16 of Seattle’s Best Beaches (From a Local!)

Seattle is wedged between two large bodies of water: Elliott Bay to the west and Lake Washington to the east. Seattle also has direct access to Lake Union, Portage Bay, and Union Bay. To the south, there is the Duwamish River. Seattle is practically surrounded by water! That means that there are tons of beaches to explore.

You’ll find all sorts of beaches near the city. There are rocky beaches, sandy beaches, secluded beaches, saltwater beaches, and fresh water beaches. Chances are, there’s a beach nearby that you will love. Growing up near Seattle, I’ve been to many of these beaches over the years. In this post, I’ll share with you my picks for 16 of the best beaches in Seattle. 

Here’s my Quick Summary for the best beaches in Seattle:

• Best Sandy Beach: Golden Gardens 
• Beach with the Bes Views: Discovery Park
• Most Unique Beach: Gas Works Park
• Best Swimming Beach: Madrona Beach
• Best for Beach Walks: Alki Beach

Map of Seattle’s Best Beaches

I created this map so that you can easily find the spots I mention in this post.

 

The Best Beaches in Seattle

1. Discovery Park

I may be a little biased because we got engaged at Discovery Park, but Discovery Park has one of Seattle’s best beaches! At 534 acres, it’s Seattle’s largest park too. We have visited Discovery Park dozens of times, and it feels like we are always discovering something new there. The park has tons of trails, fields, and shoreline. 

The two beaches at Discovery Park are the West Point Lighthouse Beach and the Discovery Park Beach. Both beaches are best accessed from a trail. There’s some limited beach parking. Permits are typically required from the Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center for folks that would have a hard time walking to the beach. During the summer weekends, there used to be shuttles to the beach. These have been paused due to covid, but hopefully they will return. Most people park at the either the East Parking Lot (near the Visitor Center) or the South Parking Lot.

Although the beach and lighthouse are lovely, one of our favorite things to do at Discovery Park is look at the water from the hilltop bluffs. There are lots of benches and little alcoves to watch the sunset. (Just be careful not to approach the edge too closely, it’s a steep fall!)

As you wander around Discovery Park, you’ll probably notice army buildings. The park was the site of Fort Lawton for many years.

While you’re visiting Discovery Park, you’ll also want to check out Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood. Palisade Restaurant is one of the area’s best restaurants. It’s located right on the marina with views of the water.

2. Gas Works Park

Whenever we have friends or family visit us from out of town, we take them to Gas Works Park. The park itself is super unique because it was the former site of the Seattle Gas Light Company’s gasification plant. (Hence the rusty structures!) It’s a great place to take photos, especially with downtown Seattle in the background. It’s also on the National Register of Historic Places.

The park is 19 acres and sits on the north shore of Lake Union. Across the lake, you’ll have direct views of the downtown Seattle skyline. A large grassy knoll gives plenty of space for picnics, frisbee, and sunbathing. A sundial at the top of the hill is a popular place for taking photos.

The grassy area juts out to the water along a bulkhead, so there’s not much of a traditional “beach.” Entering the water is prohibited, so this waterfront area is best enjoyed from the grass.

While you’re in the area, you might also enjoy checking out the Burke-Gilman Trail. It’s a 27-mile paved urban trail that is popular with cyclists and runners.

Be sure to see our article on 33 of our favorite day trips from Seattle.

3. Golden Gardens Park

Golden Gardens might just be the best sandy beach in Seattle. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see across the Puget Sound to the Olympic Mountains. There are five beach volleyball courts. One is a drop-in court, but the rest need to be reserved in advance. Just be sure to bring your own nets and ball. 

The beach also has a fishing pier, boat launch, and an off-leash area for dogs. Depending on the season, the beach fire pits may also be open.

On a warm summer day, this is easily one of the most popular beaches in Seattle. This is one of my personal favorite beaches in Seattle to visit during the summer. The sandy beach will make it feel like you are on vacation!

4. Alki Beach

Alki Beach is located in West Seattle and is another very popular beach. I like this beach because you can see Seattle’s skyline across the water. (If you look closely, you can see the Space Needle above the tree line.) This park is also extremely large, with lots of shoreline.

The park has eight volleyball courts, one of which is set aside for drop-in play. The rest should be reserved in advance.

Alki Beach has historical significance, as Chief Seattle first greeted white settlers here in 1851.

I visit Alki Beach pretty frequently. I have friends that live in West Seattle, so meeting up at Alki Beach is one of our traditions. I think Alki Beach is perfect for a beach walk, and the views of the Seattle skyline are perfection!

5. Myrtle Edwards Park

Myrtle Edwards Park is located within walking distance of the Space Needle. (About a mile long walk.) I like Myrtle Edwards Park because it has great views of Mount Rainier on a clear day. It’s also closer to the downtown area, so it’s more accessible if you’re planning on doing a day of sightseeing in Seattle. The park has a 1.25 mile trail for pedestrians and bicyclists that winds along Elliott Bay. The beach itself is more of a rocky one.

While you’re visiting Myrtle Edwards Park, you’ll want to check out the nearby Olympic Sculpture Park. It’s a free park operated by the Seattle Art Museum that features plenty of outdoor sculptures.

6. Madrona Beach

Madrona Beach is a freshwater beach off of Lake Washington. Because it’s a freshwater beach, it’s more popular with swimmers.

The park features a hill that slopes down to a grassy beach, where you will find a sandy swimming area. During the summer, there are lifeguards on duty.

7. Richmond Beach Saltwater Park

Just north of Seattle in the town of Shoreline is Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. To reach this park, you’ll walk a short trail, cross a pedestrian bridge over train tracks, and then walk down to the beach. I’d estimate it’s a quarter mile walk from the parking lot. If you’re lugging a lot of beach equipment (e.g., chairs, umbrellas, coolers), it might be better to choose a beach near Seattle with more direct access from a parking lot.

If you don’t mind a bit of a walk to reach the beach front, Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is a beautiful escape. There’s open water access and trails to explore. The beach is rocky with lots of driftwood logs to sit on.

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park has an off-leash dog area that is open seasonally. It’s also worth checking the tide schedule to explore the beach during low tide. No beach fires are allowed.

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park has restrooms available at the waterfront, as well as restrooms available at the parking lot. There’s also picnic shelters in both locations. Just up the hill from the parking lot is a playground.

We like visiting Richmond Beach Saltwater Park for the playground (pirate ship themed) and for the walk to the beach.

You can read our full review of Richmond Beach Saltwater Park to learn more and see more photos.