Summer Movies are back, and alot of them are FREE

Free movies abound throughout the Seattle area. Starting in June and ending in September there are multiple locations showing free movies, some preceded by music or other activities. Gather up your favorite "peeps", lawn chairs, blankets, and some snack, find a movie in your neighborhood or another and have a great evening of free entertainment. There may be movie changes and not all movies listed are family movies. So if in doubt check your venue by phone or website. Movies start at sunset/dusk.

"Round up the kids, make a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy yourself at the movies."

…with its’ iconic Space Needle is recognizable to people worldwide. The Seattle Center has become the community meeting place for people from around the world who now call the Puget Sound area home.

Throughout the year there are currently a total of 22 ethnic groups sharing their rich and diverse stories with us. These FREE cultural events celebrate a national history, allowing some of us to remember and others to learn. Come and celebrate the wonder of brilliant national costumes, traditional foods, songs and dances from around the world. Learn about the crafts and customs from those who know them best. There is always something to keep the kids entertained, whether it is the special children’s activities or the jaw dropping dances or other activities being preformed.

The good folks at Seattle Center have scheduled major events for almost every weekend of the year. During the week take time to check out the less explored areas of this 74 acre entertainment center located in the middle of Seattle. Do not forget the food court for a quick nosh or a ride to the top of the Space Needle for a bird’s eye view of Seattle and Puget Sound and while up there, why not enjoy a sumptuous lunch or dinner with that view.

Rain or shine, summer or winter, The Bearded One and I always enjoy going to the Seattle Center, just the two of us or with friends and do not forget that much of this is FREE for the enjoying. Plan to go often.

The Center is boardered by
Denny Way on the south side,
Mercer St. to the north,
Fifth Ave and Broad St on the East
and 1st Ave on the west.
Entrances located off Mercer, Fifth Ave, Denny Way, Broad St, and 1st Ave.
Phone: 206 443 2001
Events Line: 206 684 8582
www.seattlecenter.com/
Map

West Seattle is known for having developed at its own pace. It’s become a place where the sense of community is strong. There life is lived with the ease ones finds in a small town not yet overrun by mega-this and mega-that. Most who work there live there, and are proud of the friendliness and civility with which they conduct their daily lives.

Six or seven blocks along California Street are the heart of West Seattle’s commercial district. They’re filled with restaurants, taverns and shops of all kinds. Your clerk or wait person there may well be an owner or family member who’s ready to assist you. When you leave and they say, “Have a nice day,” you know they really mean it.

West Seattle has a lot to offer visitors and residents. There’s history to learn, parks at every turn, theaters that delight and entertain, ethnic restaurants to satisfy your quest for something different. There are places for biking, walking, birding, jogging, running, or skating.

Alki Beach, Seattle’s true beachfront, has miles of sand, tide flats and the smoothest sidewalks around. Bring a picnic lunch, kids and their friends, to make a day of it, breath that salt-tangy fresh air, watch for marine traffic, look at the far vistas. You will go home feeling that somehow your horizons have expanded.

Thank you, Tom (our West Seattle Connection) for allowing me to repackage your interview about West Seattle.

Skip to West Seattle & Alki Beach
Map

…is located in the Lake Forest Park Mall. Unusual for a shopping mall, this one offers FREE entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings, 7:30-11:00 PM. Live music such as jazz, blues, country or the big band sound gets everyone moving. The dance floor even has a roped-off area so the small ones can practice their own mini-moves. And don’t be surprised to see someone giving out with some poetry or other performance. Hey, everyone needs a friendly place to polish up the act.

Third Place Commons offers a “neighborhood living room” atmosphere where young and old alike gather to play cards, chat, read, be entertained, or just plain get out of the house for an evening. You’ll see couples with baby carriages and strollers meeting and greeting others with common interests.

The Commons offers a giant 8ft X 8ft chess board with play pieces sized to fit. This friendly atmosphere offers neighborhood students a place to gather and study. There are FREE WiFi and power outlets available, if you’re a computer person.

The adjoining Third Place Books offers cozy nooks with comfortable chairs for use as you look over the latest published arrivals. While there, you’ll probable notice an upcoming date for an author giving a reading and book-signing.

Opposite the stage and dance floor is a food court offering a variety of cuisine. Beer and wine, too. Treat yourself to a meal or just a dessert. Bottom line: for as little as $8 per person, you can have nice meal and a full evening of entertainment. Definitely check this place out!!!

