Back to Online Newspapers

Best of Tacoma 2019: Pretty Gritty Tours

Writer’s Pick: Best Tour

Tacoma’s Castle: Stadium High School. Photo courtesy Tacoma School District

Email Article Print Article Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share on StumbleUpon

Sometimes the very thought of joining a tour group evokes visions of people in Hawaiian shirts, Bermuda shorts, and socks with sandals. I myself am often a quick "no thank you" when the suggestion arises. However, Pretty Gritty Tours in Tacoma has changed how I view a tour through historical Tacoma.

There are a dozen tours offered, but three stand out above the rest, each of which offers a different perspective into what has contributed to the Tacoma we know today. The Sweets Tour explores the tasty history that has made Tacoma a destination for many sugary treats. The Grit City Ghost Stories Tour is a walking tour that addresses the paranormal stories that are a part of Tacoma's character. And finally, the Stadium High School Tour offers tourists an inside look into this iconic Tacoma building.

The Sweets Tour will educate you on the unique history and influence that created some of the most famous candies of our time; for example, did you know the Mars bar originated in Tacoma? Well it was. The best part of this tour is that you actually get to taste what makes this town so sweet. Visits to, and samples from OCD Candy Company, Original House of Donuts, Hello Cupcake, and of course Almond Roca which has satisfied people for over a century.

The Grit City Ghost Tour is an hour-and-a-half night time walking tour where you will hear about the city's gruesome murders, grave robbers, and spells that have prevented the deceased from moving on, therefore they remain to haunt us all. Walk in the very spots each of these events took place. This is a fun look at the sorted history of our city for both believers and non-believers alike.

And finally, the Stadium High Tour allows tourists inside Tacoma's castle from the 1800s that has been serving as a high school since 1906. With over a hundred years of graduates, there are plenty of stories the walls tell during the tour. Additionally, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the classic movie 10 Things I Hate About You, you can select the movie tour that focuses on the locations of many of the famous scenes from the movie. Tourists also will get to see movie props first hand and hear some behind-the-scenes stories that most of us don't know.

If you are a fan of tours, you'll love Pretty Gritty Tours. And if you're not usually a fan, allow the team here of travel writers and entertainers to convince you otherwise. They are the reason this writer has chosen Pretty Gritty as the tours in Tacoma.

PRETTY GRITTY TOURS, 253.480.4074, prettygrittytours.comPrettyGrittyTours@gmail.com

comments powered by Disqus