It's not a fun park unless you're a kid. Then it's a blast with a playground that has those weird…read morecircular htings that swing you around with your weight and other fancy playground items. But this park is more about the sunset. I was in town as a day trip and the weather was so nice that I wanted to check out the sunset. We sat there people watching on the bench as the sun started sinking over the water. People walked out down the pier and it made for really nice pictures. Once the sun went down, people left because there was a chill in the air, but until that moment, the sunset was magical. Definitely glad we hung around for twilight.

Washington Park is beautiful. The scenic loop is a great drive (go slow 10 mph there are…read morepedestrians on the paved road too). There are spots for cars to park on the loop to enjoy the view (and a disability parking spot). Take advantage of the easy and beautiful access to epic views of Burrows Island and the pass at this park before getting on the ferry to the San Juan islands or staying in Anacortes.

When I'm in the mood for some gorgeous views over Anacortes, Cap Sante Park is one of my go-to…read morespots. Perched high on a point across the harbor from downtown, it's the perfect spot to take it all in. And with its northerly views, you can not only watch the boats arrive at the marina far below, but peer across the mountains for breathtaking sunny day views of Mount Baker, too. It also has a "lover's lane" vibe, so I'll give it an extra star for romance potential. There are a view benches, as well as rocky outperches, to sit and ponder all the beauty. Fall potential is high, so I wouldn't let little ones wander around on their own here. Parking can be a hassle on sunny days.

Went during a sunset and it was spectacular. Even saw a rainbow. There were parking spots when we…read moregot there though it was also a lot of people concerning it was already past 9PM. Wonderful views of the marina and the islands! And beautiful Mountain views.

Some great views with good hiking trails…read more Can get windy so you might want to bring a coat

Mount Erie Park had well maintained trails when I visited on Thursday 15 June 2023. The sun was…read moreout, though not in full force, and the trees provided some shade and protection from the sun. Rays still made it through the canopy to the trails. When I arrived around 10:10 a.m., I found one parking spot so snatched it up. Just up from the parking lot was an informational pavilion with maps of the trail system. Even with taking a picture I did not quite make it to the top. The trails I traversed were marked by a trail number as opposed to a destination and/or distance marking approach. I did not find this entirely discouraging, however I had come for a drive to a viewpoint I had heard about and missed that entirely. I turned around after about 20 minutes of hiking and went back to my car. The portion of the hike I took up the mountain got my heart pounding. One of the highlights of my visit was a caterpillar I found dancing on a mushroom on a log along the side of one of the trails.

A gorgeous washington gem :)…read more It's easy to spend a day exploring here - beaches? Foresty hikes? An amazing bridge? You got it. An adventurer's paradise! About an hour and half from Seattle so it's doable as a day trip!

Mother nature mixed with the military…read more Beautiful state park (don't forget your Discover Pass) on the north end of Whidbey Island. Great beaches for long walks and family outings. The far south end is particularly great for finding sea glass. Be sure to bring ear plugs with you when you are at the south border of the beach. This is where you will meet up with one of the runways of the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, home of the EA-18G Growler electronic attack squadrons. The noise pollution has been part of many lawsuits for years. The Navy has rejected a proposal to move its Growler electronic attack squadrons to a base in Southern California., so the noise issue isn't going away any time soon. If you have ear plugs, it's actually quite a sight to see the growlers take off.

Causland Park in Anacortes is a worthy little gem to visit. After so many years of visiting…read moreAnacortes, I spotted it on Google maps and dropped by. Intriguing. John Baptiste LePage (1857-1939) is the French-Canadian artist and architect who designed this unique memorial park, built from 1919 to 1921. It is now a registered national historic place. The plaque at the front of the gazebo/stage centerpiece dedicates the park in honor of Harry Leon Causland and the "brave sons of Fidalgo Guemes Decatur and Cypress Islands... who gave their lives in the Great War... 1917-1919." A second war memorial has been added with places to honor those who lost their lives in subsequent wars - World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Ominously, a spot sits empty on this memorial, as if to await the names from the Afghanistan 20 years war that just ended (or did it?). While the park has clearly been updated, it's quite clear what is original vs. what is new. The original portions feature different colors of stone mosaics forming 3-dimensional designs with an architectural style that favor non-angular, non-edged designs. At certain angles, they resemble Park Güell in Barcelona, i.e., the work of Antoni Gaudi. This park is lovingly well maintained. While I do not suggest driving to Anacortes just to visit this small park, I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area.

Nice park ..lots of character, beautiful trees. Fun for…read moredogs on a leash. This is a memorial park.. Very spiritual.