Third Place Commons
Upper Level Lake Forest Park Towne Center
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
(206) 366-3302
Third Place Commons Website
Map

SAM
1300 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Phone 206 654 3100
www.seattleartmuseum.org/
Downtown map
Free to all 1st Thursday of each month open until 9pm
Free to seniors 1st Friday of each month

Ogle the 48-foot high Hammering Man Sculpture at the door of the region's premier art museum! Gallery space has recently been expanded by 70%, allowing for a substantial increase in exhibits. Tour an impressive collection of more than 21,000 art objects, from Old Masters paintings to African masks. A magnificent collection of collections. Restaurant on premises.

map
704 Terry Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104
Phone: 206 622-9250
www.fryeart.org/
Opening times vary please call ahead.
Admission: Free
Free Parking

Located on First Hill not far from downtown Seattle, the Frye is the home of the extensive art collection of Charles and Emma Frye, Seattle pioneers who began collecting art in the 1890s. The collection focuses on late-19th-century and early 20th century European and American painters Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Hart Benton, Edward Hopper, Albert Bierstadt, and Pablo Picasso, as well as a large collection of engravings by Winslow Homer. In addition temporary exhibitions are held throughout the year. Café on Premise

Located in Volunteer Park map
www.volunteerparkconservatory.org/
1400 E. Galer Street
Seattle, WA 98112
Phone: 206 684 4743 or 206 322 4112
Admission: Free or Donations

The Victorian style 6,200 square foot glass-house was built in 1912 and is divided into five houses representing five distinct environments, from jungle to desert. Visit the Bromeliad House, the Palm House, the Fern House, the Cactus House, and the Seasonal Display House. Enjoy one of the largest public orchid collections in the country and an equally impressive extensive bromeliad collection. A favorite with visitors of all ages is the Cactus House.

Located in Volunteer Park
map
seattleasianartmuseum.org
1400 E Prospect Street
Seattle, WA 98112–3303
Phone: 206 654 3100
Free Parking
Free 1st Thursday and 1st Saturday of each month.
Free to Seniors 1st Friday each month

For those interested in the historical study of the development, over the centuries and down through the various dynasties, of bronze, stoneware, porcelain, ceramics, pottery and the like, a stroll through the Seattle Asian Art Museum is like a walk back through time. These items comprise only one of many wonderful Asian art exhibits available for your enjoyment. There are also world-renowned collections of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, East Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan art. There are approximately 23,000 art objects on display -- the Bearded-One was fascinated by the statue of the Monk at the Moment of Enlightenment. Café on Premise

map
1400 E Galer St
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 684-4743
www.volunteerpark.com
Hours: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Free

Volunteer Park was acquired by the city of Seattle for $2,000 in 1876 and In 1885 designated a cemetery, but two years later named "Lake View Park." In 1901, it was renamed "Volunteer Park" to honor the volunteers who served in the Spanish-American War. The park includes a conservatory, completed in 1912; a water tower with an observation deck; a fenced-off reservoir; the Seattle Asian Art Museum (a designated city landmark[2]); a statue of William H. Seward; and a sculpture, Black Sun, by Isamu Noguchi, as well as several meadows and picnic tables. The wading pool is operational in the summer months and operated daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

map
1554 15th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 322-1582
Free

You might ask why we include a cemetery as an interesting and fun place to go… well, read on. A visit to Lake View Cemetery is like taking a walk through time. Located on Capitol Hill, Lake View Cemetery was founded in 1873 as the Seattle Masonic Cemetery. Today, many of Seattle’s most famous, and infamous, are here. Stop by and pay your respects to Bruce and Brandon Lee, two of Lake View’s most visited graves.

You’ll find most of Seattle’s early movers and shakers here, the Dennys and most of the Denny Party, Henry Yesler, Doc Maynard, Lou Graham (one of Seattle’s most successful Madams), Princess Angeline (Chief Seattle’s daughter, the princess who spent much of her life as a washer-woman), Dutch Ned (who built his own mausoleum and hosted picnics and parties there before his death) and a bunch more.

You might want to purchase the pocket tour guide book, “The Pioneers of lake View” (We bought ours at “Elliott Bay Book Store”), to help you find your way around and it gives you a little history on the 60 to 70 memorable folks laid to rest here. All in all, it makes for an interesting and informative few hours. And best of all, it is free, well, there is the cost of the book. By the way, Robert L. Ferguson (the author of “The Pioneers of Lake View”), is buried next to Lou Graham. His tombstone reads, “The Tour Stops Here”.

2227 5th Ave
Seattle WA 98121
Phone 206 448 2181
www.seattleglassblowing.com
map
Hours Open Everyday 10am to 6pm
Admission: Free

Seattle Glassblowing Studio is not just an art studio that produces beautiful works of art and lovely functional pieces like sinks and lamps. The Studio also provides classes and training to the next generation of glass artists. Visit the gallery and hotshop between Bell and Blanchard St. on 5th Ave, under the Monorail. Come watch live glassblowing 7 days a week!

The Seattle Glass Gallery (a satellite) is located at:
2200 Westlake
Seattle WA
206-708-6711

2200 building in South Lake Union on the corner of 9th Avenue and Westlake Avenue, right around the corner from Whole Foods.

719 South King Street
Phone 206 623 5124
www.wingluke.org
map!
Admission: $4 and under
Free on 1st Thurs and 3rd Sat of each month

The old China Town, located in Pioneer Square, lasted until 1910 when a group of Chinese businessmen bankrolled a pair of buildings that would become the center of the new Chinese community now called the International District. This pair of four story buildings afforded the community with hotels containing retail space on the ground level.

