A bit tough to find if you're searching in Google Maps, as it's smack dab in the middle of a…read moreresidential neighborhood, but once you do - and navigate parking - it's a beautiful jaunt through nature. Possibly slippery when wet, as the trail is packed with leaves, it makes for a journey and an adventure in a short (or lengthy) walk. The trail is easily navigable, occasionally with wooden/metal grates, bridge-like pathways leading hikers up and over the more wet, sloshy areas. It seems to be a quiet hike through the woods, possibly most intended for those who live in the neighborhood. But it's a nice walk, peaceful and the minimal other people we saw respected distance and trail etiquette. Only slight altitude gains, which makes for easy family walks and adventuring.

I pass one of the entrances to the Schmitz Preserve Park on a regular basis but had never actually…read moregone inside until today. Just steps away from busy Admiral Way is an oasis with some of the tallest trees I've seen in West Seattle. -- From Seattle.gov: Schmitz Preserve was donated to the city in pieces between 1908 and 1912. The most generous chunk came from a German immigrant/pioneer/banker/realtor named Ferdinand Schmitz, who served on the park commission during those years. It was Schmitz's idea, as he saw how rapidly the great forest was disappearing, to preserve part of it in its natural state. Even Schmitz's land had not been completely untouched by logging, though. Some huge stumps in the park still show deep notches hacked high above the ground for the "spring-boards" on which axe men would stand to avoid having to chop through the lower root crown, the thickest and hardest part of the tree. After 1908, however, the new park rapidly gained popularity as a quiet complement to the West Seattle park complex. Except for the paved entrance and a parking lot at the northwest corner, the park has remained essentially unchanged ever since. (Edited from the files of Don Sherwood, 1916-1981, Park Historian.) --- The trails of this preserve are perfect for an after-work mini-hike or a long weekend stroll. I've heard that a neighborhood pony makes its home on a property adjacent to the preserve (but don't try to pet him! I've heard he bites!). Tonight I had a very short visit due to time, but even as the sky was starting to darken there were individuals walking the paths. Next time I will spend a couple of hours here. Easy off street parking near the Admiral Way entrance/exit makes this a no-brainer for a quick getaway to destress while still within the city limits.

This is suppose to be a waterfront public park in the city of Lake Forest Park but the town has…read moredone NOTHING to maintain the property and you can't even see the Lyon Creek because it's totally grown over by weeds and invasive brambles. The existing trees that aren't dead, are way overgrown and very little of park is accessible because of this. The beach sedimentation has built us so much along the entire shoreline and they don't want anyone swimming here at a Waterfront park. What kind of waterfront park says NO to everything. The benches on the property are all facing weeds so can't see beyond to see all of the water. Please call the City of Lake Forest Park to ask them to get this park cleaned up including dredging the shoreline!!! So sad to see what a mess this place has become. City Hall: 360-368-5440

Secluded small park off the Burke-Gilman, right next to the Sheridan Beach Club. Perfect for a…read morerest while running/biking/walking/rollerblading through Lake Forest Park. The park is small, but serene. Most of the space follows Lyon Creek under overhanging foliage, with a bench and boardwalk to enjoy. Where the creek meets the lake, there is a small dock and bench to frequent. Have not seen any salmon running up the creek as of yet, but that would make my day. Overall, it is small but extraordinarily peaceful and well restored. Good vibes only.

As one of the most unique lakes in the state, Lake Union Piers sits entirely inside the city limits…read moreand has numerous public and private piers that support houseboats, marinas, floating homes, and recreational boating. The entire setup is sort of like a front row view of the city, where one can learn visually by walking to the various piers that surround Lake Union. On select days one might see kayakers paddling next to bougie yachts, historic houseboats tied up next to ultra-modern marinas, while people watching joggers and bikers ride around the lake. On the best weather days, the view Seattle skyline is beautiful, as is the Aurora bridge, and Gas Works Park. It's not the most touristy spot, but it is a way to experience the euphoria of Seattle living while absorbing all the nature with it. Early morning summer visits are some of the best times here: crowds are sparse, the water is still, the air is clean, and one can feel the city of Seattle in all of its sensory glory.

This is such a beautiful park! On a nice day, I love walking around this park with my senior pup!…read moreThe grass is nice and green (lots of goose poop though), fun to watch the sea planes land in the water, near the wooden boats and museum. Great place to read with seating throughout the park in forms of tables, benches, and ledges. They also host events here once in awhile!

