I would give 5 stars but, the bathroom situation is not stellar. But yikes, the flowers, the paths, the signage, the benches and opportunities to sit down and breathe are amazing. Upon every turn of the trail, you come across a bench. Each section of the park has a different geographic representation in the plants. Super cool! You can tell a lot of work goes into the maintenance of a park like this. The flowers today were popping! Spring is in full blown colors that are amazing. It is hard to believe that it was all real. Especially when you see two different colors right next to each other. See photo of the orange and yellow flowers. Parking lots are everywhere around the park. I noticed that people do not obey the speed limit here, like wow! Drive carefully and be safe. And, SYOY! read more

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Beautiful botanical garden with free entry! I went in May so there were so many azaleas and rhododendrons in bloom. It was great to walk around and see all the plants and nature. I also loved the grove of Japanese maples. read more

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Really amazing spot to be in touch with nature again. I came here towards end of Cherry Blossoms season and it was amazing to still fine so many trees still holding the pink glow. Really great walk - top spot for a picnic on a sunny day. Parking can be tricky specially when sun is out. read more

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What a gorgeous place to walk and explore. Azalea Way is gorgeous and vibrant. Rhododendrons were also in bloom. Great way to appreciate nature and escape your daily grind. read more

best time to visit during the Spring, the flowers blooming everywhere! you can go down the foster trail to see the boats and the 520 bridge. there are no restrooms on the trails, so plan accordingly read more

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The Arboretum is a gem of a park that is free and right in the middle of the city. To see so many large trees including Sequoias is pretty awesome and keeps the park cool even in summer. There are sections of other flowering trees such as magnolias, camilias, etc. as well as geographic areas such as the Japanese Garden (only area that requires a fee but definitely worth visiting at least once), New Zealand, etc. Until recently, we would see a coyote every morning but I believe park officials may have euthanized it. read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Fall vibes - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have so much respect for the arborist and the staff that maintain this beautiful park. I had a staff retreat here and it was so beautiful learning about the species. Whenever I come here I imagine a secret world that transports me to somewhere magical. I'm so happy this park exists. read more

This park is included in a Yelp Top 100 parks in the U.S.collection. Even though November is not prime garden season, I had to stop by and check it out. Located along the shore of Lake Wahington, the garden is a collaborative effort of the University and City. Enter 'Graham Visitor Center' into your GPS for easy navigation. There are three parking areas here along with restrooms, a gift shop and information. Additional parking areas are scattered around the park. Some are paved, others dirt. If you begin your explorations from the visitor center, a paved pathway loops around the park. Parts of it seem to be pedestrians, bikes, strollers, joggers and so on 'only' while other sections are streets with sidewalks. Many dirt pathways meander in and out of the paved road. The gardens are built on a slope so there is some up or down-hill walking. We headed behind the visitor center and accessed a dirt pathway. Besides intersecting with the paved road, the dirt paths meander through a variety of gardens, criss-crossing each other and include options of beautiful stone stairways. The garden designs here are lovely. We encountered several garden styles on our walk. The Azalea garden would be a gorgeous pop of color in the Spring. The meadow garden offers a variety of low growing plants and views. There are some gazebos along the way and benches. Definitely the spot to sit a spell and enjoy nature. We couldn't begin to see everything the gardens have to offer in our hour walk about. This is a beautiful plot of nature nearby the city. Open dawn to dusk in the winter (according to a sign in the parking area), or dawn to 8pm (according to the website). Free admission. Signs throughout the park describe ongoing experiments, garden information and art installations. The paved path includes directional signage (visitor center, nearby gardens, etc.). Even on a rainy week day there were a lot of people in the park. The rain did not seem to phase anyone. Most were wearing Seattle attire i.e. a rain coat, plus hats and gloves on this November day. Parts of the park are very shady under beautiful old trees while others are open to the sky. So dress appropriately for the season and bring water on a hot day. The restrooms at the visitor center are accessed from the outside. The doors were propped open so a few leaves had blown in. It was 'public restroom' clean but ladies, please use more care! Someone had an issue with removing a 'seat cover' from it's dispenser and littered much of the floor with pieces from several of them. Also, paper hand towels had not made it into the conveniently placed, large bin. There are 3 stalls here and two more restrooms are available in other areas of the park. This is a park we would definitely frequent if we lived nearby and will happily visit again on a future visit. Donations are welcome to help maintain the gardens. read more

