North End - Tacoma, WA

North End represents arguably the most poignant example of Tacoma's post-1970s inner city revitalization. With two historic areas, the surrounding neighborhoods have witnessed a steady influx of educated professionals, while the University of Puget Sound has been attracting students and academics since 1924. These influences lend North End a heritage of history, creativity and energy.

Tacoma Arts Month presents North Enders with a month-long series of theater performances, visual art, creative workshops and classes. The city-funded art collective Spaceworks transforms old storefronts into works of art, installations and creative businesses, some of which, such as the Modern Cottage Company in Old Town, grace the streets of North End. The annual Taste of Tacoma in neighboring Point Defiance Park serves up samplings from Tacoma's top restaurateurs. Two historic cinemas along with the historic Theater District minutes away host first-run movies, theater and ballet all year long.

There's a lot to choose from in North End when it comes to dining and entertainment. From local chains on the waterfront, such as Ram Restaurant & Brewery, to tiny corner wine cafes, such as the Rosewood Cafe, the neighborhood touts a wide culinary appeal.

For the best breakfast, North Enders tell you to order the braised elk hash, or the chicken and bacon stuffed waffles at Dirty Oscar's Annex on 6th Avenue. Whether nursing a hangover or herding a hungry family, D.O.A. satisfies foodies and barflies alike from noon until 2 a.m., and opens at 8 a.m. on weekends for tantalizing brunch dishes and cheap brunch cocktails.

It doesn't get more authentic than the North End Tavern, a Tacoma institution since 1937. This small, cozy bar sports a row of local and guest taps, and serves up smoky ribs, juicy burgers and other specials in an unpretentious atmosphere that features a great jukebox and plenty of instant old friends. Locals love the daily beer and wine specials, and Slappy's sliced brisket, a Friday night dinner special.

Valhalla Coffee is the locals' answer to chain coffee shops. They hand roast their coffee in small batches to ensure the richest flavors. You can buy coffee by the cup or take some freshly roasted beans home to enjoy later.

For a good mix of live entertainment and DJ sets, neighborhood partiers head to Jazzbones. The lively mix of UCPS students, neighborhood clubbers and local yokels makes this place a guarantee for a raucous good time. The nightclub scene gets hotter, though, in neighboring Central Tacoma, a few minutes south. Central Tacoma hosts a slew of clubs, pubs and bars clustered along the waterfront just north of the convention center.

Pierce County Transit bus 13 shuttles riders through the neighborhood from Proctor Street to Tacoma Dome Station with stops along the waterfront, Old Town, Theater District and downtown. Route 16 services the university area all the way to Tacoma General Hospital on Division, while the 14 runs the interior of the neighborhood through downtown.

Uber drivers service all of Tacoma and can take you anywhere from Point Defiance Park to Sea-Tac Airport; but a trip to the airport or across the bay to Northeast Tacoma can get pricey. Cabs appear throughout the neighborhood, but unless you're on the waterfront or in one of the historic districts, calling ahead remains easier than flagging one down.

An electric charging station on North 30th and North Starr provides convenient charges for electric-vehicle drivers. Access Interstate 5 via the 705 tributary in downtown for Seattle and pointing north, as well as Olympia and points south. Drivers can head west on 6th Avenue to access highway 16 toward Gig Harbor, Port Orchard and the OIympic Peninsula to the northwest.

Like the rest of Tacoma, North End provides plenty of outdoor space, including the sprawling Puget Creek Natural Area and a string of parks along the bay front connected by the Ruston Way Walking Path. Locals spend weekend mornings or afternoons walking among the ornate structures and manicured plantings of the Chinese Garden, and run or hike along the path from Dickman Mill Park north to Marine Park. These waterfront parks provide access to both wildlife and social life, with pubs, eateries and historic areas interspersed with green space and play fields.

Another delightful walking path winds through Jefferson Park in the southern tip of the neighborhood, while Garfield Park on the border of Old Town houses the Job Carr Cabin Museum, a replica of Tacoma's first house erected on the original spot where it was built 150 years ago. The museum hosts family friendly events year-round.

More people choose to own rather than rent their homes in North End. Although home prices hit higher than the Tacoma average, the combination of location and accessibility comes as practically unbeatable. On average, locals pay $712.36 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, making the neighborhood popular among students and newcomers. A pint of beer sets you back about $6, but local happy hours can roll that back a couple of bucks. You often pay more at the pump than the national average by about 3 percent, which comes pretty standard for most Washington State metropolitan centers.

A Safeway and Metropolitan Market sit within a block of each other on either side of Proctor along 25th Street in the center of North End, providing both high-end organic and convenient brand-name shopping. Specialty groceries can be found at Dave's Meats and Produce on North Street, selling fresh meats, organic produce, and housing an organic coffee stand.

North End represents a neighborhood rich with creative zeal, and locals have done an impressive job of blending art with business to develop unique shopping experiences. A collective of artisans and designers specialize in unique gifts, restored furniture, and home decor in a reclaimed store-front shop called the Modern Cottage Company. Just window shopping here can provide a fulfilling aesthetic experience, but taking home a one-of-a-kind dresser or a few gifts makes for a bonus.

Smack in the middle of North End sits the Proctor District, a historic area with a staggering variety of creative and practical shops. Compass Rose provides a small but astoundingly well-stocked gift shop full of unique and surprising knickknacks and jewelry. Sonja, a stylishly small boutique for women, sells frozen yogurt in the front and unique women's styles in the back, while Megs and Mo inventories great stuff on consignment, from clothing to accessories. The Proctor Farmers Market opens every second Saturday, with a winter break from December to January.