Matthews Beach Park

Picnics, Barbecues and a Playground

Give yourself a full afternoon here rather than a quick dip. Spread out at one of the several picnic tables and fire up a barbecue pit for an easy lakeside cookout, remembering to bring your own food and supplies.

When the kids need a break from the water, head to the playground. Locker rooms give swimmers a place to change before and after time in the lake.

• Lifeguarded swimming beach (summer)
• Offshore diving platform (summer)
• Playground
• Locker rooms
• Picnic tables and barbecue pits

Ring In the Year With a Polar Bear Plunge

Matthews Beach Park draws a crowd even in winter. Every New Year's Day, Seattle Parks and Recreation sponsors a Polar Bear Plunge here, and participants wade into the chilly lake to start the year off bracingly. Because the park is open year-round, it also makes a lovely setting for a quiet winter walk along the shore.

Where Thornton Creek Meets the Lake

The park curves along a small bay on Lake Washington in a residential area. Its western edge borders the Burke-Gilman Trail, so you can walk or cycle straight in from the path, while the eastern side holds Matthews Beach itself, the stretch of shoreline that gave the park its name.

Stroll to the southern end to see where Thornton Creek flows into Lake Washington. The surrounding neighborhood shares the beach's name and is part of the larger Lake City district, and our Matthews Beach neighborhood guide covers the area in more detail.

From Duwamish Village to City Park

People have lived along this shoreline since the last glacial period. The communities around Lake Washington were known as the People of the Large Lake, part of the Duwamish Tribe and speakers of Lushootseed, and a village called too-HOO-beed stood near what is now Thornton Creek, close to present-day Matthews Beach and Meadowbrook.

In the 1880s, a pioneer named John G. Matthews set up a homestead near the beach, and both the park and the neighborhood carry his name today. The land joined the Seattle Parks and Recreation system in 1951.

Explore Nearby Ravine Parks

Two smaller green spaces sit a short distance away. Inverness Ravine Park is about half a mile off in a straight line, and Mock Creek Ravine is roughly 0.9 miles away. For more places to wander, browse our list of all parks in Seattle.

Before You Go

Come in summer for supervised swimming, or visit any time of year to enjoy the park itself. The Burke-Gilman Trail along the west side makes it easy to arrive on foot or by bike. Check Seattle Parks and Recreation for current hours, lifeguard dates and Polar Bear Plunge details.