Does it rain a lot in Tacoma, Washington? Is it horrible and dark in the winter? Here at MovetoTacoma.com we have a lot of conversations with people moving to Tacoma. One of the questions they always ask, (particularly people from the sunnier states like Texas, California, and Florida) is how dark and rainy the winters are. “They’ll say something like, well, it doesn’t rain as much as they say does it,” laughs Tacoma real estate agent and MovetoTacoma.com creator Marguerite Martin. “Or they’ll say the winters aren’t THAT bad, right? They don’t get that cold!?”
Does it rain a lot in Tacoma, Washington in the winter?
Yes, it’s dark and rainy in Tacoma in the winter. In this video MovetoTacoma.com creator Marguerite Martin shares about the conversations she has with people moving to Tacoma about the winter weather.
Here is the real talk folks: It’s dark in the winter in Tacoma. Especially from November through January. And YES, it does rain. And all we can say is when you move here, you’re going to become a different kind of person. You’re going to become the kind of person that knows what to do when it rains.
Discovering it rains a lot in Tacoma when you move from California to Tacoma
In this video Marguerite interviews Destiny. Destiny used to the MovetoTacoma.com website when she and her family relocated to Tacoma. They’d lived all over the country including California and Florida. She talks about how hard the adjustment to Tacoma winters was initially. She also talks about how she’s adjusted and the tips and tricks she has for other Californians moving to Tacoma.
“Honestly, it has been the darkness and hard to adjust to that,” says Destiny. “And it’s funny…when I busted out my umbrella, I could tell people were looking at me kind of funny. But I mean, now I’m out here tank top and my shorts and my flip flops. Now, now I’m a Washingtonian.”
What is there to do in Tacoma during the rainy winter?
Honestly it’s easy for us lifelong Tacomans to tell you, “Don’t worry you’ll just become a different kind of person when you move here. You’ll adjust!” Because certainly some people do not adjust. The truth is the people who are happiest living in the Pacific Northwest have found a way to thrive and enjoy life and do their activities even when its dark and cold. In this video, Tacoma real estate agents Marguerite and Anne take you on a tour of things to do in Tacoma when it rains:
In the video Anne and Marguerite start in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood with a stop at Pho King, one of Tacoma’s best Pho Restaurants. Then they pop into Manifesto Coffee and head over to the Stadium District. They take in the views on top of Stadium High School’s parking garage in their raincoats. Then on to browsing the stacks at King’s Books, one of Tacoma’s favorite local book shops. Finally they end up at Indo Asian Street Eatery reading their books and having a bite to eat in front of the fire.
Do people go in the Puget Sound in the Winter?
Yes. It rains in Tacoma and it’s cold in the winter AND people still get out there and do stuff. Truthfully, even the most hard core Tacomans mostly stay indoors in the winter. If you’re hearty you might go for a hike or a walk in Point Defiance park in the winter. But by and large winter is for inside fun! There are exceptions of course. Organizations like Puget Sound Cold Plungers get in the water YEAR ROUND. A few years ago MovetoTacoma.com creator Marguerite Martin joined Dean Burke to go paddle boarding from the park in Old Town. In December. Here’s how it went:
Finding ways to get out and enjoy nature in the winter will greatly increase your happiness in the darker months.
Is Summer in Tacoma worth the rainy winter?
Yes. The summer in Tacoma ABSOLUTELY makes all the struggles in the winter worth it. The weather in the Pacific Northwest is truly stunning from June to September (and sometimes even in May and October). The rest of the year can be dark and dreary. Before this conversation with Destiny we didn’t even realize that there is almost DOUBLE the amount of daylight in the peak of summer compared to the depths of winter. You can see this on the graph above from the NOAA.
Find a local expert to help you choose your home
And here’s the shameless plug of the whole blog post! When Destiny moved to Tacoma in 2017 she used THIS website to research the area. “We got really lucky,” says Destiny. “Using the neighborhood guide on MovetoTacoma.com we got to get a real insight on each neighborhood and get a feel for each one.” She still recommends the site to her friends who are looking into the area or interested to a new part of Tacoma.
When Destiny was ready to find a home she reached out to Marguerite using the contact form on MovetoTacoma.com and Marguerite connected her with a local expert who helped her make the decision from afar. You can also schedule a one-on-one with Marguerite by clicking here.
More resources for buying a home in Pierce County:
Everything You Need to Know About Moving to Pierce County
How to Buy Vacant Land in Pierce County
Best Cities for Buying a Home on Land in Pierce County
The Most Expensive Neighborhoods in Tacoma
Most Affordable Neighborhoods in Tacoma
Wondering how Move to Tacoma can help you as you explore neighborhoods?
Step 1: Explore the Clickable Neighborhood Map of Tacoma
Our clickable neighborhood map of Tacoma’s neighborhoods is our pride and joy. Click through to find images and videos of each neighborhood. The Neighborhood guides on the map also include median home price information, blog posts about the neighborhoods, podcast episodes about the neighborhoods, and candid quotes from local neighbors.
Step 2: Listen to the Move to Tacoma Podcast
The best way to learn about Tacoma is to hear from the people who live here. On the Move to Tacoma Podcast Marguerite interviews Tacomans who’ve been here generations and Tacomans who just got here. From business and technology leaders to politicians and activists and everyone in between. The Move to Tacoma Podcast will give you insight into why people move here and how they find meaning and happiness in Tacoma.
Step 3: Read the Blog Posts on MovetoTacoma.com
On the Move to Tacoma Blog we have been writing about things to do in Tacoma, where to eat in Tacoma, hot button community topics, neighborhoods and more since 2015. There are hundreds of posts to help you find what you love in the City of Destiny. From posts about where to eat and drink to interviews with locals- the blog is a great place to keep up one what’s happening in Tacoma and Pierce County.
Step 4: Get a Realtor Referral from a Local Realtor
Marguerite Martin is a different kind of Tacoma real estate agent. Reach out to find out answers to questions you have about neighborhoods in Tacoma and Pierce County. When the time is right to start looking, Marguerite can connect you with a local real estate agent who specializes in the neighborhoods you love most. You can see reviews from past clients who’ve worked with Marguerite on Yelp and on Google.
