Garden and beach views at Point Defiance Park
After taking the ferry back to Tacoma, the Puget Sound Fling buses stopped in Point Defiance Park for a quick look at the public gardens there. Point Defiance is a jewel for Tacoma: a 760-acre park that includes a zoo and aquarium, gardens, beaches, bluffs, trails, a boardwalk, boathouse, and 400 acres of old-growth forest.
I was too busy talking to take many pics of the gardens, but I couldn’t resist these fluffy, color-drenched hydrangeas.
Fuchsias are fun to see in a garden — so exotic for this Texan.
One more hydrangea
Owen Beach
Before the Fling began, my husband and I had an extra day in Tacoma, and we explored Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park. At a small plaza next to the beach, a wooden orca sculpture seems to surface through the paving.
What a cool piece of art, and so evocative of the region.
A few families were celebrating birthdays along the beach, and one group was gamely soaking in the chilly water of the sound. But it was a mellow vibe, with seagulls crying, waves lapping the pebbly beach, and white sailboats drifting.
These are not the wide-open, sandy beaches of Texas or my South Carolina childhood. Trees grow along the beach, bluffs plunge down to meet the sea, and a snow-capped Mount Rainier rises above the water in the distance. Wave-sanded tree trunks littering the shore make convenient driftwood benches.
As we walked along the beach, a seal lifted its head out of the water to look around. As we got under the beach trees and began clambering over driftwood, I said, “This is wild. I wonder if we’ll see another seal.” On cue, one popped up! Staring hard at the water, I said, “Do you think I can manifest an orca now?” Alas not this time, but it’s happened before.
What a magical place. As the sun sank low and sailboats cruised toward harbor, we headed back toward the mountain.
Up next: Happy hour at the stunning, rock-terraced Gray Garden. For a look back at colorful Froggsong Gardens, click here.
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I love the whale emerging from the beach! I was glad to see it was not while we were at Point Defiance- I thought geez, another thing I missed!!
It’s a big park — lots to see. I could have spent another whole day exploring it.
That wooden orca sculpture is really interesting. I like the way it evokes an old wooden boat too.
I wish I’d taken a photo from the opposite side. It was hollowed out like the inside of a rowboat.
Weren’t we lucky to have a Fuchsia expert with us at Point Defiance? I’d have loved to have seen more of the gardens as I know it is a wonderful amenity park and it’s huge.
Yes indeed, to both of your observations.