Overview
Steilacoom, a small town of 6,400 people (2018) on the southern Puget Sound, is the oldest incorporated town in Washington state. It has 4 buildings and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the oldest Catholic church in the state and the first Protestant church north of the Columbia River.
2 sights · 1 things to do · 2 places to eat
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Steilacoom
Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center
Museum and gift shop of the Steilacoom Tribe.
Steilacoom Historic District
The town maintains over 30 historic buildings and properties from the mid-1800s.
Sunnyside Beach
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 35°F. Wettest: Nov and Jan. (climate data from nearby Kent)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- TIW Tacoma Narrows Airport, Tacoma — 7 mi away. Directions
- OLM Olympia Regional Airport, Olympia — 20 mi away. Directions
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
Steilacoom is not on any designated state or US highway.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Steilacoom Tribal Cultural Center, Sunnyside Beach
- Lunch Topside Bar & Grill
- Afternoon Steilacoom Historic District
- Dinner Steilacoom Pub & Grill
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Steilacoom was founded by Lafayette Balch, a sea captain from Maine, and incorporated as a town in 1854. When the United States Congress established the Washington Territory on March 2, 1853, Governor Isaac Stevens chose Steilacoom to be the seat of Pierce County. Steilacoom's main source of early prosperity was the manufacture and export of lumber to San Francisco.
Get in
By car
Steilacoom is not on any designated state or US highway.
- Steilacoom is several miles northwest of Interstate 5 (I-5):
- Exit 119 Steilacoom-Dupont Rd SW connects I-5 in Dupont directly into the Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry terminal as Union Ave.
- Exit 128 72nd/74th St in Tacoma, and go west on S 74th towards Lakewood Dr W where it becomes Custer Blvd. Continue on Custer Blvd to W 88th. Take a right (west) on W 88th and merge onto Steilacoom Blvd and follow Steilacoom Blvd into Steilacoom.
- From Lakewood, Steilacoom Blvd is the main road into Steilacoom. Once in Steilacoom, it becomes Starling St.
- From University Place, Chambers Creek Rd W starts at 64th St W near New Tacoma Cemetery and goes along the shoreline. Once in Steilacoom it becomes Lafayette St.
By ferry
Go Steilacoom to Anderson Island Ferry (Pierce County Ferry)
A county-operated ferry system serving Steilacoom and Anderson Island, as well as limited runs to Ketron Island. The ferry runs about once an hour between 5AM to 10:30PM.
By bus
- Connections with Amtrak, Greyhound and Flixbus are at the Tacoma Dome station
- Connections with Sound Transit bus route 594 bus to downtown Seattle and Intercity Transit #620 bus to Olympia (via Lacey) are at the SR 512 Park and Ride (different location from Lakewood Towne Center). Passengers transfer to the #3, 4 or 574 to get to the SR-512 Park and Ride from Lakewood Town Center.
Get around
- Bus route 212 operates between the Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry Terminal (at the intersection of Commercial St and Union Ave) and Lakewood Towne Center for transfer to other Pierce Transit and Sound Transit buses.
See
Do
Eat and Drink
Nearby
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My experience
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