How to Make the Most of a Visit to Chambers Bay: 7 Things Not to Miss
Nestled along the edge of the shimmering Puget Sound, Chambers Bay is one of the most beautiful destinations in the region. Ask our own REALTOR® Sheryll Tan, who notes that “there is just so much to see here and love!”
Not only was Chambers Bay Golf Course the host of the 2015 U.S. Open, but Chambers Bay offers much more than its pristine golf course—it’s home to everything from hiking to picnicking, with incredible, Instagram-able views at every turn!
Here are 7 tips for making the most of a visit to Chambers Bay:
If you’re an avid golfer, you will definitely want to test your skills at the Chambers Bay Golf Course. “Go golfing where they hosted the 2015 U.S. Open,”our REALTOR® Jaron Witsoe suggests. This course is truly second-to-none, with 18 holes in a beautiful setting perfectly fit for any age and playing level.
“I often wonder what goes through golfers’ minds as they get ready to set foot on this challenging links course...” says REALTOR® Krista Osborne. “Do they see the amazing Olympic Mountain Range just after the sun rises or as it sets, do they hear the whistle of the trains that trot by, do they marvel at the doggies that smile as they sniff the grass and salty air, or do the golfers simply stay within the bounds of their laser-focused minds on wind to ball, ball to hole?”
Whatever they see, it certainly keeps them coming back again and again! When you’re done with your game, don’t forget to “get a bite to eat at the [Chambers Bay Grill] restaurant… on the outdoor patio,” Jaron suggests. It’s sure to be a delicious end to your day!
Chambers Bay and the Chambers Bay Loop boast the most picturesque backdrops for getting in your steps for the day! “Chamber's Bay is an incredible space of 930-or-so acres of shoreline, soft forest, steep-level-rolling walking/jogging trails,” says Krista. “The wide open spaces are great places to play ball or fly a kite,” shares Sheryll. Jaron agrees, noting that “Chambers Bay is a beautiful area for running or walking. They offer a large open grass field for kites, frisbee, bocce ball...” and more.
Constructed in 2011, Playground on the Sound is one of the premier areas to take your kids in Chambers Bay. It was a project built through volunteer efforts of community members who helped build the playground and who love to see it get used so much!
The playground includes swings, slides, numerous climbing structures, and even a sea-themed sandbox, plus “a covered seating area perfect for a BBQ. [It’s] a great addition to Pierce County, go check it out,” says Jaron. If you want to give your kids a chance to flex their creative muscles and run off some of that summer energy, take them to what Sheryll simply describes as one of the best and most fun playgrounds on the sound.
4. Chambers Creek Regional Park
Summer is the perfect time to mix things up with a meal outside and Chambers Creek Regional Park has some of the best spots to do just that. The playground has “...picnic chairs and tables where family and friends can gather around all day,” according to Sheryll. You can also choose some of their “grassy land space for picnicking, laying back on a blanket and staring up at the old concrete monoliths left to memorialize the history of the working gravel pit,” Krista suggests. Wherever you pick for your picnic, you are sure to enjoy “the picturesque sound,” (as Jaron describes it) of the surrounding nature and gentle waves of the neighboring beach.
Beach fans do not have to go far to find what they’re looking for in Chambers Bay. “There is a beach [onsite] that you can get a good walk [at] if you choose to be near the water,” says Sheryll. The Chambers Bay Beach Park is only a short distance across the area’s bridge, which is often an adventure in itself.
“You could choose to walk on the iconic bridge to watch the train that also leads down to rocky beach access,” Jaron suggests. Kids especially love looking over the passing trains on the bridge! Dog-friendly and with gorgeous sunset views and unique sculptures, this beach is the place to take advantage of all the beauty that Puget Sound has to offer.
6. Chambers Bay Off Leash Park & Beach
Get your four-legged friends up and moving at the Chambers Bay Off Leash Park & Beach! “It is… one of the best places to walk or run with our furry members of the family,” says Sheryll. The park offers off-leash beach access just south of the bridge and 7 acres to explore (1 acre of which is off-leash). With a separate area for small, shy, and senior dogs, it’s the ideal locale for getting you and your pooch some much-needed exercise and fun.
7. Chambers Bay
As you walk, hike, golf, and picnic along Chambers Bay, you are sure to be struck with some fabulous photo opportunities. “The photographic opportunities at sunrise and sunset of [the] shadow and water/mountain rustic greens, blues and camel colors created from the hilly terrain, the man-made relics, and Mother Nature frame are… fruits of this beautiful slice of the Pacific Northwest…” says Krista. “[It is] a grand escape.”
Some truly unique attributes of this “grand escape” are the unusual structures that reside along the park. “Of course, the gigantic cement structures around the Chambers Bay Park, often mistaken as a Stonehenge, [are] a beautiful photo opportunity any time of the day, but most especially during a sunrise or a sunset,” says Sheryll. “I think the Stonehenge-like structures make this place stand out among any other. It is just uniquely strange to have those there!” From land to shore, the wonder and beauty of Chambers Bay will make you feel miles away and right at home all at once.