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.

10201 4th St NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 452-6914
map

Downtown Park is a 20-acre peaceful, green oasis located in the heart of the city. The park offers a half-mile promenade and a stepped canal carrying water to a 240-foot wide waterfall cascading into a reflecting pond. A ten-acre lawn is a great place to pause for a picnic lunch with a view of Bellevue’s skyline and imposing Mount Rainier to the south.

There are formal gardens to stroll as well as a delightful place for the kids to work off some energy. A great setting to decompress and forget the cares of the day.

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.

8523 215th St. SW
Edmonds, WA 98026
425-776-4938 box office
Website
Map

The Cascade Symphony and Music Director Michael Miropolsky are an integral and vital part of the musical life of the Puget Sound region. For more than four decades the Cascade Symphony has entertained the regional community with exciting performances and unique programming. Five subscription concerts, a Children's concert and one chamber music concert are presented each year. Most Performances are held at the Edmonds Center for the Arts

Friday nights, July 17 – August 21, 2009
Pre-show entertainment starts at 7:00 p.m.
Movies shown at dusk.
Location:
Thornton A. Sullivan Park
at Silver Lake
11405 Silver Lake Rd.
Camp Patterson field
Website
Map

Free summer fun for the whole family at Everett's outdoor movie series, presented by the City of Everett Cultural Arts department. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the movie. Call (425) 257 8700 for the summer movie lineup!

Classic in the Park runs from July 12 - August 10, 2008 on Sat and Sun, at 5:00 p.m.
All shows in Volunteer Park are at the Amphitheater and are free.

Go to the website for more information.

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.

A Taste of Edmonds
6th St & Bell St
Edmonds, WA
425-670-1496
Website

August 14, 15, 16 2009, head for Edmonds and bring your appetite, because it is Taste of Edmonds time and these folks know how to throw a party. There is a Main Stage, a Kids Stage, a Beer Garden, a Wine Garden, Roving Artists and Taste Booths everywhere. You can Rock Out and Pig Out for three days. Did I mention, there are Arts & Crafts Booths, too!

Anderson Center
700 Main Street
Edmonds, WA 98026
425-771-6412
Website
Map

On Father's Day Weekend, over 75,000 art-lovers converge on Edmonds for the free three-day Edmonds Arts Festival. One of the Pacific Northwest's oldest and largest arts festivals offers up a rich array of visual and performing arts and art events in a stunning natural setting. This Festival truly has something for everyone: oils, watercolors, pastels, drawings, mixed media, photography, sculpture, fiber arts, jewelry, glass, metal, pottery/ceramics, toys, collectibles, and furniture. There are performing arts, children's activities, musicians, and storytellers. A wine bar and bistro, with a great view of the Puget Sound, offers festival goers a place to stop and rest awhile.

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.

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

An Old Fashioned 4th of July fills downtown with holiday activities sponsored by the Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce. A children's parade, main patriotic parade, City Park activities and fireworks set to rousing music highlight the day's celebrations. Free

City Park
3rd Ave S & Howell Way
Edmonds, WA
425-771-0228
Free
Website

Free outdoor summer concerts are held at City Park on Sunday afternoons in July and August. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and join us for some great music and entertainment the whole family will enjoy!

3519 - 108th Ave. S.E
Bellevue, WA
Enatai Beach Park Website
Map

This great waterfront park features a spacious patio, swimming beach, and a picnic area with scenic views overlooking Lake Washington. And it is in easy paddling distance of Mercer Slough Nature Park. So, bring your canoe or kayak or you can rent one from Cascade Canoe & Kayak at 425-430-0111 www.canoe-kayak.com/

A Free Summer Concert Series
June - August 2009
These are Free events

Each year, the City of Everett invites residents and visitors to enjoy free live music staged against a backdrop of beautiful park and waterfront settings. On Thursday evenings Everett hosts a rockin’ outdoor dance party. On Sunday afternoons, let the music transport you and help you unwind. For the little ones, there is a Thursday morning children’s series, featuring engaging and positive children’s performers from around the Northwest. All summer long, Music in the Parks, promises something for everyone!

For more information go to: www.everettwa.org and click on PLAY.

Children's Series

Thornton A. Sullivan Park
11405 Silver Lake Rd.
Everett, WA 98208
Thursdays, 10 – 11 a.m.
July 9 - August 27, 2009
Map

Sunday Afternoon Waterfront Series

Port Gardner Landing
1600 West Marine View Dr.
Everett, WA 98201
June 21 - August 30, 2009
Sundays, 2- 4 p.m.
Map

Thursday Night Waterfront Series

Port Gardner Landing
1600 West Marine View Dr.
Everett, WA 98201
June 18 - August 27, 2009
Thursdays, 6 - 8 p.m.
Map

map
Located in Point Defiance Park
5400 N Pearl Street #11
Tacoma, WA 98407 USA
253 591-5339
website

Fort Nisqually, a Hudson's Bay Company outpost built in 1833, was the first European settlement on Puget Sound. With a diverse work force of American, English, French Canadian, Hawaiian, Irish, Native American, and Scottish laborers, Fort Nisqually was a bustling center of trade that expanded into a large-scale agricultural enterprise.

