Beyond the Fair: How to enjoy Puyallup like a local

Come to Puyallup for the Washington State Fair, but stay in town to enjoy it like a local. Just 20 minutes from Tacoma and 45 minutes from Seattle, Puyallup has many places to explore, a bustling downtown, and great shopping. Here are a few ideas of things to do and places to visit from a local Puyallup mom.

The great outdoors

The Puyallup Loop Trail is a great way to see nature and the downtown area. It’s a four-mile hike, and you can make it as short or long as you’d like. My family and I like to start at the Clarks Creek South parking lot (1710 12th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA 98371) so our daughter can get her wiggles out at the playground and have something to look forward to at the end of the hike. The trail takes you along Clarks Creek with its crystal clear water, near the Brown Community Garden Park, through the Puyallup Fish Hatchery’s open space as well as several other open spaces. If you are in town on a Saturday you can take a pit stop at the Hatchery’s Educational Center from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (1416 14th St SW, Puyallup, WA 98371).

Puyallup Fish Hatchery. (Image: Amber Moak)

Another one of our favorite places to go to is Van Lierop Park. You’ll find one of the best views of Mount Rainier from any park in the area. We enjoy bringing bikes or scooters to the park since it has a paved loop trail that is perfect for young riders. They can ride to their heart’s content safely, see trains drive by on the nearby train tracks and sometimes you can catch the neighboring farmers on their tractors. And if you come in May/June you might be able to time your visit with the lupines being in bloom.

Van Lierop Park. (Image: Amber Moak)

For older kids, I’d suggest going across the street and hop on the Foothills Trail. It’s a 22-mile trail that connects Puyallup, Orting, South Prairie and Buckley. Many of our friends like to ride into Orting and grab a bite to eat before continuing their journey. (We’re looking forward to the day that our daughter is able to ride her bike long enough to do this!)

There’s also a coffee shop (Fika) and restaurant (Farm 12) next to Van Lierop Park. We usually do a couple of laps at Van Lierop Park, go get a treat and coffee at Fika and then continue enjoying the park.

Another place we like to go when we don’t have a lot of time is Wildwood Park. This park is nestled into the woods and has a playground, creek and trails to explore. Don’t miss the guided storybook. It’s our daughter’s favorite!

Wildwood Park Trail (Image: Amber Moak)

Where to let the wiggles out

Puyallup has over 10 city-run parks, all with something unique to offer including playgrounds. When we’re going on local adventures, we often add a playground stop to our itinerary.

In the heart of downtown is Pioneer Park’s playground. Our daughter begs to go to this playground every time we’re running errands in the area. It’s great for kids of all ages and has two playground structures, so little ones can play as well. Plus if you’re able to visit in the summer there is a splash pad. (Warning, this playground gets really crowded during the Farmers Market.)

Pioneer Park (Image: Amber Moak)

You can also escape the hustle and bustle of downtown by driving a couple of minutes to play at the DeCoursey Park playground. This playground is perfect for kids who enjoy playing “I Spy” since it has a built-in scavenger hunt. It also has two playground structures for different age groups and a giant spider web to play on. You can extend your stay by walking the trail nearby and looking for fish in the creek.

Another one of our favorite playgrounds is located at Bradley Lake Park. This is usually the busiest out of the three parks, but it has swings! Just like the other two it also has different playground equipment for various age groups. We enjoy playing on the playground then going on a walk around the lake to find ducks and other wildlife.

Bradley Lake (Image: Amber Moak)

Where to go shopping

Located in Pioneer Park, Puyallup Farmers’ Market opens for the season on April 19 and is a can’t miss if you’re in Puyallup on a Saturday morning. It’s one of the largest farmer’s markets in the state and has vendors selling many different things from produce and flowers to clothes and handcrafted products. There are also many yummy food trucks.

While you’re in the area, meander through downtown and visit the locally-owned shops. There are several antique shops, boutiques, specialty shops and more. One of my favorites is the Meeker Mercantile which features locally made goods and gifts for everyone in the family.