This is a delightful little neighborhood park upon the Queen Anne hilltop…read more Situated in a corner partially on a hillside supported by a retaining wall and tree border, the center clearing sort of acts like a neat centerpiece. Along the perimeter are some exposed picnic tables, some tree shade, some kids play areas and walking path loop (which connects the upper street with the street down some steep stairs). Peaceful, pleasant and tranquil. I came here to enjoy some food from Koku Cafe + Market and Bounty Kitchen. Nice spot! Will look nicer when the season changes and the grass is green. Plenty of parking on the west side of park along the east side of the tree-lined street hill.

This park is teeny tiny and you probably have to know it's there to be able to go there. Lucky for…read moreme it's right across the street from my house. This is a GREAT park to take your little kids. There is a small jungle gym with some fun looking slides. There are lots of trees around that muffle noise and keep it from getting too hot. The lawn is always nicely manicured and really the whole place seems ridiculously well maintained. There is a steep wooden stairway that leads from the park down to where I live, and it was all overgrown with tree branches, but the city peeps came down and hacked them all away, thus preventing me from whacking my head on a branch. I recommend this place for people who want a small park to take kids, teenagers who need a good make out spot, and people who just want a really pretty place to sit and read a book or chill.

Pros: - Great views of Mount Rainer (on clear days)…read more- Kids will love the playground in the lower park - Pickleball and basketball courts (limited) Cons: - No shade trees for hot days (in upper park) - Not enough picnic tables - Dogs are supposed to be leashed, but locals (and non locals) let their pets roam freely in a corner of the upper park. It's inconvenient if you want to set up volleyball nets or play frisbee. :-(

Maple Leaf Reservoir Park is a neighborhood park in north Seattle. It spans 16 acres and has a…read morevariety of activities like pickleball courts, baseball fields, basketball courts, and a kids playground. There is a huge loop for joggers and strollers and inside the loop is a huge grassy area for picnics and folks with dogs. The two parts of the park are separated by a set of stairs. Near the public restrooms near the playground is Noah's Butterfly Garden which is a cute little section. I've always driven by this park but have never visited until now, and I might have to continue coming back because it's very nice.

Wallingford Playfield is the main park in the namesake neighborhood where mostly families take…read moretheir children for some play time. There are also some areas for Basketball & Tennis. Wallingford Playfield is mostly a wide-open field where students from the nearby high school are often practicing field games, usually Frisbee and Soccer. When these activities aren't taking place, it's often a unofficial off leash park for dogs of the neighborhood to run and play through the park. There is a playground that looks fairly new and well-kept that children are often on. On the back side of the park are some tables where folks can sit and maybe have a picnic. Presently there is a petition posted around the neighborhood to save the park as it's at risk of being redone as an official field for the schools. The biggest issue is that the field will be changed to artificial turf. There is a website that goes into all the details and hopes to preserve the park. Personally, I think the Park is fine as is but have not strong opinion on the matter. As it stands Wallingford Playfield is a nice park that I enjoy walking through occasionally.

What a lovely neighborhood wading pool. What I lived from here is that everybody knows each other…read morefrom preeschol or Kindergarten making it super fun for little ones when they find each other at the park. Big parties enjoy the swing at the playground. It also has a great drum station. Very attractive for toddlers. Kids will also hang out by the climbing net. A lot of movement for sure. Lots of kids. Some of them were in summer camps with their guides :) Restrooms just steps aside the pool. Loved that there is a "deeper" part so todds can swim. Everyone is friendly. Benches around to sit and watch. But it can be tricky to find shade sometimes. Just 2 sits :S It also has a kind of beach for babies. There is plenty of room to run down the park. Green grass makes it nice :) Street next to the park can be closed for neighbors only. Parking was no problem though.

Kirke Park is a nice small neighborhood park that a community garden and playground to encourage…read morechildren to play and learn. Being a neighborhood park, there are lot of small children's toys that can be found that includes dump trucks, car toys, toy boats, etc. Also several children's jackets hanging on benches and part of the playground (I hope these children come back to claim their coats). I was surprised to see a small little trail behind the playground that can be fun for a child (an an adult that is young at heart) to play hide and go seek or other fun games. The playground itself has 2 large swings that are pretty comfortable to swing on and can get a lot of air and lift. There is a slide and a small rock wall to challenge little hands and legs. There is also plenty of grass for 4 legged little friends to also stretch their little legs and potty on the grass (please do pick up after your pups). The community garden here is actually pretty big and love how there is opportunities for children to learn more about mother earth, sustainability and the environment. Parking for this little park is just street but shouldn't be a problem if you don't live close enough to walk to. Although small, definitely a nice little park that is perfect for little ones to play (please note that there are no restrooms available, nor a water fountain so plan accordingly).

Great for a little neighborhood park if you live nearby. not worth it if it's a drive…read more Pros: -a couple of picnic tables -plenty of grass to picnic -sand box area -fun little wooded trail Cons: -no bathrooms -street parking -no water fountain

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.

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.

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.

This is my favorite Seattle neighborhood park. It's a pleasant and quiet park in between Meridian…read moreand Wallingford nestled in a residential neighborhood behind the Meridian School, next to the Demonstration Garden. There's a big lawn perfect for frisbee and picnics, a playground with swings and play structures, and a path underneath a cool rock archway, all circumscribed by a path shaded by big trees. A peaceful retreat with ample shade and open space.

This is a good playground, a bit of a hike, like a 2 mile walk from the University Ave (University…read moreof Washington campus area) area. It is behind, in the back of the property, and has lots of playground equipment, but it's a bit secluded and harder to access by walking to it. It's not better than other family friendly park & rec's in California, but maybe for Seattle it's considered above average. It's the best I've experienced in Seattle, which isn't saying much 'tho. I'd still recommend this for toddlers 'tho.