Can't wait to go back this year !!! From how friendly everyone is to how seclude and safe you feel…read morethis place to me is a little piece of heaven.

BE AWARE that because the trees hide the sunset, there isn't much daylight for sunbathing in the…read moreevening and the temperature can drop. From a little parking spot on the side of the road, there is a steep route down. There is no parking if you drive down closer to the park. There is no restroom at this location, and the path is not ADA accessible. The clothing-optional beach is a short further down the path. Because there are no public nudist signs, most people appear to wait until they get to the beach to change. The beach was incredibly welcoming and inclusive. I didn't see anyone going in and out of the woods together as I did at some of the other nudist beaches, but whatever your plans are, stay careful and have fun!

This is the "Secret Beach" in Seattle, not to be confused with "Hidden Beach." It's by Silshole Bay…read morein Ballard. You can discover it by finding the Ballard Lion's Club, since it is right behind it. You cannot park in their lot so be cool and park on the street. A comment left on a story on "Secret Beach" said just remember that the secret beach is actually private property. Public access is not permitted before sunrise or after sunset. So don't linger too long after sunset and don't hassle the owners if they ask you to leave after hours. Do not try to sit on the beach after dark, it is patrolled. Word to the wise, do not park in the lots of the buildings adjacent to the beach, they are private property and they will tow. Park on the street." But still, this is a great spot. Good for enjoying the fresh air, taking some beautiful photos and feeding the ducks. But since it is a "Secret Beach," try not to tell anyone please.

This is actually just to the south of the Ballard Elks Lodge #827 at 6411 Seaview Ave NW. Behind…read moreWest Marine.

Nice park in a really accessible location. Most of the trails are short and sweet. A little noisy…read morethough, no facilities, and is pretty difficult to find a parking spot. This is maybe a good place to bring a friend or two but you're going to need a 8+ car park if you want to get a family barbecue going.

My new favorite spot. Great atmosphere, swell entertainment and best part... never closes!read more

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.

Its's not worth the effort *for a day trip*... cant speak for camping. Coming from Tacoma for a 2…read morehr drive with 45 minutes of it being an insanely precarious road and then a 5 mile "hike" which is a walk on a dirt road, not to mention the lottery system and the instructions on how to even visit... I was expecting A LOT more! The pools were small! Thankfully one group was leaving as we arrived so there was only 3 other people hanging out with us. Otherwise, it would have been SO cramped! My husband couldn't even stretch out and hes 6 foot. If you've never experienced nature/spa or are not from WA then I guess you might enjoy this, but I wouldn't do it again. Pros: caretakers are super nice, seems like guests are all going to be friendly and respectful, area is VERY well kept and clean, pools are cool despite being small, temps are great, "hike" is boring but easy! Cons: way too much boring effort to get here (especially for a day trip), pools are very small, last part of road to get to the parking lot is VERY rugged... you NEED a high clearance vehicle and someone who can navigate huge potholes/trees/ debris, etc. "Hike" is boring but easy!

