Parks and the outdoors in Seattle

91 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Seattle.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 91.

EatUniversity District
Agua Verde Cafe
Excellent selection of fish and other tacos and other imaginative Mexican fare. If the restaurant is too crowded and the weather is good, order from the takeout window and eat in the small park to the west. Also hosts a paddling club.
11AM-3:30, 4-9PM daily, closes Sun October–March
DoUniversity District
Agua Verde Paddle Club
Hourly kayak rentals from Portage Bay providing access to the Arboreteum, Lake Washington and Lake Union.
DoWest
Alki Beach Park
Alki Beach Park is one of the best and biggest sandy beaches in Seattle. There's a rollerblade/bike/walking path along it for miles and the beach itself is always busy and fun. Great views of the city, the ferries and the Olympics. There are several great cafes and coffee shops right across the street. Good place for barbeque as well as many outdoor recreations. It has one of the best night view of Downtown Seattle and the city light.
Apr 15-Oct 1: 6AM-11PM daily, Oct 2-Apr 14: 4AM-11:30PM dailyFree
DoWest
Alki Kayak Tours
seasonal guided sea kayak tours for beginners and experts exploring the natural & human history of Elliot Bay and Puget Sound. They also offer a range of rentals along Alki beach – including stand up paddle boards, quad and inline skates, bicycles and fishing boats.
SeeWest
Alki Point Lighthouse
Historic Lighthouse on Alki Point a short walk from Alki Beach sometimes offers public tours but can at be at least partially seen from the road.
EatCapitol Hill-Central District
Bakery Nouveau
Everything you'd want from a French-style bakery: pastries, breads, elegant desserts, macarons, chocolate confections by the piece, sandwiches, quiches, and pizzas, plus coffee of course. Very popular; the line often stretches to the door and beyond, but it moves quickly enough. The limited seating is usually pretty full; in a pinch there's a park across the street with a bench of two.
Mon-Fri 6AM-7PM, Sat 7AM-7PM, Sun 7AM-6PM
DoBallard
Ballard Commons Park
Ballard Commons Park features a playground, skate bowl, water feature, engaging public art, relaxing seating areas and lawns and ADA accessible walkways.
DoWest
Blake Island State Park
West Seattle is a popular launch site to visit this island state park accessible only by boat that was the birthplace of Chief Seattle.
DrinkCapitol Hill-Central District
Broadcaster Coffee Roasters
A neighborhood shop across from Pratt Park, serves Stumptown coffee and pastries from Alki Bakery. Free wi-fi. Great for meetings.
Daily 7AM-4PM
DrinkQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Caffe Fiore
An organic coffeeshop three blocks north of Kerry Park, offering a true experience of Seattle coffee house culture: good local art on display that changes on the first day of every month, consistently excellent coffee, environmental consciousness to a fault (the straws are compostable), and neighborly vitality that's easy to witness but hard to describe. Handsome baristas remember the orders of regular patrons, and most everyone you see is a regular patron. The coffee is rich, aromatic, and consistently excellent. Outdoor seating for sunny summer days. The most common order is a short latte, and for good reason.
Daily until 7PM
SeeCapitol Hill-Central District
Cal Anderson Park
A very popular park on sunny days. It includes a signature fountain and pond, a basketball court, tennis and softball fields, and a playground. Great for peoplewatching, and you can often see groups of people doing activities varying from hackeysack to drum circles to freeze tag to bike polo to twirling around with colorful scarves.
EatQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Canlis
Seattle's longstanding fine dining restaurant, with a wonderful view overlooking Lake Union and Queen Anne Hill. Live piano music. Make reservations well in advance (a week or two ahead) and dress well; it's one of the few Seattle establishments with a strict dress code.
Mon-Sat 5PM-close$180
SeeNorth
Carkeek Park
The century-old trees and surprisingly steep terrain surrounding a small valley give the impression that you're far from the city. Excellent for a walk in the woods. Walkable beach below the train tracks.
6AM-10PM dailyFree
SeeQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Chihuly Garden and Glass
This museum provides a look at the inspiration and influences that inform the career of artist Dale Chihuly. The on-site exhibition hall contains eight galleries and three drawing walls, offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly’s significant series of work. The centerpiece of the museum is a glasshouse with a suspended 1,400-piece, 100-foot-long sculpture. Also on the grounds is a lush garden, which serves as a backdrop for four monumental sculptures and other installations.
Mon-Thu 10AM–10PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-11PM; last ticket sold one hour prior to closing; combined tickets with Space Needle available$19 adults, $17 seniors, $12 children, children 3 and under free
DoCapitol Hill-Central District
Club Z
On the other end of the spectrum, Club Z is a gay male bathhouse with no tubs and a lot of glory holes! Don't walk in if you expect to do any dancing or, um, bathing.