One of these buildings, the East Kong Yick building has now been reborn into the new home of the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Moving the museum to its new location has been a community dream and goal for over some ten years. The Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) represented by the museum constitutes the history of hope, struggle, sorrow, and success of the people from over forty Pacific Rim countries. The museum provides guided tours that are both soulful and educational.

map!
319 Second Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
Website
Phone 206 553 7220
Admission: Free
Open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm

Klondike Gold Rush Natl. Historical Park is located in the old Cadillac Hotel in Seattle’s Historic District. That’s right, a National Park indoors. The Cadillac was built in 1889 and was a favorite of the adventurers head for the Gold Fields in Alaska and the Yukon. Experience the spirit of the Klondike Gold Rush come to life as you tour 20 interactive exhibits winding through this two story museum.

The Pioneer District covers over twenty city blocks, containing thirty plus fine art galleries, two hundred plus unique and independently owned specialty shops, restaurants, and coffee houses.

Visit an art gallery or two, stop at a rug shop and learn about the workmanship that produces these wonderful items, buy a book to remind you of Seattle, stop and refresh yourself with lunch or dinner and a beverage of your choice while learning about the history of that very building.

On every first Thursday evening of the month, from February — December, take a stroll among the art exhibits at the free "Art In The Park" event. Chat up an artist, they are great folks and would love to discuss their particular style of art with you.

South Lake Union
1010 Valley Street
Seattle, WA 98109-4468
Phone 206 386 2628
Admission: Free or donation

Museum Hours: Oct-March Tues thru Sun 10am to 5 pm Boat Rentals noon to dusk. March-Oct every day 10am to 6pm Boat Rentals, noon to 6pm
FREE classic boat rides every Sunday 2pm to 3pm
www.cwb.org
map

Explore a collection of wooden boats that ranges from ancient dugout canoes and Kayaks to modern day boats. Watch restorations in progress, old salts and young salts at work. Or, observe a native canoe carver ply this ancient craft. View historic ships and check out the native canoes displayed overhead in the rafters. Sail or row a boat. Be sure to check out the Seattle Slipper!

Seattle Waterfront
map
1001 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone 206 682 5844
www.yeoldecuriosityshop.com/
Open 7 days a week summer 9am to 9:30pm winter 10am to 6pm Fri and Sat 9am to 9pm
Admission: Free

Visit Seattle’s world famous Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. Famous for its sideshow like museum, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop also offers a wide array of Northwest native art, imported arts and crafts from around the world, as well as Seattle and Washington State souvenirs and memorabilia. Whether your interests lie in mummies, shrunken heads, rare and exotic artifacts, Northwest Native totemic art, Russian and other folk art, novelties and gags, jewelry and collectibles you’ll find it here! And they’ve been doing it for over 100 years.

2901 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone 206 654 3100
Open and free 365 days a year!
Café in the PACCAR Pavilion
www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/osp/
map

Experience the variety of 21 sculpture’s by internationally acclaimed artists in an outdoor setting, while enjoying the breathtaking views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. And it’s all Free.

4711 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-938-0339
www.artswest.org
map

Arts West is an art gallery by day and a theatrical performance house by night. Every Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 7:00 PM, Arts West Gallery is open to the public, and admission is FREE.

Playhouse performances start at 7:30 PM (except for the Sunday Matinee, which starts at 3:00 PM). The Playhouse presents a six-play season; the 2008-2009 season features four Seattle premieres (including a Tony Award Winner for Best Play and an award-winning World Premiere). Each play pushes at the boundaries of issues, audience, and the theater itself.

Since moving into this beautiful theater and art gallery near the corner of California and Alaska Streets (in the heart of the West Seattle Junction), ArtsWest has entertained over 200,000 visitors with over 400 productions and exhibitions. Check the website for performance schedule and ticket info.

Located in the heart of the "Junction" at California Ave SW and SW Alaska
West Seattle Farmers Market Website
map

West Seattle Farmers Market features over 35 Washington State farmers and small food processors each week. This popular market is all about freshness, variety, and value available from local farms. Fresh fruit includes berries, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apples, and melons. There’s also plenty of local organic produce, all kinds of seasonal vegetables, fresh farm cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, free-range chicken and eggs, seafood, pastured organic beef, ciders, honey, preserves, fresh-baked bread and pastries, cut flowers, and plant starts. The market hosts live music, activities for kids and other events. Every Sunday, 10 AM to 2 PM year-round. Free street parking is available.

1702 Alki Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-684-4075
Alki Beach Park Website
Admission, Free
Lots of Free on-street parking
map

There’s a beachfront resort atmosphere minutes from downtown Seattle, by land or sea.

Alki Beach Park is a long beach strip that runs from Alki Point to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. It's a great spot for a 2.5 mile walk any time of year, and in the summer draws joggers, rollerbladers, volleyball players, beachcombers, sunbathers, bicyclists and strollers out to enjoy the sun. Any time of the year, it’s a great place to watch the sun set or rise, or experience a storm rolling in. The whole beach offers spectacular views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains and the flotilla of ferries, sailboats, steamships and other craft that ply Puget Sound waters. Plenty of restaurants to choose from, too—or bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

5551 S.W. Admiral Way
Seattle, WA 98116
206-684-4075
Schmitz Park Website
Admission, Free
Lots of Free on-street parking
map

This 53.1-acre hidden treasure gives visitors a glimpse of the lush forest that blanketed this region before settlers arrived. Although it's located in densely populated West Seattle, it's an old-growth oasis filled with native plants. The quiet is deep here, punctuated only be echoing bird calls, and the air in spring is sweet and damp. Trails run through the park and they can get muddy after a rain, so bring boots! The terrain isn't too challenging and it is a great place for bird watching, botanizing and hiking with the kids, or a special someone. Look for the interpretive sign in the parking lot to help identify the plants and animals you might see.

