Puyallup (pyoo-AL-up) sits less than a dozen miles southeast of Tacoma in the scenic, nearly level Puyallup Valley. The scenery is dramatic in Puyallup in the springtime, when Mount Rainier decides to peek out from under the clouds. This town’s agricultural pace is an antidote to traffic jams and fast-paced living. It is home to the most beloved fair in the Puget Sound; together with its neighbor, Sumner, Puyallup prides itself on its historic buildings and homes and the bucolic sights that surround them.

Best of all, Puyallup is hardly in the middle of nowhere: Head north on Highway 167 toward the White River Valley to find more lodging choices, fast-food options, and entertainment venues in the bedroom communities of Auburn and Kent.

Getting to Puyallup

Pierce Transit (253/581-8000 or 800/562-8109, www.piercetransit.org, has daily service to Tacoma and other parts of Pierce County, along with Seattle and Olympia. Capital Aeroporter (253/754-7113 or 800/962-3579, www.capair.com) operates shuttle vans between Puyallup and Sea-Tac Airport.

Metro Transit (253/553-3000 or 800/542-7876, http://transit.metrokc.gov) has bus service to Auburn, Kent, and the rest of King County.