At AHRN.com, we want to offer our readers a place to turn to when facing the challenge of a PCS. You know how it is when you get orders. You go to your Facebook friends list, find someone who is there or has been recently and get all the details! We are sharing the little things that help you to make a home at JBLM!
What are the most desirable neighborhoods to live in?
Lacey and the Olympia area gets most peoples’ vote as the “best” but for us, we love the “small town” feel of Yelm, Roy and McKenna which is a quick drive out the back gate. We purchased a home in the Frederickson area which is essentially a ‘burb that sits between JBLM and the town of Puyallup. It’s a beautiful, quick drive in the East gate and lets us bypass the traffic and insanity that is I-5. Many areas around Tacoma are really gorgeous and near the water/downtown area; just be aware that it is a really long commute time when traffic is factored in!
Dupont and Steilacoom are popular neighborhoods, conveniently close to JBLM, with excellent schools and running trails. Located just west and south of the installation, both offer access to North Fort via a back gate without dealing with I-5 traffic.
What schools are the most desirable?
JBLM’s urban location means access to a tremendous variety of public and private education options plus an exceptionally healthy homeschool community. Among the highest rated schools in the area are the Primary School in University Place, Aspire Middle School in Lacey, and Harrison Preparatory School. For more great education options, check out Great Schools.
Is there anywhere the traffic is especially bad?
I-5 is probably the worst. To be honest, traffic here is extremely heavy most times on most days. Drivers here ARE exceedingly nice and actually seem to follow speed limits pretty well. We have quickly learned the back roads, side streets and little tricks — like living out the East gate where you don’t need to access I-5 to get to the post. The best trick here is to simply find your patience and know that anywhere you are headed is going to take at least half an hour or more.
What is the easiest gate to get into at busy times?
It depends where you are coming from. I’ve had limited access to the post at high traffic and we live in an area that the only gate that makes sense for us to use is the East Gate. The Main gate gets backed up but seems to move quickly most of the time. The Madigan Gate moves pretty quickly too, but there is often times is more congested during lunch hours because of the access to fast food.
Where do I (service member) actually report to when I arrive?
Waller Hall
Can I (service member) get off-post for lunch or does traffic make it a no-go?
Access off post is traffic heavy but doable. There are some fast food places on post, and others close by, right outside Madigan gate.
Where do you grocery shop? Where are the best prices and best produce?
I LOVE Publix. The prices are a little higher but they have great produce and their customer service is amazing. Commissary has the best prices.
What schools are considered the best?
The schools in the neighborhoods listed above are good.
Where do you like to do your grocery shopping? Where is the best produce? The best prices?
The commissaries (there are two, one on Fort Lewis one on McChord) are both great, with really good prices. In the local community, Winco usually gets my vote for cheap. Safeway and Albertsons usually have great sales but overall are really high priced.
What are your favorite restaurants around JBLM?
We don’t eat out very often so when we do we always try to choose somewhere memorable. There is the dive family dining place in Puyallup called Catlins that has amazing steak sandwiches and ribs. There is a seafood spot with an amazing view of the Narrows Bridge called Steamer’s – a nice selection, local brews and a gorgeous view keep us going back. For some of the best pizza you can put in your mouth you HAVE to try The Rock with locations in Tacoma, Lacey and Puyallup! Some fancier but lesser known food fare in Tacoma is Asados (amazing food/great atmosphere) on 6th Ave, Over the Moon Cafe (very romantic / quaint) on Opera Alley and the hipster hangout Matadors for some really cool architecture and open air seating (indoor/outdoor). For closer to the base and around Lakewood, there is a good family owned Mexican restaurant called Mis Tres Amigos on Steilacoom Blvd and a really good Greek Restaurant called The Greek Cafe on Bridgeport, close to I-5 and a really good Thai place called Long Beach Cafe at the opening of the Lakewood Towne Center! If you’re up for the drive to Seattle, the chowder stand and several of the spots inside Pike Place have some of the best food around. There is always your basic selection of chain restaurants dotting the landscape between Olympia and Seattle that do well and have the same dishes you crave.
An alternative to eating out, taking out or cooking is Dinners Done Right. I bought 6 dinners for 4-6 people for $126! That’s $21 per meal for everyone or $5.25 per meal per person. It’s a huge time saver for a crazy family schedule. You get to eat home cooked meals at home that are actually delicious. Also, for those occasions when someone is ill, pregnant or someone in the family has passed, this is my go to place to help them out. They will actually create the dinners for you. You deliver, the family freezes them and pulls them out, reads the instructions and wala – Dinner Done Right!
