5 fun things to do on this (partly) sunny spring weekend in Pierce County
Tacoma has welcomed the spring season and with it, new opportunities for local fun. According to the National Weather Service, this weekend's weather forecast predicts temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit with partly sunny weather on Saturday and occasional rain showers on Sunday, but there's plenty to do on a misty day.
Here are some ideas as you plan your weekend:
1. Harbor History Museum & beach visit
Gig Harbor's Harbor History Museum is currently hosting the Shenandoah Float Find — a treasure hunt inviting the community to search for a glass float hidden somewhere in the city each week until their Maritime Gallery grand opening on April 26. The gallery will feature the 100-year-old restored fishing vessel the Shenandoah.
After the museum, head south to Fox Island and enjoy an afternoon on the beach at the family-friendly Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit Nature Preserve, where you can find gorgeous views, comb the sandbanks for local wildlife or take a walk. The beach is known for rare geological formations called clay babies which have been found on its shorelines.
2. Take a trip to the Washington State Spring Fair
Check out the new goat playground, jumping DockDogs, local fair exhibits and new food options this weekend at the Washington State Spring Fair in Puyallup. The fair ends on Sunday, April 20.
Visit from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, or 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
If buying online tickets, general admission on Thursdays and Fridays costs $13 for adults and $11 for children ages 6-12. On weekends, those prices are $15 and $12 respectively. Children 5 years old and under get in free any day and children under 18 get free admission on Thursdays.
3. Try a new brunch spot — and other local delicacies.
Our food reporter recently compiled a list of the best Easter brunch specials around town — check out those special deals on April 20, or hit the classics with our recommendations from an investigation into brunch culture around Tacoma.
After brunch, you can swing over for dessert at Johnson Candy, a store full of sweets that just celebrated 100 years at its Hilltop shop in Tacoma.
The News Tribune has you covered for any food tips and future brunch needs — check out our food section, TNT Diner, for more.
Speaking of Easter brunch, there are many egg hunts planned across Pierce County this weekend. Edgewood Mayor Dave Olson posted on Facebook that 'hundreds of kids will go home happy,' from one that starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at Edgemont Park.
'The well-controlled chaos and pandemonium is orchestrated by the good folks at East Pierce Fire and Rescue,' Mayor Olson's post read.
4. Visit the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
See aquatic life exhibits — including shark dives by professionals — and rare land animals, including a polar bear, muskox, a young tapir and red wolves. The Point Defiance Zoo is part of a program to save red wolves from extinction and reintroduce them into the wild.
5. Do a tour of the best-voted ice cream spots in the area.
Tacoma is a place of ice cream opportunity, and our readers let us know where you should go. Gig Harbor's Iscreamery and Tacoma's Ice Cream Social lead the list, both with over 160 votes. Or, take the day to do a full round-up — including one of Bliss Small Batch Creamery's Puget Sound locations, Olympic Mountain in Shelton, Lick Homemade Ice Cream in Puyallup, and Dreamer Ice Cream — a newly reopened spot with ice cream waffles and milkshakes in Tacoma.
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