Ah, Seattle! So green and lush, absolutely perfect in the summer and slightly misty and drizzling the rest of the year—and the air, always so fresh! Rain or shine, Seattleites won’t hesitate to hike through the wilderness and luckily we don’t have to go too far. In fact, Seattle has some fantastic outdoor spaces that are accessible by bus! While you can easily access towering mountain ranges, serene alpine lakes, and winding rivers by driving out of the city to the Cascades or Olympics, you might just find that you don’t even have to leave the city to feel completely immersed in wilderness.
Discovery Park + West Point Lighthouse
The largest public park in Seattle at 534 acres. Overlooking the gorgeous Puget Sound, Discovery Park offers phenomenal views of the Olympic Mountain range. Dense forests of emerald green coupled with sea cliffs and beaches, makes Discovery Park one of the most gorgeous spots in Seattle.
On the coastal side of the park, you can visit West Point Lighthouse. The Bucolic Puget Sound lighthouse has been operating since 1881, and features a small white tower & cottage.
Seward Park
Great for biking, hiking, walking, or playing, Seward Park is a 300 acre peninsula in South Seattle that boasts stunning views of Lake Washington and the Cascades. The park itself is surrounded by a paved walking trail about 3 miles long. Though, travel deeper into the park and discover old growth forests, hiking trails and more.
Magnuson Park
This is a great place to relax alongside Lake Washington. Magnuson stretches for a mile along the West side of Lake Washington and has plenty of trails to hike, water access, even a climbing wall, and in the summer blackberry picking abounds.
Carkeek Park
Great for hiking, playing, mountain biking and simply enjoying the view, Carkeek Park has 220 acres of forest, trails, beach, meadows, family picnic areas and more. Carkeek Park is situated on the Puget sound, north of downtown and offers spectacular views of the Olympics.
The Arboretum
Fields of cherry blossoms and tulips in the spring, magnificent colors in the fall with reds and yellows that coat the forest floor, and simply gorgeous all year round, the arboretum offers plenty of walking routes and magnificently beautiful foliage. The Arboretum also has beach access to Lake Washington and is a great place to explore via kayak or canoe. Also check out the incredible Japanese Gardens.
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