Seniors Stop In Lakewood

Senior travelers will find Lakewood, Washington, (America’s Promise) 31 miles south of Seattle. Lakewood was established in 1998. The landscape includes prairie, wooded areas, numerous lakes and creeks for senior visitors to enjoy. Puget Sound is nearby. McCord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis are in the vicinity. Fort Lewis is one of the major employers in the county.

Lakewood, population 60,000, was officially incorporated on February 28, 1996. Lakewood is the second-largest city in Pierce County and Lakewood and Pierce County were named among the 100 Best Places for Young People by American Promise. Seniors, if its a good place for young people, I bet we’d enjoy it too.

Lakewood, Washington’s economy is highly dependent upon on the military bases in the area. It also boasts one of the few true International Districts in the South Sound along South Tacoma Way and Pacific Highway, with Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Latino and other influences.

Seniors Enjoy Lakewold Gardens

Points of interest that senior visitors can enjoy include Fort Steilacoom and Lakewold Gardens, a 10-acre non-profit estate garden in an area known as the Lakes District and is open to visitors year-round. Plus you can take in the Lakewood Towne Centre and Lakewood Playhouse.

The Steilacoom and Nisqually Indians were the original inhabitants. The Hudson Bay Company was established by the British in 1833 for fur trading. Settlers arrived and established farms on the prairie.

Fort Steilacoom was constructed to reduce Indian uprisings. Several mills were built during the 1850′s. In the late 1800′s the prairie began to fill with homes and roads.

American Lake is popular for picnics, boating, swimming and is utilized by sea planes. Fort Steilacoom Park features walking and bicycle trails and is situated along Waughop Lake. The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park provides opportunities to see elk, bison, big horn sheep and moose.

Seniors Enjoy Mount Rainier National Park

The nearby scenic Mount Rainier National Park features an impressive volcano, numerous glaciers, waterfalls and lakes and scenic hiking trails for seniors to enjoy. The Lakewood Game Refuge includes walking and bicycle riding trails.

There are numerous golf courses in the area including Fort Steilacoom Golf Course, Meadow Park Golf Course, Oakbrook Golf & Country Club and Tacoma County & Golf Club, so toss the irons in the trunk and play a round or two at these great courses.

TripAdvisor has several more things to do while you are in town. There are numerous colleges and universities nearby. So set your GPS for Lakewood and enjoy all the amenities that the city has to offer. -jeb