Seafarers Memorial Park has the quintessential marina, industry and ocean views that PNW folk tend…read moreto love. Clean single use bathrooms, water fill up, recycling and garbage. Perfect spot to stretch before the ferry!

Great place to stretch your legs. It has a nice kelp smell and a breeze…read more It is best on a sunny day, but take what you get in this state.

This was my first camping trip to Bay View in years, and my very first in the winter months. We're…read moreworking hard on our goal to camp at least once a month in 2023, so this not-too-far spot seemed like a great spot to check out on a blustery January weekend. We were lucky to snag a partial hookup (power/water) site in the first loop (sites 1-9), which features views of the bay. The campground host was kind enough to help guide us as we backed in our new trailer, which is a LOT bigger than our old one! Soon enough we were snug in our site and all hooked up. The loop eventually filled up for the weekend and was very quiet. While our site didn't have a sewer hookup, there's a dump station at the park which is free for overnight campers. There's not a lot to do at this park, it's pretty small. But the beach is gorgeous, with nighttime views across the bay to the eerily gorgeous refineries to the west. We didn't do much exploring, except for a day trip to nearby Edison for some beers and lunch.

Pretty nice place it's kind of secluded. It's very quiet and clean…read more Every one of the people there are extremely nice , The park, Rangers are excellent, very helpful and friendly , The prices are very reasonable , And the scenery is excellent .

We love this beach so much that I hesitated sharing a review on this beach for a long time. I…read morecertainly do not want this place to be so popular that it gets crowded all the time. However, I find myself recommending this beach to my loved ones visiting Seattle time after time. So, I randomly did a search on Yelp for Rosario Beach and I see that I am not alone. I wanted to echo everyone's love for Rosario Beach and share its beauty. It is about a 90-minute drive north of Seattle. It is a part of Deception Pass State Park so you are required to have a Discover Pass to park in its parking lot. The parking lot is on the smaller side and in summer, the lot gets full most of the time. However, we usually find an available spot after waiting a short while as I usually see folks staying for a short while and then leaving to check out another part of Deception Pass State Park. So, even if the lot seems full, just be patient. Since it is a state park, there is a clean bathroom facility with flushing toilets. The bathroom is just a short walk away from the beach. There are a few picnic tables with BBQ grills. We see weddings, family gatherings, couples having a picnic lunch, landscape photographers, bird watchers, and many more. Such an inviting place for all. And the beach. The water is usually calm as it is a cove. And yes, the water is very cold as we live in the PNW. It sure does not stop our children from getting into the water no matter the weather. It is beautiful. I was a landscape photography hobbyist (more active in the past) and I was immediately drawn to everything this place had to offer in terms of photography opportunities. If you are into photography, you will love this place. Every year, we come here to kayak, SUP, hike, check out the tide pools, have lunch, take a nap, get tanned, and just hang out with people I love. Since I'm from Hawaii, I wish the water was warmer but I'm slowly getting used to the idea that I live in the PNW. Haha! Alooooooha! from the beautiful Rosario beach!

Outstanding beach. No words can express the happiness I felt at being here. Sunshine and water…read morelapping on the rocks shredded away the sadness from three days of rain. This beach requires a discovery day pass for $10. Or $30 for a park pass. Loads of parking and a bathroom. This beach is also part of Anacortes which is a nearby town. Driftwood covers the rock filled beach and exposed tide pools were visible. A trail towards the bluff takes you suddenly up high with views for miles towards the horizon. No guard rails and steep cliff drop offs. Be careful with children and pets. I saw a few whales spouting. Sheer amazing views in nearly all directions! Bring a picnic and stay a while. It's worth it.

This is a great dog park with a doggy pool, water fountains for dogs, multiple poo bag dispensers…read moreand trash cans, benches in several areas, shade, lots of space for dogs to run, some slight hills, great fencing, and a smaller area for the small dogs. The dogs and owners were very polite. We had a great time. There's ample parking. Also, lots of trails around, if you fancy a hike (on leash) before or after your dog's play time. We could be regulars if we weren't on vacation.

The grass is overgrown and needs to be mowed. Otherwise, it's a nice big park and most of the folks…read morewho visit clean up after their dogs.

Beautiful place to take an easy to moderate stroll among the miles of hikes that this magical place…read morehas to offer. Wonderful for children and friends. We hiked the Whistle Lake loop trail, which took under two hours and was moderate. It was easy to find and park, and the greenery was absolutely breathtaking. I can not recommend this place enough!