Where do you like to do your clothes/home shopping? Is it worth the drive to go out of town anywhere?
I’m not much of a shopper so this is tricky. I love my bargains. Ross, Burlington Coat Factory and Marshall’s are always top of my list. There are a couple of amazing outlet malls around here. Don’t waste your time with the one south of Olympia but by all means make the drive to Auburn to what used to be the Super Mall but is now the Outlet Collection. Super nice selection of bargain stores inside…including Burlington’s, Nike, Levi and Bed Bath and Beyond and many, many others. If you are more into the high end stuff there is another Premium Outlet Mall near Tulalip, where Coach and Burberry run amuck. That is a long drive but if it’s what you like, it’s worth it.
Where do you go if you want to grab a coffee with friends and relax?
Coffee shops LITERALLY on every corner here! Probably one of my favorite this about living here. There is a Starbucks everywhere you look. There are coffee stands everywhere you go. Before moving here I was a HUGE Starbucks person. Still love it, it’s super neat to grab a coffee from the “original” in Seattle… BUT Tully’s has become my favorite coffee shop here.
Best spot for a date night?
Again… lots and depends on what you like. We have fallen in love with the Tacoma Comedy Club. They do a 10 pm show on Friday nights that is free for military ID card holders. They have some awesome comedians there. Drinks are cheap, food is bar food but good. The casinos around here are fun and sometimes have really good bands. If you are into movies, go to the theater in Lakewood for the current thriller and kick back in the RESERVED recliners…yes you read that right…RECLINERS! For another option, you can do Thai at Silk Thai in Tacoma and live Theatre right in Lakewood, it’s pretty darned good! We also do date “days” and catch a ferry over to one of the islands, or grab dinner at one of the overpriced and not-really-awesome restaurants on Ruston Way but they overlook the water (but Duke’s is the exception awesome Chowder & Seafood House!
Best rainy day energy-busters for the kids?
There are tons of Natural Science Museums around here. Also recommend the Glassworks Museum or the Car Museum.
What do you LOVE about JBLM?
I adore everything about the location of this station. It is absolutely one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. There is just a little bit of everything here. From Seattle nightlife to the outdoorsy stuff, you can find it if you look. While it does rain… a lot… to the point that you crave sun, it’s also just green all the time. It feels alive during the winter months instead of brown and dead. The Cascades loom on one side of you and on clear days you have the Olympics on the other side. You can take a hike up Mt. Rainier in August and still find snow drifts sitting alongside a patch of daffodils. The abundance of farmer’s markets is a huge draw for us. This has been the first post for us that has really felt like home and been more about exploring the surrounding areas than the actual post. It’s just one of those phenomenal places where you could spend a decade and really not see all it has to offer. It really reminds me in every way (but the accent s) of Ireland and it’s the beauty. Oh — I forgot sports!!! We didn’t get too deep into the NFL experience here because it’s slightly nuts but there is also baseball, both minor and major league, soccer in Seattle with the Sounders and the minor league hockey team in Kent.
What else would you tell your friend who has just received orders?
Come out here with an open mind. Find your sense of adventure and let the beauty of the place work its magic. Expect it to rain even though it’s not really rain, more of a constant drizzle. Take a walk in the rain. Don’t stay inside…even when it’s raining. Don’t let others discourage you or warp your opinions before you get here…. it’s a love it or hate it kind of place and definitely one you should experience for yourself. Bring a camera. Before you get here, sign up for the MWR site, local Facebook pages, Amazon local and stuff like that. There are tons of things that get posted for free or cheap. Make friends or try to connect or reconnect with people before you come. I have to add that the way it is laid out and all the different towns around the post can make it challenging if your friends are all over the place. It can get kind of lonely. People are super nice here but kind of stand offish at the same time. Obviously if you have children, getting them involved in playgroups and activities will open more doors for YOU to find others with something in common.
Meet your contributor
Dana Horan is a “seasoned” Army spouse who has embraced life in the NorthWest and recently returned to school to pursue a degree in education.
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Are you headed to JBLM? What information are you looking for? Lived at JBLM? How would you answer our questions?
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