Hotel at a Glance: Best Western Plus Tacoma Dome Hotel

Tacoma was dubbed the City of Destiny when it was selected as a western terminus for a major transcontinental railroad in 1895. Thanks to an ongoing cultural renaissance, the city is finally living up to that name. A handful of gems have sprouted up over the past 20 years, such as the Chihuly Bridge of Glass—a dazzling 500-foot elevated walkway designed by Dale Chihuly to link the Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Art Museum. The whole thing is located within 2 miles of the AAA Three Diamond–rated Best Western Plus Tacoma Dome Hotel. Inside, most guest rooms feature views of the mountains, the Port of Tacoma, or downtown.

• Work up a sweat in the fitness center, which has cardio machines and a steam room.
• Complimentary hot breakfast with scrambled eggs, fruit, and build-your-own waffles
• Onsite dining: Seasons Restaurant serves classic all-American fare such as rib-eye steaks and pasta dishes.
• Take the free local shuttle to nearby eateries, including an award-winning microbrewery and a landmark steak-and-seafood restaurant overlooking Puget Sound.

Tacoma, Washington: Port City with Thriving Cultural District and World-Class Aquarium

Tacoma is a midsize city located 30 miles south of Seattle on Puget Sound. It boasts the state’s largest port, a rail terminus, and a free downtown streetcar. After the early 1990s, the city reinvented itself as a cultural and intellectual hub, adding a University of Washington branch campus, a thriving museum district, and a rejuvenated waterfront to its formerly industrial landscape.

Located less than a mile from the hotel, under the backdrop of Mount Rainier, the Museum of Glass houses stunning structures such as the Chihuly Bridge of Glass and a 90-foot, cone-shaped studio where artists put on live glass-blowing demonstrations. At LeMay – America’s Car Museum, a 9-acre campus features an extensive collection of classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

Another popular attraction is Point Defiance Park, a 700-acre peninsula jutting into Puget Sound. While beautiful flower gardens, hiking trails, and paved bike paths draw crowds year-round, the park’s biggest draw is probably the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Exhibits include an Asian forest sanctuary, a polar bear habitat, and a tropical coral reef inhabited by dozens of sharks.

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