April and May are a good time to visit - the birds' spring migration is underway and the skunk cabbage and trilliums are in bloom.

8011 Fauntleroy Way SW
Seattle, WA 98136
(206) 684-4075
Admission, Free
Lincoln Park Website
map

This is a gem of a park. It has beachfront--a lot of it—and forest—a lot of that, too. Four-and-a-half miles of walking paths and nearly four miles of bike paths weave past groves of towering madrona, cedar and redwood trees. There’s a 50-meter heated salt water pool, playfields (three baseball fields, a football field), eight tennis courts, 10 horseshoe pits, numerous swings, slides and climbing structures.

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the many covered areas, and a view to die for comes with them. Remember, you are in Seattle, so bring sunglasses, a windbreaker, and an umbrella, because once you get here, you’re not going to want to leave.

Mount Baker Park and Colman Park come together on the shores of Lake Washington, offering visitors forty-six acres of wooded paths, playfields, children’s playgrounds, picnic areas, and a marvelous beach and swimming area.

Mount Baker Park
2521 Lake Park Drive South
Seattle, WA 98144
206 684 4075
Free
Park Website
Map

Mount Baker Park, gently sloping down to Colman Park and the Mount Baker Bathing Beach on Lake Washington provides visitors great picnic opportunities, play tennis courts, a place to set the kids loose in a small playground at the southwest corner. Or you can enjoy a peaceful stroll down a wide pathway—under maples, mountain ash, and chestnut trees—to Lake Washington Boulevard and the beach. Restrooms are located partway down the path. The northernmost end of the park is the starting point for Bicycle Sunday.

Colman Park
1800 Lake Washington Blvd. S
Seattle, WA 98118
(206) 684-4075
Free
Park Website
Map

Looking for the perfect place to walk your dog, run some energy off the kids or just lie in the sun! Colman Park features a beach with grass, big drooping willows, and picnic tables. If you've brought along your Frisbee, football, soccer ball, or volleyball, the grass to the north makes a friendly playing ground.

Mount Baker Beach Park
2301 Lake Washington Blvd S
Seattle, WA 98144
206 725-0421
Free
Park Website
Map

Mount Baker Beach Park, sometimes known as Mount Baker Bathing Beach, offers the visitor a fishing pier, swimming raft, diving board and a great place to lie in the sun. There are lifeguards on duty in the summer and a parking lot is available at the beach; the park is easily accessible by bicycle.

9817 55th Avenue S
Seattle, Washington 98118
206 684 4584
Admission: Free
Open everyday sunup to sunset
www.kubota.org/
Map

In 1927 Fujitaro Kubota bought five acres of logged-off swampland in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle and began his garden. Fujitaro's dream was to display the beauty of the Northwest in a Japanese manner. Today, Kubota Gardens is a stunning 20 acre landscape that blends Japanese garden concepts with native Northwest plants. Stroll by streams, waterfalls, ponds, and rock outcroppings in this unique urban refuge. There are two picnic tables, a great deal of lawn area and plenty of parking.

Saturday & Sunday
January 14 & 15
8am—5pm
Long Beach School Gymnasium
Washington & 4th Street South
Long Beach, WA
FREE, Donations Suggested
Click For Indoor Kite Fest Info
Click For Long Beach Attractions Info
Click For Oysterville-Walking-Tour Info

The World Kite Museum of Long Beach, WA once again hosts their January Washington State INTERNATIONAL WINDLESS KITE FESTIVAL. You may ask “how is this possible?” well, just read on as this festival might just be the most fun family activity you are going to find for the month of January. Let’s start with free indoor kite flying lessons, professional demonstrations and contests of individuals, duos and other choreographed air routines performing kite ballet, single line box kite skill, hot tricks shoot out, winged box air routines and much more many set to music.

Long Beach offers many other family activities for you and yours. You can stroll the beach, visit the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame, the Cranberry Museum, Marsh’s Free Museum, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, Willapa Bay Interpretive Center, and Knappton Cove Heritage Center.

Last but not least is my personal favorite, Oysterville. “Today, the entire community is on the National Historic Register and the original one-room schoolhouse and church are still in use for community events. The Oysterville Post Office is oldest continuously operating Post Office in Washington.” Take a walking tour of this delightful old town. Do not forget to visit the Oysterville Cemetery where you can ponder the lives of those who came before.

Find more fun things to do in the Annual Events Section of Belva’s List

Cheers,
Belva & The Bearded One

 

Ballard Ave between 20th Ave NW and 22nd Ave NW in Ballard.
Summer Hours April thru November 10: a.m. to 3:p.m.
Winter Hours December thru March 11: a.m. to 3: p.m.
Phone 206 781 6776
Admission: Free
Ballard Street Market Website
map

The Ballard Market is a diverse European style, world flea market/farmers markets that go all year around every Sunday, rain or shine. The Ballard Market is more Farmer’s market oriented, fresh fruits, veggies, fish, honey, sauces, just like down on the farm, Fresh and Organic being the bywords. But Ballard also has craft and artisan offerings that will delight the shopper or collector, as well.

