After a blueberry muffin at Wildflour Bakery and Cafe this morning, Sunday 28 May 2023, I decided…read moreto get a little on-foot exploring in and adventure to Salmon Bay Park. When I arrived around 8:37 a.m., there were a few dog walkers out. There is a large playground area and paved trails through grassy areas with trees. I noticed some normal swings as well as what looked like a zipline swing. I walked over to check it out and sure enough it was a zipline swing. Figuring out how to use it, I opted for a sitting approach since I have sustained a head trauma in the past that I did not want to replicate. It was fun to use, and I was relieved it did not get going too fast. Dismounting once the swing started slowing down was without incident as well. While in the playground area, I heard a Northern flicker (a type of woodpecker) calling and looked up to see if I could find it. What I saw was a Cooper's hawk up high in a tree. In our backyard the Cooper's hawks like to chase after the flickers. I exclaimed out loud "a Cooper's hawk" and an American crow on the ground not too far from me cawed and looked at me. The hawks also chase them in our backyard. The hawk flew off before too long and the handsome crow when back to foraging in the grass. A restroom building in the trailed area of the park has running water and soap. I made sure to wash my hands after using the swing on the playground. The building and grounds of the park were well-maintained.

My son is obsessed with this park!! We visited it every day of our vacation in Seattle, and even…read morethough we've long since returned home, he asks all the time if we can go back to the park with the diggers. That's right, there's a tremendous sand pit with "community" diggers available for everyone's use. This says a lot about the general public's use and value of this park. It was really sweet to see the local kids descend on this park and run rampant for 10 minutes until the school bus came. The whole feel of this park takes me back to when I was what is now called a "free range kid." My husband and I also really enjoyed the zip line (who says it's just for kids?!) and didn't even get half of a side-eye for doing our body weight workouts on the play structure while our son played.

Wallingford Playfield is the main park in the namesake neighborhood where mostly families take…read moretheir children for some play time. There are also some areas for Basketball & Tennis. Wallingford Playfield is mostly a wide-open field where students from the nearby high school are often practicing field games, usually Frisbee and Soccer. When these activities aren't taking place, it's often a unofficial off leash park for dogs of the neighborhood to run and play through the park. There is a playground that looks fairly new and well-kept that children are often on. On the back side of the park are some tables where folks can sit and maybe have a picnic. Presently there is a petition posted around the neighborhood to save the park as it's at risk of being redone as an official field for the schools. The biggest issue is that the field will be changed to artificial turf. There is a website that goes into all the details and hopes to preserve the park. Personally, I think the Park is fine as is but have not strong opinion on the matter. As it stands Wallingford Playfield is a nice park that I enjoy walking through occasionally.

What a lovely neighborhood wading pool. What I lived from here is that everybody knows each other…read morefrom preeschol or Kindergarten making it super fun for little ones when they find each other at the park. Big parties enjoy the swing at the playground. It also has a great drum station. Very attractive for toddlers. Kids will also hang out by the climbing net. A lot of movement for sure. Lots of kids. Some of them were in summer camps with their guides :) Restrooms just steps aside the pool. Loved that there is a "deeper" part so todds can swim. Everyone is friendly. Benches around to sit and watch. But it can be tricky to find shade sometimes. Just 2 sits :S It also has a kind of beach for babies. There is plenty of room to run down the park. Green grass makes it nice :) Street next to the park can be closed for neighbors only. Parking was no problem though.

Cowen Park is the small non wooded area that is to the west end of Ravenna Park. I'm not quite sure…read morewhy there's a delineation of the two parks as they're contiguous, but whatever. There's a grassy open field and a playground located here. The playground has the usual swings, climbing bars, slide, etc. There's also picnic tables and barbecues for a nice lunch or dinner outdoors. For washroom facilities, there are portable toilets. When it's nice, you can just set a blanket out in the grass and lie down. If you want to do some light hiking, check out the trails at Ravenna Park. There are a lot of birds and other wildlife, attracted to the nearby creek. I did see some tents set up today, not sure how temporary they are, but none of the parkgoers seemed to bother each other.