Today, in the Living History Museum, volunteers and staff in period clothing demonstrate the crafts of the 19th Century and engage visitors in historic-feeling dialogue. This amazing place steps the visitor back in time to experience life in Washington Territory during the fur trade era. Check the website for admission and operating hours information.

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.

106 Eleventh Avenue Southwest
Olympia, WA 98507
360-956-0818
H.O.C.M. Website
Map

If you have kids from infants to 10 years old, this place may be just what the doctor ordered -- place where kids can play and learn at the same time. Visit exhibits like Build It and Working Waterfront, where kids can load a cargo ship, operate a crane, or drive a dump truck. Or if you have a little guy, take him or her to the Tot Spot, a special place for infants and crawlers. Or maybe your guys would be more interested in Back Yard Wilderness area or the Young at Art Studio. This is a place both parents and kids can learn and have fun.

Hing Hay Park — "Park for Pleasurable Gatherings" — is a hub of the International District. The parks red brick square and ornate Grand Pavilion designed and constructed in Taipei, Taiwan. Check out the dragon painted on the adjacent building wall, a depiction of Asian-American history in the Northwest. It’s a great place to eat a take out lunch and watch the chess players, or a Tai Chi class, maybe just listen to the music and the sounds of this wonderful neighborhood.

Hing Hay Park is located at the corner of S. King Street and Maynard Avenue S.

map!
Website

1502 Wall Street
Everett, Washington 98201
425 258-1006
Website
Map

Looking for a place your little guys will enjoy? Well, this place is kiddy heaven. Imagine Children’s Museum is not only a fun place, but a place where children learn while playing and having fun. Can it get any better than that?

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.

Map
6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE
Redmond, WA 98052
(206) 205-3661

Marymoor Park, the most popular park in the King County Park System and one of the most diverse parks in the entire Puget Sound area, plays host to more than 3 million people each year. If you are interested in soccer, baseball, cricket, flying, regional trails, the largest off-leash dog area in the state, a velodrome, climbing rock, rowing, birding, King County’s cultural heritage, gardening, a family picnic, concerts, or out door movies, this 640 acre jewel of a park is the place for you!

The Summer Concert slate at Marymoor Park is outstanding and the outdoor concert facility is equally outstanding. Whether you have reserved seating or you just brought your blanket, you’ll enjoy the experience. The beer garden and concessions area close by and easy to get to, as is the kids play area, and parking. What’s not to like, warm summer night, great entertainment, and you don’t have to fight downtown traffic. Check the line up and schedules at the Marymoore Concerts website

“Movies @ Marymoor” outdoor cinema series features family favorites, hilarious comedies and even a little mystery. In the months of July and August, Load the family into the car, bring a blanket or lawn chair, a picnic basket and the dog if you like—watch the movie under the stars. Admission is free, but a donation of $5 for individuals and $15 for families is suggested. Check the line up and schedules at the Marymoore Movies website

Wine Notes Concerts is a concert, a wine tasting, and a culinary fair all rolled into one. Presented by Woodinville Wine Country, this two day/July festival is one of the primer summer events you don’t want to miss. 24 world-class Woodinville wines, along with fare from celebrated regional restaurants, and entertainment provided by nationally acclaimed artists are featured for your pleasure. Bring your sun glasses, umbrella and windbreaker, the show goes on, rain or shine—tickets are not refunded on account of weather. This is a new event so check to see if and when it will happen in 2009, ticket and other information should be available at the Wine Notes Concert website

Winter House: 2102 Bellevue Way SE
Blueberry Farm: 2380 Bellevue Way SE
Sweyolocken Boat Launch: 3000 Bellevue Way SE (non-motorized boats)
Bellefields Trailhead: 1905-118th Avenue SE
Parking & Entry Points: Winters House; Blueberry Farm; Sweyolocken Boat Launch; Bellefields Trailhead
park map
Map

Put on your hiking boots, rent a kayak or a canoe, pack a lunch, load up the kids or farm them out and just bring that special someone along, because this is the place to go to get back to nature.

Mercer Slough Nature Park, at 350 acres is Lake Washington’s largest remaining wetland. It provides habitat for otters, beavers, muskrat, turtles, and frogs—you might even see a coyote.

The slough is also home to over 100 species of birds, including both great blue and green herons, hawks, ospreys, mallards, wood ducks, woodpeckers, and. song birds. Enjoy walking, canoeing or kayaking over and around seven miles of beautiful trails. And it’s just short drive from downtown Bellevue.

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.

