Single in Tacoma, WA? 9 Places and Apps to Find a Date
When PhilipK72 relocated in 2015 to Joint Base Lewis–McChord, an air base run by the U.S. military on the edge of Tacoma, he found it hard to make friends or land dates in his new town. After failing to track down social groups by himself, the single 20-year-old turned to Reddit and asked locals where he could meet new people.
“I’m optimistic I’ll find something,” Philip wrote when he started the thread. “I know Tacoma has got to have some good volunteering opportunities, meetups, clubs, group classes, or events.”
He was right. Tacoma ranks second in size among Puget Sound cities and third in the state of Washington, with an estimated population topping 207,000. There are plenty of ways for singles to connect in such a populous place, and below we’ve gathered some highly rated resources to help you get into the dating scene.
Tacoma Dating Sites
Online dating has taken off in recent years and is now the top way people everywhere meet someone worth dating. Millions of singles have used mainstream and niche sites to raise the quality of their dating lives. Whether you’re downtown or out in the suburbs, a dating site’s search filters let you whittle the local pool down to real prospects. To inject some excitement into your love life, we suggest Tacoma singles try these free dating sites.
Best Singles Site
Among the very first dating sites when it debuted in 1995, Match remains a powerhouse today. Tacoma, founded in 1833, is an old city too, so locals can appreciate a brand with some history behind it. Over the years Match has sparked countless dates, relationships and marriages, and its success stories back that up!
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: “Match pairs a large dating pool with search filters specific enough to make that size useful rather than overwhelming.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 49%51% | 14.6 Million | Try Match FREE |
Over 50 & Senior Sites
For singles over 50, OurTime is a leading dating site. Its quick sign-up and straightforward search tools suit people who are still dating actively later in life. Setting up an OurTime profile costs nothing, and you can begin looking for dates your age right away.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: “OurTime makes dating after 50 feel simple, with senior-friendly search tools and an easy-to-use layout.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mature Singles (50+) | 48%52% | 8.9 Million | Over 50? Try It FREE |
For Black Men & Women Only
With roughly 12% of its residents identifying as African-American, Tacoma is among Washington’s more diverse cities. Even so, finding a black or biracial date locally isn’t simple. BlackPeopleMeet helps by giving black singles their own niche network, whether they want something short term or long term.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: “BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Singles | 47%53% | 5.7 Million | FREE Trial for New Users |
Hookup & Sex Site
Some dating sites try to crack the mysteries of love, but Adult Friend Finder cares more about short-term goals in the bedroom. It has built a worldwide community of attractive singles after no-strings hookups. No one needs to sign up under a real name, and staying anonymous lets adults have fun after hours.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: “Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 65%35% | 25.5 Million | 3 Months @ $19.95/Mo |
Popular Dating Apps
Today’s singles all but live on their phones, so naturally they use dating apps to find a hot date. Finding someone on an app is as simple as swiping one way or the other, and a mutual matching system means you only talk with people you’ve shown interest in. The result: no unwanted messages and no time wasted on unappealing profiles.
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
- About the App: Match is built for browsing rather than swiping. You can search by location, age, and interest, then take your time reading profiles before reaching out. The app is free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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OurTime
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
- About the App: Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
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eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
- About the App: Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
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Tacoma Singles Bars
Online dating isn’t for everyone, and some old-school daters would still rather meet people face to face. If in-person flirting is what you want, bars are a great first stop. Spending time at a bar lets you size up the local scene and form easygoing friendships that might turn into more. The sociable, flirty vibe suits singles on the hunt for a date.
Top of Tacoma Bar & Café
The Top of Tacoma Bar & Café enjoys a prime spot on a hilltop above the city. Its plain brick exterior won’t turn heads, but a seat at the bar puts everything on offer in view, from premium liquors to craft beers. The food won’t disappoint either, with big salads, spicy nachos and cheesy sandwiches. Home-style cooking makes you feel like family, and you can relax over a drink until the doors close at 2 in the morning.
Parkway Tavern
Parkway Tavern has served countless daytime drinkers, doers and dreamers since opening in 1935. This neighborhood watering hole pours 33 of the town’s best craft beers and serves classic pub food, burgers, hot subs and appetizers to go with them. It also has a pool table, dart boards and a sleek shuffleboard table where singles can bond over a few games. Check the event calendar for upcoming brewers nights, happy hours, blood drives and other festive events.
1022 South J
Full of attitude, the cocktail bar 1022 South J has impressed locals with signature drinks since 2013. Its spirits collection is one of the biggest in town, so guests can try all kinds of flavor combinations. The creative, well-informed mixologists at the 1022 will suggest a drink or improvise something off the menu to please your palate. Leave room for dinner, though, since the bar’s Southern-inspired food already has everyone in town talking.
