Things to Do in Federal Way

The handsome, 12,000-square-foot museum is home to four exhibition galleries and a permanent collection that focuses on the wealth of regional talent in the Northwest, in addition to housing Japanese woodblock prints and European paintings. Tacoma's own Dale Chihuly fills a gallery space with his permanent installation of playful and fantastical glasswork, much of it inspired by his love for the sea. Brush up on your goose-whispering skills at the Secret Language of Animals exhibit, a family-friendly flock of approximately 40 paintings, sculptures, and videos depicting rodents, birds, horses, dogs, crazy uncles, and more.

The Broadway Center aims to provide outstanding theatrical venues in which to entertain artistic attendees of all ages. Your Friend membership grants you a year of performance perks, as the best seats for season shows at the Pantages Theater, the Rialto Theater, and the Theatre on the Square are held for members. You'll also have the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public and get wait-list priority for sold-out events. Use your status as a newly christened member to snag primo tickets to upcoming shows such as Twist and Shout: The Ultimate Beatles Experience on March 31, or the Tony Award–winning musical Fiddler on the Roof on April 26.

The buzz of motors rises and falls as bright-red blurs zip around the track at PGP Motorsports Park. Here, in the shadow of Mount Rainier, racers ages 15 and older loop around an 8/10-mile track at speeds of up to 48 miles per hour, leaning back in the ergonomic seats of Italian-built Birel N35 karts. The 30-foot-wide asphalt track can be altered to take on 12 different configurations and is centered in a velodrome, which puts spectators at an elevated angle so they get a good line of sight no matter where they sit.

For safety reasons, drivers should wear long sleeves and pants and closed-toe shoes. Drivers are equipped with helmets and driving suits, and since races take place rain or shine, they will also be provided with rain gear that includes waterproof gloves and booties.

You and your golf pal will receive a wealth of feedback from Tacoma Firs' PGA- and LPGA-certified instructors over the course of each of your hour-long lessons. They tailor instruction to individual needs, so novices can learn the fundamentals of the game, and expert ball-swatters will season their swing, perfect golf posture, and hone alignment. The staff's careful instruction, observation, and friendly demeanor make it easy to make balls to soar more gracefully than an ultralight made of dreams.

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 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.