29 Hours in Tacoma, WA

Point Defiance Zoo
Point Defiance Zoo

I needed to stay one more night at a Marriott Hotel by the end of June to maintain my Gold Member status. We decided Tacoma would be an ideal location for us to stay. It’s only about an hour away, offered a couple family destinations we’ve been wanting to visit, and we wouldn’t need to spend too much on a hotel.

A Day with Mark

My brother Mark arrived yesterday to spend the week with us. The kids are super excited to have him and enjoy the attention he gives them. Last night Mark and I enjoyed drinks at Bastille in Ballard where Mark knew the bartender serving in the back room. Every time he visits he shows me some more of the Seattle night life. Seriously, I don’t hit the bars unless he’s in town. But it’s always worth the wait since he picks some of the best in town based on drinks, bartenders, and/or atmosphere.

Today, Mark, Ethan, and I grabbed a DQ ice cream and walked around Edmonds Fishing Pier while Autumn had her afternoon nap. After napping a couple hours, the whole gang loaded up and headed to Gas Works Park. It was a pleasant late afternoon visit filled with lots of activities in the area: crew, sea planes, boaters, kayakers, kites, and more. We finished off the evening with awesome pizza from Ridge Pizza in Phinney Ridge. We highly recommend  grabbing a Carmelita and some garlic bread.

Early afternoon reading time.