100 Brown Farm Road
Olympia, WA 98516
360 753 9467
Nisqually Website
Map

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, on the Nisqually River Delta in southern Puget Sound, provides a resting place and nesting area for migratory waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, and wading birds. The refuge is also home to a multitude of animals, sea life and reptiles. There are several trails one can hike in the three thousand acres of salt and freshwater marshes, grasslands, riparian, and mixed habitats.

700 Main Street
Edmonds, WA 98020
425-774-7570
Website
Map

The Olympic Ballet Theater, first and foremost a Ballet School, do several public performances every year that include: multiple performances of the The Nutcracker in December (The dancers in this production are advanced students and international guest artists), Children's Ballets in February, kids dancing for kids and their families (productions include, Madeline and the Bad Hat at the Circus '2009' and Peter and the Wolf '2008', and Giselle in April. Come out a watch these future stars strut their stuff.

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.
 

map
5400 N. Pearl St.
Tacoma WA 98407
253 591-5337
website

Here’s a terrific combination of Zoo and Aquarium.

• Visit Rocky Shores, home to Beluga whales, harbor seals, Pacific walrus, sea otters, and tufted Puffins.
• At the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater, a fantastic array of animals show their amazing talents on the naturalistic stage as the presenters take you on an outdoor adventure. Spot an Asian fishing cat or the clouded leopards. Or maybe a green-winged macaw, or Indian runner ducks.
• Stop by the Arctic Tundra where Arctic fox, muskox, reindeer and the polar bears hang out.
• And don’t miss the new Asian Forest Sanctuary. It’s got tigers and elephants, and other exotic animals, too.

• Oh, and take the young ones by the Kid Zone, where they can get up close with some animals, but don’t forget to bring along a change of clothes and some water proof sandals for the lily pad fountain dancing.
• Last but no means least, visit the Aquarium.

I left a lot out, like the red wolves, but you can see them all when you go there.
Check the website for admission and operating hours information.

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.

Environmental Learning Center
5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S
Seattle, WA 98118
Phone 206 684 4396 Art Studio: 206 722 6342
Hours 6am to 11pm daily
Admission Free
Park Website
Map

Located on the shores of Lake Washington, within the Seattle city limits, Seward Park boasts 300 acres of beautiful forest land, home to eagles' nests, old growth forest, a 2.4 mile bike and walking path, an amphitheater, a native plant garden, a clay art studio, miles of hiking trails, and more.This is a place you can take the kids that you can enjoy, too, or slip away with a special friend or just be alone with you and the universe, a place to get away from the rat race and enjoy what makes this area a wonderful place to live.

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.

Legion Memorial Park
145 Alverson Blvd. at West Marine View Dr.
Everett, Washington 98201
Phone: 425-257-7107
Info:Contact Mary This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
June 12, 13 and 14, 2009
Friday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Map

Sorticulture, Everett’s Garden Arts Festival, unites art and the garden in a celebration of creative outdoor living. In its twelfth year, Sorticulture is a beloved festival that fills spectacular Legion Park in north Everett every June.

Artists create handcrafted art for the garden: blown glass, water features, trellises, hand-cut metal art, lanterns, whimsical birdhouses, ceramics and pottery, birdbaths, rustic furniture and kinetic sculpture.

Sorticulture’s growers produce a variety of uncommon and delightful plants that will transform your garden. Learn tips and tricks from the best of the Northwest gardeners.

Sorticulture also features dramatic display gardens and kids’ activities. Kick off your shoes, meet us at the Back Porch wine garden, and enjoy live acoustic music, good food, and countless ideas to expand your concept of imaginative outdoor living.

For more information go to: Website

845 Terry Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98101
www.southlakeunionpark.com
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Lake Union Park is a unique urban gem where visitors are able to experience and learn about the history of the Pacific Northwest's maritime world… boat-building and boat-rentals, historic vessels, family programs, sailing classes, festivals and more. Bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it. If picnics aren’t your cup of tea, stop off at one of the many fine restaurants in the area for lunch or dinner.

The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day in Seattle. What to do?

There is no place more glorious than The Emerald City and the Puget Sound when the sun shines. There are trails to hike and bike on, beaches to lie on, freshwater and saltwater to play in and on, parks just waiting for picnickers and kids to enjoy them. So, get out there and soak up some rays!

Here are some great ideas to get you started:

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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.

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.

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1300 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA 98101
www.waterfrontpark.com
Hours: 6: A.M. to 10: P.M

Between Pier 57 and Pier 59, Waterfront Park offers a lamp lined oasis complete with benches and high, curving railings. There are two viewing platforms that provide excellent views of the city skyline, the waterfront, the shores of Elliott Bay, Blake and Bainbridge Island -- on a clear day, the Olympic Mountains. The north end of the park offers picnic tables, and some trees in planters and the Waterfront Fountain, a great place to enjoy your lunch.

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

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
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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.

9535 Bowdoin Way
Edmonds, WA
Free
Official Website
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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.