Wildwood is a nice park hidden among the trees. They have some playground equipment for the kiddos…read moreand a fitness trail for the adults. Several of the pieces of equipment on the fitness trail are kaput, but it's still a nice place to walk through. Lots of picnic shelters that can be reserved, though some are kinda really in disrepair. The log cabin style one looks rustically nice, but there are a lot of holes in the roof. There's also a creek with easy access so you can dip your feet in on the hot days. Definitely awesome when our giant sky oppressor is in full force since you can hide under the trees, but a good option regardless of weather.

How have I not reviewed Wildwood?! My first visit was years ago, but I recently took my kids for a…read morelast summer excursion. As per usual, it was a great experience. This is a great park for the summer. It's CRAZY shaded so you don't have to worry about the slides getting hot (which is crazy because they're metal). There are two play structures - one being suited to toddlers and one to older kids. The highlight of the park is obviously the creek. It was a warm day and I dressed my kids accordingly because I knew they'd play in the water! Annnnnnddd they did. I'm glad that they did because it's a great element to the park. I don't think this'll be a fall season park choice, but for warmer days, it is THE spot. Worth the visit! There's also trails surrounding the park if you're looking for a little oasis tucked into the city.

One of the best dog parks we've been to! The group of people who show up regularly around 4pm have…read morean established friendly pack of playmates (dogs). Very clean and easy to get to.

This is a beautiful park with lots of trails but the dog part of it is not very good. It's kind of…read moresmall and doesn't have any grass really. Maybe a very small section in the back but it's all beauty bark. So they get it all in their hair. Plus there was no water available, just a creek in the park area

A MUST when visiting Mt. Rainier / Crystal Mountain resort - it was the perfect way to admire what…read morethe wifey had just accomplished, running down the gigantic mountain, the ride up is about 10 - 15mins, all worth it!!! breath taking views of Mt. Rainier, do dress accordingly, it was pretty windy and about 10 degrees colder up on the mountain. there is a restaurant/restrooms observation chairs and a beer garden at the top! but the view!!! stunning, the greens/whites/ snow peak colors with the sky blue in the background. as usual parking could be hit or miss, they do have several parking lots but the closest one to the gandola ( the paved one ) is on the smaller side, they have other lots designated by letters ( which also unpaved ) Info on Gondola here: https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/things-to-do/activities/mt-rainier-gondola

We were recently traveling with our dog in the area so we had to take her on the pet friendly Mt…read more Rainier Gondola. Even though the weather didn't agree with us, we still had an enjoyable time. We purchased our tickets online a few days ahead because you get a better price that way. Each ticket is good for two separate rides. We arrived just after 10 in the morning and it was grey and overcast. The sky was very cloudy and there was a foggy mist over the mountains. It was lovely but not the best weather for sight seeing. We went ahead and rode up the mountain and back and it was fun but as you can guess the views weren't great from the gondola. About half the ride it was just like being inside frosted glass and all we could see was grey. We stayed at the top for a while but the winds were to fierce for our pup so we headed back down and spent some time eating, shopping and enjoying the area. We were hoping the weather would clear up later in the afternoon. Unfortunately for us, Mother Nature had other plans and it was cool, foggy and totally overcast all day. I wasn't even really that disappointed though because it was just so beautiful being there. It was honestly my favorite kind of weather. On our second ride, we did try riding the famous "Green Gondola". We had seen other people waiting for it on our earlier ride and asked a staff member what it was all about. They said it was just a replacement gondola so it didn't match the others exactly and we kind of laughed at how silly it is but people love things that are unique. There was no line, so we gave it a go and I'm here to tell you that it didn't part the clouds and I haven't won the lottery since riding it :) Sorry to say it is just like the red ones. Even with the weather, we made a really nice day of it and if you haven't seen this area, I would definitely recommend giving the gondola a try. I think next time we will probably risk the higher prices at the gate to make sure the weather is cooperating for the ride.

Went here to celebrate my grandma's birthday with the whole family! Super cute and nice park with…read morespace to spread out away from other people. There were some weirdos there, but nothing that made me feel unsafe with my younger cousins!

I saw this park on the map while pulling up GPS when I was leaving my house - that's how you know…read moreit's super close to me! Had it not been for that, I probably wouldn't have heard of this beautiful park. It's in a super random spot, easy to miss. There's a large parking lot with lots of lighting, so it feels pretty safe. When you're in the parking lot you can see a large bridge but not much else, so you don't really understand how large it is until you get past the bridge! There's a large playground with quite a few play structures - a larger one for older kids, a climbing area, and a smaller play structure for toddlers. Beyond the play structure, there's quite a bit of paved walking trail that loops around the park. Since this is a garden park, there's lots of flowers and stuff to look at while you're on the trail. There's covered picnic areas, as well as grills too! I thought this park was brand new with how well-manicured it is and how nice the playgrounds are, but it was actually built in 2018! If you're in the area this park is definitely worth the stop - especially if you have kids!

The Yelp entry here that says "Puyallup Trail" appears to be the bike and walking path that goes to…read morethe west of downtown. It goes along the Puyallup River and is pleasant but isn't quite as scenic as the trail that is called on Yelp the Riverwalk Trail which also goes along the Puyallup River near Sumner. To me and from the signage when on the trail it seems like one and the same to me but Yelp seems to have separate entries for the trail that goes east and the trail that goes west. The western side of the trail has a relatively smooth surface and during fishing season lots of fisherman come here to fish for salmon. The westerly direction of the trail does have lots of homeless people along it and most of the time they are harmless but a friend who is a fisherman and comes here to fish has had uncomfortable situations with them here on and around the trail so if you go by yourself through here it's good to be aware and cautious and maybe a good idea to have someone else tag a long with you if you are able to.

