Whispering Willow Park is a peaceful oasis. Grab a coffee or yogurt from nearby Starbucks or Swirl,…read morethen unwind in this charming park. Enjoy the creek's gentle flow, watch ducks forage, or simply sit on a bench. A small but lovely spot near Town Center at Lake Forest Park. Tips: There are currently six parking spaces with two designated as Disabled Parking.

Possibly the coolest park in Seattle. It's tiny but has a great view of the Sound, Blake Island…read moreand occasionally an orca or whale. Particularly good for launching your paddle board or kayak. Wing foilers love it on a windy day. Different from Alki in that you have grass instead of sand. An adjacent loading/ unloading area is handy especially if you have a weighty board. In the water you can head for the point at Lincoln Park, Alki Lighthouse or check out the kelp forests. You'll see crab hanging onto the kelp looking for food. Only drawback is no bathrooms.

Local hidden oasis in West Seattle next to Lincoln Park where Frank enjoys taking an hour siesta…read morewhen I need moment to unwind from the daily grind of life. With view of Vashon Island across the water and amazing sunsets you really can't go wrong. Killer Whales now and then cruise by passageway but you gotta be lucky to see them. Parking can be grim but don't say you weren't warned. Plenty of grass to sprawl out on if your bringing the family. Hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do.

I visited Pfingst Animal Acres Park for the first time yesterday evening…read more The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council was hosting a Concert at this park featuring Portage Bay Big Band. This park is so pretty, with many tall trees and a rushing stream that apparently is sometimes home to salmon. There is a very short walking trail at this park. My new friend Heather J and I walked along the short trail and up to the pretty stream before the concert started. Heather J is great! I am very glad that we have become friends. I previously lived in Lake Forest Park for 4 years, and I had no idea that this park was here for that entire time! The hosts of this event were very gracious and so sweet and welcoming. Parking here was fairly plentiful, although I took an uber to this particular event. The event was well-attended though, despite the intermittent sprinklings of rain yesterday evening, so both parking areas ended up mostly full by the time that the event was underway. Quite a few people arrived late to this event, so I think if you arrive early like I did to an event here that you would have a good chance of finding parking right in front of this park. I brought a couple of outdoor cushions with me, and Heather J and I sat at one of the 4 (?) picnic tables there. However, many of the attendees to the event brought outdoor chairs, and I feel like this might be the way to go if I attend another event here, since getting a picnic table to sit at is definitely not guaranteed. This was a free event, but donations were requested. I did put a small amount of cash into the donation box. There were no food trucks or any other food for sale at this event. I brought 2 Bobo's Oat Bars from home, one for me and one for Heather J. The Oat Bars are gluten-free for me and vegan for her. If you are considering attending one of the events here, you may want to consider bringing a small snack or two. The garbage cans for trash (from snack wrappers, or from anything else) are located between the park area and the street. My uber driver on the way home was super friendly, and he was so interested in maybe taking his nephews to one of the events at this park that I shared the event flyer with him and he took a photo of it on his phone. So, I made sure to take a photo of the event flyer to post here, too, just in case anyone else is interested. I am also posting a photo of Heather J and I that she took on her phone and kindly shared with me, with the band stage and a small section of this park in the background. Such a nice park. It's fun to explore previously undiscovered outdoor spaces in my local area.

I visited this park with my daughter after she told me about the huge Rhododendrons growing there…read more She was right! The Rhodes are Ginormous! If you are looking for a hike, it's not here, but a beautiful and interesting walk, this is a great place. The far side of the creek ignited our curiosity with its stone built ruins, beautiful trees and the aforementioned Rhododendrons. I wish that I'd brought my camera! Sorry!

Small but interesting little park with Duwamish water access. Tucked away behind the federal…read morebuilding south. Launch a canoe if so inclined, watch the tug boats et al and enjoy a picnic table or two.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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