Where to live near Tacoma?

[BrumMom]

Hi, I am really new to the area and have been posting questions on this fantastic forum frantically. I have also been doing a lot of research on schools in the Tacoma area. I had a couple of comments about the previous posts. If the education of your children is important I would stay away from Federal Way and Lakewood. Both have poor schools and I hear Federal Way is just plain crummy. Gig Harbor is your best bet, followed by Puyallup. You might also want to look at Olympia. I live in Dupont, which falls under the Steilcoom school district (so-so). Historic Steilcoom is a fab sea-side town, just beautiful - not much to do their as far as resturants though. I dislike Dupont. It's a very new community, trees small, a sort of "cardbaord city" feel. Safe though, good for small children.

[ness]

Originally Posted by BrumMom

Hi, I am really new to the area and have been posting questions on this fantastic forum frantically. I have also been doing a lot of research on schools in the Tacoma area. I had a couple of comments about the previous posts. If the education of your children is important I would stay away from Federal Way and Lakewood. Both have poor schools and I hear Federal Way is just plain crummy. Gig Harbor is your best bet, followed by Puyallup. You might also want to look at Olympia. I live in Dupont, which falls under the Steilcoom school district (so-so). Historic Steilcoom is a fab sea-side town, just beautiful - not much to do their as far as resturants though. I dislike Dupont. It's a very new community, trees small, a sort of "cardbaord city" feel. Safe though, good for small children.

Before DH and I made our last visit we were really thinking we wanted to stay on the Tacoma side of the narrows bridge in order to be closer in......But after spending more time in a bunch of areas I have a different take on it. Gig Harbor is growing more by the day and has a lot more amenities than I had originally thought and the new bridge makes the traffic problem less of an issue. I think it is such an idealic place it is worth the extra time over the bridge and the toll.
Here's my order of most desirable area to least (based on what I'm looking for).
1. Gig Harbor (#1 b/c of cute dwntwn, low crime, great schools, large lot sizes, and lots of nature-water and trees)
2. Steilacoom (high on the list b/c of historic downtown/water front) and hist. houses)
3. University Place (good schools, very conveniently located to Tacoma, lower housing costs)
4. Ruston (low on list b/c of soil contamination, small lots, so-so schools but still love Pt. Defiance and historic homes)
5. Other Tacoma areas (Titlow Beach and Brown's Point) - just wasn't really feelin' them. what else can I say---so bottom of the list.

[misnmtns]

Hi - we have lived in Gig Harbor for 3 years and have 3 children. We could not recommend anywhere else - the new bridge has eased traffic and they have opened a new YMCA, new series of stores such sa Borders - high end stores, new hospital, Costco - yet they still have the fabulous downtown - concerts in the park all summer, art walks each week, hometown style festivals, great schools, good afterschool sports programs, art schools, music lessons. We often feel that when we cross the bridge we close the door on the "city" feel and are surrounded by nature. Crossing the bridge really seperates the Tacoma city feel and the nature/water/trees feel. (if that makes sense - you feel you are really living in the NW) I have not lived anywhere else in the NW but we found Gig Harbor and wouldn't be anywhere else here. Good luck!

[Pugetsoundman]

Originally Posted by misnmtns

Hi - we have lived in Gig Harbor for 3 years and have 3 children. We could not recommend anywhere else - the new bridge has eased traffic and they have opened a new YMCA, new series of stores such sa Borders - high end stores, new hospital, Costco - yet they still have the fabulous downtown - concerts in the park all summer, art walks each week, hometown style festivals, great schools, good afterschool sports programs, art schools, music lessons. We often feel that when we cross the bridge we close the door on the "city" feel and are surrounded by nature. Crossing the bridge really seperates the Tacoma city feel and the nature/water/trees feel. (if that makes sense - you feel you are really living in the NW) I have not lived anywhere else in the NW but we found Gig Harbor and wouldn't be anywhere else here. Good luck!

Anyone have any recommendations on a nice, upscale apartment complex in GH to live in while we shop for a home to buy or build?