Cowen Park is located in a quiet neighborhood in the Ravenna area close to the University of…read moreWashington and Green Lake. It's the left portion of the park that is attached to Ravenna Park and the ravine that goes through it. It's smaller than Ravenna Park (only 8.4 acres compared to 50 acres) but there's still plenty of space for all your activities. There are lots of grassy areas for outdoor leisure and a kids playground. There's a path that goes the length of the park that many people use for strolls, jogging, and biking. It's a nice and peaceful park for relaxation and sunbathing.

A bite sized neighborhood park. Mainly just two benches, some trees and grass. Even though it's…read moresmall, it's cute to have some extra green space in a big traffic circle. Not necessarily worth a trip out of the way, but it's a nice stop if you're passing by and want to check out some views. The park is maintained by Seattle Parks and Recreation.

A cute neighborhood park, I love to sit on the bench and enjoy the city views. It's small, but a…read morenice green space and not too busy.

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.

Located just outside of the Seattle Public Library, the Ballard Commons Park feels like less of a…read moretraditional park and more of a casual community gathering space. It serves many roles -- part municipal hub, part skate bowl, part public art venue, and during the summer months, transforms into a splash pad to help folks cool off. It is a true reflection of the Ballard neighborhood, which has something for everyone, good and bad. The good: :: Local skaters are very into the skateboard bowl, which is fully integrated into the public plaza design. :: The hours are from 4:00AM-11:30PM. That's basically a nap short of 24 hours in my book. :: Public art, that is free and showcases a local artist is always a good thing. :: West coast summer are some of the best in the country. The splash pad is a nice addition, even if it doesn't feel that hot. (#1) :: ADA accessible walkways. Inclusive access means there's an ease of movement for everyone. The bad: :: While having an onsite bathroom is a wonderful thing, it's not so good when it's not properly maintained. Foulness is not good, especially when there isn't any toilet paper or much of a working faucet. :: The homeless is a given, but things can get dodgy when there are youngins present. :: While the playground ("The Cove") was recently introduced as of last year with the ship theme, zip line, slides, rope ladders, but it's incredibly small. It is nautical play, but not something great if there's a lot of youngins present. :: It has been said that there is a lot of outdoor seating, but I was only able to find a handful of seats walls, stone benches, and little options in the shade. :: Park ranger or police patrols nearby? Not that I could see. __________ (#1) I live in Texas. That's hot.

Small flowers including daisies, clover, and buttercups were in bloom when I visited Ballard…read moreCommons Park yesterday, Sunday 28 May 2023. I arrived on the morning side of noon and explored a little on foot as well as sat on one of the benches to just take in the sun. Large grassy areas abutted a skate park and water spray area. By the skate park was an active musician, a Seattle Parks and Recreation tent, and a number of colorful sitting tables with chairs. Both porta-pottis and a metal restroom building were available for use next to a water fountain. An orca mural was painted on a small building in the west side of the park and lights lined paved walkways from above.

The Sunset Hills strawberry shortcake is nothing short of spectacular: tender, buttery biscuits,…read moreperfectly softened and lightly sweetened, layered with juicy, sugar‑mac­erated strawberries, and topped with billowy freshly whipped cream. Each bite delivers bright fruit contrast and melt‑in‑your-mouth texture. It's elegant yet unpretentious--the ideal summer dessert. Astonishingly, it manages to outshine even the breathtaking view of Puget Sound and the soothing ocean breeze drifting in from the water. As the sun dips low and the air cools, the shortcake becomes more than just dessert--it's the highlight of the evening.

Hi yelp, Yes, its a…read moregreat place to take photos,play games, and have a picnic! Thank you for reading and taking photos annually!

This is a small green space with open grass and two large maple trees right next to the Columbia…read moreBranch of the Seattle Public Library and the PCC Community Market. There's not many amenities other than some art, trash receptacles, and park benches (so no playground or bathrooms), but it's nice place to stroll through or sit down and enjoy ice cream from near by Molly Moon's or a sandwich from PCC. During the summer, the Columbia City Farmers Market, SEEDArt Summer Series, and Honk! Fest West use this space to hold their events, so this place can get quite busy. I did notice that parking appears to be limited to street parking, so good thing that this park is within walking distance from the 1 line light rail station (just a couple minutes walk).

Columbia Park is a nice little green space area right off of Rainier. Once you're in the park there…read moreare enough buildings to help block the road noise and it's a fairly nice place to be. This park definitely isn't a destination, but if you're already here it's a nice place to get some fresh air. The library borders the park so it can be nice to do both if you're in the area.