Located along the Swinomish Channel in La Conner, Pioneer Park isn't the fancy-pantsiest park I've…read moreever been to, but it's a nice place to sit with a friend on a sunny day and watch the boats go by. Marked by the aptly-named Rainbow Bridge, the waterfront portion of the park includes a playground (closed during our visit, due to covid restrictions), a few picnic tables, and easy-to-stroll paved paths along the channel. Besides photographing the impressive bridge from below, the park's best feature are the many boats, trawlers and sailboats navigating past. I'm not sure I'd make this a destination park, but it was a great place to stop while already enjoying an afternoon in La Conner.

If you are visiting the town of La Conner make sure you don't forget to stop here. It is a must-see…read morein my opinion. Amazing views of the beautiful rainbow bridge and Swinomish channel. Picnic tables and even a fun trail that takes you up and underneath the bridge for a fun unique view. They had a huge picnic shelter and what looked like an amphitheater area with rows of benched seating in the upper park area. So they must rent that out or have events.

Some great views with good hiking trails…read more Can get windy so you might want to bring a coat

Mount Erie Park had well maintained trails when I visited on Thursday 15 June 2023. The sun was…read moreout, though not in full force, and the trees provided some shade and protection from the sun. Rays still made it through the canopy to the trails. When I arrived around 10:10 a.m., I found one parking spot so snatched it up. Just up from the parking lot was an informational pavilion with maps of the trail system. Even with taking a picture I did not quite make it to the top. The trails I traversed were marked by a trail number as opposed to a destination and/or distance marking approach. I did not find this entirely discouraging, however I had come for a drive to a viewpoint I had heard about and missed that entirely. I turned around after about 20 minutes of hiking and went back to my car. The portion of the hike I took up the mountain got my heart pounding. One of the highlights of my visit was a caterpillar I found dancing on a mushroom on a log along the side of one of the trails.

It's not a fun park unless you're a kid. Then it's a blast with a playground that has those weird…read morecircular htings that swing you around with your weight and other fancy playground items. But this park is more about the sunset. I was in town as a day trip and the weather was so nice that I wanted to check out the sunset. We sat there people watching on the bench as the sun started sinking over the water. People walked out down the pier and it made for really nice pictures. Once the sun went down, people left because there was a chill in the air, but until that moment, the sunset was magical. Definitely glad we hung around for twilight.

Washington Park is beautiful. The scenic loop is a great drive (go slow 10 mph there are…read morepedestrians on the paved road too). There are spots for cars to park on the loop to enjoy the view (and a disability parking spot). Take advantage of the easy and beautiful access to epic views of Burrows Island and the pass at this park before getting on the ferry to the San Juan islands or staying in Anacortes.

Small park on the water. Has great views. The awesome concrete flintstones car is really cool to…read moresee. Nice place to just sit and watch the water. Has a nice path that walks long the waters edge. Nice peaceful area to relax.

Okay so there is literally only one Flintstone car here and nothing else to make it worthy of…read morebeing. Allen Flintstone park :) BUT....it is on the waterfront and the historic waterfront area. So you can go down, eat, look at the view and take a picture in the car. Photo op :)

Five stars all the way! Beautiful view, convenient picnic tables and a local town story that is…read moresure to tug a the heart strings of every dog loving friend! Neat little park tucked in between buildings near the end of the main strip of shops in La Conner along the waterfront. It doesn't look like much from the street - just a narrow opening where a building likely used to be that the town made into a park. But the back opens up to a beautiful view of the water, Rainbow Bridge nearby and a small boardwalk along the waterfront where boats dock. Don't forget to stop and pay your respects to Dirty Biter, the dog statue near the front of the park. A local town hero from the 70s and 80s that people still talk about today. This pooch was clearly a character and clearly very loved by the community - he used to hang out near here and frequented the bar next door for snacks before returning home each day. Dirty Biter isn't just a funny named dog with a crooked jaw - he's a legend. RIP Dirty Biter pup.

Just a quick place to view while visiting downtown LA Connor…read more Lots of restaurants and small shops to visit. Get out and stretch your legs.

Full disclosure for this review. The photos I posted show how close I got to the bridge. Since…read moremoving to WA from CA I have become interested in bridges. There are so many beautiful bridges here! I am impressed by the beauty and engineering of a bridge. I read about this bridge before visiting La Connor and was pleasantly surpised when taking a walk on the waterfront I turned around and saw it! I had read abut it being an orange bridge shaped like a rainbow. The view from where I was standing offerred a beautiful photo opportunity which I gladly took! I was close enought to do a check in, so I did. Next time I come to this small town I will drive up to this gorgeous bridge for more close up photos. WA, I am beginning to really really love you. Lol. Happy travels and Yelping.