Constellation Park is an adorable section of waterfront. The sidewalk as you walk along boasts the…read more"walkway of the stars" where each constellation is formed by bronze stars on the sidewalk. The honey and I started our walk at Cormorant Cove and walked along the pathway, looking at the bronze stars of each constellation as we meandered to Alki Beach Park. While Constellation Park is more of a beach, it does hold an adorable mural next to the water station and a ton of driftwood to play on if you choose to walk down to the beach. All in all, it made for a lovely walk along the water.

This park is much larger than I gave it credit for! Paved trail throughout with stairs and…read morewheelchair access, this park goes all the way down to the water with a nice lookout point. The grounds are very well maintained and it's a great place to walk and watch the world go by. Bathrooms on site, and they were pretty damn good!

Jack Block Park Point View. My hubby and I stopped by early…read morein the morning and were blown away by the stunning view of the Seattle skyline. It felt like we had the whole place to ourselves in the quiet morning hours. The park is beautifully maintained with lush greenery and thoughtfully placed landscaping. There are also playful sculptures and art pieces that give the space a warm and creative vibe. It's a peaceful, lesser-known spot -- perfect if you're looking to escape the crowds and enjoy a slow, scenic start to your day.

This is a view of downtown Seattle, just a pull off exit on Admiral for a small stretch on the…read moreshoulder. It gives you a great view, day or night. They have a couple coin operated binoculars to see the view up close. Usually see people making out here since the mood for a makepoint point is high. Take notes if you're planning a date. There's a totem pole here for some history if you're interested. The best way to get here is to be headed uphill on Admiral. It's near impossible to reach while going downhill towards the bridge.

Don't go there. There's nothin to see, aside from trees and bushes. It was just a waste of time.read more

The Victor Steinbrueck Park is an open passive park where people come to picnic and enjoy the views…read moreof the marina and waterfront area. It is a short distance from the Pike's Place Market area. The park itself was pretty but the population of people hanging out on a nice warm day were pretty interesting. Some looked a little more like drugged out zombies and yet there were children running around enjoying the day as well. The large totem pole is one of many artistic pieces of work in this area. The iron wings are another. There were places to sit and take a look around as well as plenty of food stalls to grab a morning coffee or a bite to eat. I was not as impressed by this park as I was with the Overlook Walk which was along the way.

A couple squares of green along the northern edge of Pike Place Market, this small park recently…read morereopened in March 2025 after some renovations to improve the structural integrity of the park grounds and the underground parking below it. This park provides a little bit of open air respite from the crowds within the market, on July 4th weekend it was pretty packed with loungers, picnickers, tourists taking a break or snapping the waterfront views. Some benches and picnic tables are available. The site of the park is south of what was once the Washington State National Guard Armory built around 1909, was partially destroyed in a 1962 fire, then almost turned into high rise developments and offices during a period when Pike Place Market was proposed to be demolished, but ultimately saved by protests by "Friends of the Market". The city purchased the land on which the armory used to stand and then transferred jurisdiction of a parcel to the parks department, which designated this as "Market Park" in 1982, then renamed in honor of Victor Steinbrueck, an architect, faculty at the University of Washington, and historical preservationist of buildings in Seattle. He was known for his work in helping to design the Space Needle and his advocacy for the restoration and preservation of Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square.

A multi level park with a tennis court, playground, and a picnic area with BBQs for use in nice…read moreweather. A solid concrete trail wide enough for cyclist and walkers. Dogs are allowed in the park as I saw some people training their corgie on the field below the tennis court. Views from the top were beautiful even on this rainy day. The basketball courts were below the tennis courts. No bathrooms to see which was odd as most parks on Mercer Island have them. There was a port a potty if you have to usei it. I did and it wasn't too bad. But a reason for only 4 stars. Parking above and below at the multi leveled park. Looking forward to coming here in sunnier weather to have a picnic and or bbq or even ride a bike here. Happy Park discoveries and of course, Yelping!

Aubrey Davis Park is at the north-west corner of Mercer Island. The park is impeccably manicured…read moreand maintained. The park has tennis courts, basketball court, soccer field, children's play area, and some big wide open spaces too. There's a spot with a peekaboo distant view of Seattle; the hedges seem to be trimmed just for this purpose. This park is also the surface thoroughfare for bicyclists. For the on-foot walkers (us), we can walk onto I-90 from here. After living 30 years here, we finally walked on I-90. I highly recommend everyone to do it at least once. Pick a nice day and be cognizant of bikers vs. walkers. There is plenty of parking. This is a residential park so need to be respectful of locals.