Salmon Beach sits tucked beneath Point Defiance Park in Tacoma in Pierce County along the Puget Sound shoreline, creating one of the region's most unique waterfront communities. The beach takes its name from the salmon that historically ran through Commencement Bay and the Tacoma Narrows, with Native American peoples including the Puyallup Tribe fishing these productive waters for thousands of years before European settlement. The Salmon Beach Historic District is listed on the Washington Heritage Register representing a rare glimpse of waterfront lifestyle from the first part of the 20th century, originally consisting of approximately 100 cabins built on stilts at the base of a steep bluff bordering the Tacoma Narrows. Today the gated community includes 82 side-by-side cedar shake houses built on piers over Puget Sound, accessible only by invitation and 208 steps down a hillside, creating an isolated neighborhood where no cars navigate narrow paths connecting waterfront residences.
Swimming from the beach provides access to Puget Sound's cool waters during summer months, though the community's stilt house construction and rocky shoreline create challenging conditions compared to sandy beaches designed for recreational swimming. Beachcombing along the shoreline beneath the stilt houses reveals smooth stones, driftwood, shells, and beach glass deposited by Puget Sound tidal action, with low tides exposing rocky areas and small tide pools. Wildlife watching includes bald eagles soaring overhead and perching in Point Defiance Park's forests, harbor seals hauling out on nearby rocks and swimming through the Narrows, sea otters frequently observed from residents' windows and decks, and diverse seabirds including cormorants, gulls, and mergansers utilizing the productive waters where Commencement Bay meets the Tacoma Narrows. Kayaking from the beach provides access to explore the Tacoma Narrows shoreline with routes paddling beneath the spectacular Tacoma Narrows Bridge visible to the west, though strong currents and tidal flows through the Narrows require experienced paddlers comfortable with challenging conditions. The community maintains boardwalks and staircases through work parties, hosts parties and events including Christmas caroling the length of the neighborhood, and even supports a resident marching band creating unique small-town atmosphere in an urban waterfront setting. Most residents hire barges on moving day to transport furniture and large items directly across water to homes, bypassing the winding 208-step staircase.
Tacoma waterfront dining offers excellent seafood restaurants near Salmon Beach and Point Defiance. Anthony's at Point Defiance sits adjacent to the Vashon ferry terminal just below Point Defiance Zoo with twenty-foot high dormer windows providing expansive 280-degree views of Vashon Island, Mount Rainier, and local boating activity, serving fresh Northwest seafood in casual fun preparations on walk-in basis. Harbor Lights occupies Ruston Way waterfront offering stunning views of Commencement Bay, originally established in 1959 with renovations in 2015, featuring variety of Northwest seafood dishes and outdoor seating. Duke's Seafood stands as hallmark of Tacoma waterfront dining with commitment to sustainability sourcing locally and adhering to Washington State's strict fishing regulations. WildFin American Grill prepares waterfront dining along Tacoma's Commencement Bay. The Fish Peddler sits on Foss Waterway serving fresh seafood in Tacoma's working waterfront district.
