The 47.443599-122.3026181 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) (SEA ^IATA) is the nearest airport for commercial flights. It is 25 mi/40 km north of Tacoma. The airport serves much of the greater Seattle Metropolitan area and the Pacific NW. Options besides taxi/limo or rental car are:

• Sound Transit. Bus route #574 is a daily express bus between Lakewood, Tacoma, Federal Way, Kent, SeaTac light rail station and the airport.  
• ShuttleExpress, ☏ +1 425 981-7000. Operates shared and private shuttle services between the airport and hotels & residents within the Tacoma-Seattle-Bellevue-Everett corridor and its vicinity. Catch them at the 3rd level of the parking garage. During the morning commute hours (7-10AM), it may not be best to take this transportation if you go to downtown Seattle unless you have a lot of baggage to take care of; the more spacious Link Light Rail trains will get you there for about the same duration or even quicker. Walk-ins are allowed for trips from the airport (shared vans only), reservations necessary for trips to the airport. Downtown from $18. 
• Capital Aeroporter, toll-free: +1-800-962-3579. For areas mainly south of the airport (Tacoma, Olympia, Auburn, Kent, Chehalis, Centralia, Shelton). 
• Bremerton-Kitsap Aeroporter, (scheduled stop) Ben Dew Clubhouse @ 6501 6th Ave (Smaller tavern in front of the larger Grocery Outlet and Mary's Auto Repair Bldg.), ☏ +1 360 876-1737. Connects the airport to Tacoma, Gig Harbor and the Kitsap Peninsula. They go south on I-5 to Tacoma and over the Narrows Bridge along WA Hwy 16 to get to the Kitsap Peninsula rather than going across on the ferry from Seattle. They also have a separate run between the airport and the Lewis-McChord Joint Military Base. Be sure to have a valid DoD ID card to enter Lewis-McChord. 

Tacoma is along Interstate 5 (I-5), approximately 35 mi south of Seattle (35 min), 293 mi (5 hr) southwest of Spokane, and 143 mi (2½ hr) north of Portland.

• & From Interstate 5 (I-5) Tacoma is accessed from exits #136 ("Port of Tacoma") through #127 ("S Tacoma Way/WA-512 to Puyallup") along I-5. To get to downtown, exit off at the Interstate 705 off ramp at Exit 133, just beyond the Tacoma dome if going south from I-5, or continue along I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy to get to old town, north Tacoma and the Ruston Way waterfront. Continue to the next exit along I-5 to 132B to get to WA-16 going west towards Gig Harbor, Bremerton and for additional access to other parts of town. To get to Joint Base Lewis McChord continue south past WA-512 to exits #125 ("Bridgeport Way/McChord Field"), #123 ("Thorne Ln"), 122 ("Berkely Ave nearest access to Madigan Hospital and Camp Murray"), 120 ("Joint Base Lewis-McChord") which is the location of the main gate & visitors center into the base, or 119 (Dupont-Steilacoom Rd). Access to the military base is controlled and a valid Dept. of Defense (DoD) ID and vehicle decal are required to be allowed through. Otherwise see the visitors center off of exit 120. Exits 119-125 will come first before getting into Tacoma if going north on I-5 from Olympia.
• & From Interstate 90 (I-90) coming from eastern Washington exit off at WA-Hwy 18 at Exit # 25. Go south on WA Hwy 18 through Tiger Mountain, Convington, Maple Valley and Auburn to Federal Way where WA-18 merges into I-5. Follow signs to I-5 south to Tacoma.
• to From Kitsap Peninsula Go south on Hwy 3 and follow signs for "WA-16 EAST to Port Orchard - Tacoma". Continue south along WA-16 through Gig Harbor and across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge into Tacoma. There's a toll to cross the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma but no toll coming the other way into Gig Harbor. There are 5 exits into town from along WA-16 between the bridge and where the highway ends at I-5. Follows signs for I-5 "To Seattle" and exit at the next exit to I-705 to get downtown otherwise follow signs for I-5 south "To Portland" to get to the south or east part of town.
• N Pearl St connects the Washington State Ferry from Vashon Island to WA-Hwy 16

