Published March 11, 2021
The Best West Seattle Parks
Now that we’re all starting to think about coming out of winter hibernation mode, let’s talk about the best West Seattle parks. Come on, you know you want to let those pasty legs get some sunshine! And yes, we’re biased, but West Seattle has so many good parks that it almost seems unfair to the rest of the city.
Whether you want to get some exercise, walk the dog, get some hiking in, or let the kids play, that it seems almost criminal not to go to a park every single day, especially in the glorious Seattle spring. Let’s dive in!
Puget Ridge Tot Lot
Puget Ridge Tot Lot is without a doubt one of West Seattle’s best-kept secrets. This tiny neighborhood playground is the spot to go if you have toddlers you need to keep contained because, that’s right, it is fenced in. If you have a kid who likes to run, you know what a big deal this is. It means you might actually be able to enjoy that cup of coffee while your kid plays.
Other amenities include monkey bars, climbing equipment, and a small sandbox. There’s also a large, grassy space to let kids run to their hearts’ content. Did we mention that this is the perfect spot for a playdate? Absolutely perfect.
Ercolini Park
Ercolini Park is another oddball toddler park here in West Seattle. People actually leave toddler cars and toys around for all the kids to play with. It’s small, which is perfect because you always know where the little ones are.
Ercolini Park has a big grassy area and a short looping path for tiny legs. This is an especially good park if you have a stroller, since it’s flat and doesn’t have any obstacles to trip you up.
Whale Tail Park
Giant boat and lighthouse: check. Giant sandbox: check. Giant whale tail: indeed. One block east of Alki Beach, Whale Tail Park is consistently a fan favorite on “best of” lists. Part of it’s the whimsical setting, but part of it’s that it’s so close to some of West Seattle’s most gorgeous scenery.
The equipment is well-cared for, and you just can’t beat the proximity to everything you could want for a daytime adventure (including delicious food, which is the most important part). You might even find some whale-themed art near the park’s east border! Just a heads up, it’s so close to the beach that parking can be a little tricky, especially on the weekends.
Lincoln Park
Near the Fauntleroy Terminal, Lincoln Park is a gorgeous spot with a rocky, driftwood-filled beach. You can’t beat the views of the Olympic Mountains off to the west or the open grass and trails throughout the park’s wooded areas.
Trails actually crisscross throughout the park, but we recommend walking the beachfront from the north to the south and then climbing one of the connecting trails. There are also four miles of bike trails at Lincoln Park, and one of the many grassy meadows is truly just the right spot for a picnic. The northern part of the park has a play area for the kids.
Westcrest Park
A West Seattle hot spot, Westcrest Park was expanded five years ago, and now it’s filled with kid-friendly play options plus options for the dogs, including an off-leash area. But the best part of the park might be the panoramic view of the city’s skyline. Stunning!
There’s a paved path that circles the park, so if you have a bike, stroller, scooter, this is the park to bring wheels to. The park has zip lines, a net climber, a spinning net, and more. Easy hiking trails are on the south end of the park, and there are plenty of shady picnic and grassy play areas. Three separate lots offer plenty of free parking.
Camp Long
The massive Camp Long is another of West Seattle’s most delightful secrets. This park is a whopping 68 acres, and it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise, especially if you love a good old-growth forest. Camp Long was founded in 1937 and was originally a youth refuge that taught scouting and camping skills.
That means that there is a ton to do here. If you want to rock climb, learn about the area’s natural history, do a forested ropes course, or camp overnight in one of ten rustic cabins available for rent, this is the place. Not to mention that there are birdwatching opportunities galore, and stunning wildflowers in the summer and pretty spectacular foliage in the fall.
Fauntleroy Park
Fauntleroy Park is a densely forested spot in the heart of West Seattle with a network of trails and paths that are perfect for just wandering around. It’s an essential habitat for the wildlife around here and includes five acres of wetlands. Interestingly, its steep slopes make around 30 percent of it unbuildable, which actually saved this gorgeous spot from development around a hundred years ago.
This is the perfect spot to do some dog walking or hiking on the newly improved trails (which is an ongoing project with the Trails Program).
Hiawatha Playfields
If you just need some fields to play baseball, soccer, or football in, or you want a track or tennis court, check out the Hiawatha Playfields on California Ave. It’s right next to West Seattle High School and is shared with the nearby community center, as well.
The park compound also has trails for walking, picnic tables, a wading pool, and a grassy hill (perfect for rolling, we might add). There really is something for everyone here.
Me-Kwa-Mooks Park
The thing about Me-Kwa-Mooks Park that’s so appealing is that the majority of it extends north on land that is mostly undeveloped. This interesting spot is just across the street from the Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook (this was once the homestead of the Schmitz family).
The area is remarkably dense with trees, so there are a lot of birds here, including screech owls. The tidepools just across the street are accessible during the low tide, and you’ll see all kinds of interesting sea creatures here, including limpets, chitons, sea cucumbers, and lumpsuckers.
Schmitz Preserve Park
The aforementioned Ferdinand Schmitz donated much of the land for this large preserve. He was on the park commission in the early 1900s, and he wanted to preserve parts of the rapidly developing city.
This has long been popular for its quiet, unchanged nature. Truly, it has remained unchanged for around a hundred years (other than the addition of a parking lot and a paved entrance). If you want to hike or do some walking in plenty of solitude and quiet, this is the place to go.
Admiral Viewpoint
We saved the best for last. Admiral Viewpoint has 180? views of Seattle’s gorgeous skyline. You can see the cascade mountains, Harbor Island, and the Port of Seattle, as well as the West Seattle Bridge. It’s one of the best spots to see those views Seattle is famous for.
Fun side note: Managing Broker Kirsten’s husband proposed here! It is a great spot for popping the question if you don’t mind an audience.
Do you have any favorite West Seattle parks we should visit this spring and summer? If so, drop us a comment below so we can check them out!
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