Pantages, an example of early 20th-century Greco-Roman design, is home to the Tacoma Symphony, Ballet Tacoma, Tacoma Performing Dance Company, and Tacoma Opera.

Outside Tacoma, there are a bevy of attractions to explore for history buffs, those interested in learning more about the military, theater aficionados, and kids. From Dupont to Gig Harbor, from Puyallup to Lakewood, and all points in between, there are a variety of museums, performing arts groups, and art fairs that enrich the area.

Fittingly for the home of renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, Pierce County is also proudly becoming a hot spot for creative minds. For example, the Tacoma Art Place provides studio space, equipment and arts education to enable people to affordably explore their creativity and artistic ability.

To learn more about the arts and cultural offerings in Pierce County, visit the Tacoma-Regional Convention and Visitor Bureau.

Among Tacoma-Pierce County's abundance of shopping amenities are warehouse outlets, full-range department stores, and specialty boutiques devoted to everything from antique autos to accessories for cats. The out-of-the-ordinary can be found in the Sixth Avenue, Proctor, and International business districts or along downtown Tacoma's antique row.

Shopping complexes and malls within the Tacoma-Pierce County metropolitan area include:

Freighthouse Square Tacoma's Market		253-272-6178
430 East 25th St., Suite 11 Tacoma, WA 98421 This converted railroad freight house offers 55 eclectic shops and eateries, offices for 20 tenants, and a 4,000-square-foot convention center.

Lakewood Mall		253-984-6100
10509 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW, #700 Tacoma, WA 98499 Lakewood Mall has 160 stores including Gottschalks, Target, and Mervyn's. Grocery stores, banks, and restaurants make one-stop shopping possible

South Hill Mall		253-840-2828
3500 South Meridian Puyallup, WA 98373 With 120 stores including, Macy’s, the Gap, and a new six-theater cinema, South Hill Mall has become one of the fastest-growing malls in Pierce County.

Tacoma Mall Corporation		253-475-4565
4502 South Steele, #415 Tacoma, WA 98409 This regional mall has leading department stores including Nordstrom, Macy’s, JCPenney, Sears, and more than 135 specialty stores

Pierce County has a variety of offerings for those who want to play a sport or those who want to be a spectator.

Whether you use a racket, a rifle, a bat, a glove, a Frisbee, a boat, or a bicycle, there’s plenty of options for athletes in Pierce County. To connect with a local league visit the Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Commission.

Want to hike? At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier is the tallest volcano in the 48 contiguous states and the highest mountain in Washington. On clear days, it dominates the horizon for hundreds of miles. Mount Rainier is crowned by the largest, single-peak glacier system outside of Alaska. To learn more click here.

Or visit Point Defiance Park, Tacoma’s 702-acre jewel. Home to the acclaimed Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, formal gardens, forested hiking trails, marina with boat rentals and launch facilities, waterfront promenade, and saltwater beaches, the park offers countless recreation opportunities.

Need golf? In addition to our 25 public and private courses, we selected Robert Trent Jones II to design, and Kemper Sports to manage, a world class Scottish links-style golf course, ideally situated on the shores of Puget Sound. Chambers Bay Golf Course is home of the 2010 US Amateur and 2015 US Open Championships.

Spectators can also visit Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium to watch a Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners affiliate) baseball game.

For a list of other recreational opportunities visit the Tacoma Convention & Visitor Bureau.

Tacoma-Pierce County's health care institutions have created allied medical care systems that are setting the pace for national health care innovation. Tacoma's metropolitan-centered hospitals coordinate integrated delivery systems through state-of-the-art health care facilities covering the county as well as the entire South Puget Sound region.

MultiCare Health System includes Tacoma General Hospital, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center, Day Surgery of Tacoma, and Tacoma Family Medicine on one central campus, and at Allenmore Hospital on a separate site. Tacoma General houses the second-largest obstetrical care center in the state. MultiCare also operates Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup which offers a variety of medical service as well as numerous clinics throughout Pierce County including Eatonville, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, South Hill, Spanaway, Sumner, Tacoma and University Place.

