High tide at Titlow Beach with the Narrows Bridges in the background.
If you live in Tacoma you know what people mean with they say "the mountain" or "the Sound" or "the waterfront," but don't be so hasty with that last one! The Ruston Way waterfront is a gem in the crown of the City of Destiny, but this week we're here to give a shout out to the other waterfront, the home of Titlow Beach, the iconic Narrows Bridges, and the Tacoma sunset. That's right. Old Town, Ruston Way, and Owen Beach are perfect places to watch the sun rise over the sound, but travel over to the west side to watch it go down. This post is all about the sunset side highlights. We like leaving our car at the park and taking ourselves the rest of the way on foot. Do what works for you! Read on, then make some space to visit this season.
Note: The train and its tracks are part of the Titlow waterfront scene. Enjoy the interest and feelings of nostalgia it brings, but follow signs for safety. If it’s been a few years since you visited, you’ll notice more fencing along the tracks at Tiltow Park for security.
Sunset over The Narrows from Titlow Beach near the site of the old Tacoma Outboard Association.
Titlow Park & Lodge
8425 6th Ave
Open year round from half hour before sunrise to half hour past sunset
Looking north along Titlow Beach to the Narrows Bridges.
The Hidden Beach Trail Loop will take you across the bridge over the train tracks.
We've visited Titlow Park and the Titlow Beach Marine Preserve on this blog before, but you really can't talk about this side of the waterfront without giving the 75 acre park its due. At Titlow you'll find a lagoon, picnic areas, a playground and sprayground, tennis and basketball courts, bathrooms, and the historic Titlow Lodge. Originally built as a hotel in 1911, the lodge was designed by the same architect who created the plans for both Stadium and Lincoln High. In its heyday the hotel was two stories higher and 22 Tiffany lantern lights illuminated the dining room.
One of our favorite part of visiting the park is walking the trails. A paved path borders the train tracks along the beach, and dirt trails wind through the woods, along the bluff over the beach, and around the lagoon (keep an eye out for kingfishers). Choose Hidden Beach Loop for a route just over a mile, or the 0.75 mile Lagoon Loop.
And of course there’s the beach itself! Walk north toward the bridges for little pockets of sandy beach where you can lay out a blanket and soak up the afternoon sun. In early spring keep your eyes open for the white wild cherry blossoms on the path by the beach. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the timing right, so you can stop and breathe them in before they fade and fall. It’s worth a couple of trips to check on the progress of the buds if you like that kind of thing. You may have guessed by now that we do like that kind of thing. There’s a secret mutual appreciation society for those of us who count cherry blossoms blooming on lichened covered branches over a saltwater beach among Tacoma’s treasures. But if you’re heading to the park for the exercise or fishing or for trainspotting, that’s all good too. Enjoy.
The Beach Tavern
8612 6th Ave
Sun, 8 am - 12 am
M - Thur, 10 am - 12 am
Sat, 8 am - 2 am
Since you're at Titlow (and if you've really gotten into it, you may have walked through acres of trails and romped on the beach), you might as well cross the street to The Beach Tavern where they keep some local beers alongside old standards on draft. There's probably a game on, the regulars are there, and the food is good, so take a seat on a red stool at the bar, pick a booth, or find a table near a window overlooking the park and nearby tracks. We've always had friendly service over the years and would like you to know that the fish burger with tots and the oyster burger with fries are two of our favorite orders. Breaded fish/oysters, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and tartar sauce on the side. Don't mind if we do. But don’t miss the weekly specials too (if you like surprises, show up on Wednesday—that’s chef’s choice night). Have youngsters along on your excursion? The tavern is 21 and up; head next door to The Beach at Titlow.
The Beach Tavern at Titlow.
The Beach at Titlow - All Ages
8612 6th Ave
10 am - 8 pm
Stop in for lunch or an ice cream bar. There’s just a little bit of seating at a couple of little tables, so it’s more of a to-go spot sharing a kitchen with The Beach Tavern. Choose an ice cream bar or drink from the cooler, order a burger, and head carefully across the tracks to tables on the pier if you want to look out over the water. Of course, Titlow has plenty of picnic tables too!
