My friend Mike K. lives in Matthews Beach, and we walked over to Matthews Beach Park when we went…read moreto visit him a few weeks ago during a family trip to Seattle. It was a lovely, leisurely walk, even with an elderly dog and two small kids in the mix, one of them demanding to be carried most of the way. We strolled along the bike trail and got great views and a bit of summer mist--all in all a very Seattle excursion. There was a nice playground, well kept and spacious, where our boys ran around while the three adults hung out and one of them, impossible to say who, maybe caught a lot of Pokémon, the park being the kind of place where you might find a lot spawns on, for example, a Jangmo-o Community Day. The kids enjoyed the equipment: climbing the structure, riding the rocking whale, spinning around on the giant spinner. We went down to the water, to what I suppose was the beach part of Matthews Beach. It wasn't a beach in the California sense of the word--I can't really imagine going in my swimsuit and laying out a towel on that meager stretch of hard sand--but the water was pretty and serene. There was a lot of grass as well as plenty of goose poop. Mike and his husband and dog do this walk regularly, and I would too if I lived in Matthews Beach. I look forward to going again next time I visit.

After spending some time in the Wallingford neighborhood, I needed to take a few moments to relax…read moreand unwind. I love Seattle because of all of the beaches and natural beauty. The region is a water-lover's paradise. Matthews Beach Park affords stunning views of Lake Washington, and the heavily-treed neighborhoods that surround it. Although the beach is closed to swimmers due to high bacteria levels, nature abounds. I saw an eagle, lots of crows and bluejays, and plenty of native plants in bloom. There is ample parking not too far from the beach. You'll find restrooms, walking paths, and large grassy areas for dogs and kids to folic and run free. I visited on the weekend and discovered there are lifeguards on duty cleaning and patroling the park, and ensuring folks don't swim in the water. Paddle boarding and other water sports are still permitted.

Five stars. For the size and lovely location, this park is five stars. A small parking lot. Small…read moregrass are. But the views? HUGE!!! Amazingly huge. From I-90 to Seward Park across the lake. Wow. A regular stop for me when I take a walk on the Island. Excellent place to chill. SYOY.

SMALL but effective!…read more Depends on what you're visiting for. We stopped by with a pizza and a few beers just to chill out for a second before walking back to our airbnb. I love that there's a few different little waterfront parks on the west side of Mercer Island. Gives a few different options ... & they all feel pretty private too, which is nice! Seems well kept up enough. Worth a little stop to chill for a second if you're on the island!

The view at this park is breathtaking. There are cool trails and a nice place to bike. I like…read morecoming here with out of town friends, have picnics and relax. This is one of my favorite parks in the city to bring food from Met Market. The playground is a little small and not the same size as Jefferson Park.

Bhy Kracke Park is a cute little park that has a children's area and a rock wall…read more It's on the teeny side and is really meant as more of a neighborhood place to bring kids and maybe have a picnic lunch as they play. We dropped in, giggled about the tiny rock wall and kept on our walk. Overall, a very cute park.

I remember first visiting this park when I was a kid and years later, this park has definitely…read morechanged for the better. Parking on a hot sunny weekday afternoon was doable. There was a couple spots open, but limited. It wasnt until after 3 pm that the park started to get busier and the park began to pile in. People started looking to park outside of the lots for a spot. Most people tend to park at the bottom lots due to convenience. There is plenty of room at the lot up the hill and nobody was really up here as it was mostly entrances to walking trail and picnic tables. Overall, still a beautiful park!

Loved this park. I was looking for a relaxing, quiet spot and found this scenic area…read more You can kayak, swim, paddleboard, relax, walk, etc here. It's a great park. I highly recommend stopping here and checking it out.

Leschi Park is across the street from Leschi South Moorage along Lakeside Avenue S. Leschi Park…read moreitself is NOT along the water, unlike the several photos posting water views. That's the moorage itself. Don't expect to pack a picnic with a view of the water. That doesn't mean Leschi Park is anything to sneeze at. It's sizable with a portion that is well manicured and good for a picnic. There are several benches in this area and some portions are shady. When we went, the rose hedges were blooming and quite pretty. There's also a sequoia that was dedicated to the head gardener from 65 years ago. There are a few tennis courts too. The parts that I like more are the trails that have a forest vibe. Leschi Park is adjacent to Frink Park; together, they form a very large area to explore. I didn't find much signs or maps so I just used Google maps to choose walking paths. Cell signal was solid inside both parks. On a hot day, these two tree filled parks provide lots of shade; they would be an excellent place to visit.

