Tacoma

Tacoma is coming into its own, having in the last decade blossomed into a very livable city that has good museums, an edgy arts scene, and attractive old suburbs. It's a broad, hilly city whose clean-cut waterfront stretches west from the busy port, past the city and Puget Sound islands to the cliff-lined Tacoma Narrows. Renovated 19th-century homes, pretty beaches, and parks pocket the outskirts, and a young population gives the city a spirited character. The Tacoma Dome, that wooden, blue-and-gray half-sphere stadium visible along I-5, hosts international expos, sporting events, and famous entertainers in its 28,000-seat arena. The city's convenient setting provides easy access to Seattle and Canada to the north; the small town of Auburn to the northeast; Mt. Rainier to the southeast; Olympia to the south; and the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas to the west.