The bus station for Greyhound, Northwestern Trailways, Sound Transit, Intercity Transit, Pierce Transit & Link Light Rail is at the Tacoma Dome Station Parking Garage Buildings at 510 - 610 E Puyallup Ave (facing E Puyallup Ave), between East E St and East G St, one block north of Freighthouse Square (2501 East D St). Greyhound, NW Trailways and a taxi stand are at the west building while Sound Transit, Intercity & Pierce Transit buses are next door in front of the east building. The Link Light Rail to downtown Tacoma is at the opposite side of the parking buildings along E 25th, between the E Parking Garage Building and the Freighthouse Square building:

• 47.24071-122.424752 Flixbus (Operated by MTR Transportation & Greyhound), (bus stop) 2499 E 'G' St (Bus will board at the yellow and red striped bus zone on East 'G' St, across from the Tacoma Dome Station). Service between Seattle and Eugene via Tacoma, Portland and Corvallis along I-5. Some of the Flixbuses may board at the Greyhound Station in the West Parking Garage @ 510 E Puyallup Ave. Check tickets. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.24073-122.426673 Greyhound & Bolt Bus, (Bus station) Tacoma Dome Station, W Parking Bldg @ 510 E Puyallup Ave, ☏ +1 253 383-4621, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Travels primarily on Interstate 5 (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, Kelso/Longview and Portland.) Passengers transfer in Seattle, Olympia or Portland to get to additional destinations. 
• Northwestern Stage Lines (Northwest Trailways / Salt Lake City Express), (Bus station) Tacoma Dome Station, W Parking Bldg @ 510 E Puyallup Ave, toll-free: +1-800-366-3830. Shuttle service between Tacoma and Spokane (via Seattle, Everett, Stevens Pass, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, George, Moses Lake, Ritzville). Tickets can also be booked with Salt Lake City Express and Megabus. $51 one way to Spokane, $97 round trip. 
• 47.24089-122.425844 Sound Transit, Tacoma Dome Station, E Parking Bldg @ 610 E Puyallup Ave (Tacoma Dome bus stops, zones A, B and E), ☏ +1-888-889-6368. Operates express routes between Lakewood, Tacoma & Seattle.  
  • 574 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Kent-Des Moines Hwy (SR-516), S 272nd St, Federal Way, Tacoma Dome & Lakewood
  • 586 Downtown Tacoma//UW Tacoma, Tacoma Dome, Federal Way University of Washington/U-District. Operates during weekday rush hours only. No stops in downtown Seattle
  • 590,594 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome Station, Downtown Tacoma/UW Tacoma & Lakewood. Rt 590 travels only between the Tacoma Dome and Downtown Seattle during weekday rush hours only.
  • 592 Downtown Seattle, Lakewood Park & Ride, Lakewood Sounder, Dupont. Northbound only during morning rush hours and southbound only during afternoon rush hours. No stops in downtown Tacoma or Tacoma Dome.
  • 595 Downtown Seattle, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma Community College (TCC), Gig Harbor, Purdy. Operates during weekday rush hours only.
  • Link Light Rail 'T' Line runs frequent trains from Freighthouse Square to downtown Tacoma (just north of 9th & Commerce). The train goes by UW Tacoma, several museums, several downtown hotels and the downtown convention center. The stop is along E 25th between the parking garage buildings and the Freighthouse Square building.
• King County Metro, ☏ +1 206 553-3000. Operates buses in and around Seattle and the surrounding cities and suburbs in King County. Nearest transfer points to King County Metro from Tacoma are in Auburn, Federal Way/NE Tacoma (Rt 182) and the Tahlequah ferry terminal (Rt 119) in the south end of Vashon Island.  
• Pierce Transit (Tacoma Dome Station stops, Zones C, D & E), ☏ +1 253 581-8000, toll-free: +1-800-562-8109. Operates local routes on buses that run on natural gas and connect with other regional transit systems. Pierce transit can also be tracked with a free smartphone app from One Bus Away that provides easy access to real-time transit information for the Puget Sound region and beyond. From the Tacoma Dome Station they go out to the surrounding cities and towns of Federal Way (#500,501,574); Fife (#500); Lakewood (#574, 594 or #3 from downtown); Point Defiance Pk & the Ferry Terminal (#11, The #41 bus going from Tacoma Dome Station to downtown becomes the #11); Puyallup (#400); Gig Harbor (#102 during weekday rush hour or the #1 or #2 from downtown to TCC Transit Center & transfer to Rt #101); downtown Tacoma & UW Tacoma (13, 14, 41, 500, 501, 586, 594 & Link Light Rail) Adult $2, youth $0.75 and is part of the regional Orca payment system.  
• Intercity Transit, ☏ +1 360-786-1881. Bus route 620 operates trips daily between Lakewood (SR-512 Park and Ride, and Lakewood Sounder Station) and Olympia via Lacey. (updated Oct 2024)

