Paul Titus Carousel, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

For this week’s column, I’m going to tell you fun facts about the Paul Titus Carousel at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. Why? Because its history is fascinating. And because the kids love it. I like it, too. But … I’m also the Debbie Downer who gets mercilessly ill on anything that dips, tilts and spins. So I decided to look into its history in order to like it more, haha. And it worked!

Tacoma Spraygrounds!

Is it just me, or is “sprayground” just the coolest play on words ever?! WAY more fun than the regular ‘ol splash pads.

Well, Metro Parks Tacoma came out with a reminder last week to visit its ten spraygrounds before the water goes off on Oct. 1, 2023.

Here’s a closer look at all ten locations  – plus some splash pad hygiene tips from the CDC.

LeMay-America’s Car Museum, Tacoma

This spring, the kids and I visited Lemay-America’s Car Museum in downtown Tacoma for the very first time – after it stood idling on our South Sound bucket list for nearly a year. After thoroughly exploring its 165,000 square feet of shiny chrome, vintage curves, and even an old-school slot-car track – I wondered what the heck took us so long to get there! 

Here’s a closer look at why we went for the cars – but stayed for the fun.

forest, boy, stairs

Point Defiance Park, Tacoma

Our trip to the newly reopened Owen Beach this summer got me majorly hooked on the history of Point Defiance, Tacoma’s massive urban park where the beach resides.

So here are some details that help shape the backstory of Point Defiance Park for my own sense of place. You’ll learn why Point Defiance Park is the way it is, what attractions came and went there, and what remains even still.