Seattle Parks Attractions
Seattle’s passion for parks – once the gathering places of natives tribes began at the turn of 19th century when the Olmstead brothers who landscaped New York City’s Central Park, conceived a plan comprising a system of easily accessible parks.
Waterfront Park and Gas Works Park
From Waterfront Park on the former Pier 58 which is a good place to watch the sunset – to Gas Works Park at the edge of Lake Union – the system has proved to be very popular in a city so fond of outdoors.
Burke-Gilman Trail
The Burke-Gilman Trail along the scenic path of a abandoned railroad spur, extends from the top of Lake Union to the top of Lake Washington and has inspired the rejuvenation of similar defunct tracks elsewhere.
Lake Washington
Lake Washington with its myriad communities connected by the floating bridges at Evergreen Point and across to Mercer Island, provides the frame of reference for Seattle’s Eastside. Microsoft and Nintendo are over here at Redmond, as well as tycoon Bill Gates’ massive house on the waterfront.
Discovery Park
On Seattle’s watery Westside, Discovery Park has 2 ½ miles of trails through thick forests, over broad meadows and high bluffs and sometimes leading to the beach.
Woodland Park Zoo and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Across the Ship Canal to the north is Woodland Park Zoo and at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks you can observe constant boat traffic and watch salmon going upstream via an ingenious fish ladder.