EatCapitol Hill-Central District
Dick's Drive-In
Where the cool hang out (according to Sir Mix-a-Lot's song "Posse on Broadway"). Dick's is a local fast food staple; perhaps the most iconically "Seattle" restaurant around. The menu is simple: unsophisticated yet satisfying burgers in just a couple of variations (try the Deluxe, it's not that large), hot greasy fries, and tasty hand-dipped milkshakes. Drive up or walk up; this place will be hopping on a Friday or Saturday night, even if it's cold and rainy outside. Be sure to get in line by 1:45AM because they slam the order windows shut promptly at 2AM. Dick's cashiers have an amazing ability to instantly add up your bill in their head. There are other branches throughout the city (Lake City, Wallingford, Lower Queen Anne), but because the Capitol Hill one is easiest to walk up to, it's also the best for people watching.
Daily 10:30AM-2AM
SeeQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Discovery Park
The largest park in the city can be thought of as Seattle's unofficial central park given its huge, somewhat secluded nature, with a number of trails that meander through the green forests down to the lighthouse at the beach. Discovery Park used to be an army installation called Fort Lawton, and several of the fort's buildings remain. The park features the highest point in the city and wildlife you don't typically find in a large city. A visitors' center with information about the wildlife living in the park and the best trails to hike are in the center of the park. The visitor center is closed until summer 2027.
4ː30AM-11PM
EatWest
Duke's Chowder House at Alki Beach
Extremely popular and often times crowded seafood restaurant with a great view, especially from the upper deck when it's open. They're famous for, wait for it, their chowder, but have many other offerings, including salads and burgers for those who don't appreciate seafood. They are also famous for their Duke's Famous Bloody Bloody Mary made with in-house infused vodka and garnished with two prawns. Full bar, with a very good wine list and a great selection of beers.
Sun-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri-Sat 11AM-11PM
SeeQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Fishermen's Terminal
Carefully wander the docks (avoiding stepping on ropes or nets) and look at the boats. Many of them sell fresh crab or fish right off of the boat in season. Much of the Alaska crab fishing fleet moors here (or elsewhere in Lake Union) during the off-season, including vessels featured in the long-running Deadliest Catch television series. Visit the Fishermen's Memorial dedicated to all of those who have lost their lives at sea while engaged in commercial fishing.
DrinkFremont
Fremont Brewing
Local brewery with large outdoor beer garden (Urban Beer Garden) as well as an indoor area. Has a wide area of beer available for pickup as well as dine-in.
SeeFremont
Gas Works Park
"Gasworks" is Wallingford's oddly endearing refuge along the north part of Lake Union — prominently featuring the rusting, hulking remains of the city's old gasworks piping and machinery. More conventionally, a solitary bump of a hill offers the ideal spot for kite flying and views across the lake of sailboats, float planes landing, and downtown Seattle at sunset. Generally quiet but exceptionally crowded during the 4th of July for firework shows.
4AM-11:30PM dailyFree
DoBallard
Golden Gardens Park
A wonderful saltwater beach park in Ballard, past the locks and Shilshole Marina. Water around here is too cold to swim except for crazy and determined kids during the hottest months, but you can wade a little, walk the beach, make sand castles, claim a fire pit, and watch wind surfers and ships go by. On clear days there is a magnificent view of the Olympics on the other side of Puget Sound. Kids of all ages have endless muddy fun trying to dam up or re-route the fresh water stream flowing across one end of the beach.
BuyNorth
Green Lake Jewelry Works
Custom made jewelry. Rings are especially pricey and takes weeks to make, but made to the utmost precision & worth every penny.
DoBallard
Greenlake Park
The focal point of the Green Lake neighborhood. The 2.8 mi loop path around the lake is frequented by cyclists, runners, rollerbladers, and walkers. The lake is swimmer friendly; algae growth and closures were sometimes a problem before 2004, when the City of Seattle performed a comprehensive cleanup, and it is now one of the cleanest public swimming areas in the Seattle area.
SeeWest
Hamilton Viewpoint Park
Hamilton Viewpoint Park rests above the beaches of Alki facing downtown Seattle. Located adjacent to the Seacrest Ferry Dock.
4AM-1130PMFree
SeeSodo-Georgetown
Hat & Boots Park
See a 44 ft wide cowboy hat and a 22 ft high boot in this park.
4AM-11:30PM daily
SeePioneer Square-International District
Hing Hay Park
A small park in the center of Chinatown. Though you're not too likely to see old folks doing tai chi or playing checkers, it still has character.