3015 NW 54th St
Seattle, WA 98107
Phone 206 783 7059
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks Website
map
Daily 7am to 9pm,
Visitor Center: May thru Sept, daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oct thru Apr, Thurs thru Mon 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free

There is something about watching the boats, from large barges to sea going kayaks, being shuttled to and from the Puget Sound and LakeUnion, or salmon climbing the fish ladders, that’s good for the soul. Bring a picnic lunch; yes we do have sunny days, relax for awhile. The grounds around the locks and visitor center are home to the Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Garden and a city park filled with rare and unusual shrubs and trees, providing guests with a lovely place to stroll and picnic. Special events, including live music and garden shows, take place on the grounds throughout the summer.

3015 NW 54th Street
Seattle, Washington, WA 98107
Admission: Free
Parking: Free
Hours: 7: a.m. to 9: p.m.
Visitor: Center May thru September 10: a.m. to 6: p.m.
Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden Website
map

Carl S. English spent 43 years turning 7 acres of eye-sore gravel dump into this beautiful botanical garden; where you can enjoy a stroll through over 500 species and 1,500 varieties of plants from around the world. The gardens are especially beautiful in the spring and summer months. If you go to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, make this stop a part of your day.

8498 Seaview Pl. NW
(206) 684-4075
6: a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Golden Gardens Park Website
map

Golden Gardens Park, located in Ballard on the Puget Sound, is a great place to spend a few hours, soaking up sun on the sandy beach, or taking a stroll along the rugged coastline. You can play Frisbee or fly a kite, build a fire and roast weenies, fish from the pier or explore the wetlands. There is a playground for the kids and an off-leash area for dogs in the upper northern portion. Oh, and did I mention, this beach offers spectacular sunsets for the more romantic inclined. And there is plenty of free parking.

Shilshole Bay and Shilshole Bay Marina are on the stretch of Seaview Ave NW between the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and Golden Gardens Park. You might want to take time out to dream about owning a sailing yacht, or stop for lunch or dinner in one of the fine restaurants, or maybe hire a fishing guide and trying your hand at fly fishing for Salmon.

Some say Shilshole was derived from the Duwamish word for “threading a needle” and that the name referred to the narrow passage way where Salmon Bay empties into Shilshole Bay.

map

map
N. 34th St between Phinney Ave N and Evaston Ave N
Summer Hours April thru November 10am to 3pm
Winter Hours December thru March 11am to 3pm
Phone 206 781 6776
website
Free

The Fremont Market is a diverse European style, world flea market/farmers market that goes all year around every Sunday, rain or shine. Freemont leans more to crafts, antiques, clothing and collectables, everything you can imagine and some things you can't.

map
3801 W Government Way
Seattle, WA 98199
website
Visitors Center 206 386 4236
Park Hours 6: a.m. to 11: p.m. daily
Visitor Center 8:30 a.m. to 5: p.m. Tue thru Sun Closed holidays
Admission: Free

Hike over 11 miles of trails, explore Kiwanis Ravine an urban forest and home to Seattle's largest great blue heron nesting colony, 37 nesting pairs, visit The Daybreak Star Indian Art Gallery. This secluded site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches, open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams. Bring a picnic lunch and your hiking shoes, it’s a great way to spend a day and it’s just across the Ballard Bridge.

map
3919 18th Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119-167
(206) 728-3395
website

Stop off on your way to Discovery Park and visit one of Seattle’s best kept secrets. The Fisherman’s Terminal accommodates much of the Seattle based fishing fleet, up to 600 vessels.

Fishermen's Terminal is also home to the Fishermen's Memorial, a bronze and stone sculpture with plaques memorializing more than 500 local commercial fishermen and women who have been lost at sea since the beginning of the 20th century.

You can stop for lunch or a libation at one of the restaurants and pubs, or buy some fresh fish from the on-site seafood market or some really fresh fish right off the boat.

map
University of Washington
17th Avenue NE and NE 45th Street
Seattle, WA 98195
Phone: 206 543 5590
www.burkemuseum.org
Free 1st Thurs until 8pm
Open daily 10am to 5pm

In its 100-plus year history, the Burke museum has garnered worldwide recognition as a museum of natural history and culture. The Burke features changing exhibits for the general public to enjoy on subjects ranging from current research and recent discoveries in natural history to the finest traditional and contemporary cultural arts.

If your interests fall in any of these categories--anthropology, ethnology, archaeology, mammology, botany, ornithology, paleobotany, paleontology, geology, ichthyology, herpetology, arachnology, natural history, cultural arts--the Burke is the place for you.
Café on premises.

12001 Main Street
Bellevue, WA 98005
(425) 452-2750
Open daily from dawn to dusk.
Visitor Center 9am to 4pm
Admission to the Garden is free
www.bellevuebotanical.org
Map

The Bellevue Botanical Garden is a 53-acre display of gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands. Highlights include the Northwest Perennial Alliance Border, Waterwise Garden, Yao Garden, Alpine Rock Garden and summer displays of dahlias and fuchsias. Natural and manmade vistas of color and greenery change, delighting the eye regardless of the season or weather throughout the year.

