Part of the University of Washington Tacoma Campus - wonderful blend of restored historic buildings and modern architecture. Views of Mt Rainier, neat shops, restaurants and museums make this a wonderful area to explore. A couple of decades ago it was a run down and not very desirable area to be. It's been wonderful to see the rebirth of the Tacoma area.
Nice showing of the old and new there. Yay for Tacoma! (I lived there a couple of decades ago! Downtown itself was a touch seedy but nice. And, free parking!)
@gerry - thanks Gerry! @bristolrose - thanks Kathryn. @andrina - Thanks Andrina - Tacoma has a lot to offer - such a change in the last two decades and so close to Seattle! @sansjuan@judis - Thanks Nita and Judi! @anwan - Thanks Anwan - you would most likely not recognize the downtown. Old buildings being restored into boutique hotels, university campus and museums. Lots of neat restaurants and shops - and no free parking - LOL. When I worked in downtown Tacoma it was not terribly safe and on those winter evenings I got stuck in the office later, I would have the parking attendant take me to my car.
A good friend of mine attends the UW Tacoma campus. I've been meaning to visit her, I'd like to see the place in person. The architecture looks beautiful! Almost rivals that of it's sister campus in Seattle. But then again I'm probably biased ;)
@attraversi - My hubby and son are both UW (Seattle) alumni - so I hear you. :-)
Definitely go though - it's not far from Seattle and lovely museums/buildings and then u can have lunch on the waterfront. :-)
Well, other than free parking going away, I'm very happy to hear that for Tacoma. People would make fun of that city, but I always said "I'm that much closer to Mt. Rainier, plus I pay $XXX in rent and I have a stunning view of the mountain. What's your rent?" :D
@anwan - Tacoma used to have a bad rap. The aroma of Tacoma is no more - and even Hilltop is cleaned up. Lots of big expensive condos downtown and towards the harbour and the asarco refinery has gone - big housing development on it now. There is also a convention center in the downtown area. Hope you will get back to visit it at some point. :-)
Tacoma did have an aroma back then--if one didn't live there. Now I visit my sister in Charleston SC, which is SO beautiful--and it has that aroma from a paper mill. I asked her about it and she said "what smell?" :)
I lived just north of Hilltop on K street, then I lived in Hilltop on 6th, in what at the time was an amazing bargain, beautifully-managed historic apartment building. I parked on the street, and my van did get spraypainted once!
I would love to visit again, I've never seen Chihuly's museum. I really miss the rainforests and the pacific beaches, I want to see all of that again.
@anwan - yes - I think you get used to it - although I never did when I worked in Tacoma.
Some of the wonderful foursquare houses up on the Hilltop are amazing - and many are being restored. There are neighborhood groups that are reclaiming the area to make it safe. North Tacoma is a very nice neighborhood. There is still gang crime - but really there is in any large city in the US I think.
@bristolrose - thanks Kathryn.
@andrina - Thanks Andrina - Tacoma has a lot to offer - such a change in the last two decades and so close to Seattle!
@sansjuan @judis - Thanks Nita and Judi!
@anwan - Thanks Anwan - you would most likely not recognize the downtown. Old buildings being restored into boutique hotels, university campus and museums. Lots of neat restaurants and shops - and no free parking - LOL. When I worked in downtown Tacoma it was not terribly safe and on those winter evenings I got stuck in the office later, I would have the parking attendant take me to my car.
Definitely go though - it's not far from Seattle and lovely museums/buildings and then u can have lunch on the waterfront. :-)
I lived just north of Hilltop on K street, then I lived in Hilltop on 6th, in what at the time was an amazing bargain, beautifully-managed historic apartment building. I parked on the street, and my van did get spraypainted once!
I would love to visit again, I've never seen Chihuly's museum. I really miss the rainforests and the pacific beaches, I want to see all of that again.
Some of the wonderful foursquare houses up on the Hilltop are amazing - and many are being restored. There are neighborhood groups that are reclaiming the area to make it safe. North Tacoma is a very nice neighborhood. There is still gang crime - but really there is in any large city in the US I think.