Puget Sound Beaches for Sand and Sunsets
Alki Beach Park, West Seattle
Stroll the promenade at Alki Beach Park, which runs along Elliott Bay between Alki Point and Duwamish Head. It has the easy feel of a boardwalk town, with walkers, cyclists, skaters and dogs sharing the path and the full downtown skyline spread across the water.
Claim a designated fire ring for a summer cookout, or join the beach volleyball games that fill the sand on warm days. When you get hungry, seafood and ice cream wait along Alki Avenue, just a few steps from the beach.
History rides along the promenade too. Look for the replica of the Statue of Liberty, and find the obelisk marking where pioneers set up a permanent settlement in 1851.
Golden Gardens Park, Ballard
Catch the north end's classic sunset at Golden Gardens Park. A wooded road winds down to sand and dunes with wide views of the Olympic Mountains, and the fire pits draw crowds for evening cookouts.
Behind the beach, follow the boardwalk trail as it loops past freshwater wetland ponds, where beavers, turtles and ducks may appear. Bald eagles and gulls work the shoreline, while harbor seals, sea lions and even orcas use the waters offshore.
Plan an active day here, too. The Burke-Gilman Trail ends at the park, and you can rent a kayak or paddleboard at nearby Shilshole Bay Marina. Kids have a play area, and some visitors string hammocks in a grove of trees.
Lincoln Park, West Seattle
Spread across 135 acres on a headland just north of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, Lincoln Park has a pebbly beach rather than a sandy one. A paved shoreline path runs alongside, easy going for strollers and young cyclists.
The big draw is the summer saltwater pool, an Olympic-size heated pool with a waterslide and diving boards. Bring the family here when you want a swim without the chill of open Sound water.
Away from the shore, explore forest trails, a large playground with a kids' zip line, a wading pool, tennis courts, horseshoe pits and five picnic shelters.
Carkeek Park, Broadview
Earn your beach at Carkeek Park, a 216-acre canyon. From the parking area, cross a pedestrian bridge over active train tracks, then walk down a staircase to a quiet stretch of Puget Sound shore.
About six miles of trails wind through mossy forest of big-leaf maple and alder. Take the bluff trails for views over the beach, or follow the Pipers Creek trail through a ravine where chum salmon return each fall.
Discovery Park, Magnolia
Seek out solitude at Discovery Park, the city's largest park at 534 acres, set on the grounds of the former Fort Lawton. Its rocky beaches sit at the end of trails dropping from Magnolia Bluff, which makes this a place for hikers.
Begin at the Environmental Learning Center for natural history exhibits and trail advice. Then walk out to the West Point Lighthouse, a red-roofed light built in 1881 that still operates.
Lake Washington Beaches for Swimming
Madison Park Beach
Spread a towel at Madison Park Beach, a small, well-kept lawn with a narrow strip of sand that is easy to reach from downtown, Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. On hot days it becomes a neighborhood living room.
Students, teens and families mix on the grass, and the beach has long been a welcoming spot for Seattle's LGBTQ community. Swim in the lifeguarded area in summer, then wander a few steps to the restaurants along East Madison Street for a post-swim meal.
Magnuson Park and Matthews Beach
Spend an afternoon at Magnuson Park, which fills 350 acres of the Sand Point peninsula on the site of a former naval air station. The lifeguarded swimming beach sits alongside boat ramps, restored wetlands, sports fields and the city's largest playground, so a beach day easily stretches on.
Farther north, Matthews Beach Park offers 22 lakefront acres with a lifeguarded summer beach and an offshore diving platform. If you prefer your swims cold, join its New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge.
Seward Park and Madrona Park
Seward Park covers the whole Bailey Peninsula, with about 120 acres of old-growth forest and a flat, car-free shoreline loop of 2.4 miles. Pair a walk or bike ride with a dip at the beaches along the way.
At 31.2 acres, Madrona Park has a swimming beach and bathhouse on the lake. Climb the walking paths uphill through a wooded ravine along Madrona Creek.
