If you’re looking to have a unique experience over the next couple of weeks we highly recommend that you tilt your eyes to the Seattle sky for the Lyrid Meteor Shower. The Lyrids are known for being pretty reliable and producing at least 10-15 meteors an hour. But if you get lucky you might also catch a burst with closer to 100 meteors, no guarantees though.
What’s nice about meteor showers is that they last for a while, so if you forget, no worries. Although if you plan on watching you’ll want to keep your eyes on the sky from Friday, April 16th to Friday, April 30th between midnight and dawn. And to make things easier for you, here are 6 of the best places to watch meteor showers in Seattle.
Alki Beach
Surprisingly, Seattle’s favorite beach also happens to be one of the best spots in the city for stargazing. You’ll want to look North and West to avoid some of the light pollution from the city. And hey, if you don’t end up seeing anything, a night on the beach is always nice.
Where: 2665 Alki Ave SW
Jefferson Park
You might think we’re a little crazy for this one because this park is smack dab in the middle of Beacon Hill. But we like Jefferson due to its size. Because it’s pretty big you get slightly less light pollution, although it’s certainly not perfect. But if you live in South Seattle, it’s one of your best bets.
Where: 3801 Beacon Ave S
Genesee Park and Playfield
On the topic of South Seattle, you might as well consider checking out Genesee. The park is pretty much a wide-open field but across Lake Washington Boulevard you’ll find the Stan Sayres Boat Launch. Sure, there are lights here but it’s slightly darker due to the residential area and lake. So it can’t hurt to give it a go.
Where: 4316 S Genesee St
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Paramount Park
Alright, don’t chew us out for this one. Yes, Paramount Park is technically in Shoreline but if you live in north Seattle it’s really not far at all. Because it’s pretty far north you get less light pollution from downtown. So take a little drive and forget that you’re still kinda in the city.
Where: 15300 8th Ave NE
Sunset Hill Park
We love this park for many things, including stargazing. It’s also the best spot to make an evening out of stargazing because you can bring a picnic and then wait for the sky to darken up. Plus if you don’t see anything, you still get to look out for a spectacular view of the Puget Sound.
Where: 7531 34th Ave NW
Gas Works Park
We’ll cap this list with one of the cities most iconic parks. Gas Works Park may be right in the middle of the city but it’s a great spot to catch a view of a meteor flying over the skyline. Now keep in mind light pollution is pretty bad here so it won’t be the best. But if you’re a fan of this park you might as well see what you see.
Where: 2101 N Northlake Way
We hope that these spots give you an idea of where to go to catch the Lyrid Meteor Shower this weekend. But if you can get out of the city by all means go. Because the darker the area, the better your chances are of seeing some meteors. And if you really want to plan ahead, you’ll be able to see the peak of the showers around April 22nd.
If you’d like more details you can click here.