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Washington Park Arboretum is a nice, enjoyable park to visit year round. I was concerned all the trees would be dead in the winter but there were still plenty of green plants, birds, and tall trees - lots of nature to see. They do a really good job preserving the nature here. The trails were easy to walk. I love that it is free of charge to the public. There is plenty of parking in the parking lots. I wanted to visit the Seattle Japanese Garden nearby but unfortunately it was temporarily closed. I love wandering around this park. It is the perfect place to get some steps in and pass time. I came here to get away from every day distractions and to get lost in nature. My mission was accomplished because I did end up getting lost within the trails, but I was fine with it! read more

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Free entry and free parking. Donation suggested for admission. Stroll through the evergreens and Rhododendrum, Azalea walkways. restroom is by the front entry area. read more

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Lovely area. Great area to walk. It looks different in every season. Trails are very well groomed. read more

Cherry Blossom seasons. So beautiful!!! I can walk around for hours. Highly suggest it. So much fun!!! Definitely going again. read more

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Top 2 parks in the entire city. Love the many winding trails that allows you to have a fresh experience multiple times over. Several fun viewpoints to have lunch or just hang out at. Also if you are into photography this is a must see place during autumn. read more

This is one of the best parks I've ever been to in our travels. Not only is it free to wander around, but there are 230 acres of it to explore. There is a Japanese Garden at the south end that does have an entry fee, but we did not have time to visit that. We visited in mid-October, so the trees were showing off their autumnal colors and it was magical. It's a beautiful place to just roam, breathe the fresh PNW air, and enjoy the beauty of the plants and greenery. There were lots of people there, many with their dogs, too, but you don't feel overwhelmed because the park is so spacious. Just follow one of the many trails and go with the flow. read more

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Washington Park Arboretum is gigantic and has many different paths to go and walk through. You can find many people walking around on the different trails and seeing many different plants and trees. I love all the green here. One of the coolest and biggest arboretums I have ever been to in my life. I'm glad I got to visit here and I would totally suggest people come here as well. Staying healthy and also just having a nice walk. read more

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We came searching for the cherry blossoms because according to Google, this is a top place to see them. We walked all the way down Azalea Way, which is supposedly where the cherry blossoms are located, but we only saw two or three trees scattered about. Certainly not deserving of a top spot, unless they were all hiding in another undisclosed location of this large park. Nevertheless, this is a pretty park with cool flowers, plants, and trees. I wish more of the flora were labelled because I wanted to learn the names. I resorted to using my phone camera to identify them. I appreciate how it's open 8am to 8pm, and it's free. The Japanese Garden is the only paid section. read more

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Beautiful place with very helpful staff. Well maintained property. I really enjoyed my visit here

What a gorgeous park this was. So many beautiful spots and ample trails to walk along. Loved the woodland and azalea trails. We saw a lot of rhodonderons, magnolias and all sorts of plants and ponds. Very beautiful and very green with ample spots to picnic. There was also a kids playground with clean bathrooms. Absolutely my favorite part of visiting Seattle read more

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Whether you are a nature nerd or are just looking for a beautiful place to lose track of time, the Arboretum is a true gem of Seattle. They also have some really awesome educational programs for all ages, if that's something you're into, be sure to check those out! *beautiful spot for cherry blossom viewing/pictures in the Spring, if that's your jam! read more

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A gorgeous park with lots of paved trails perfect for taking a nice stroll. There are little park signs which tell some history and information about the plants at the park which we enjoyed reading. We came a little later in the day so we didn't have too much time to walk around but we saw some beautiful blue hydrangea flowers in bloom. There's also a field with a little park and bathrooms nearby. There is also a japanese garden in the park, but we didn't have time to go see it. This park is dog friendly and a perfect place to spend time with friends, family, and your pup! read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Went here once for an evening walk after work. It was lot bigger than I thought. It's a pretty park for walking or going for a bike ride. There are several places to park around this park. When you walk to the water, you can see that it's a good place to picnic. Would recommend this park. read more

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This is one of our first stops on our family trip to Seattle. It was our second trip to Seattle, so I don't know how I didn't visit here last time. It was definitely hot when we visited, so we didn't stay as long as we would have liked to. First off, parking was very easy and bathrooms were very accessible in front. The park is very large, so I would anticipate spending about 2 hours here at least if you want to see the whole thing. Entrance is free. It would be better if the trail/walks were better labeled, as we were often confused where we were exactly. We kind of just walked along where was shaded due to the heat. There are ample flowers to see, but it would be better if there were more labels so you knew what you were looking at. There is a nice pond. Overall, I greatly enjoyed my experience. read more

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Wow the flowers here are just beautiful!! Multiple trails that are mostly paved, easy for a mothers with baby strollers. Lots of dog owners walking their pups. Plenty of parking and scattered toilet areas. Reception isn't the greatest but you'll have at least one bar to work with. Very quiet, despite the surrounding city. Japanese tea garden is here. read more

