Beautiful Beaches In Seattle

Last Updated on August 23, 2019 by Estrella

If you just moved to Seattle, or if you haven’t explored much of Seattle, there are some beaches worth visiting. A few of these are just half an hour from the city. They are family friendly, so you an bring the entire family. But they are also large enough that you don’t feel crowded. Seattle has great weather in the summer. Do take advantage of this time of year to visit these beautiful beaches in Seattle.

Salt water beaches 30 minutes from Seattle

Carkeek Park

Carkeek Park is about 10 minutes from Northgate Mall. Although it’s that close to the city, you wouldn’t think so. This park has a beach, hiking trails, picnic tables. The hikes have different degrees of difficulty. But you don’t need to hike to get to the beach. There are stairs from the parking lot. This beach is a great place for those who like to collect seashells.

Even though there are lots of parking, it can get busy on the weekends. The children playground and picnic areas are often full. So this park is very family friendly.

Here is a link to Carkeek Park.

Golden Gardens Park

Golden Gardens Park is not far from the Ballard Locks. So you can visit both places on the same trip. They are just 10 minutes apart. This park has a sandy beach, unlike some of the other ones. It also has an off-leash dog park in the upper level.

Whoever designs this leash-free area for dogs thought of everything. The area is divided into sections for different sized dogs. It’s a great idea because the tiny dogs would be safe from larger dogs who are running around.

There are BBQ areas, and they are really popular. So if you are planning an outing with family and friends, get there early to use the BBQ.

In the winter, this is one of the beaches where the Christmas Ship stops and performers sing carols to those on the shore. Several fire pits warm the audience while they wait for the ships to arrive.

You can use the fire pits too. There are rules to observe when you use them, including what kind of wood you can burn. You can find out more about Golden Gardens Park here.

Mukilteo Lighthouse Park

This is an interesting place for both adults and children. The lighthouse is open during certain hours. Children would enjoy this short climb to the lighthouse. And adults too. 🙂

The ferry to Whidbey Island is right next to the park. So if you feel like a short ferry ride, you can walk on as passengers only without taking your car, and just leave your car at the lighthouse park.

There is a boat launch here. If you feel like taking your own boat, you can bring it here. The islands are just minutes away.

The fire pits here are well used. Again, there are rules on using them to maintain safety for everyone. Bring clean firewood.

The children’s playground and picnic area are well used. Although there are lots of parking, the spots fill up quickly on the weekend.

What’s unique about this beach is that there are no stairs. You walk from the parking lot right to the beach. It’s the same level. Because the islands are so close, there’s more water activity to watch. And the ferry crossing is less than 30 minutes one way.

Here is a link to Mukilteo Lighthouse Park.

There’s also Alki Beach (where a scene from the movie Sleepless in Seattle was filmed.) I’ve seen many people play volleyball at Alki Beach.

Richmond beach is also a short drive from Seattle. It has lots of picnic and BBQ area. You can even reserve a space for parties. Many weddings are held here in the summer.

These are a few beaches you can get to in about 30 minutes from the city. So, go and explore these beautiful beaches for the remainder of the summer. Although they are popular in the summer, they are well used year-round. But this is a good season to come here, relax, and soak up some sun.

If you want to explore some of the islands, here is an article on San Juan Islands in Washington State.

Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking.    You can schedule a session with her at support@englisharoundtheworld.com