What are you looking for?

All About Greater Seattle Area/Tacoma

St. Joseph Medical Center (SJMC) is located in the heart of Tacoma, Wash. The majority of your fellowship time will be spent at SJMC. However, you will also spend time at Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) in downtown Seattle and St. Michael Medical Center (SMMC) in Silverdale, Wash. All 3 tertiary care hospitals offer unique experiences, and your time across these 3 institutions will provide you with a well-rounded clinical experience. Both VMMC and SMMC are within 45 minutes of driving distance to SJMC.

Tacoma is nestled along Washington’s Puget Sound and is known for its picturesque parks and outdoor spaces. Tacoma is also known as a “family-friendly” city with multiple fun attractions for children, including parks and zoos, bumper cars on ice, and unique museums. Below you will find fun facts about Tacoma, and also some top attractions and restaurants, all sure to keep you busy during your off days.

5 Fun Facts about Tacoma, Wash.

  1. The name Tacoma means, “Mother of the Waters.”
  2. Stadium High School (which you can see from SJMC) was the featured school in the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.”
  3. The 700-acre park, Point Defiance, is one of the largest urban parks in the country and is second only to Central Park in New York City.
  4. Union Station (which you can see from SJMC) was designed by the same architects who designed Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
  5. Tacoma is the birthplace of Bing Crosby, a famous American actor and singer who has more than 500 million records in circulation and is widely regarded as one of the best-selling artists in history.
file

Top Attractions

  • Point Defiance Park
  • Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
  • Ruston Waterfront
  • Chihuly Bridge of Glass
  • 5 Mile Drive and Trails
  • Washington State History Museum
  • Cheney Stadium
  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge
  • Owen Beach
  • Chambers Bay
  • Mount Rainier
file

Cultural Attractions

  • Tacoma Film Festival
  • Tacoma Art Museum
  • America’s Car Museum
  • Museum of Glass
  • Tacoma Farmer’s Market
  • Shakespeare in the Parking Lot
file

    
Terrific Restaurants (too many to name!)

  • Sushi Tama
  • Loak Toung Thai
  • Melon Seed Deli and Frozen Yogurt
  • Cham Garden Korean BBQ
  • The Church Cantina
  • T-Town Café
  • Cho Dang Tofu
  • Tacoma Szechuan
  • Bob’s Bar-B-Q Pit
  • Indo Asian Street Eatery
  • El Gaucho
  • The Melting Pot
  • The Lobster Shop
file