Franciscan Health System (FHS) forms the area's second major integrated care system, which is anchored by St. Joseph Medical Center and includes Saint Clare, Saint Anthony and Saint Francis hospitals. Franciscan Health System is ranked eighth on the SDI list of the Top 100 health care systems in the nation, and has earned a spot on this prestigious list for four consecutive years

Madigan Army Medical Center, Veterans Hospital, and Western State Hospital serve specialized patient communities.

Tacoma-Pierce County Hospital List
Allenmore Hospital		253-572-2323
1901 S. Union, Tacoma 96 beds Emergency room (ER), intensive care unit (ICU), Kelly Eye Center, surgery

Good Samaritan Hospital		253-848-6661
407 14th Ave. SE, Puyallup 225 beds Acute care, ER, maternal-child services, rehabilitation, surgery, pediatrics

Madigan Army Medical Center		253-968-1110
Fort Lewis, Tacoma 414 beds Medical care for military personnel

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital and Health Center		253-594-1419
317 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma 72 beds Critical and emergency care, pediatric acute care, surgery

Saint Anthony Hospital		253-530-2000
11567 Canterwood Blvd. NW, Gig Harbor 80 beds ER, in/out surgery; a heart catheterization and vascular laboratory

Saint Clare Hospital		253-588-1711
11315 Bridgeport Way SW, Lakewood 106 beds ER, in/out surgery, special/intensive/coronary care

Saint Francis Hospital		253-927-9700
34515 9th Ave. S., Federal Way 110 beds ER, cancer care, coronary unit, in/out surgery, therapy

Saint Joseph Hospital		253-627-4101
1717 S. J St., Tacoma 320 beds ER, burn center, cancer care, coronary care, kidney dialysis center, obstetrics, surgery

Tacoma General Hospital (MultiCare Medical Center)		253-552-1000
315 Martin Luther King Jr.Way, Tacoma 500 beds ER, coronary care, intensive care, neonatal intensive care, surger

VA Puget Sound Healthcare System (medical care for veterans)		253-582-8440
American Lake Division, Tacoma

Western State Hospital		253-582-8900
9601 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Tacoma 1,002 beds In-patient psychiatric care

Tacoma-Pierce County features the best prices on homes to suit any family's needs and budget in the central Puget Sound area. Choices range from traditional Victorian and Craftsman styles to tasteful town homes. Diverse neighborhoods, plenty of parks and public areas, and easy commutes to work and shopping add to the area's appeal.

Year after year, the Tacoma-Pierce County area has been ranked among the top 30 in America's Most Livable Communities, as named by Partners for Livable Communities. Check us out.

Tacoma-Pierce County's commitment to public safety incorporates many approaches. From an enhanced 9-1-1 program, to fire prevention, to building community empowerment, Tacoma-Pierce County is committed to supporting the community's quality of life by responding effectively to the challenge of crime and promoting safety through prevention and preparedness.

The effectiveness of community involvement is exemplified in the Safe Streets Campaign of Pierce County.

Public Safety Links:

The mission of the Safe Streets Campaign is to be a resource for individuals, families, communities and other organizations in Pierce County to develop, mobilize and maintain strategies to reduce and eliminate illegal drug and gang activity and associated violence.

Safe Streets achieves this by providing a community resource for:

Assisting Citizens to develop opportunities for community empowerment to reduce and prevent illegal drug use and abuse, gang activity and associated violence.
Sharing Leadership with individuals, families, neighborhoods, and organizations in Pierce County to develop, implement and maintain community mobilization.
Coordinating Efforts on all fronts to ensure all available resources can function as an organized system.

Safe Streets Strategies:

Community Organizing: assisting Pierce County organizations, neighborhoods, families and individuals, as they develop implement and maintain strategies to combat illegal drug activity.
Partnerships: planning and assisting in the prevention of substance abuse in Pierce County by identifying and supporting existing drug prevention programs, detecting any gaps in those programs, and developing prevention systems through community coalitions.
Youth Development: working with schools, youth agencies and families to create and implement youth development projects and activities. Programs provide educational, employment and recreational opportunities as part of a strategy to reduce and prevent gang involvement and youth violence.

For more information contact the Safe Streets Campaign of Pierce County Washington, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, (253)-272-6824 Fax-(253)-272-9586.