We heard about this natural hotsprings in its super remote location in North Bend and just had to…read moretry it! It is a preserved miner's hotsprings that is on private land and is completely run by volunteers with the exception of a few individuals who are paid to make reservations and live on the grounds year-round. It is not easy to get reservations here especially with the pandemic. Once they were able to open this summer they started returning calls and we were lucky enough to be able to reserve the hotsprings for a small group of less than 5 people on a Monday. The fee was reasonable at 20 per person and they included detailed directions and instructions on getting to and using this facility. The drive in is no joke, seriously. We live in North Bend and are familiar with that area as we hike many of the trails over there frequently but we did not plan enough time for the 5 mile non paved road. Even thought it's only 5 miles it is VERY rough with lots and lots of potholes and difficult washed out patches that our Xterra made it up but might be difficult for other cars. Once we made it to the Dingford trailhead parking lot we left our car and started the 5 mile hike to the hotsprings. It's a really beautiful walk without much elevation gain through the forest and along the river but it is very rocky so your feet and toes will definitely get a beating. We kept up a good pace with around a 15 min/mile walk so we made it there in about 1.5 hours. We rang the bell and were greeted by the host who was very informative and pleasant. We signed our release forms and headed up to the springs for a beautiful and relaxing 4 hour time slot of enjoying the 3 different (but small) pools and the picnic table for lunch. It is also right at the top of a waterfall so you can sit out and enjoy the view and relax when you get tired of soaking. There is a cave where the hot water emerges that used to be open but is currently closed due to COVID concerns. The pool this hot water spills into is the hottest and really can only hold 2 people and then this pool spills into a larger one where 4 of us sat comfortably. There is also a cold one with river water which made for a great plunge. We really enjoyed our stay and had a great lunch at the picnic tables (no garbage sites so plan to pack in and pack out everything you bring). They also had non flushing porta potties you can use with one at the top by the hotsprings and a couple others at the bottom by the campground which is currently closed due to the pandemic. The campground is usually open year-round though and we are really looking forward to coming up during the fall or spring sometime. The five mile return hike is definitely tough especially with your feet being soft from soaking. I recommend you bring an extra pair of socks and maybe even consider sitting out for the last half hour or so and let your feet dry out before the return hike..my tootsies were pretty blistery when we returned!

Right under the I-90 bridge, this small park is a great place on Lake Washington to watch the boats…read morego by or just relax after a long walk/jog.

Lawton Park is the epitome of a neighborhood park and contains two play structures and little…read moreleague field. It's a bit of an odd trek entering in on 26 Ave as it's a significantly steep climb. Leaving past Williams Avenue also doesn't look on the map like the trail goes through the woods, but boy does it and those mildly creepy woods spit you out right onto 29th Ave. The park itself was incredibly clean and while it didn't boast much seating or culture (the one star loss), it does seem to be aimed at the Elementary School age since it nearly adjoins Lawton Elementary School. I could easily see the school using the field for their local team. For the most part Lawton Park is probably meant only as a park for the school and locals, and doesn't seem to be aimed at being anything other than a children's recreation area so unless you're bringing children here, it's probably not going to be your cup of tea.

Very much a neighborhood park, as parking is non-existent and somewhat confusing. Surrounded by…read moreneighborhood homes, this space of trails is great for a simple stroll. We picked up coffee and made our way to the pond to see the "wildlife" (beavers), and we're met with the usual ducks, heron. Some pathways have creative art installations, which are fun to find and view as you continue your way around. Many small trail-ways weave through the park that is mostly set on and around the pond. Views in the autumn are beautiful as leaves change color and reflect in the water below.

Meadowbrook Pond is quite large. My mom, a couple friends, and I explored here when I was growing…read moreup before swim practice at the neighboring Meadowbrook Pool. At those times we we didn't make it much farther than the bridge just past the entrance/exit on 35th Avenue NE. More recently on 23 June 2020 my mom and I revisited the pond to explore past the bridge. We were both pleasantly surprised how big the pond is and appreciated the trails/bridges across and around the pond. Bridges/walking platforms extend across the pond enabling you to get closer to the wildlife living in and visiting the pond. From little fish to adult ducks to ducklings to Herons and red-winged blackbirds, there was much to watch and look for around the water when we visited. Ducklings were with their mama foraging for food around the edge of the pond. In another stretch of the pond ducks were sun bathing and resting. Around the outside of the pond are trails through the vegetation surrounding the pond. The paths we walked were paved and the trees provided shade away from the sunshine which was starting to bake our skin so felt nice. Be on the look out for various rodents including squirrels and bunnies as well as birds including Robins on these walks. Placards strategically placed throughout the park provide basic information about the ecology of the pond and some of the interconnected human-wildlife-land history. I especially liked the maps provided of the pond and reflective refuge in an informational pavilion. Fun to have maps in more than one medium! An enjoyable place to come for a stroll over the water and through the trees where one can savor the wildlife of Seattle.