This is one of those places that you didn't know existed and when you find out about it, you wonder why, or maybe it is just me... maybe I don't read the right sections of the newspaper.

Tours are available at the Visitors Center April-October on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. It’s a great way to get away form the rat race.

Bellevue Botanical Garden
Nov 29 through January 3
Every evening 5:-10:pm
Free but donations are greatly appreciated.
GARDEN d'LIGHTS Website
map

Thousands of tiny twinkling lights transform Bellevue Botanical Garden into a fantasyland of flowers every evening during the annual Garden d'Lights festival. Hundreds of volunteers bundle strings of commercial- grade outdoor lights into three-dimensional flowers, shrubs, vines, and critters, to the delight of the visitors to this holiday tradition. The kids will be asking, “Where’s Willie?” as search among the lights for Willie the Slug’s slime trail.

This is a great event for the whole family to enjoy. Many families and guests attend annually to enjoy new additional illumination added for the current year. Not to be missed!

620 Market Street
Kirkland, WA 98033-5421
425 822-7161
www.kirklandartscenter.org/
Map

The Kirkland Arts Center Gallery fosters regional artist, encourages innovation and creativity, and provides rare opportunities for independent curators. Committed to engaging, accessible contemporary art, the KAC gallery showcases emerging and established artists and examines emerging themes and regional styles. Critically and popularly accalimed, the KAC Gallery is the only free, professional non-profit gallery on the Eastside.

125 West Sunset Way
Issaquah, WA 98027
(425) 391-9094
Admission: Free
www.issaquahfish.org
map

The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery plays host to over 300,000 visitors each year. The facility is open to visitors year round. It has very good interpretive signs and displays to help guests learn about salmon and their life cycles, and about the hatchery itself.

Inside the front door, there is an aquarium of fish the same age and size as the fish in the hatchery's holding tanks. The best time to visit is September and October, when the salmon return to the hatchery up Issaquah Creek and when Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (F.I.S.H.) offers public tours.

Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Edmonds
425-776-6711
Free
Map

In September, Sept. 12, 2010, when the nights are still hot around the Puget Sound, downtown Edmonds fills up with vintage cars we either owned or wished we'd owned. Spend the day, marveling at these beauties and dreaming about the days of yore.

Official Website
Map of Edmonds Parks
Map to Edmonds
Free

If you've got kids, and your looking for a way to entertain them. Or, if you are just looking for a quiet and relaxing place to step out of the Rat Race and take a breather, Edmonds is the place for you.

200 West Dayton Street
(Located at the base of the Fishing Pier)
Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone, 425 775 1344
Free
Official Website
Map of Edmonds Parks

The Visitors Station is open every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends. A ranger/naturalist and beach docents are on hand to answer your questions. Be sure to visit the new touch tank, stocked with local marine life. It is a great place to learn about the animals and plants that populate Edmonds Beaches.

The Fishing Pier is located in WDFW Marine Area 9 - Admiralty Inlet next to the Visitor Station at Olympic Beach. It is open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Official Website
map
Free

Brackett's Landing and the Underwater Park is located immediately next to the Edmonds terminal of the Kingston ferry. Take I-5 to Edmonds and follow the signs towards the ferry. Don't get in the ferry lanes. Turn left towards the ferry at the intersection at the front of the ferry lane. Turn right into the Brackett's landing parking lot immediately across the railroad tracks.

The Park, home of Washington's most popular underwater park, includes more than 27 acres of tide and bottom lands, half of which are features and trails specifically designed for divers. The Underwater Park provides convenient parking, restrooms, a dry changing area, as well as a shower and foot-wash station. Air can be purchased several blocks south of the Park at Edmonds Underwater Sports.

Divers can explore a series of man-made reef structures interspersed with sunken vessels, creating an extensive artificial habitat for a wide variety of marine life. All of which can be explored by divers following an extensive network of guide ropes anchored to the bottom. There are also several sunken boats and an old dry-dock to explore.

PARK REGULATIONS:

All divers and snorkelers must dive with a buddy.
All divers must be certified or in training.
All divers must wear buoyancy compensators.
No fish or marine organisms may be removed from the park.
No night diving without a permit. (Permits issued at the Parks and Recreation Office.)
No boats allowed inside the park.

9535 Bowdoin Way
Edmonds, WA
Free
Official Website
map

Yost Memorial Park is open to the public from dawn to dusk, year round. Check for swimming pool hours and dates of operation (425) 771-0230.

This is a great place for a hike on trails through mixed stands of Western red cedar, red alder, big--leaf maple and western hemlock trees--a glimpse into Edmonds' past.

Hikers might encounter, dozens of large old Cedar "Mother Stumps" and "Nurse logs" which encourage the growth of huckleberry, salmonberry, ferns, moss, lichen and fungi.

Yost Park provides a habitat for numerous species of resident and migratory birds including barred owls, pileated woodpeckers, northern flickers, rufus-sided towhees, and Cooper's hawks. Black-capped chickadee, Swainson's thrush, olive-sided flycatcher, and winter wren are some of the more common small birds found in the park.

