Things to Do in Tacoma (2025)

Shape your own glass with artists in the city Dale Chihuly put on the glass map. Frequently recommended by regional travel editors and highlighted by Seattle Magazine, it’s a quintessential Tacoma hands-on experience with year‑round classes and demos.

Nonprofit, volunteer‑powered art house programming everything from festivals to retrospectives. Praised by local critics and civic arts groups, it remains a dependable cultural hub with community events, special series, and student/EBT access nights.

Story‑driven walking tours led by a longtime local, from ghost lore to architecture and stadium history. Featured by South Sound Magazine and active in 2025 with Tacoma Historical Society’s Living History Cemetery tours, it’s an entertaining way to meet the city.

A fiercely independent bookstore hosting dozens of book clubs, author nights, and the community’s Wayzgoose letterpress festival. Recognized by regional arts organizations, it’s where Tacoma’s literary scene reliably gathers year after year.

Tacoma’s first craft brewery, respected for mixed‑culture and barrel‑aged sours that have earned statewide awards. The downtown taproom pours rotating releases and serves as a tasting window into the city’s beer history.

An immersive, locally owned tiki cocktail den in Opera Alley from noted barman Jason Alexander. Spotlighted by regional TV and drinks writers, its original rum‑forward menu and transportive design make for a memorable Tacoma night.

Black‑owned and rooted in Tacoma, Campfire roasts beans over open flame for a distinct profile. Noted by Eater Seattle and local media, it doubles as a community hangout with outdoorsy drinks like s’mores lattes and marshmallow cream cold brew.

Part creative‑reuse shop, part low‑tech makerspace where kids and adults build with salvaged materials. A Spaceworks Tacoma graduate, it’s frequently praised by local arts advocates for keeping imaginative play accessible and sustainable.

Inside a century‑old waterfront warehouse, this community maritime museum runs hands‑on exhibits, a heritage boat shop, and lively events—now with free general admission. It’s an engaging look at Tacoma’s working‑waterfront story.

A teapot‑shaped, National Register‑listed dive bar with decades of local music lore. Celebrated by The News Tribune and pop‑culture writers, it hosts karaoke, shows, and an only‑in‑Tacoma atmosphere that’s proudly unpolished.

Independent 6th Ave venue booking everything from blues legends to tribute nights. Long a pillar of the local scene, its 2025 calendar shows regular concerts and late‑night energy—great paired with nearby bars and eateries.

Woman‑owned ceramics studio offering approachable wheel‑throwing workshops, kids classes, and open studio time. Active 2025 schedules mean you can learn, glaze, and pick up finished pieces—an easy, creative add‑on to a downtown day.

A high‑energy monthly marketplace showcasing 100+ local makers with music, food, and all‑ages vibes. Lauded by local lifestyle outlets, it now hosts recurring 2025 dates at its permanent home—an easy way to meet Tacoma’s creative community.