6AM-10PM
SeeBallard
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Ballard Locks
Linking the freshwater Lake Union and the salt-water Puget Sound across a height difference of 22 feet, the locks allow boats to cross the Lake Washington Ship Canal, relying solely on the force of gravity. A salmon ladder with a viewing gallery allows visitors to witness the salmon migration, which with different species allow for viewing throughout most of the year, but preferably mid to late summer. Adjacent is the Carl S English, Jr Botanical Garden. Guided tours weekdays 1PM and 3PM; weekends 11AM.
7AM-9PMFree
SeeCapitol Hill-Central District
I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Skills Park
I-5 Colonnade
Built underneath a section of 12 elevated lanes of Interstate Highway 5, the I-5 Colonnade Mountain Bike Skills Park consists of several mountain bike skills trails, including novice, intermediate, and advanced sections, a dirt jumping section, pump track, and trials area. Skills classes, organized by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, are occasionally held at the park.
4AM-11:30PM
EatDowntown
Ivar's Acres Of Clams
Smoked salmon plate-lunch and fish-n-chips served outdoors at a scenic waterfront location. Ordering at the walk-up counter outside is inexpensive. Please do not feed ducks and seagulls as human food is harmful for birds! Good food, but pretty touristy.
Sun-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM
DoNorth
Jackson Park Golf Course
A decent 18-hole championship and a 9-hole executive golf course plus a driving range.
Championship course: $35 weekday, $45 weekend; Executive course: $8.50 9-hole, $14.00 18-hole (playing twice)
EatPioneer Square-International District
Jade Garden
Local favorite for dim sum. While very popular, don't let the seemingly long wait for a table sway you -- the line usually takes less than 30 minutes.
Mon-Sat 9AM-2:30AM, Sun 9AM-1AM
SeeSouth
Jefferson Park
Seattle's sixth largest park at 45.2 acres, this park designed by the Olmsted Brothers offers unparalleled views of the Duwamish River, downtown and the Olympic Mountains. It is the home to the Jefferson Park Golf Course, Jefferson Park driving range, Jefferson Skatepark, tennis courts (lighted), basketball courts, the Jefferson Community Center, Jefferson Lawn Bowling, and Beacon Mountain an ecologically oriented playscape with a water park in the summer.
4AM - 11:30PM
SeeQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Kerry Park
A photographer's paradise, this is perhaps the most obvious spectacle in Queen Anne. This park affords the quintessential view of Downtown Seattle with the Space Needle in the foreground, and (depending on the weather) Mount Rainier and the Cascades, as well as across the Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island.
6AM-10PM
SeePioneer Square-International District
Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park - Seattle Unit
A key attraction in the Pioneer Square area, this is the Seattle branch of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, the remainder of which is in Alaska. The site highlights the city's key role as the "Gateway to the Gold Fields" for most of the Klondike stampeders of 1897-1898. National Park Service Rangers and volunteers staff the museum and can provide information and perspective not only on the gold rush but also on Seattle's past. The museum contains many artifacts and historical photographs related to the Gold Rush, and movies about the gold rush and Seattle's history are shown upon request (except in summer, when they're shown on a regular schedule). Rangers also conduct free walking tours of the Pioneer Square area in the summer and demonstrate gold panning to school groups.
Daily 9AM-5PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's DayFree
SeeSouth
Kubota Gardens
In 1927 Fujitaro Kubota bought of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle and began his garden. Kubota Garden has since grown into a stunning landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. Kubota was a horticultural pioneer when he began merging Japanese design techniques with North American materials in his display garden in 1927. The Gardens are a spectacular setting of hills and valleys, interlaced with streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges, and rock outcroppings with a rich array of plant material.
Daily 6AM-10PMFree
DoNorth
Lake City Summer Festival and Parade
Lake City has a great street fair in late summer, complete with street vendors, food, music and a parade with local kids and performers on up to the SeaFair Pirates. It has a small-town feel while the streets are lined with all sorts of families and crazies from the neighborhood. Fun for all.
August
DoQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Lake Union Crew
A club boathouse for the local rowing community. If you have no rowing experience, classes are offered.
SeeQueen Anne-South Lake Union
Lake Union Park
Home to the Center for Wooden Boats and the Museum of History and Industry. Spray park open Memorial Day to Labor Day.
4AM-11ː30PM
SeeCapitol Hill-Central District
Lakeview Cemetery
Incorporated in 1872, Lakeview Cemetery is set on a hillside with views of Lake Union, the Cascades, Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. The site holds the final resting places of Seattle's first families, many with diverse backgrounds. Many come to pay tribute at the graves of Bruce Lee and his son Brandon.
Summer 9AM-8PM; spring 9AM-6PM; winter 9AM-4PMFree

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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Seattle (CC BY-SA 4.0).