The Matador
The Matador is famous for authentic Mexican food cooked from scratch. Its Tacoma restaurant sits a short walk from the Glass Museum, making it a favorite spot for a date on a night out. The cocktail list offers eight tasty margaritas and several specialty drinks that will blow you away. Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. there’s a late happy hour, and lots of singles stay chatting over $5 appetizers while taking full advantage of the extensive drink menu.
The Forum
The Forum’s lively vibe creates a community where fun comes first. Come alone or bring friends to enjoy good food and drinks alongside locals doing the same. On Tuesday nights, there’s free trivia about pop culture, and the Disney-themed quiz is easily the biggest draw, with some regulars taking it very seriously. Overall, this downtown hangout is a great choice for singles who want to break into local social life and enjoy themselves doing it.
The Mix
In the Theatre District, The Mix ranks as Tacoma's #1 gay bar, with drag shows, karaoke nights and DJ dance parties that have everyone cheering. It’s easy to see why people love this wild, colorful spot. Singles of every orientation come for an unforgettable night, though the gay-themed nights are especially popular with the LGBTQ community. With nights like Whiskey Wednesday and Monday Madness, the energy and shows make every evening feel like a celebration.
Tacoma Speed Dating
Dating is time-consuming, and not every single person has the stamina to sit through first dates evening after evening hoping to find someone special. Luckily, speed dating can greatly shorten the time it takes to screen out poor matches and find compatible people worth knowing. A five-minute mini-date lets you cut to the chase and make a quick connection, and this streamlined approach frequently results in second dates and lasting relationships.
Tacoma Singles Events
Singles events help locals open up and form bonds with people who have similar goals, backgrounds and hobbies. Into brunch, hiking or gaming? You’ll find meetups online for every interest, large or small. For singles who want in on the fun, Meetup.com is far and away the best place to look. Search Meetup for singles groups to carve out your spot in the local social scene.
Tacoma Singles Clubs
From Fern Hill to North End, Tacoma is full of lively social hotspots where singles can mingle and dance until late. Local nightclubs draw big crowds on weekends, and everyone 21 and older is welcome. Pounding music and strobe lights fire people up and help romance happen on the dance floor. A few striking moves are all it takes to catch someone’s eye, and after that, anything can happen.
Tacoma Chat Rooms
On scorching days or frosty nights, singles may not feel like heading out to meet people, and with the internet, they needn’t. Online chat rooms let people strike up conversations and enjoy socializing from the comfort of home. Anyone can join in, sharing interests and opinions whenever the mood strikes. These anonymous chats help singles find their feet in dating and rehearse pickup lines somewhere safe.
Tacoma Personals
Dating personals connect you directly with available singles nearby. These sites have simplified online dating and stripped it down to the basics: no complicated matching systems and no long profiles. Just say what you’re after and look for people who want the same thing. There’s no need to be coy on a personals site; lots of singles openly spell out what they like and want sexually in their listings, and that candor makes it easier to find a hookup who’s on the same page.
Volunteer With a Cause You Care About
Volunteering can open your eyes in lots of ways. It’s a wonderful way to give back, and an equally wonderful way to meet kind, generous people around town.
The Rescue Mission has helped homeless people in Pierce County since 1912.
You canvolunteer with the Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that shelters Pierce County’s homeless, and join a caring crew that dishes up 1,200 meals every day and houses more than 250 people. The organization encourages its team to make a difference together by serving meals, mentoring at-risk young people and running donation drives.
Prefer working with animals? The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is always looking for adult volunteers. Apply online to learn how you can help make the zoo more engaging, sustainable and beautiful.
Singles can also search VolunteerMatch’s nationwide database for volunteer openings in and near Tacoma, filtering by keyword, region, activity or type of cause.
Enjoy a Fated Meeting in the City of Destiny
Just three people answered PhilipK72’s Reddit question about meeting people in Tacoma, and none offered much encouragement or help. We hope our guide does a better job of answering Philip’s worries as a single newcomer and serves as a resource for others in Tacoma in the same spot.
Whether you want to meet someone online or off, look for lively places full of singles where conversation comes easily. The right setting takes the pressure off and helps you relax while mingling with plenty of date-worthy people. Try several approaches to meeting people and see what suits you best. Once you find your sweet spot, your sweetheart in Tacoma may not be far behind. Good luck!
About the Author
By: Emma Wilson
Editor-in-Chief
Emma Wilson is the Editor-in-Chief at thecandiddate.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being 'boy crazy,' but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. Emma brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to thecandiddate.com.
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