Peace at 5:31 AM. This place is unusually loud but early in the morning brings a sense of peace.read more

"Excuse me, how do we get to the ocean?"…read more I was standing at a corner near Westlake Park waiting for the light to turn when a lady and her daughter came up to me and asked me this question. I pointed them towards Elliott Bay. We were definitely nowhere near the Pacific Ocean but I was pretty sure they wanted to get to the waterfront. I chuckled a little after they went on their merry way. It was an organic, human connection that happened during my lunch break. This wasn't the first time someone came up to me and asked me for directions. I kinda expect it when I'm around the retail/hotel district. I'm ok helping folks out; it's a test of my own navigational skills. When my cousins and I were kids we used to run through the park's water fountain. They shut the water off years ago though. They say it's broken but I think people bathed in it or used it as a toilet. Blech. Supposedly they're going to remove this art piece and make way for a redesign. Westlake Mall used to have an outdoor patio overlooking the park. You used to have an aerial view of the Salish basket weave pattern. Then the mall got rid of the top floor food court and decided to close off the patio section. Unless you work in a nearby building it's hard to view the public art's entirety. Kitty corner from the park on 4th & Pine is a building where The Bon Marché used to be. Every winter they would install a giant star on the SE corner of that building. It's lit up to brighten the dark days. Walking past this building always reminded me of the Day-O, One Day Sale jingle. They hold special events and activities year round. They also host food trucks during the workweek. It's easy to get here. Just take the bus to Westlake Center or the light rail to Westlake Station. Side note: If you have time, check out the 80-foot Sequoia Tree a block away. Man In Tree made it popular :) Also, if you're looking for free brochures and visitor guides they have stands at the Convention Center Arch Building, Pike Place Market, the Seattle Ferry Terminal, and King Street Station.

Lots of equipment to work out on. Fun play structures for kids to run around and explore,…read moreespecially the rope tower in the middle. In Sept, wading pool was drained. Clean park. Plenty of benches, a grill, and trash cans that are never overflowing (changed regularly). Great park

Despite the shootings, I love this park. It's really big and has a wading pool, which is a great…read moreoption in the summer and parking is so easy. The bathrooms are decent and centrally located within the park. They have a fitness station for runners/adults, and it has a paved path so kids on scooters and bikes can loop around. I love that the park is split into under 5s and 5+, so kids can enjoy the different offerings without being frustrated. There is a ton of grassy space for picnics, benches, picnic tables, and even grills. There's really something for everyone here, and I love bringing my kids.

Absolutely epic play structure located at Seattle Center. My kids could play here for hours!…read more The Artists at Play playground is both an art installation and a play structure. This thing towers in comparison to most playgrounds. Beware- it's not your average climbing structure. Make sure to help your kids or watch them closely. Some other parts of the play area seemed broken, like a musical-type plaything, and a weird pit with gravel in it that seemed unfinished. These didn't really impact our experience too much though. Overall, a very cool playground in a safe and clean area. Lots of do around Seattle Center too, so you'll be busy before, during, and after your visit to Artists at Play!

Amazing playground. We came during the cold month of December and so many kids were out here having…read morefun. My daughter who is 4.5 years old thoroughly enjoyed this playground. The museum Nextdoor has a cafe on the lower level where you can get drinks, food, and use the bathroom. The armory is also not too far away.

We have been to yhis park quite a few times and it is always busy. But is a good thing because kids…read moreenjoy it except for the jellyfish body which gets packed!! Difficult for kids to get to the top. Plenty of different kind of games. That is fantastic because this.makes unique this park. Great view and addition to this walk through piers. Restrooms are so cool and clean. Be sure to get in theough the right side. Usually a line.

Beautiful, pure and super clean It's right next to the…read moreSeattle aquarium It's an open plaza with a marine themed jellyfish playground & a turf lawn. A great place for the little ones to play I saw so many families having a great time. I loved how Open and clean this pier was.

Beautiful playground but it is EXTREMELY busy especially on nice days. The past few times I've gone…read moreit seems like there's somehow more adults than children in the playground area. It's too crowded for my liking especially when parking seems impossible- either no parking stalls or the stalls are too tight. Since my kid loves the playground I will only plan to come on weekdays or when it is not overly crowded.

Really nice playground in the park. Was there on a Tuesday from 5-6pm and it was pretty lively. The…read morepark had a few different play structures accommodating the little ones to bigger kids. The park was clean and safe, people seemed friendly. Pretty diverse demographic. Spoke to a parent from the area who grew up in the neighborhood and he really likes the park. Also mentioned that Bellevue is a very good community for families.

Ward Springs Park can definitely be classified as a neighborhood children's park and can be walked…read moreend to end in less than a minute. Largely meandering uphill, it boasts a built in sandbox and a cute (although somewhat dated) children's play area. Unless you're rolling several children deep, this park probably isn't for you, as there's really no area to sit or to enjoy the view outside of the walkway walls. All in all, while it's not as welcoming a space as Bhy Kracke Park due to the lack of seating, it's still pretty cute nonetheless.

This is a great park that is almost always empty. From this park you have a great view of downtown…read moreSeattle as it as it sits up on a hill. There's a play structure, a tire swing, a sandpit with communal toys, and a small grassy area. The only downside is that it's a really small park, with a small footprint. It's setback from the street so it feels really private, despite the fact that it's surrounded on all sides with not much distance separating it. Part of this is also because there's a barn structure which separates the park from 4th Ave North. There's also a cool curved path that goes down which my son loves to scooter down.

Overlook Walk is beautiful. Bridging Downtown with the Waterfront. Built where the viaduct used to…read morestand you can leave Pike Place Market and head down to the Waterfront. Or, if you just want to take a moment, sit, relax, take in the view. There are multiple ways to access and get through here. Stairs connect you, much like other sections of the city. There are ramps as well, but if you are looking to access either way quickly, use the elevator. I used the stairs to go down, but I was not going to be doing that going up. I utilized the elevator to go up. I had don' way too much walking and don't think I could take one more flight of stairs. Sitting on top of one of the buildings for the Seattle Aquarium you can get some pretty amazing views. However, get here as soon as you can because seats are choice and hard to come by. A nice architectural piece to add to the city and Waterfront area. The connectivity to the city this gives is so important. I was able to make it from my hotel to the Waterfront without having to worry about crossing a busy road.

Overlook Walk has some of the best views of Seattle that I have seen!!…read more It's located right behind Pike Place Market!! The views of Elliot Bay, Downtown Seattle, Mount Rainier, and beyond are spectacular!! You can take the stairs all the way down to the waterfront. And there are a lot of stairs here, but there are also plenty of places to sit and relax along the way. I was here on a very warm, sunny day, so I could see everything!! There is also a little cafe here!! So, if you're hanging out in Pike Place Market, make sure to check out this awesome local landmark!!

Great park with plenty of green space. The Asian Art museum and the conservatory are located in…read morethis park too. There is parallel parking within the park. There's a stage for small concert with bathrooms and water nearby. There always seems to be some organized event going on here, sports or hobbies related. There are also tennis or pickleball courts and a playground

Smackdab right in the middle of Seattle, this park is a treasure! In addition to the wide open…read morespaces, trees, and fountains, the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum are also located here. If you want to see a good view of Seattle, check out the Volunteer Park Water Tower's observation deck in the southeast corner of Volunteer Park right on top of Capitol Hill. There's no elevator so be prepared to climb the 107 stairs to the top and be rewarded with 360-degree view of Seattle! There are bars and fencing at the windows though, which does detract a little from the experience. Between the windows are informational signs about Seattle's history. I'll be back to check out the art museum and the conservatory in the future!