Best Seattle Parks by the Water?
Myrtle Edwards, Alki Beach, Magnuson, Gas Works Park , Green Lake
Jun 13, 2009
Tourists and out-of-towners need a quickie map overview of Seattle Parks by the water. Here are the approximate locations, by neighborhood, of Myrtle Edwards, Alki Beach, Gas Works Park, Magnuson Park, and Green Lake. Seattle has tons of waterside parks, but these are easy to find and worth the extra effort.
Myrtle Edwards Park – Seattle Tourists without a Car
Myrtle Edwards Park is a short walk from Seattle Center and Pike Place Market. For downtown tourists, without a car, this is the best bet. Hempfest weekend (closest thing to Amsterdam coffee shop) will make it a little more Haight-Ashbury, so ask granny if she remembers the 60’s. If she doesn’t, or if she smiles, it’s cool. (Third Weekend – August)
- Downtown / Belltown
- Walk to Downtown Seattle Waterfront and turn right (North)
- Photographers: views of city and the Olympics (mountains)
- Benches for picnicking
- Near wacky but cool sculpture park
- Paved trail for strolls or jogging
Alki – Best Sandy Beach is in West Seattle
Alki Beach has saltwater and sand but only tourists from the North Pole are crazy enough to go in the frigid waters. Even Alaskans’ legs will go numb before they get waist deep. This place is gorgeous on a sunny day, with zen-like views for photo meditations: Ferries and sailboats sweeping Puget Sound and Olympics hazy in the distance. Whew. Summer doesn’t get better than this.
- West Seattle
- Joggers, rollerbladers, volley ball, bicyclists
- Different feel, but still beautiful, on gray days
Magnuson Park – Seattle Dog Park and Lake Washington Beach
This is a fab off-leash dog park. But, it’s also a really great place for dogless kids and adults. This park is close to some pretty ritzy hoods, like Windermere and Laurelhurst. While walking along the shores of Lake Washington, Seattle Grunge fans can see the wind-pipe metal tube sculptures that whistle and moan, which inspired the name Soundgarden. Thank god it never became an airport again. Soundgarden might have been called Airport Noise, though that might be a great name for other bands.
- Sand Point Neighborhood, out past UW and Laurelhurst
- Cool Wind Sculptures
- Get something at U Village for a picnic
- Dog-free swimming area in Lake Washington (water’s warm in August)
Gas Works Park – North Lake Union Hangout
Do not visit this park without a camera. It has one of the best views of Seattle’s skyline. It’s a cool place to hangout and watch the Kenmore Seaplanes take off for the San Juans. This park was an old gas “factory” and still has rusted hulks, some of which the kiddies are not supposed to climb around on, but do anyway. Best kite flying in town, which sounds retarded but is actually a blast. Gas Works becomes a giant mosh pit on July 4th when the fireworks explode over Lake Union.
- Fremont / Wallingford / North Lake Union
- Burke-Gilman Bike Trail goes to Gas Works
- Eat at Ivar’s Salmon House for cheap food
- Nearby: Gasworks Park Kite Shop
Green Lake – Cool Seattle Groove
Green Lake has a paved path around it and this is a great place to walk for exercise because once one is half-way around the lake, there is no way to wimp out. This park is more Seattle than the Pike Place Market. It is a great representation of the heart and soul of the city. It a fabulous cross section of meditating hippies, jock joggers, moms with strollers, flatland bikers, and people just out to escape workday worries.
- North Seattle
- Watch out for Lance Armstrong wannabees (cyclists)
- Top notch people watching
- Good exercise for lazy Boomers
- The quintessential Seattle Experience
There are other good waterside parks like cool little Madison Park, huge and wild Discovery Park, and Seafair partying Seward Park. However, tourists and Seattle Newbies will love close in Myrtle Edwards, hip Alki Beach, Soundgarden's Magnuson Park, high flying Gas Works Park, and iconic Green Lake. Click on the little map below to get an overview of where these parks are. Make it bigger with Ctrl and + keys. (The yellow square with red squiggle is Space Needle. Area with lots of streets is downtown.)
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