See also: Rail travel in the United States

There are two train stations. The Amtrak & Sounder Train Stations are in the middle to the west end of the Freighthouse Square Building, adjacent to each other. Both are well marked.

• 47.23964-122.427765 Tacoma Dome station, 424 E 25th St (entrance in the middle to the west end of the Freighthouse Square building). (updated Sep 2022)
  • Sound Transit. Sounder trains travel north to Seattle in the morning and south to Lakewood via Tacoma Dome and South Tacoma in the afternoons. They also operate additional trains for the Mariners and Seahawks home events. (updated Sep 2022)
• 47.23959-122.428416 Tacoma station, 422 E 25th St (Freighthouse Square next to Sound Transit Station). (updated Oct 2023)
  • Amtrak. Operates trains across the United States. (updated Oct 2023) Routes stopping in Tacoma:
    • Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, and Albany. There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene. No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
    • Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles. Stops include Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Dunsmuir, Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, San Francisco (Emeryville), Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, and Burbank. Between Seattle and Eugene, it makes the same stops as the Amtrak Cascades, except it skips Tukwila and Oregon City.

• 47.305398-122.5141927 Washington State Ferries, 5810 N Pearl St (North end of Pearl St in Point Defiance Park.), ☏ +1 206-464-6400, toll-free: +1-800-843-3779. There is a ferry connecting from Point Defiance Park in North Tacoma and Talehquah in the south end of Vashon Island. Don't plan on walking anywhere when you get to Vashon Island; you'll need a car to get anywhere worth seeing. Some people bike around the island, but be prepared for major hills. You can continue to Seattle or Port Orchard by crossing the island to the other ferry on the north end of the island. Connects with (Highway 163). (updated Sep 2022)
• 47.172034-122.603058 Pierce County Ferries, 56 Union Ave, Steilacoom. The county also operates a small car ferry from Steilacoom (at south end of town) to Anderson and Ketron Islands. 
• 47.2786-122.40749 Tote Maritime (Totem), (port terminal) 500 E Alexander, ☏ +1 253 238-8400. Operates more as a private shipping company than a "ferry" for shipping of personal vehicles and/or personal household goods up to Anchorage AK for those moving between the lower 48 and Alaska. They offer twice weekly sailings up to Alaska. 

The area's roads are designed more or less around a grid system, where most roads are numbered based on their distance from the city center. Addresses also conform to the numbering of the roads around them. Nearly all streets run with the compass directions. "A" Street, one block east of Pacific Ave (SR-7), divides east from south while Orchard Street divides south from west. 6th Avenue and Division Avenue divide north from south. The numbered roads run east-west, parallel to 6th Avenue, while the named roads run north-south (except for one corner in the North End where everything is rotated by 60°). The addresses on the opposite side of Commencement Bay towards Federal Way between the bay and the King/Pierce County line are in the northeast (NE) part of town. The addresses in Gig Harbor & Key Peninsula all have northwest (NW) designations and Lakewood and Steilacoom are in the Southwest part of town with SW addresses. This also applies to much of the extended areas of unincorporated Pierce County, though the addresses in places like Fife, Milton, Puyallup & Sumner have their own numbering system and are not based on Tacoma's numbering system. Some of the same streets will change names when it crosses from one city/municipality to the next.

• Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253-581-8000. Operates local and regional public transit bus routes in Pierce County. Communities within the county served by this operator's routes include Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, Steilacoom, Tacoma. (updated Jun 2023)
• Sound Transit, toll-free: +1-888-889-6368. Has regional public transit routes including Sounder trains, Link light rail, and express bus in King County (e.g. Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Seattle), Snohomish County (e.g. Everett, Lynnwood), and Pierce County (e.g. Puyallup, Tacoma). (updated Jun 2023)
  • Tacoma LINK A light rail/streetcar line that runs between Freighthouse Square (near the Tacoma Dome and the train station) and downtown, with a stop that serves the Washington State History Museum / University of Washington, Tacoma area. Trains run every 10-20 minutes, and the fares are free.

47.3102-122.53321 Point Defiance Park is a 700-acre city park featuring old growth forests, gardens, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, as well as a playground, picnic areas and countless hiking trails. It is the north end of Tacoma and is accessible from I-5 by following I-705 past downtown to Schuster Pkwy which goes along the Ruston Way waterfront to N 51st & Pearl. Go north on Pearl (right turn from N 51st coming from Ruston Way) into the main entrance of the park. From Hwy 16 go north on N Pearl (WA-163) into the park. By bus the #11 goes from downtown (10th & Commerce) to the park. From the Tacoma Dome station take the #41 bus going into downtown which becomes the #11 bus so no transferring of buses needed.

Tacoma is home to a variety of interesting museums:

• 47.3031-122.531842 Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, ☏ +1 253 591-5339. Fort Nisqually, the first European settlement on Puget Sound, was a bustling center of trade that expanded into a large-scale agricultural enterprise. (updated May 2015)
• 47.258-122.43713 Foss Waterway Seaport (Working Waterfront Maritime Museum), 705 Dock St (On I-705 go past downtown which becomes Schuster Pkwy. Right turn at 4th which is the light past Tacoma), ☏ +1 253 272-2750. W-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. The Foss Waterway Seaport celebrates & exhibits Tacoma's rich maritime heritage—past, present and future. Located on the waterfront in a century-old wooden wheat warehouse, built for cargo arriving by rail and departing by sail ("where rails met sails") during the early years of Tacoma. (updated May 2015)
• 47.236-122.434 LeMay – America's Car Museum (ACM), 2702 East D St (Across East D St from the Tacoma Dome. Entrance at south end of building), ☏ +1 253 779-8490. Daily 10AM-5PM. Guided tour daily 11AM, lasts 75-90 minutes. More than 400 cars are on display in this densely-packed four-story museum. Vehicles of note include a 1948 Tucker, of which less than 21 are on public display, and the Flintmobile used in the 1994 Flintstones film. Expect to spend 2 hours or more to see the whole museum. The permanent collection can be a bit repetitive, while rotating exhibits like supercars or alternative propulsion are more engaging. Fairly educational, but younger children may be bored by the "do not touch" displays, with only a slot car track ($3) and a racing simulator ($8) to break the monotony. Adults $18, students $14, youth 6-12 $10, children free, seniors and military $16. Guided tour $33, youth $25. (updated Jan 2018)
• 47.27259-122.474355 Stratford House, 2715 North Junett Street. It is the exact reminiscence the home of the Stratford family of the high school romantic comedy movie 10 Things I Hate About You (Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 1999). Though the house is occupied, it offers a wonderful view of the house and of downtown Tacoma. Filming is also set at Stadium High School, 10 minutes away by car. Both the house and the school can only viewed from the outside from the street. Please respect the privacy of the occupants of the house. Inside viewing of the school is limited and can be done by permission of the school administration. (updated Oct 2015)
• 47.24776-122.436576 Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave (Pacific & Hood St), ☏ +1 253 272-4258. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. (updated May 2015)
• 47.24908-122.437347 Tacoma Children's Museum, 1501 Pacific Ave (E 15th & Pacific Ave), ☏ +1 253 627-6031. W-Su 10AM-5PM, M 10AM-5PM for members only. (updated May 2015)
• 47.2456-122.4348 Tacoma Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock St (E 18th & Docks St, opposite of I-705 from downtown. From Pacific Ave the Chihuly Pedestrian Bridge can be accessed from between the two Union Station Buildings, across from the UW Bookstore.), ☏ +1 253 284-4750. W-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su noon-5PM. You can cross to or from this museum on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass - and no, the bridge is not made of glass - it's 500 feet long, over Interstate 705, with glasswork exhibits. (updated May 2015)
• 47.2448-122.4369 Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave (South part of Union Station across from UW Tacoma), ☏ +1 253 272-3500. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM; every third Th it's 10AM-8PM. Founded in 1891 and now into its second century of service, the Washington State Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and vividly presenting Washington's rich and varied history. The Historical Society is comprised of a family of museums and research centers, offering a variety of services to researchers, historians, scholars, and the lifelong learners. Adults 18 to 64 years of age $14; children 17 & under and seniors 65 and older $11. (updated May 2015)