Seashore Drive - Life at the Beach
We like walking Seashore Drive just for the scenery, just to enjoy the colorful houses and gardens on this street unlike any other in the city. Homes on the west-facing hillside above—from Jackson to Fernside, Mountain View, and Sunset Drive all the way down to Seashore—offer long hours of afternoon sun, Olympic Mountain vistas, and the best sunsets in Tacoma. But Seashore feels like a little beach town, a place of its own. The train tracks run below, just out of view, but not out of hearing. The Narrows glimmers and storms beyond the tracks, and the beach is accessible at neighboring Titlow Park. The Beach Tavern sits at the north end of the street, and the Narrows Marina waits at the south end. We love this end of town. If you love it too and want to check out houses here, just give us a call. We’ll be happy to show you. For now, keep exploring. We’re on our way to the marina, the brewery, and the waterfront restaurant where you might want to plan your next date.
Narrows Marina
9007 S 19th St
Serving boaters since 1949, this family owned and operated marina offers a fuel dock, full-service maintenance shop, bait and tackle store, a big waterfront event space, and views of the Narrows Bridges. Narrows Marina earns the Clean Marina Washington seal by maintaining a 5-star EnviroStars rating.
If you’re visiting the marina as a guest look for the areas marked in green at the north entrance where day-use visitors are welcome for 3 hours at a time. That should give you room to stretch your legs, order a pint at the brewery, and sit down for steamers or a milkshake at the restaurant. Hoping to stay overnight? The marina offers 13 guest slips. Check their site for current overnight rates, then plan a nice beach and trail walk over at Titlow.
Enjoy a pint, schooner, or flight of local brews out on the deck when the weather’s nice. Add some crunchy snacks (Chex Mix—can’t say no!) from the bar or bring your own grub in.
Narrows Brewing
9007 S 19th St
Sun, 12 - 6 pm
M - Th, 4 - 9 pm
F & Sat, 12 - 11 pm
Narrows Brewing overlooks the Puget Sound with a view to the Narrows Bridges and is housed in the historic Mill Warehouse building with a 55-foot bar built from wood once part of the trestle bridge to nearby Day Island. Glide in on your boat and tie up at the Narrows Marina (look for the green areas where guests are welcome for 3 hours at a time between 11 am and 11 pm) or arrive by land; you can't miss it, just keep driving west on 19th until you nearly end up in the saltwater. With 14 brews rotating, and the go-ahead to bring food in to enjoy beside your beer, you're all set for a nice sit-down. Speaking of food, Narrows Brewing recommends take-out from their neighbors, which brings us to...
Get steamers, chowder, calamari, fish tacos, oysters, steak and scampi, fish and chips, or burgers with a waterfront view. Or just order up a milkshake, and makes sure to take note of the seasonal flavor.
Boathouse 19
9001 S 19th St
Sun - Thur, 12 - 9 pm
F & Sat, 12 - 10 pm
Open since 2012, Boathouse 19 is part of the Anthony’s Restaurants, but it’s built—along with the marina and brewery—on the site of a 1912 Douglas fir lumber mill. Here at the restaurant they too salvaged wood from that bygone bridge to Day Island for their bar, and the tables are made from Nalley Valley pickle barrels. Reduce, reuse, recycle, right? We've enjoyed some good meals here over the years. In the cold season, sit inside and watch the weather come in over the Sound. In summer, sit out over the water on the deck with potted plants in every corner and hop vines climbing the trellises. Recently we ordered a warm brownie sundae and sat up at the railing facing the marina with a view of the bridges to the north. Sit in, sit out, watch boats, wait for the tide, let your thoughts and conversation get carried along in the rapid current of the Narrows, and dive into some salads, seafood, shakes, and burgers.
Now you know if someone says “the waterfront” here in Tacoma it doesn’t mean just Ruston Way. If you go, let us know. We'd love to bump into you at the shore, or clink a glass here on the west side where the sun sets over our fair city.
We'll be back next month with more about life in and around Tacoma. It's a pretty good place to call home.