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Located near the hustle and bustle of downtown Seattle is a beautiful peaceful part of the city that everyone should visit. It's also free which is another reason why you should come. First of all, it is HUGE. It spans 230 acres and contains a wide variety of plants. You can explore it on your own with all the gardens and hiking trails that they have. They have parking lots throughout which make it convenient to find parking and explore a certain area before moving onto the next part. Dogs are permitted so you can bring your furry friends on hikes. There are picnic tables throughout which made for a great quiet picnic (speaking from experience). If you want, you can also take a guided tour and other guided events. Unlike the rest of the Arboretum, the Japanese Garden is not free. It's a 3.5 acre area that acts as a sanctuary as you walk around it to see all of its beauty. These are the admission costs for the Japanese Garden (as of August 2022): - Adults 18-64: $8 - Youths 6-17, students, & 65+: $4 - Children 0-5: free Near the top of the Arboretum is Graham Visitor Center which is where you can get more information about the gardens and walk through their gift shop. There's also a terrace area that you can book for private events. If I lived closer I would definitely come here for peaceful walks or morning runs. It's huge and we did not explore anywhere near the entire thing, but this is a nice place to visit for many reasons. read more

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This is a nice paved flat loop path through Washington Park. Where it loops around we decided to take the waterfront path (highly recommended) past the hornets nest. The waterfront trail is less flat and not paved, but we enjoyed it more, since in the general park in September, the flowers weren't blooming and the trees weren't changing colors yet. The 1 star loss for me is there was no bike path and we were almost hit twice by bicyclists blasting through the park. For larger paths sharing the road is less of a problem, but the paths just aren't wide enough here. We did appreciate the restroom stop and gift shop for the park, both of which were clean and cute respectively. So all in all Washington Park Arboretum wasn't a bad throughway between the Japanese Garden and the waterfront trail. read more

I love doing a 3 mile walk around this park. They have trees from different parts of the world. I like to grab bunch from Madison park and come here for a walk read more

Such a wonderful place to spend a day!! I typically prefer to go during the Spring to see all of the flowers, but this place is great and has a lot to offer all year long. With plants from all over the world, you're guaranteed to find something to inspire and it's easy to choose between a casual stroll over a several mile walk/run/cycle. The Japanese garden is fee for service, but the rest of the area is free to enter and free to park. This place is very, very popular so if you want a parking spot you're going to want to get here early! read more

This is a glorious park with loads of walking trails that go around the lake. Views are spectacular. Plenty of benches so you can rest and admire the views , but no bathrooms. Get there early for easy parking. read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Washington Park arboretum - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Looking to spend some time outdoors and enjoy a lovely Seattle spring day, my husband and I decided to walk around the Washington Park Arboretum. The park is expansive and has a variety of different subsections that specialize in certain plants and habitats. It was wonderful to just stroll through the park and enjoy all that it had to offer. read more

Absolutely phenomenal!! 10/10 recommend!! Parking was easy, free, not much traffic. Entry to park is also free! Staff at visitor center was helpful, gift shop and restrooms are there as well Went on a Friday around 10/11am, spent about 2.5 hours there (could spend much more time there if we didn't have more plans for the rest of the day) Plenty of different paths to take, they provide a map so you can find your way around You're not alone out there, there's people walking around too but not too crowded, people are just scattered in their own spots Nature was gorgeous, so many different trees plants flowers, picture opportunities everywhere. Felt like a forest almost No really a hike, more like a good solid walk in the park, you walk in a circle basically around the entire arboretum, good exercise/not strenuous while admiring the views Didn't go to Seattle Japanese garden because it cost money but I really had so much other things to see so I didn't mind Dog friendly, good for kids/family, really good for anyone to go on lil adventure!! read more

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Always very clean and very well maintained. So beautiful and recommend everyone walk around at least once. Every part of this park is beautiful and it's intentionally maintained for all of the seasons. I drive through here every day for work and it makes it ten times better. read more

The arboretum is an absolutely wonderful place to come and take some really relaxing walks. The layout is very picturesque and the planting is extremely well thought out and looks lovely regardless of the season. It's recently easy to get lost though, because the signage is not stellar. Thankfully the parking lots are numbered which made it easier to find my way back to the car, and the restrooms are well kept at the visitor center for which I am always grateful. I look forward to coming back to watch the changing seasons. read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Beautiful cherry blossoms - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

