On the banks of Puget Sound, Tacoma is home to over 200,000 Washingtonians. Named in honor of Mount Rainier's previous moniker, Tacoma is a busy city with a hometown feel. Grit City is filled with arts, culture, great food, and unique experiences.

Noted by Forbes as an "art trip you need to take," Tacoma's downtown neighborhood is considered the city's "art and soul." A piece of this is the Daly Chihuly glass installations found everywhere from bridges to bars. Tacoma's Museum District covers history, art, seaport, glass, and automobiles. The Children's Museum of Tacoma invites kids of all ages to play and learn. In addition to museums, Tacoma's Theater District offers historic buildings and modern shows. The Rialto, built in 1918, hosts both concerts and theater performances, as do Pentages Theater and Theater on the Square.

While downtown, Pacific Avenue invites you to enjoy the fresh air and take a stroll. Lined with 19th- and 20th-century buildings, Pacific Avenue is filled with restaurants and boutiques. Grab a slice at Zeek's, housed in a former Italian grocery store erected in 1890. Or enjoy something sweet at Hello Cupcake, which you'll find in a 1903 building. For a refreshing drink, stop by Harmon Brewing Company. Tacoma's flagship brewery, Harmon resides in a repurposed furniture factory.

Part of the Tacoma lifestyle is certainly the water, and for this locals love the Thea Foss Waterway. Tacoma's waterways offer paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, and other water sports. For further outdoor activity, Point Defiance Park offers everything from beaches to gardens. The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to polar bears in the Arctic tundra, and sharks in the South Pacific aquarium. Open daily, Point Defiance Park celebrates everything nature has to offer.

If you're looking for a unique way to pass the afternoon, Tacoma has you covered. The Fazhou Ting gardens, designed in the classic Chinese style, include beautiful sculptures, bridges, ponds and plantings. Designed to mirror Tacoma's Sister City, Fazhou, the gardens are located on the Ruston Way Waterfront and provide views of Puget Sound. For something a little closer to home, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum recreates life in the 1850's Wild West. Here you can explore classic cabins, hang out with a blacksmith, and learn how to farm without modern conveniences.

No matter how you spend your days, it's unlikely you want to spend any of them up on a ladder, battling with wayward trees. Instead of hauling out the clippers and watching YouTube tutorials, leave it to the professionals at LawnStarter. The area's premier provider of tree care services, LawnStarter can help with everything from routine trimming to emergency removal. All you have to do is download the simple app, select your preferences, and set your service date. We'll take care of the rest, and have your arbors looking like the W.W. Seymour Botanic Conservatory.