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Best Parks in Seattle

, 23 Options Found

This lovely park has been preserved in its natural state, and it has changed very little in the past 100 years. Sitting right on the shores of Lake Washington, this is one of the most beautiful parks in Seattle. Free parking is available. Usage and therefore crowds are lower here than in other Seattle parks. You will feel like you are out in the country rather than in the middle of a bustling city. Enjoy bicycling and walking, and enjoy the trees, birds and small animals that live here.

Although Discovery Park has a beach, it is not a prime spot for sunbathing or swimming as the water's a little cold and the beach a little rocky. Most visitors hike the miles of trails, which offer great bird-watching opportunities. One of the trails extends to Puget Sound, and after a lengthy downhill walk, you will find tide pools and a lighthouse.

The Green Lake Park is one of Seattle's most popular recreation parks that became a part of the city as a part of the grand Olmsted plan which aimed at creating a cluster of interconnected green spaces within the city. The lake is engulfed by a 2.8 mile (4.5 km) path that is divided into two different lanes, one for unmotorized vehicles and the other for pedestrians. These paths attract a lot of people seeking relaxation and exercise and hence can be crowded especially on weekends. The Park also features watersport facilities, a golf course, a library and a theater. The Green lake is home to a wide array of flora and fauna, making it a popular destination for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers.

Volunteer Park displays the Olmsted brothers' late-Victorian urban style of park design. Vistas of rolling lawns, carefully clumped shrubbery, tree-lined drives and carp ponds almost make you feel like you're strolling with top hat and cane in hand. The Kew Gardens-style glass conservatory, filled with humid tropical and arid desert environments, is free to all. At the southern end of the park stands a 75-foot brick water tower with a spiraling staircase and a 360-degree view of the Seattle area, from the Olympics to the Cascades. The view is a bit obstructed by the bars on the windows, but it's lovely in late afternoon sunlight. The park's name commemorates Seattleites who volunteered for the Spanish-American War. The park is also home to the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Located in Volunteer Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Volunteer Park Conservatory is a botanical garden made up of five different houses. Modeled after the Crystal Palace in London, these ornately, victorian style greenhouses hold various botanical wonders. Each greenhouse holds a different variety of plants, from succulents, ferns, palms and bromeliads to cacti and seasonal flora. A Seattle staple since 1922, the extensive collection has grown thanks to generous donations from the public and private benefactors. Visitors can roam through the greenhouses for a small fee of USD 4 or choose to take one of the tours on offer. Be sure to visit the website for further details.

Walk, stroll or simply sit at this beautiful beach overlooking Shilshole Bay in North Seattle. It is a great place to watch the sunset or frolic in the water. During the day, families and couples walk their dogs or play volleyball, basketball or Frisbee on the sandy beach. On cooler evenings, bonfires can be lit in park-owned concrete pits. The park is conveniently located near some fabulous waterfront restaurants like Anthony's Pier 66 and Ray's Boathouse. Park permits are also available for company and family picnics.

This 200-acre (80.93 hectare) park is a must-see for every Seattle visitor with even an hour of free time. With its lush green spaces, its breathtaking Japanese Garden (open 10a daily), and its abundance of rare trees, plants and flowers (more than 40,000 species), it is one of the brightest jewels in the Emerald City. Scenic and aptly named Azalea Way cuts a path through the park. The Graham Visitor's Center can be rented for social events, meetings and seminars for 45-75 guests. Rates include kitchen and audio-visual equipment. Call or visit the web site for detailed information and hours.

About an hour and a half drive from downtown Seattle, this 4,529.2-acre (1832.9-hectare) wildlife refuge was established to protect a rich diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and marine life, encompassing about 300 different species, on the Nisqually River Delta. The picturesque reserve encompasses varied landscapes including wetlands, forests and grasslands. Attracting a large population of migratory birds, the park is a popular site for birding. Hiking is the best way to take in the stunning beauty of the park, with the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail being prominent for spotting wildlife.

Named for Senator Magnuson, creative force behind the Pacific Science Center, Warren G. Magnuson Park is an unusual combination of scenery and science, consisting of windswept hills, a pleasant beach, a muddy dog run and a sculpture stroll. Most famous of these artworks is the Sound Garden, a hilltop collection of gently oscillating aluminum tubes that, when the wind passes over their mouths, hum hauntingly. Against the stark-mirrored walls of NOAA—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the whole setup feels vaguely futuristic. The place is open daily from 4am.

Just a few blocks south from the beach blanket and ice cream shack mayhem of Alki Beach, Schmitz Park is a veritable time warp back to a Seattle before the European settlers came. Home to the only remaining stand of old-growth forest in the city, it's been left alone for wanderers to discover. Some of the cedars are 800 years old!

Technically, the northern half of this park is Elliott Bay Park, but the whole waterfront strip runs so seamlessly together that no one ever refers to it as anything but Myrtle Edwards. The park is a bit obscure but also pleasantly quiet, filled only with joggers and cyclists enjoying just over one mile of winding bike and pedestrian paths that run along Elliott Bay. The views over the bay are spectacular, especially at sunset and the white columns at the northern end lend an eerie industrial feel to the park.

Way off in the residential northwest corner of Seattle, Carkeek Park is a strange bit of wilderness. Paths through the forest cut the park off from the city, then open onto a long meadow by babbling Piper's Creek. Marshland with wooden footbridges cuts the meadow off from the beach, but if you climb to the spacious children's play area, you can walk across the metal footbridge for spectacular views and access to a calm, splashing beach. Be careful because trains run though here loud and fast. The wind here is great for kite flying. The meadows are filled with picnic tables, and the winding trails on the woodsy hillside are often too enticing to resist.

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