Tacoma Beaches

Heading out to a beach in Tacoma, WA can be made into a fantastic adventure and has plenty of benefits for you and your friends. Whether you plan to go swimming, building sandcastles, throwing the frisbee, having a picnic, going on walks, or simply getting a tan, beaches are a host for many different amazing activities.

Locating a great swimming beach in Tacoma with lots of area for activities on the beach isn’t hard. Below is a collection to help you find a beach near you. Enter a beach, a city, or a zip code to filter beaches.

Tacoma Beaches

Beaches may be temporarily shut down due to water quality concerns as a result of temporary occurances like E. Coli outbreaks, stormfall runoff, or algal blooms. Review the beach’s website before going to the beach for water quality concerns.

Prior to going to a beach in Tacoma, WA or the surrounding location, check on the beach’s website to be sure that the beach is open to the general public. It is common that beaches will only stay open for certain times of the calendar year or for specific times of the day.

Tacoma, WA Beach Rules

Whenever you visit a beach in Tacoma, there are always guidelines that you must follow. Just about all beaches will expect you to follow these laws.

  • Always know that you are entering the water at your own risk, even if there’s a lifeguard on duty.
  • Bottles made from glass can easily shatter, so don’t bring glass bottles to the beach.
  • Don’t forget, if you take something to the beach, you’re obligated to not leave anything behind.
  • Don’t swim beyond the specified swimming area.
  • Fires may not be allowed on most public Tacoma beaches.
  • Most beaches in Tacoma have curfews except for specific dates.

Tacoma Beach Tips

  1. Avoid crowded times. It can be difficult to find parking at some Tacoma beaches. Getting there as early as possible will ensure that you locate a good place to park your car as well as the perfect place to lay your down your towel.
  2. Grab some shade. If you know that finding a shady area could be hard to locate, or if you suspect that there likely will not be many shady areas at the beach, bring your own shade! Use a beach umbrella, pop up beach tent, or similar equipment that provides shade. It’s best to bring equipment that provides good ventilation.
  3. Bugs like the beach too. If you plan on going to the beach early in the day or late in the day, there’s a decent chance that mosquitos, horse flies, fleas and other annoying bugs could ruin your beach experience.
  4. Keep items dry. It may be convenient to use a purse, grocery bag, or water-resistant duffle bag to store beach necessities like pillows, buckets, a speakerinflatables, and snorkeling equipment. However, these bags trap moisture from escaping, leading to mildew problems and keeping beach gear from airing out.
  5. Avoid a sunburn. Nothing can ruin a day at the beach like a sun burn, so remember to bring your sunscreen. Ask a friend to help with the hard to reach locations.
  6. Check the restroom layout. Restroom details may be the last thing on your mind before you plan out your beach visit. But you don’t want to be caught in a spot where you have to find a bathroom immediately but you can’t find one available. If you’re unable to find bathroom information on the website of the beach, you should plan on the fact that a public restroom or porta potty is not available. Try to go to the restroom before leaving for the beach.
  7. Remember extra clothing. It’s common knowledge that weather in Tacoma will change extremely fast. It is especially necessary if you’re planning on going for a swim, so pack enough warm items including sweaters, towels, pants, and shirts.