Great little off leash dog park tucked away behind the pump track at Bender Fields…read more There is a little covered area for humans to sit if it's too sunny or rainy. The area is decent sized, and even has a separate "small dog" fenced area within the big dog area. It's nothing fancy, and has lots of holes dug up by other dogs over the years. But if you are looking for a fenced in area to let your pup run around, it's great for that !

We love this gorgeous, well maintained park! The pirate play area is really cute and has some…read moreunique features like a treasure tumble (you roll it to see shells) and a "plank" you can walk/jump on. Past the park and onto the boardwalk- there is plenty of unique wildlife to see- herons, seagulls, and star fish! The beach is rocky but easy to navigate and a great place to throw or collect rocks. This is truly a great walk for playing with toddlers, having a picnic or enjoying a walk.

Very beautiful view and a cool little playground for my daughter and a LOT of little stones to be…read morethrown.

This park is a great place to walk or ride a bike and explore. It is dog friendly and has a small…read morekiddie park for younger kids. Cell service is good and it's a good place for Pokemon for older kids.

Causland Park in Anacortes is a worthy little gem to visit. After so many years of visiting…read moreAnacortes, I spotted it on Google maps and dropped by. Intriguing. John Baptiste LePage (1857-1939) is the French-Canadian artist and architect who designed this unique memorial park, built from 1919 to 1921. It is now a registered national historic place. The plaque at the front of the gazebo/stage centerpiece dedicates the park in honor of Harry Leon Causland and the "brave sons of Fidalgo Guemes Decatur and Cypress Islands... who gave their lives in the Great War... 1917-1919." A second war memorial has been added with places to honor those who lost their lives in subsequent wars - World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Ominously, a spot sits empty on this memorial, as if to await the names from the Afghanistan 20 years war that just ended (or did it?). While the park has clearly been updated, it's quite clear what is original vs. what is new. The original portions feature different colors of stone mosaics forming 3-dimensional designs with an architectural style that favor non-angular, non-edged designs. At certain angles, they resemble Park Güell in Barcelona, i.e., the work of Antoni Gaudi. This park is lovingly well maintained. While I do not suggest driving to Anacortes just to visit this small park, I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area.

Nice park ..lots of character, beautiful trees. Fun for…read moredogs on a leash. This is a memorial park.. Very spiritual.

Really lovely area to explore the rocky coast of Washington. Free entry, free parking, plenty of…read moreplaces to explore, hike, enjoy a picnic, play on playgrounds, you name it. A bit secluded which just adds to its allure in my book. Love the coupling of large trees and rock beach right next to each other, such a unique thing to experience.

Birch Bay is probably in the Top 3 of my favorite state parks. It's in an idyllic, bayside setting,…read morewith a huge campground and lots to do in the area. I spent many a summer weekend tent camping there with my kids, and recently returned to camp again for the long weekend over July 4th. As any local will tell you, the Birch Bay area is THE place to be to celebrate and over-the-top Independence Day. Since my tent camping with kids days I've upgraded to a small teardrop travel trailer. Luckily, the majority of sites at the BBSP campground accommodate smaller travel trailers. They even have water/electric hookup sites but these are almost impossible to procure. Still, it was fun to boondock for four nights at one of their many double/group sites - which we shared with some friends. I was thankful for having a trailer, because it rained HARD for two of the days we were there and everything was soaked. Our group site (107/108) was also located near a bog so it got especially muddy. Still, we didn't let it ruin the fun - but it was a good reminder that it's never a bad idea to bring extra awnings and canopies on these PNW camping trips. The park itself is well-managed, with rangers regularly circulating and a camp host on duty most of the day. The bathrooms are clean and serviced regularly, and there are coin-op showers to keep you clean. The beach is a short walk from the campground, and an amazing place to watch sunsets. We also rode bikes into the village - it's perfectly level and there's a bike lane most of the way. We ended up at the local brewery, which was right across from the beach and a great place to listen to some live music and enjoy the weekend. Birch Bay State Park will always be on my radar for great, not-too-far-away, family-friendly camping spots. Reserve early for best selection!

Cute little park we found! The entrance is a little down the road from where my Apple Maps told me…read more We did the path to the right and there was an open field for my pup to play fetch at. Some benches the other way as well!

We love to visit this off the beaten path unique park. Great place to view bald eagles from the…read morepark and a scenic trail in the park. We love to pick up fried chicken from Nugent's Corner Market and head to this interesting park for a picnic. It is very clean and well maintained with wooden picnic tables placed in interesting spots. Also has restroom facility and a large play area for sports and other activities. We also love the scenic drive to this area!

The beach park section of Larrabee park is gorgeous. There's ample parking, then a decent that's…read moreabout a 45 second walk to a grassy lawn and a beautiful stage built in the early 1900s. There were people performing music on the stage and park goers enjoying on the grass. Just to the left of the stage there's a path to the beach. Another 2-3 minute descent brings you to a trail going left and right. The path to the left is a short trail to a rock you can sit on and climb down to get to the water. Further that way there's another beach. The path to the right leads to a nice beach with a great view and a shade tree. There were some bugs in the washed up kelp, but nothing too bothersome imho. We had a stand up paddleboard so we used the path on the right after the stage area. I would recommend anyone bringing gear down (scuba, kayaks, paddleboards) to use this beach. Larger crafts can use the boat ramp just north of this beach, and you can drive right up to that ramp (north of the stage and parking area). It was a beautiful park and a great place to picnic, enjoy the water, and view the sunset!

First Washington State Park! 1918! It has held up well through the decades. Boat ramp is tricky to…read morefind but is a good place to hang and launch watercraft of all Sorts. Camping is okay.

Lovely park in Bellingham. Well maintained 2.6 mile mostly flat trail loops around the lake, which…read morewas perfect for a leisurely dog walk with our 14 year old Aussie and 10 year old cocker spaniel. I counted three bathrooms and several different types of areas with different things to do - tennis, playground, off leash dog park, lots of picnic areas, kayak/paddle board lunch. We went in early March - I'm sure it gets packed in the summer but even then seems like there is plenty of surface area to spread out!

I've played Lake Padden Golf Course many times and find it fun and challenging each time I tee it…read more It is actually where I played my first round of golf as a 10-year-old kid. OK, enough nostalgia. Lake Padden is conveniently located just south of downtown Bellingham, consequently it can get busy at times. The layout is fun as doglegs, elevation changes, and forest off the fairways command your focus. The greens are on the large side and can get rolling fast! Different tees make it playable for all length hitters, and the layout will force a variety of shots and use of most clubs in your bag. A full driving range, large putting green, pro shop and restaurant are also available. If you can avoid the busiest times, Lake Padden is worth a play.