Point Defiance Park: Owen Beach Promenade & Old-Growth Forest Trails

About this adventure

Occupying the northern tip of the Tacoma peninsula overlooking the Tacoma Narrows, Point Defiance Park is a 760-acre municipal gem second in size only to New York's Central Park. Its premier family waterfront destination, Owen Beach, features an ADA-accessible paved promenade, pebble and sand beaches for beachcombing, sculpted driftwood seating, and sweeping winter views of Mount Rainier rising over Commencement Bay and Vashon Island. Children can explore a nature-inspired climbing play area featuring carved wooden killer whales and sea creatures. Inland from the beach, miles of serene, sheltered forest trails wind beneath ancient 450-year-old Douglas firs and western red cedars that buffer chilly coastal winds. The beach pavilion provides heated ADA restrooms, sheltered picnic tables, and kayak launch access, making it a beloved year-round family nature haven.