The Best Parks To Explore In Seattle

Open grass fields and parks full of trees are never difficult to find in Seattle. Whether you’re seeking a pleasant garden to think in or a breathtaking view of the water, there are beautiful parks scattered throughout the city to enjoy.

Golden Gardens Park

Ballard’s Golden Gardens Park is a gorgeous waterfront park with a beach and wetland marsh that looks out onto the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Watch kayakers and sailboats drift by on the bay and stroll along the rugged coastline. There is an off-leash dog park in the northern portion of the park and forest trails to walk on. The park is a popular place to sit and watch the sun set on the water and Olympic Mountains.

Washington Park Arboretum

The Arboretum is a hidden jewel on the shores of Lake Washington, with a Japanese garden in the southern part of the park. This Seattle Park has 230 acres of trees and plants, including a garden of Asiatic maples of the genus Acer, which are native to Asia’s mountain forests, and plenty of birch trees, poplars, rhododendrons, and azaleas. Be sure to visit the Woodland Garden while you’re there, which features two quiet ponds and one of the largest Japanese maple collections in North America. Autumn is probably the most beautiful time to visit the Woodland Garden for the variety of colors you’ll spot in a single outing.

Green Lake Park

Green Lake Park is one of Seattle’s most iconic and favorite parks, with joggers making their morning runs along the 2.8 mile path around the lake, roller skaters weaving through the park, and dog walkers tangled up in leashes. The park is especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves are changing color. Many people kayak, wind surf, and fish on the lake, and it’s a great place for a picnic.

Discovery Park

A 534 acre park on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest city park. The park offers sublime views of both the Cascades and the Olympic Mountain ranges, two miles of tidal beaches, dramatic sea cliffs, and peaceful forest groves. Walk the loop trail through the park that runs for 2.8 miles and meets up with other walking trails, or go bird watching on the beach. The Seattle Audubon Society has compiled a list of 270 birds to be seen in the park and on the Elliott and Shilshole Bays. Be sure to finish your visit with a walk out to the West Point Lighthouse for a gorgeous view of the Sound.

Seward Park

With 120 acres of old growth forest, eagles’ nests, and 2.4 mile bike and walking trail, Seward Park is a 300 acre haven for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. The park covers the entire Bailey Peninsula, a former island that juts out into Lake Washington. It’s an urban refuge for native plants and animals, including Garry’s Oak—the only native oak in Washington State. Whether for a picnic, a forest walk, or a visit to the bathing beach, Seward Park is one of Seattle’s most beautiful and treasured parks.
Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.