Absolutely stunning views from the bluff at this beach. A short trail that leads above the beach…read moreand gives you the opportunity to see up and down the coast. All the way towards the bridge at deception pass. And there are clean restrooms here too. Always a must when I take a drive here. Discovery Pass required. Do it! Get outside and enjoy the wonderful experience of the PNW. SYOY!

We love this beach so much that I hesitated sharing a review on this beach for a long time. I…read morecertainly do not want this place to be so popular that it gets crowded all the time. However, I find myself recommending this beach to my loved ones visiting Seattle time after time. So, I randomly did a search on Yelp for Rosario Beach and I see that I am not alone. I wanted to echo everyone's love for Rosario Beach and share its beauty. It is about a 90-minute drive north of Seattle. It is a part of Deception Pass State Park so you are required to have a Discover Pass to park in its parking lot. The parking lot is on the smaller side and in summer, the lot gets full most of the time. However, we usually find an available spot after waiting a short while as I usually see folks staying for a short while and then leaving to check out another part of Deception Pass State Park. So, even if the lot seems full, just be patient. Since it is a state park, there is a clean bathroom facility with flushing toilets. The bathroom is just a short walk away from the beach. There are a few picnic tables with BBQ grills. We see weddings, family gatherings, couples having a picnic lunch, landscape photographers, bird watchers, and many more. Such an inviting place for all. And the beach. The water is usually calm as it is a cove. And yes, the water is very cold as we live in the PNW. It sure does not stop our children from getting into the water no matter the weather. It is beautiful. I was a landscape photography hobbyist (more active in the past) and I was immediately drawn to everything this place had to offer in terms of photography opportunities. If you are into photography, you will love this place. Every year, we come here to kayak, SUP, hike, check out the tide pools, have lunch, take a nap, get tanned, and just hang out with people I love. Since I'm from Hawaii, I wish the water was warmer but I'm slowly getting used to the idea that I live in the PNW. Haha! Alooooooha! from the beautiful Rosario beach!

I stopped at Bowman Bay one day on my way to Oak Harbor to visit my grandma. I had packed a lunch…read moresince I was traveling in the morning to midday and traffic was starting to pick up. My sister had recently come here to go kayaking and recommended it as a spot to visit. So, I decided to give it a try as a lunch spot. Discovery passes were required for parking, fortunately I had thought ahead and it was in the glove compartment of my car. I arrived towards the morning side of noon on 1 September 2021 and parking was abundant. The weather was sunny with a slight wind. So I decided to park, grab my lunch and eat on a piece of driftwood on the beach. A group of kayakers were just heading out as I ate and a few dog walkers made their way up and down the shore. Just up from the beach there were picnic tables and a large grassy expanse. A trail led off into a wooded area. The restroom building not far from the parking lot was kept cleanly.

This is one of those perfect little bays where time passes you by. Clean bathrooms. Easy parking,…read moremore spots down the road where they rent kayaks if it's full. An absolute lovely hike to Rosario Beach and Rosario Head, about a mile and hugs the coastline.

When I'm in the mood for some gorgeous views over Anacortes, Cap Sante Park is one of my go-to…read morespots. Perched high on a point across the harbor from downtown, it's the perfect spot to take it all in. And with its northerly views, you can not only watch the boats arrive at the marina far below, but peer across the mountains for breathtaking sunny day views of Mount Baker, too. It also has a "lover's lane" vibe, so I'll give it an extra star for romance potential. There are a view benches, as well as rocky outperches, to sit and ponder all the beauty. Fall potential is high, so I wouldn't let little ones wander around on their own here. Parking can be a hassle on sunny days.

Went during a sunset and it was spectacular. Even saw a rainbow. There were parking spots when we…read moregot there though it was also a lot of people concerning it was already past 9PM. Wonderful views of the marina and the islands! And beautiful Mountain views.

Beautiful park with well marked trails. Can get a bit muddy if it has rained. Check the tide table…read moreto make sure the tide is out so you can walk along the beach. Limited parking.

We hit all the state parks on this route today. Each one has a little something the others didn't…read morehave! Make a day out it.. this one too is worth the stop. We were only ones on the beach! It was great !