Pretty paved trail along Puyallup river. It's a good trail for distance running, walking and…read morebiking. I love the length because I can do my long runs here and get all my mileage in! I gave it only 3 stars because it's not always the "safest" trail..I always feel uneasy about leaving my car parked there because there are so many nooks and crannies for people To hide out and wait for you to go far down the trail so they can break in..the trail is a little trashy because kids and homeless people like to just litter. There are a couple spots along the river where there are tarps hanging off trees like a homeless person put up for shelter..so that makes me nervous when I'm alone with my daughter in the stroller..always carry something to protect yourself on this trail. I haven't heard of any crimes, but it just doesn't always feel safe. There are easy spots where someone could jump you from out of bushes etc. sometimes you might get a couple "off" characters walking on this trail so just watch and be vigilant.

A little hidden gem. Went over twice to off leash my dogs in private. Fairly secluded. Hike further…read moredown and you'll see the freeway and the Tacoma Dome. Great walking spot. Definitely will come again.

I arrived a little early in the area and needed a place to burn some time - enter McKinley park…read more This is a fairly large park in the McKinley neighborhood and bumps up against I5. There are several trails to walk on along with an off-leash dog park. It was raining cats & dogs on the day I went, so I just kinda followed along with the trees to use nature's umbrella. Seems like this place would be lovely on hot days as well! Near the freeway I found some very, very old looking pillars, kinda like they used to mark an entrance or something? Most certainly older than I5? My research says yes! Land was gifted by the Tacoma Land & Improvement Company in 1901 and the area went from "East Park" to McKinley, named after the president. McKinley park is one of the oldest parks in Tacoma network and it was reduced in size to put the freeway in in the 1960s so the pillars definitely are a relic of the past. The trails have some elevation to them, but they're really not bad. Good to get a little exercise in! Trails were covered in leaves when I went, but clearly well maintained. I didn't see any fishies in the pond, but the different layers of leaves in the water made it really pretty! I'm very curious what this looks like during the spring time. The closer you get to the freeway the louder it gets (duh), but if you can tune that out this is a really great park! I've seen some complaints about the parking situation. I'm unclear what we're "officially" supposed to do, I didn't see a lot or anything with the direction I went so I just dumped the car a few blocks away in the neighborhood and walked.

I frequently visit Bellevue but never knew about this garden until lately. It's such a gem and…read moretranquil place to visit. The peaceful atmosphere is just so beautiful and relaxing I felt I was away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I even spotted deers! There's no admission fee. Washrooms are available. Parking is free.

For some reason I don't remember coming to Bellevue Botanical Gardens before even though after…read morelooking at my check in count on Yelp it says I have been here twice. I also didn't have a review for the place previously which over time kind of convinced myself I never came here before. Even after exploring around I didn't really remember anything from before. So regardless if this is my first time or a refresher visit I paid a visit here recently. There is no entrance fee but there is a suggested donation. The little shop here is cute! There are several different sectors to these botanical gardens. Probably my favorite was one area with a lot of plants in bloom. Another area was a bit more wild and took me to a suspension foot bridge. I went across the bridge twice but kind of got a touch of vertigo as it is kind of high and the bridge wobbles a little as you walk. It's perfectly safe... it's just me and having a fear of heights. There are pleasant and tranquil water features as you wonder around and there was one with a pond with koi that I got in a short video. These gardens are very nice to kind of "get lost" in as you bond with nature and hopefully have a bit of peace with your thoughts from everyday life at least for a little while.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. I'd say Wapato Park is a decent place to go…read morefor a walk along the trailhead, especially around the lake. There's a dock and pedestrian bridge area where many people fish or disembark from a boat. There's also plenty of picnic areas, pergolas, and grassy areas with shade where you can take food, read, or just have a conversation and relax. I also observed a dog park in close proximity as well as unleash areas in and around the park. My only complaint was that I had an encounter with a gaggle of aggressive geese that left me kind of uneasy, but other than that, it was a fairly calm environment.

I like walking so I don't mind to explore new place. My husband recommended me this park because he…read morespent his childhood with his siblings over there. It's about 3 or 4 miles if you go around that lake park. We walked in a sunny day, weather was so nice. You can have picnics with your family or friends , why not?

Had the dogs in the car for hours and it was time to let them out, Discovered this park was right…read morearound the corner, so we headed there and it's lovely. Geese were laying in the field, the lake was quiet, kids and their parents were playing in the playground, and people were sitting out in the pergola with picnic benches, enjoying the last days of summer. We walked the loop and the dogs go to sniff and pee to their hearts' content. The only reason why they lost a star ws because of the large amount of goose poop and the kids screaming in the playground kinda got to me, which is not the park's fault, but it's also part of my experience, so know that if you want to visit.

This is my favorite park. You can take a peaceful walk…read morearound the lake, spend quality time with the kids at the playground, and enjoy being close to nature. It's always a joy to watch ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and other wildlife along the way. Such a lovely place to relax, slow down, and enjoy time together as a family