City: Seattle, WA

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (206) 684-4075

Address: 8498 Seaview Place NW (North)

Description: Located in Ballard on Puget Sound, this popular park offers extraordinary views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. The gardens were named in 1907 by Harry Treat, a real-estate baron whose trolley brought Ballard residents here each weekend. Roads were built in later decades, and soon came the bumper-to-bumper traffic that’s part of the experience today. A recent project restored two wetlands, established a short loop trail, and restored the northern beach. Golden Gardens offers strolls along a rugged coastline, hikes through forest trails, sunbathing on sandy beaches, fishing from a pier, and a boat launch. The park is also home to an off-leash area for dogs in the upper northern portion. Don’t miss the sunset—one of the most amazing viewing points in Seattle, and you can make a bonfire to go with it.