Mammals include the nocturnal mountain beaver, opossum, raccoon, shrew mole, and a few types of bats. Giant pacific salamanders are sometimes found in the creek itself, and in the spring, pacific tree frogs can be heard singing in the wetlands along the boardwalk. The kids will love this place but use caution running on the boardwalks after a rain -- they can be slippery. Keep the dogs on leash and don't forget to scoop.

15300 8th Ave NE
Shoreline, WA
Map

If you have kids, little ones or big ones... especially ones with skateboards, Paramount School Park was made for you. There are two baseball fields, a big playground area with slides, monkey bars and swings, a huge grassy area for kids to run and roll on, or maybe fly a kite or model airplane on, and in one corner... a state of the art skateboard park!

There's a running track around the perimiter where mom and dad can walk or trot off a pound or two while the kids are wearing themselves out. There is a covered picnic area and restrooms, near the play area. This is a great place for Birthday parties, saves a lot of wear and tear on the recroom. Lots of parking on the 8th Ave NE side of the park.
 

Summer of Fun Concerts in the Park Series:
All concerts are free to the community. Events are sponsored by: Shoreline Bank, The Cities of Lake Forest Park and Shoreline, 4 Culture and the Washington State Arts Commission.
July through August
Official Website

33663 Weyerhaeuser Way S.
Federal Way, WA 98003 253 924 5206 ext. 5206
1 800 525 5440 ext. 5206
Admission Free
Free Parking
www.weyerhaeuser.com/Company/Bonsai
Map

One of the major cultural attractions in the Puget Sound region, Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection is regarded as one of the top bonsai museums in the United States. Take a guided tour or just stroll through this forest of 100 exquisite Bonsai trees and it’s just 26 miles from downtown Seattle. Be sure to call ahead or check the website, for opening and closing hours.

Who would have guessed there are 51, yes, at least 51 skate parks in the Puget Sound area. The Bearded One searched high and low and found most are located in nice park settings. All but a few are FREE for the skater. For the family of young skaters, some of these parks are a wonderful place for a family outing.

Check the website of parks that interest you to get all the information on each and we tried to put in a map link for each one. Puget Sound has a great diversity of Skate Parks and amenities for your enjoyment. If you know of something we missed, or got wrong, please send us the details (go to our Contact section) and we will check it out.