- I have been under appreciating the Washington Park Arboretum for all these years! Either that or I have going during the wrong time of the year. During this visit on April 12th, the cherry blossoms are in full glory, so are the many species of magnolia, of which the arboretum host 200 varieties! Many types of spring flowers are blooming. It was quite a beauty contest. My heart be still! I am definitely making a note to myself to return yearly to these gorgeous blooms. Be sure to look for the totem pole, which illustrates the Pacific Northwest coast natives' folktale, "Origin of the Eagle Clan". The details and condition of the totem pole are magnificent! Some logistics: - We parked at the parking lot closer to the Japanese Tea Garden (we didn't go there). There is one more parking lot by the Visitor Center (currently closed). The spaces are quite limited. I suspect it can be quite a challenge if visiting on a weekend. I suspect you'll have better luck on a weekday (that's when I went). - The paths are easy to follow and no chance of getting lost. Feel free to explore off the main path. It felt great to take the face mask off when one one is in sight! - When we first arrived, not 1, not 2, but *3* vehicles had smashed windows. THREE! All 3 sets of owners had just returned to the cars to this ordeal. Please do be careful with your belongings. The blooms AND the thieves are out in full force, sadly. read more

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Every weekend when we're graced with the presence of the sun my husband and I are intentional about being outside all day. While in route to brunch we came across the yet another beautiful landmark the WA Park Arboretum. Parking was tricky only because we arrived in the afternoon, and there were a lot of families enjoying the day. We parked outside of the arboretum, but close enough to the park. We didn't plan or pack for a day at the park, but enjoyed walking a few miles through it. We're planning to return soon, and if you're seeking something to do outdoors I highly recommend this park. read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Available parking outside of the Arboretum - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Beautiful place to walk around and spend the afternoon in. They have a small visitor center that has gifts, info, and drinks. There is a restroom located here. The park has walkways for you to follow, some of them are paved while others are dirt/grass. I highly recommend picking up a map so that you could locate and identify the different type of trees and plants. I came during Spring and the hues of pink, white, and yellow were beautiful. You can also bring a picnic basket and have snack or picnic at the park. Dogs are allowed but on a leash. read more

The arboretum is a great location for a short stroll, a long power walk, or a picnic with a view. This is one of my favorite spots when I want to get out for a walk but am not quite in hiking mode. On the weekends, the arboretum gets really busy. That being said, there seems to be plenty of free parking and of course lots of space for people to spread out while exploring the grounds. I'm not quite sure how many acres of land are in the arboretum but it's a lot. There are walking trails for miles and so much beauty to see. The paved walking trails are very accessible for individuals of all abilities but there are certain spots with a small amount of elevation gain. During non-COVID times, you can enter the visitor center or take a tram tour to obtain some fun education. The Seattle Japanese garden is located within the arboretum as well and is simply amazing. See the Yelp page of the Japanese garden for more details. read more

Washington Park Arboretum - Fall colors :-) - Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

COVID TIMES: outdoor activities so masks are not enforced, but if you're planning to use the restrooms they might be closed. The Arboretum is located close to 520 bridge and the UW. It has several parking lots to enjoy a walk or run. It has small hike trails but also paved roads to ride a bike for small children, or bring the stroller for your babies. Also it's so quiet and peaceful here, that (if you're a fan of yoga) you could practice yoga or meditate or simply enjoy the nature with coffee and a book. My favorite time of the year is definitely spring, they have a wonderful and bast selection of flowers and trees. Perfect place for a photoshoot. Actually, If you're looking for a great spot, my suggestion would be park near parking lot #17, and look for the bridge located in Arboretum Aqueduct (see picture below) Also in this park there's the Japanese Garden, but it deserves its own review. Give it a chance for a wonderful stroll read more

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This arboretum is so beautiful! So many fleurs, tall trees, and just a peaceful atmosphere. It's open from 8am to 8pm and FREE so that's always great too! I saw many people going on walks, jogging, and biking. I could easily spend a whole day here and it would be magical. We also stopped by the Japanese garden (ticketed) which was nice and quaint- with more structured flora, but honestly the rest of the arboretum would be delightful in itself. I would say this is one of the best parks I've ever been to in my life. The nature is abundant and beckoning here, so meditative and so healing. :) read more

What a magical forest walk! I imagine this is what the unspoiled Northwest might have looked like. Other areas look like a magical location like the Shire from The Hobbit. There is also a Japanese winter garden area. The park has a mix of asphalt and dirt hiking trails. Pleasantly shaded, too. There is a visitor center. On the other end is playing fields and a separate Japanese gardens. read more

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Amazing public arboretum for fall colors! Free entry (except for Japanese Garden). Perfect for a relaxing walk in nature. read more

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