Point Defiance Marina & Boathouse, operated by Metro Parks Tacoma, sits within Point Defiance Park and offers small motorized boat rentals alongside moorage, dry storage, a boat launch, and a bait and tackle shop. The marina gives visitors an easy way to get out on Puget Sound without owning a boat, right at the base of one of Tacoma’s most popular parks.
The rental fleet consists of 14-foot boats powered by 9.9 horsepower motors, well suited to cruising or fishing the calm waters around Point Defiance. Boats are limited to 4 adults or 800 pounds, and every rental includes all required safety gear and a tank of gas, so renters just show up and go. Rental boats are first come, first served, with no reservations taken; if boats are sold out on arrival, visitors can add their name to a wait list, since boats are rarely out for a full day.
Beyond boat rentals, the marina serves as home base for many local boat owners, offering year-round moorage and dry storage lockers alongside its own tackle shop stocked with bait, gear, and fishing supplies. The tackle shop sits just a few hundred yards from the Point Defiance Ferry Terminal, making it easily accessible by Pierce Transit bus for those without a car. Park hours run from half an hour before dawn to half an hour after dusk.
For visitors near Tacoma looking to rent a small motorized boat, launch their own vessel, or find long-term moorage and storage, Point Defiance Marina offers a full-service, Metro Parks-operated boating hub in one of the city’s most scenic parks.
