Point Defiance Slides – Tacoma, Washington - Atlas Obscura
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Point Defiance Slides

Tacoma, Washington

Slip in a slide while waiting for the ferry. 

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The slides and accompanying stairways, down the hillside lraeb (Atlas Obscura User)
The slides and accompanying stairways, down the hillside lraeb (Atlas Obscura User)
Looking down from the top side lraeb (Atlas Obscura User)
Adults like sliding too- look, no hands! lraeb (Atlas Obscura User)
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Six slides, linked like train cars, going down a 60-foot slope are something to see. They’re even better to slide! The Point Defiance ferry terminal has six slides of varying lengths, which descend a 60-foot slope from the Wilson Way Bridge to the marina complex below. Because the slides go down the slope to the water, they are not visible from the park above and are easily overlooked. 

Start at the bottom after walking the waterfront at Point Defiance Park or coming to the ferry port. Start at the top by entering the park from Pearl and parking near the rose garden, then walking over the Wilson Way bridge. (The Wilson Way bridge is worth walking just to enjoy the panorama).  

While it would be fun to imagine one long 60-foot slide, they are broken into shorter lengths, with ample flats on the bottom, which keeps sliding speed under control. Nevertheless, smoother clothing lets you slide really fast. 

It’s a workout to get back to the top, and the stairs continue up to the top of the hill for a wonderful vista across the sound.

slides ferries playgrounds stairs
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Edited by
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Published
October 15, 2024
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Nearby
Dune Peninsula
0.54 miles
Fireboat No. 1
2.42 miles
'Top of the Ocean' Monument
3.18 miles
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