Seattle, Washington Parks, Entertainment, and Recreation

Puget Sound & Lake Union Locks Cruise

Waterfront View

You'll enjoy and fully-narrated tour of Seattle's historic waterfront area while viewing some of the Emerald City's most famous sights.

Often called The Emerald City, Seattle's lush, green setting plays host to a nearly endless list of parks. With parks for all purposes, of all sizes, and for all ages, Seattle is a great place to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Botanical Gardens in Seattle

• Washington Park Arboretum offers an opportunity to canoe or walk through 230 acres of 4,000 plant species, including trees, vines, shrubs and smaller plants.
• The Japanese Tea Garden is a calming, peaceful park that provides balance and harmony to its visitors; the garden holds a tea ceremony the third Saturday of each month.
• Carl S. England Botanical Park features 500 plant species in a beautifully-landscaped park setting.
• Volunteer Park Conservatory has five different conservatories (with names like Cactus House, Fern House and Bromeliad House), each with a different environment spanning the gamut from the lush, wet jungle to the stark, arid desert.

Recreation and Urban Parks in Seattle

• Discovery Park features 534 acres of nature trails, beaches and bluffs overlooking the sound. This local favorite is perfect for jogging, exploration or just relaxing with a book.
• Seward Park is Seattle's oldest park at over a century old. With paved biking/walking trails, a picnic area, a playground, tennis courts and hiking trails, there is plenty to do here.
• Occidental Park is a unique urban park featuring totem poles carved by a local artist.
• Golden Gardens Park on Puget Sound offers spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains, and has two restored wetlands, a beach, a dog park, a boat launch and hiking trails and fishing spots.
• Freeway Park, conveniently located close to the freeway, is the site of many live concerts.
• Myrtle Edwards Park is a favorite of inline skaters and cyclists, and makes a charming lunch or picnic spot.

Natural Parks in Seattle

• Mt. Rainier National Park, established in 1899, features the 14,000-foot mountain for which it is named, and offers plenty of outdoor recreational activities like rock and mountain climbing, camping, horseback riding, snowshoeing, fishing, wildlife viewing and hiking. This National Park also has three visitor's centers and the Longmire Museum, offering interpretive exhibits and park information.
• Blake Island State Park, reached only by tour or private boat, has 475 acres of natural splendor. This former Native American camp site has 15 miles of trails as well as 1500 feet of saltwater moorage for boaters, divers and anglers.
• Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is 631 acres on the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, and includes Dungeness Spit, Graveyard Spit and portions of Dungeness Harbor and Bay. Established to protect 250 endangered mammals, birds and fish, this refuge is a great place to see rare wildlife like seals and the Black Brant duck.

With its vast collection of parks, Seattle is so much more than the Space Needle and Starbucks. So whether you like flora, fauna, adventurous outdoor activities, or just the smell of the fresh air, Seattle is a great place to visit botanical gardens, nature parks and urban parks.