MONEY magazine names Tacoma park best in Washington

The only combined zoo and aquarium in the Northwest, waterfront views and public gardens — what's not to like?

MONEY magazine is a believer in Tacoma's Point Defiance Park.

The national publication recently named Point Defiance the best park in Washington. MONEY partnered with Yelp in creating its list of best parks in every U.S. state. The winning parks were chosen using a Yelp algorithm that processed the number of positive reviews partnered with the parks' "business star ratings."

"Forested hiking trails, sandy beaches, and a zoo, Point Defiance Park offers options for everyone," according to an entry on the MONEY website.

"It's fantastic," said Michael Thompson, a Metro Parks Tacoma spokesman. "People that live in Tacoma know that it is a pretty darn good park, and we are making improvements to it that will make it even better."

Among the improvements to come to the park include the Wilson Way pedestrian bridge that will connect the park to Ruston Way. Thompson said the bridge is set to be completed this year, but an opening date has yet to be determined.

The 760-acre park offers something for all visitors, from hiking trails, beaches, views of the sound and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. The park is free to visit, with tickets to the zoo and aquarium priced at $17.95 for adults for a day.

The park draws over 3.1 million people each year, according to Metro Parks Tacoma. The park is open daily from half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset.

"A lot of people love Mount Rainier, for example, and there are some fine parks in Seattle," said Thompson. "There are fine parks all over the state. But it's always great to be recognized as No. 1."

Meredith Spelbring: mspelbring@thenewstribune.com, 253-597-8509