Things to Do in Auburn

Tacoma Art Place (TAP) is a non-profit art center (with 501c3 charitable status) in the heart of the revitalized MLK neighborhood. Our mission is to provide access to equipment and training that will allow more people to affordably explore their creativity and artistic ability.

The Washington State History Museum tells the state's story through interactive exhibits, theatrical performances, and multimedia presentations that educate and entertain attendees. A massive model railroad grants flightless humans bird's-eye views of the lines from Point Defiance Park to the Stampede Pass Tunnel in the Cascades, depicting Union Station in the height of its glory during the 1950s and in its early years as a scrappy, constantly barking shed. Other permanent exhibits include the hands-on, activity-driven history lab learning center and the living diorama found in the Great Hall of Washington History. A travelling featured exhibit, Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight, unveils the struggles of African Americans to break through racial barriers and become the pilots and astronauts of their generations.

The clatter of tumbling pins precipitate cheers over strikes and high scores in Roxbury Lanes & Casino’s bowling arena, and silent staring contests precede shouts of victory and wails of defeat in the venue’s daily poker tournaments. The tables feature many stripes of the classic card game, including Texas hold'em, four card, and pai gow, as well as double-deck blackjack. To refuel for further sporting, visitors retire to the built-in sports bar, where they chow down on new york strip steaks, custom burgers, and a full selection of breakfast eats in the comforting glow of flat-screen televisions and the bartender’s neon-rimmed glasses.

The woods are full of hazards, from prickly bushes to wild animals. But all’s safe in the Woods at the Children's Museum of Tacoma, where a log pile leads to a play area where kids can build forts and send supplies to and fro with pulleys. The Woods is one of the museum’s five playscapes, which encourage children and their adult guardians to learn through self-directed play.

Youngsters can unleash their inner architects with blocks and tubes at the Invention station, and paint, clay, and other artistic tools at Becka’s Studio allow kids to tap into their creative sides. Aboard the Voyager, children can pretend to fly to the moon or parallel-park between two asteroids. Back on earth, the interactive Water playspace presents a world of tranquil waterfalls and streams.

Afterward, there’s more to explore through the museum’s programs. They range from summer camps to Play to Learn, where kids 6 and younger take part in group activities, sing-alongs, and group circle time.

At the age of 9, Bonnie Morris began a lifelong relationship with horses. By age 10, she was the proud guardian of her own colt and at 22, she set the wheels in motion to open her own training center. Today at Morris's Shadow Mountain Stables, she and her staff continue to bond riders and steeds within a five-acre haven that's beyond the reaches of the outside world and its persistent chorus of honking bikes. They foster interspecies rapport through various types of instruction, including lessons and summer camps that teach showmanship and horse care. Trail rides mosey through nearby woods, meadows, and grasslands overlooking Mount Rainier. Birthday parties include horseback rides or visits to the petting farm. The petting farm facilitates up-close encounters with fuzzy ferrets, giant bunnies, mini horses, and baby goats as well as the stable's fleet of horses and resident cow, Henry, who also answers to, "Look! A cow!"

Pat John may have earned a spot in Seattle’s Bowling Hall of Fame, but that doesn’t mean his work is done. These days, he runs Hiline Lanes, which welcomes casual bowlers and Junior Gold competitors alike in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Visitors can revel during Rock-n-Bowl sessions on Friday and Saturday nights, when glow in the dark balls ease on down the alleys as top-40 tunes and classic rock croons blast on the sound-system. Nearby, the 11th Frame Restaurant cooks up classic club sandwiches, milkshakes, and Italian sodas. Shoppers in the Hiline shop might even spot a TV-bowling celebrity, stopping by to get Pat’s insight into next season’s bowling shoe trends.