SEATTLE
(Pay) Inner Space Stone Way N and 35th St. Seattle, WA (206)634-9090 Website Map
(Free) Marginal Way Skatepark Seattle (SoDo District) Under the Viaduc Volunteer built and operated Website Scroll to bottom page). Outdoors,no lights, restrooms(?) .		(Free) Ballard Commons Skate Bowl Ballard Commons Park 5701 22nd Ave NW Seattle (Ballard) (206) 684-4075 Website Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms(?).
		(?) Seattle Center Skatepark 305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98109 Website Seattle Center Map Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms(?).
EASTSIDE
(Free) Rotary Skate/Bmx Park 19518 136th Ave NE Woodinville (The Wedge) Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms		(Free) Dwight Garrett Park 2222 Porter Street Enumclaw, WA 98022 (360) 825-3594 Best Website I Could Find. Map Outdoors, no lights
(Free) Kirkland Skate Court Peter Kirk Park 202 Third Street Kirkland, WA 98033 (425) 828-1100 Website Map Outdoors, no lights, no restrooms.
(Free) Crossroads Skatepark Crossroads Park 16000 NE 10th St Bellevue, WA 98008 Website Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms(?).		(Free) Duvall Skatepark Big Rock Sports Park 28540 NE Big Rock Rd Duvall, WA best Website I could find. Map Outdoors, no lights or restrooms.
(Free) Sammamish Skate Park Sammamish Commons 801 228th Ave SE Sammamish, WA 425-295-0730 Park Website Better Website Map Outside, lights and restrooms.		(Free) Edge Skate Park The Edge Park NE 83 St & 161st Avenue NE Redmond, WA Website Map Outdoors, no lights or restrooms.
		(Pay) Bellevue Skate Park 14224 Bel-Red Road Bellevue, WA 98007 425-452-2722 Website Map Indoors, lights, restrooms
NORTH SOUND
(Free) Paramount Park 15300 8th Ave NE Shoreline, WA Website Map Outside, restrooms but no lights		(Pay) YMCA Skate Park 10601 47th Place West Mukilteo, WA 425 493 9622 Website Map Outdoors, lights and restrooms.
(Free) Bothell Skate Park 9815 NE 188th Street Bothell, WA 98011 (425) 486-7430 These are the best websites I could find. Website 1 Website 2 Map Outside, lights and restrooms.
(Free) Arlington Skate Park Bill Quake Park 18501 59th Ave. Arlington, WA (360) 403-3448 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.		(Free) Bellingham Skatepark Puget St. across from Civic Field Parking Bellingham, WA Best Website I could find. Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.
(Free) Burlington Skatepark Rotary Park South Section St, south of Rio Vista Ave Burlington, WA 98233 360-755-9649 Website Map Outdoors, lights, no restrooms.		(Free) Lynndale Skate Park Edmonds/Lynnwood 7326 Olympic View Dr Lynnwood, WA (425) 670-5000 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.
(Free) Snohomish Skate Park Pine Ave. between 2nd & 3rd (Next to Hal Moe Pool) Snohomish, WA Website Map Outside, restrooms, no lights.		(Free) Brier Skate Park Briar Park 2901 228th St SW Briar, WA 98036 Best Website I could find. Map Outdoors, restrooms(?), lights(?) (Not much info on this skate park).
		(Free) Walter E. Hall Park 1226 S W Casino Road Everett, WA 98201 (425) 257-8300 Website Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms.
SOUTH SOUND
(Free) SeaTac Skate Park Valley Ridge Park 4644 S. 188th St. SeaTac, WA Not much of a website, Best I could find. Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms?		(Free) Sumner Skatepark Daffodil Valley Sports Complex 15301 Washington St E Website Map Outdoors, restrooms(?), lights(?)
(Free) Cirque/Bridgeport Skate Park Bridgeport Park 7250 Cirque Dr W University Place, WA 98467 (253) 460-2530 Very little information available Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms (?)
		(Free) Enumclaw Skatepark Dwight Garrett Park 2222 Porter Street Enumclaw, WA 98022 Website Better Website Map Outside, no lights or restrooms.
(Free) Federal Way Skatepark Steel Lake Park 2645 S 312th St. Federal Way, WA 98003 Very little information at website Located at the intersection of S 312th St. & 28th Ave S. Website Map Outdoors, no lights or restrooms.		(Free) East Tacoma Skatepark Stewart Heights Playfield 5900 East D Tacoma, WA 98404 Website Map Outdoors, no lights or restrooms.
(Free) Eatonville Skate Park Mill Pond Park Madison Ave S & Alder St E Eatonville, WA 98328 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.		(Free) Carnation Skatepark Valley Memorial Park 32000 Blanche St Carnation, WA Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms (?).
(Free) Burien Skatepark Behind Burien Community Center 4th Ave SW & SW 146 St Best Website I could find. Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).
(Pay) Skate Barn West 2900 Lind Avenue SW Renton, WA 98055 (425) 656-2863 Website Map Indoor, Lights and Restrooms.		(Free) Auburn Skate Park Brannan Park 611 28th St NE Auburn, WA 98001 (253) 931-3043 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.
		(Free) Bonney Lake Skatepark Allen York Park 7203 W Tapps Hwy Bonney Lake, WA Website Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).
(Free) Des Moines Skateboard Park 1000 S. 220th Street Des Moines, WA 98198 (206) 870-6527 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.		(Free) Arbor Heights Park 23924 116th Ave SE Kent, WA 98031 Website Map Outdoors, lights and restrooms.
(Free) West Hill Skate Park 4199 Reith Rd. Kent WA Website Map Outdoors, no lights, no restrooms.
(Free) Maple Valley Skatepark Witte Rd SE & 248th St Maple Valley, WA 98038 Not much info, so I listed two (2) websites. Website 1 Website 2 Map Outdoors, lights and restrooms (?)		(Free) Olympia Skate Court Yauger Park 530 Alta St. SW Olympia, WA (360) 753-8380 The Skate Park is across the baseball diamonds next to Cooper Point Rd. Website Map Outside, no lights, restrooms (?)
		(Free) Lion's Skate Park 835 W. Smith Kent, WA 98032 (253) 856-5110 Website Map Outdoors, lights and restrooms (?)
(Free) Sumner Sk8 15301 Washington St E Sumner, WA 98390 Website Map Outside, no lights, restrooms (?)		(Free) Black Diamond Skatepark Railroad Ave & Park Stunstarred Black Diamond, WA 98010 Website Map Outdoors, restrooms, no lights.
(Free) Lakeland Skatepark 1306 69th St SE Auburn, WA Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms.		(Free) Lakewood Skate Park Lakewood Kiwanis Playfields Bridgeport Way SW & Park Ln SW Lakewood, WA Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms (?).
(Free) Milltown Commons Skatepark 23rd Ave. & Milton Way Milton Washington. Website Map Outdoors, lights, restrooms (?).
CROSS SOUND
(Free) Bainbridge Island Skatepark Strawberry Hill Park NE High School Rd between Sands & Fletcher Bay Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 Website 1 Website 2 Map Entrance to park of High School Rd. Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).		(Free) Bremerton Skatepark East Park 1950 Homer Jones Dr. Bremerton WA. Website Map Couldn’t confirm map location. Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).
		(Free) Gig Harbor Skate Park Skate Park 3510 Grandview Street Gig Harbor, WA (253) 858-2393 Website Scroll down to Skate Park. Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).
(Free) Billy Johnson Skate Park 24700 Lindvog Road NE Kingston, WA Website Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).
(Free) Raab Park Skate Park 18349 Caldart Ave Poulsbo, WA 98370 I couldn’t find a good website. Website 1 Map Outdoors, no lights, restrooms (?).		(Pay) The Burton Street Course skate park Indoor 10500 SW 228th Rd. Vashon Island, WA (206) 463-9999 Website Map Indoors, lights and restrooms.