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.

Very much a neighborhood park, as parking is non-existent and somewhat confusing. Surrounded by…read moreneighborhood homes, this space of trails is great for a simple stroll. We picked up coffee and made our way to the pond to see the "wildlife" (beavers), and we're met with the usual ducks, heron. Some pathways have creative art installations, which are fun to find and view as you continue your way around. Many small trail-ways weave through the park that is mostly set on and around the pond. Views in the autumn are beautiful as leaves change color and reflect in the water below.

Meadowbrook Pond is quite large. My mom, a couple friends, and I explored here when I was growing…read moreup before swim practice at the neighboring Meadowbrook Pool. At those times we we didn't make it much farther than the bridge just past the entrance/exit on 35th Avenue NE. More recently on 23 June 2020 my mom and I revisited the pond to explore past the bridge. We were both pleasantly surprised how big the pond is and appreciated the trails/bridges across and around the pond. Bridges/walking platforms extend across the pond enabling you to get closer to the wildlife living in and visiting the pond. From little fish to adult ducks to ducklings to Herons and red-winged blackbirds, there was much to watch and look for around the water when we visited. Ducklings were with their mama foraging for food around the edge of the pond. In another stretch of the pond ducks were sun bathing and resting. Around the outside of the pond are trails through the vegetation surrounding the pond. The paths we walked were paved and the trees provided shade away from the sunshine which was starting to bake our skin so felt nice. Be on the look out for various rodents including squirrels and bunnies as well as birds including Robins on these walks. Placards strategically placed throughout the park provide basic information about the ecology of the pond and some of the interconnected human-wildlife-land history. I especially liked the maps provided of the pond and reflective refuge in an informational pavilion. Fun to have maps in more than one medium! An enjoyable place to come for a stroll over the water and through the trees where one can savor the wildlife of Seattle.

Sunsets here are so dreamy!…read more This park is spread out along Magnolia Blvd W and has shoreline views throughout. There's ample green space and parking along the street, which is perfect for these sunnier days. My only gripe is that there's no restroom on site, but otherwise, it's a gorgeous lookout spot!

It's one of those Seattle parks tucked away in a neighborhood that you take for granted…read more It's big enough to not be crowded when there are 50 people there but small enough to let your kids and dogs roam free. A lot of tables, grills, a bathroom, and all the things you'd want when getting outdoors for some fresh air. There are a lot of old-growth trees that provide shade all year round. When it was 100+ during the summer of 2021, it was a good 20' cooler here. For the tourist looking at the dry grass, we are in the middle of an unusual drought here. Take care of your parks and they'll take care of you. There's a good bit of aerial acrobatics from the local hawks. I've seen them take out other flying friends.

Serene little park that offers a shady respite for people & their littles, including fur babies…read more I've not mastered the ins & outs of the trails bc I'm admittedly directionally challenged, but there's basically a corridor path that runs down the middle, and meandering paths on either side. It's peaceful & shaded- usually quiet. We appreciate having such a great park minutes from home.

Hamlin Park is a lovely place to go on a walk and enjoy the tall trees and wildlife. Trails run…read morethroughout the park and one of the paths (the main one I suppose) has white trail markers indicating in what direction to proceed to stay on the trail at forks in the trail. We didn't realize these were trail markers until towards the end of our walk today... we ended up going in the reverse direction around the trails. Runners, dog walkers, children in camp, and walkers abounded this morning. Along one of the trails there are restoration in progress areas where one can get involved in environmental stewardship if so inclined. Posted signs provide contact information on where to seek more information about this. The birds loved this portion of the trail and we heard a variety of different bird songs as we traversed this area. Wildflowers and plants in the park were beautiful and captivated my attention while exploring. On a more industrial note, there are big guns (I call them cannons) from the 1800s located by the playground. An essential stop if you want a fun photo-op and to learn a little bit of war history on your visit. My mom and I both enjoyed our visit today, Tuesday the 21st of July 2020, and found Hamlin Park a place we both are interested in revisiting. The parking lots didn't have many cars when we arrived around 9 a.m. but by the time we left, a little after 10 a.m., the parking lot we had parked in was about half full. The morning sun and cool air was very refreshing for a forecasted hot day.

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 University Playground is definitely not one of the famous Seattle parks... that is for sure…read more It's more of a neighborhood park for all of the nearby residents and in that aspect it's fine. The park is actually pretty clean aside for some urban camping going on in one corner of the park. There is a lot of playground equipment for the kids to enjoy as well as a playing field so this park definitely has all of the basics covered as to what makes up a park. It just isn't one of the parks with a lot of bells and whistles ( ex. leash free dog park, swimming pool, etc.). Despite not having a lot of walking trails in this park it is still a decent park to take a stroll through. There is a piece of playground equipment with a troll statue on it... definitely not to be confused with the Fremont Troll.

As far as playgrounds are concerned for toddlers and kids this is kinda weak and lackluster…read more There were a few homeless camps set up in the perimeter of the play area, 'tho the transients didn't cause any trouble nor bother anyone, their presence seemed alarming and disturbing by sight as more of a negative than positive to the environment and atmosphere. The play area itself and equipment for toddlers and kids were not that much to do or play around on or with, so I'd probably never come back here again for the purpose of getting a kid to play. This place has the potential for re-invigoration 'tho.

Lawton Park is the epitome of a neighborhood park and contains two play structures and little…read moreleague field. It's a bit of an odd trek entering in on 26 Ave as it's a significantly steep climb. Leaving past Williams Avenue also doesn't look on the map like the trail goes through the woods, but boy does it and those mildly creepy woods spit you out right onto 29th Ave. The park itself was incredibly clean and while it didn't boast much seating or culture (the one star loss), it does seem to be aimed at the Elementary School age since it nearly adjoins Lawton Elementary School. I could easily see the school using the field for their local team. For the most part Lawton Park is probably meant only as a park for the school and locals, and doesn't seem to be aimed at being anything other than a children's recreation area so unless you're bringing children here, it's probably not going to be your cup of tea.

What a cute orchard! I came here to volunteer for fruit harvesting with City Fruit. The place is…read morefull of apple trees that were bursting with ripe apples. There is also a P-patch right next to it where people can grow their own vegetables. Apple trees, cute benches, a lawn - isn't this the perfect little picnic spot?

Nice little neighborhood park, good for hanging out in the sun and enjoying some outdoor time.read more