• 47.2603-122.44810 W.W. Seymour Conservatory (Wright Park Arboretum) (Along S 'G' St between S 3rd & 4th St at eastside of Wright Park), ☏ +1 253 404-3975. Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. The W. W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory is a Victorian-style conservatory in Wright Park. Built in 1907, it was named in honor of donor William W. Seymour. Designed by Isaac J. Knapp, its wings and twelve-sided central dome contain some 3,500 panes of glass. The arboretum contains over 700 mature trees, representing about 100 native and exotic species. $3 honor system. (updated Dec 2019)
• 47.245922-122.43633511 Tacoma Union Station, 1717 Pacific Ave (next to Historic Museum and across street from UW Tacoma along Pacific Ave), ☏ +1 253 863-5173. Public viewing M-F 8AM-5PM. The Union Passenger Station in Tacoma, Washington, United States, opened in 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The distinctive architecture, dominated by a copper dome, is a landmark for the area. The Union Station facilities are available for rent for weddings, school dances, reunions, holiday parties and other public or private gathering. (updated Dec 2019)
• 47.2448-122.43812 University of Washington Tacoma Campus, (administration) 1900 Commerce St (along Pacific Ave across street from Union Station/Washington Historic Museum), ☏ +1 253 692-4400. The 46-acre campus is on a hillside at the southern edge of downtown Tacoma, overlooking the Port of Tacoma and Mount Rainier. Set in the historic Union Station District, UW Tacoma renovated century-old, brick buildings that were built by businesses that depended on the railroad in the late 1880s and early 1900s. The university has earned architectural awards for transforming these buildings into modern classrooms. In the design of the campus, the UW Tacoma honored the traditions of the Northern Pacific Railway and its part in establishing the city of Tacoma. It is now a full-fledged university under the governance of the University of Washington Board of Regents along with the UW campuses in Seattle and Bothell. The UW Tacoma offers majors in business, education, nursing, computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, information technology, criminal justice, social work, environmental science, urban studies and interdisciplinary arts and sciences. Classes are offered day and evening, for full or part-time students. (updated Dec 2019)

• 47.2483-122.43913 Tacoma Convention and Trade Center, 1500 Commerce St (Commerce & S 15th St, it is accessible by Link Light Rail.), ☏ +1 253 830-6601. TBA by event. New 118,000 square feet (11,000 m²) of meeting and usable pre function space which includes a 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m²), column-free exhibition hall, a 13,650 sq ft (1,268 m²) ballroom, and eleven breakout rooms in varying sizes. Spaces can be rented for a small private or public meeting or for a large convention for 100s or 1000s of people. For most travelers there may be an event scheduled at the convention center that may be of an interest. For other travelers the scheduled event is what they came to Tacoma for. Admissions vary by scheduled event. (updated Dec 2019)
• 47.236667-122.42666714 Tacoma Dome, 2727 E 'D' St, ☏ +1 253. TBA by event. The dome opened on April 21, 1983. The arena seats 20,722 for basketball; 530 feet (160 m) in diameter and 152 feet (46 m) in height, it is able to seat 23,000, and is the largest arena with a wooden dome in the world by volume. It has also became a landmark for Tacoma and had since been a venue for concerts, sporting events, school graduation ceremonies, police/first responder funerals and other conventions and trade trade shows. For most travelers there may be an event scheduled at the Dome that may be of an interest. For others the event IS why they came to Tacoma for. Admissions vary by scheduled event. (updated Dec 2019)
• 47.2693-122.551815 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the gateway to Gig Harbor, Poulsbo, Hood Canal, Port Townsend, and the Olympic Peninsula, was remodeled to include a second span (which now requires a $6 toll for those returning to Tacoma). (The original bridge, built in 1940, and known as "Galloping Gertie", is well known because of its collapse.)

