There’s nothing better than a beautiful Seattle waterfront hang. Luckily for us, Seattle has tons of bodies of water to enjoy from lakes to the Puget Sound. So if you’re looking for the perfect place to hang near the water in Seattle, keep on reading.
Howell Park
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This is one of the only places in Seattle where you can sit in the sun and not worry about getting a tan line. Because Howell Park is a nude beach! It’s a smaller-sized park with a sloping hill that leads right down into Lake Washington. So you can either lay in the sun, go for a dip, or both!
Where: 1740 Howell Pl
Olympic Sculpture Park
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The Olympic Sculpture Park is just straight up one of the coolest spots in the city. You can enjoy a nice stroll and see major artworks by both local and international artists. Plus the water happens to be just down the hill from the park so you can lay on the hill and take in views or walk along the multi-use trail.
Where: 2901 Western Avenue
Foster Island
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If you’re looking for a way to get out of the house and enjoy the water, Foster Island is a great choice. This trail connects a series of islands which gives you a beautiful walk and allows you to literally walk on water. And you can even explore the area via kayak or canoe!
Where: Foster Island, Seattle
Gas Works Park
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Might seem like a no-brainer but the large hill at Gas Works is one of our fave spots to relax by the water and take in some amazing city views. If you’re going to do this one we recommend making a day of it and bringing some food for a picnic. After all, you might as well go big.
Where: 2101 N Northlake Way
Ballard Locks
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Hands down the coolest waterfront spot in the city in our opinion. The Ballard Locks are a National Historic Site and the busiest locks in the Nation. You can walk the botanical gardens, sit on one of the hills, walk across the locks and look for wildlife down below. When you’re done check out one of the amazing restaurants in the area.
Where: 3015 NW 54th St
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Golden Gardens
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This beach is popular for a reason, it’s one of the larger sound front beaches that you can enjoy year-round. Golden Gardens is a great spot for just hanging out, having a BBQ, picnic, and more. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even take a dip in the sound.
Where: 8498 Seaview Pl. NW
Discovery Park
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It’s a city-wide fave for many good reasons. We’re including it on this list because of its beautiful beaches and the super scenic lighthouse. You can either walk all the way down to the beach or simply enjoy the water views from on top of the bluffs. Either way, you can’t go wrong with Discovery Park.
Where: 3801 Discovery Park Blvd
Seattle Waterfront
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What’s a better place to be near the water than the literal waterfront? Downtown might not be your first choice of places to get close to the water but it’s one of our faves. You can check out all the piers and stop at local faves like Ivars. Plus you can take a peek at construction on the new pier park.
Where: Downtown Seattle
Lincoln Park
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For those of you on the west side, you need to visit Lincoln Park. This massive park has 5 miles of trails and gives you the best of both worlds with forested trails and also amazing views of Puget Sound. Plus this park has one of Seattle’s only saltwater swimming pools.
Where: 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW
Warren G. Magnuson Park
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Yet another local park that gives you the best of both worlds. Magnuson is massive and has plenty of areas to walk, places to run your dog, and of course a stunning lakefront. So come here to simply walk, lay in the sun, take a dip, watch the sunset, whatever your heart desires.
Where: 7400 Sand Point Way NE
Those are our top picks when it comes to the best places to hang near the water in Seattle this summer. We hope that you get out there and treat yourself to a day or a few of waterfront hangs. After all, this summer is going to be hot so you’re going to have to cool off somehow.
