Metro Parks Tacoma

Metro Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Good parks, open space and program services contribute to economic development by fostering economic benefits and promoting tourism: Environmentally, they provide green infrastructure and help manage climate change; Socially, they revitalize communities, create safer neighborhoods, help children learn and grow, improve public and environmental health, and support smart growth; Culturally, open space and program services can nurture a sense of place in the community, and provide opportunities to engage the public of diverse backgrounds. Metro Parks Tacoma offers a variety of experiences on its 2,905 acres: two AZA-accredited zoos, an old-growth forest inside 760-acre Point Defiance Park, sports complexes, pools and spraygrounds, community centers, a marina on Puget Sound, an accredited living history museum, 87 miles of trails, nine community gardens, a golf course, a Victorian-style conservatory inside an arboretum, and hundreds of program offerings in sports, arts, and more.