Tacoma, Washington: LeMay -- America's Car Museum

Everyone in my family is more into cars than I am, so I wondered how much I would be into a whole museum of cars. It turns out there are always memories.

Right as you go in, there is the Mobil Oil Pegasus, and maybe some cars look more familiar than others.

There were two things that drew me in. What first interested me was the unique shape of the structure, like a hangar.

The space slopes into four levels, where you are easily led through the different exhibits.

The current Porsche exhibit is okay, but then you come to this massive Duesenberg.

As impressed as I was with the sheer size, I was soon looking down a row of cars of similar and sometimes greater size.

This section focused on the development of early cars, frequently made by the same companies that had made non-motor coaches. Suddenly the similarities became quite clear.

That was grounded with information on the custom luxury, and the poverty and despair that accompanied it.

We had design and engineering and history, which was pretty cool.

Not all memories have to be personal; collective memory is a thing too. I have never traveled on Route 66, but I have been on enough family road trips in other locations that the Route 66 exhibit still resonated.

I also learned about the history of NAPA, the National Automotive Parts Association.

There was information on alternative fuels for the future, and fancy old gas pumps from the past.

There was more history.

There was even the nod to Dale Chihuly that you expect in Tacoma, because cars can also use or emulate glass. (Plus, Chihuly himself has donated three cars: https://www.facebook.com/AmericasCarMuseum/posts/famed-tacoma-glass-artist-dale-chihuly-has-donated-three-classic-cars-to-the-acm/10151165650994970/)

There are some other types of vehicles...

... and some real classics.

There is also a nod to Harold LeMay's garage and towing business.

But mainly there are cars, cars, and more cars.

There are 250 automobiles there from the permanent collection, and another 100 on loan from other collections.

A car fanatic should be in Heaven. For others, it's still pretty cool

COVID: Masks are not enforced, but distancing is encouraged. I also thought that the ventilation was quite good.

Accessibility: There are elevators and good door automation. It is large, and the distance from parking to the entrance -- even with ramps -- is long. Plan accordingly, and that should probably include dropping off those with mobility issues at the entrance, and picking them up again when leaving. Our party had a member with a bad knee, and that's what we did.

https://www.americascarmuseum.org/

Tacoma, Washington: Johnson Candy Company

We had been planning a trip to Tacoma anyway, but we saw this article, and thought it sounded interesting:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/washington/johnson-candy-company-wa/

It was delightful.

Candy stores tend to be pretty cool anyway. We had just come from the Almond Roca factory store, but that is a factory store for something mass produced (and delicious).

By contrast, this was hand-dipped truffles and fudge, everything being made one story above in a family business that is nearly 100 years old. (We did not only buy candy in Tacoma, but those two stops were a good part of a good day.)

Not everything is made there. Behind the edible candy basket, you can see multiple jars of Jelly Bellies, where you can select your own flavor mix. I would never need cantaloupe-flavored Jelly Bellies, but I am not against the people who are into that being able to find it.

You can also find non-candy gift items, greeting cards by local artists, and photography from one of the Johnson family members, for a nice mix of options.

That includes options fitting various dietary needs, like vegan, sugar-free or gluten-free.

You can even find non-chocolate items, though that would seem like a waste.

I appreciated the friendly customer service. When she found out it was our first time she gave us a brief tour of where everything was and let us pick out our own samples.

My biggest regret is not taking advantage of the baker's dozen sale on the clearance Easter eggs. It seemed like thirteen would be too much, but once we got back home and tasted the chocolate fudge ones, thirteen eggs no longer seemed excessive.

We wanted to share our find with a friend, and found the shipping to be quick and reasonably priced.

It was overall a great experience, and highly recommended.

Accessibility: It seems pretty navigable, but also they are so helpful that I believe they would assist with any potential issues. I do see potential danger for those with nut allergies.

COVID: Although they get regular business (even in summer when the chocolate gets melty, people come in for their ice cream bars), the traffic seems scattered, where distancing is easy. On-line ordering is also an option, and if you can get items not listed on the site by calling.

 https://www.johnsoncandyco.com/