• 47.2386-122.42721 Comfort Inn Tacoma Dome, 2611 East 'E' St (E 26th & E St, between Tacoma Dome and Freighthouse Square), ☏ +1 253 272-7737. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. In between the Tacoma Dome and Freighthouse Square and in close proximity to Amtrak, the bus stations and downtown. (updated Aug 2018)
• 47.2507-122.43982 Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza, ☏ +1 253 238-8000. 
• 47.24863-122.437973 Courtyard Marriott - Tacoma Downtown, 1515 Commerce St (Across from the Great Tacoma Convention Center), ☏ +1 253-591-9100. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. The hotel is connected to the historic Waddell building. The Waddell building's ground floor features the Pacific Grill, run by famed chef, Gordon Naccarato. Above Pacific Grill are 2 luxury suites. On the lower level of the hotel is the new Pacific Grill Events Center that host many events year-round. 
• 47.24263-122.4384 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tacoma Downtown, 2102 South C St (C St & S 21st, a couple of blocks up the hill on S 21st from Pacific), ☏ +1 253 272-2434. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated May 2015)
• 47.25808-122.44095 McMenamins Elk's Temple Hotel, 562 Broadway (Broadway & 7th St. Up the street from the antique shops along Broadway), ☏ +1 253 300-8777. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. The Elks Temple includes 45 king guestrooms, each appointed with a private bathroom, wifi, television and usb ports. Threads of local history are woven throughout the rooms – and the entire structure – through art and written stories. (updated Sep 2020)
• 47.25928-122.450756 The Tree House, 402 S 'i' St (S 'i' & 4th St, overlooking Wright Park.), ☏ +1 253 403-8510. Accommodations for families who have a loved one hospitalized at the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital with a serious illness or injury and who don't live near the hospital or have accommodations close by. $55 night. (updated Sep 2020)

The North End neighborhood is an upscale neighborhood especially those east of Pearl, in old town and up along N Ruston Way. Except the Silver Cloud by the waterfront most of the accommodations in the North End are in large (historic) homes that have been permitted and converted to board guests as a Bed & Breakfast and are located in quiet residential neighborhoods.

• 47.26741-122.469077 Branch Colonial House, 2420 N 21st St (Along N 21st between N Prospect & Steele), ☏ +1 253 752-3565. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.26582-122.535818 Secret Garden B&B, 1702 N Narrows Dr (N Narrows & Harmon ST), ☏ +1 253 301-2122. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.27657-122.467299 Silver Cloud Tacoma Waterfront, 2317 Ruston Way, ☏ +1 253 272-1300. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Waterfront hotel on the south end of the two-mile-long scenic waterfront road (Ruston Way) and park. (updated May 2015)
• 47.3005-122.505610 Silver Cloud Point Ruston, 5125 Grand Loop, ☏ +1 253 319-8300. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Waterfront hotel on the north end of the two-mile-long scenic waterfront road (Ruston Way) and park and is closer to Point Defiance Park and the Vashon Ferry Terminal. (updated May 2015)
• 47.2651-122.455311 The Villa B&B, 705 N 5th St (Along N 5th St between Yakima & G St in a residential area.), ☏ +1 253 272-1300. A highly rated, luxury six-room bed and breakfast hotel in the Stadium district. (updated May 2015)

