Owen Beach — Attraction in Tacoma

Beach rock is beautiful. Every rock is like it's already polished. Lots of people but the beach is spread out. Water is COLD w waves from the Puget Sound and big boats passing. Bathrooms are decent not so clean. Upper area accessible from the parking areas are all paved and level. Steps/paved ramps lead to semi sandy mostly rocky beach. All the rocks are smaller no big ones to trip over. The bigger building had volunteers selling canned water for $4.00 and some food items. Rent Kayaks per hour I believe it's $27 per hr for a single person kayak. Tandem (double seated) costs more of course. There were several scooters parked near the parking area that seemed to be free to use. The Promenade is a long paved walk along the shoreline. That may take you to the ferry. I didn't walk the full length. Must be pet friendly as there were lots of people with leashed dogs including myself. Someone even had their cat. Ok if you don't mind crowds. Nice if you have limited mobility as there is a lot of flat pavement and some seating and a nice breeze. Shaded areas at the pavement before the beach and cold cold water as the day progresses All in all it's a beach I will go back to. Bring a thick blanket and closed toe water shoes. And a leash and water...

It's not the best beach but it's right there at Point Defiance so you get PD as a combo deal. And what's not to love about that?

There's a good, wide sidewalk if you want to stroll near the beach but not on the beach. It goes pretty far in both directions and it's a really lovely view of the Puget Sound.

The beach itself varies. A lot of it is covered in rocks but other parts are decent sand. However, it seems 50% is old logs littering the beach. Which, okay, that can be fun to walk on (especially if you have kids) and to sit on but I wish there was more plain sand. If I'm being picky.

There's plenty of covered spaces to hold a get-together for a party and there are little BBQ pits dotted along the way. I believe you have to reserve them ahead of time.

At the right time of year, there's a place that rents kayaks and they'll open their little shop to sell ice cream and other snacks.

Tons of dogs and little kids running around all the time and splashing in the water.

When you get bored of the beach, you can climb up the hill and into the forest and...

An absolutely stunning location and a must-visit if you're in Tacoma, especially on a clear day. Owen Beach itself is a lovely, classic PNW rocky beach nestled inside the beautiful Point Defiance Park, but the real showstopper is the view.

On a day when "The Mountain is out," you get a breathtaking, perfectly framed, and unobstructed view of a snow-capped Mount Rainier rising over the Puget Sound. The contrast of the calm beach, the water, and the massive volcano in the distance is just incredible. It truly is the kind of view you have to see in person to fully appreciate.

This is a perfect spot for a family picnic, a relaxing stroll along the water, or just to sit on a log and soak in the scenery. The recently renovated pavilion and facilities are a huge plus, making it even more comfortable to spend an afternoon here.

Tip: Parking can get very busy on sunny weekends, so consider arriving earlier in the day. We visited on a perfect July afternoon and it felt like seeing a postcard come to life. Highly,...