It's a nice park with waterfront views in the Leschi neighborhood. I've been here a few times,…read moreespecially on clear days, and the setting always makes for a memorable time. Leschi Park is small, and most who visit are here for the views, as it's off of Lake Washington, so you can see the eastside and I-90. There's a small covered seating area and a dock for boaters. It's cool that there are a few restaurants and businesses nearby, as well as a parking lot. It's walking distance to the residential area and the Madrona neighborhood. If you're looking to access the water, I would recommend the short walk up north along the trail to Madrona Beach Park, which is larger and is more popular. However, Leschi Park is here for when you want more of a private, quiet scene, just for the views. Not a bad spot at all.

We came to O.O. Denny Park for a family day with our church group, and it was a beautiful setting…read moreto simply celebrate being together. The park is well kept, with a big picnic area that worked perfectly for our gathering. If you bring kayaks, tubes, paddleboards, or similar, this is a super mellow and picturesque place to launch. We were there later on a Saturday afternoon with our church family, we enjoyed the music, the BBQ, volleyball, and it stayed peaceful and relaxing even with plenty of people around. The wide-open spaces, the lake water and gentle breeze off the water made it especially enjoyable. A great Kirkland park for relaxed family time by the water.

We finally made it to O O Denny park, we loved the exploring the park. Lots of waterfront space to…read morehave a picnic and enjoy the view. A couple good sized shelters you can book for parties.

The most unreal, beautiful place!…read more Being from California, places like these are really hard to come by. I might just be a lake person now! This park has the most gorgeous waterfront views. There's greenery, so you can picnic. There's a walkway out onto the water for a stroll. There are calm waters which garners tons of paddle boarders. It's such a sere setting!

Named after the Bay next to it, Meydenbauer Bay Park (with its small sand beach) is a public park…read morein the City of Bellevue in the State of Washington. It contains a floating pedestrian pier shaped like a crescent, docks, kayak renting, and a small gravel/sand beach. The bay was named after William Meydenbauer, one of the early settlers of Bellevue. The land was initially used as a landing site for a passenger ferry, and then became Bellevue's first public park in 1953. It was rechristened as the current name, Meydenbauer Bay Park, in 2019 with the addition of the Crescent Pedestrian Pier. As it often happens in the Seattle area, it was cold and rainy when we went so the beach goers were minimal, but could definitely see it being busy on a sunny day.

If there's a front porch to the city of Seattle, it's the lively stretch known as Seattle…read moreWaterfront. Now let me tell you something: if you can't have a good time down here, the problem ain't the waterfront... the problem might be you. This place is part boardwalk, part cobblestone promenade, and part giant outdoor living room for the whole city. People strolling around with ice cream, cameras swinging from their necks, street musicians playing tunes, and ferries sliding in and out like clockwork from Colman Dock. The views alone are enough to stop you mid-stride. Out across Elliott Bay you'll see ferries gliding by, sailboats cutting through the water, and mountains sitting out there like they're posing for a postcard. Along the way you'll run into some of Seattle's greatest hits: the towering Seattle Great Wheel spinning over the docks, the fascinating exhibits inside the Seattle Aquarium, and enough tour boats, food stands, and seafood joints to keep a hungry traveler happy all afternoon. It's the kind of place where you start walking with no plan and suddenly realize you've been wandering for hours. And the place keeps getting better. After the old Alaskan Way Viaduct came down, Seattle started transforming the waterfront into a huge public promenade. Now there are smooth walking paths, scooter lanes, bike routes, and wide open plazas that stretch along the shoreline. Grab something to eat, hop on a scooter, wander the piers, and soak it all in especially if you're lucky enough to land one of those rare sunny Seattle days. When the sky's blue, the ferries are moving, the wheel is spinning, and the bay is sparkling... well, that's about as good as a day in the city gets.

This park is amazing! It connects Pike Place Market with the waterfront which is where I saw the…read moremajority of people enjoying it (but it actually covers 20 acres from Belltown to Pioneer Square). It's pretty thoughtfully designed with playgrounds, bike lanes, thousands of native plantings, public bathrooms, and water fountains. There's a bunch of sculptures too. There are plenty of places to sit down and enjoy the views of the water or to have a small picnic. Be sure to check out the park's website to look at upcoming events - there are food trucks, popups and markets that are held at the park. Apparently there are also sauna socials? Cool concept. Overall, this is a wonderful redevelopment of the area that used to be a busy urban roadway.