The South Tacoma accommodations are near some of the large shopping complexes as well as quicker access to the Lewis McChord military reservation. The accommodations are typically lined up along S Hosmer from the 7400 block (accessed off of S 72nd at Exit #129) through 9200 block where S Hosmer become S Steele (accessed from Exit #128 if going north bound I-5). The area have also been an epicenter of crime particularly at the 8800 of S Hosmer. Safer to be closer to S 74th. They're the typical national chain hotels and motels surrounded by different restaurants such as Ihop, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Subway:

• 47.2129-122.46512 Extended Stay America, 2120 S 48th St (S 48th St & Tacoma Mall Blvd, behind Umpqua Bank from S 48th St), ☏ +1 253 475-6565. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Closest one to Tacoma Mall. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.1951-122.463713 Clarion Inn, 6802 S Tacoma Mall Blvd, ☏ +1 253 475-5900. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.1827-122.462814 Hampton Inn, 8203 S Hosmer St (SE of S 82nd St & Hosmer intersection), ☏ +1 253 539-2288. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.1791-122.462815 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tacoma, 8601 S Hosmer (along S Hosmer just south of S 84th; accessed at S 84th St from the northbound lanes of I-5 and S 72nd St from the southbound lanes), ☏ +1-253 539-2020. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: Noon. (updated May 2015)
• 47.18057-122.4637316 Holiday Inn Tacoma Mall, 8402 S Hosmer St (NW of the intersection of S Hosmer & S 84th; accessed at S 84th St from the northbound lanes of I-5 and S 72nd St from the southbound lanes), ☏ +1 253 548-1212. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated Oct 2017)
• 47.1769-122.4626417 Hometown Studios, 8801 S Hosmer St, ☏ +1 253 538-9448. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Dec 2019)
• 47.1888-122.4607518 Motel 6 Tacoma South, 1811 S 76th St (S 76th St & Hosmer; accessed at S 72nd St from I-5 (Exit #129)), ☏ +1 253 473-7100. (updated Oct 2017)
• 47.18999-122.4611119 Hotel Thea, 7414 S Hosmer (S 74th St & Hosmer; accessed at S 72nd St from I-5 (Exit #129)), ☏ +1 253 475-4020, fax: +1 253 475-1236. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. (updated Oct 2017)

• 47.2204-122.47318 Evergreen Post Office (Main Post Office) (US Postal Service), 4001 S Pine St (Along S Pine St between S 39th & S 42nd St east of the mall. Not accessible from the Tacoma Mall.), ☏ +1 253 471-5384. M-F 8AM-7PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. The main post office distributes mail to and receives from zip codes 983xx to 984xx. There are numerous post office branches in different neighborhoods and at least one (or more) in each adjacent city/municipality serving the other zip codes: 

• 47.253-122.43749 Downtown Post Office (US Postal Service), (downtown post office) 1102 A St (Along A St between S 11th & S 12th St.), ☏ +1 253 627-4026. Retail counter: M-F 8AM-5PM; passport acceptance: M-F 10AM-3PM by appointment. Serving zip codes 98402 & 98403. 
• 47.2501-122.451510 MLK (Hilltop) Post Office, 1220 S Martin Luther King Jr (S MLK & 13th St), ☏ +1 253 272-3082. M-F 9:30AM-4PM. Post office for 98405. Mail to this zip code is delivered from University Place. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.27216-122.4875411 North Proctor Post Office (US Postal Service), 3801 N 27th St (Along N 27th between N Proctor and), ☏ +1 253 759-7709. M-F 9AM-6PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. Serving zip code 98407. Nearest post office to Point Defiance Park. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.146-122.436612 Parkland Post Office, 320 Garfield St S, ☏ +1 253. M-F 9AM-5:30PM; Sa 9AM-3PM. Serving zip code 98444. (updated Nov 2019)
• 47.2361-122.528813 University Place Post Office, 6817 27th Ave W, University Place. M-F 8AM-5PM; Sa 8AM-3PM. Serving zip codes 98406, 98405, 98466, 98467. (updated Nov 2019)