Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HIKING
Within Seattle itself, there are several large nature parks laced with enough trails
to allow for a few good long walks. Among these are
Seward Park,
5898 Lake
Washington Blvd., southeast of downtown; and
Lincoln Park,
8011 Fauntleroy
Ave. SW, south of Alki Beach in West Seattle. However, the city's largest natural
park and Seattleites' favorite quick dose of nature is
Discovery Park,
3801 W.
Government Way (
&
206/386-4236
), northwest of downtown at the western
tip of the Magnolia neighborhood. This park covers more than 500 acres and
has many miles of trails and beaches to hike—not to mention gorgeous views,
forest paths, and meadows for lazing in after a long walk. To reach Discovery
Park, follow Elliott Avenue north along the waterfront from downtown Seattle,
then take the Magnolia Bridge west toward the Magnolia neighborhood and fol-
low Grayfield Street to Galer Street to Magnolia Boulevard.
IN-LINE SKATING
The city has dozens of miles of paved paths that are perfect for skating. You
can rent in-line skates at
Greg's Green Lake Cycle,
7007 Woodlawn Ave. NE
(
&
206/523-1822
), for $7 to $10 per hour. The trail around
Green Lake
in
north Seattle and the
Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail
(see the descrip-
tion under “Biking,” above) are both good places for skating and are convenient
to Gregg's. Other favorite skating spots include the paved path in
Myrtle
Edwards Park
just north of the Seattle waterfront, the paved path along
Lake
Washington Boulevard
north of Seward Park, and the
Alki Beach
pathway in
West Seattle.
JOGGING
The waterfront, from
Pioneer Square north to Myrtle Edwards Park,
where a
paved path parallels the water, is a favorite downtown jogging route. The residen-
tial streets of
Capitol Hill,
when combined with roads and sidewalks through
Vo l -
unteer Park,
are another good choice. If you happen to be staying in the University
District, you can access the 27-mile-long
Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail
or run the ever-popular trail around
Green Lake.
Out in West Seattle, the
Alki
Beach
pathway is also very popular and provides great views of the Olympics.
SEA KAYAKING, CANOEING, ROWING & SAILING
If you'd like to try your hand at
sea kayaking
, try the
Northwest Outdoor
Center
, 2100 Westlake Ave. N. (
&
800/683-0637
or 206/281-9694;
www.nwoc.com), which is located on the west side of Lake Union. Here you can
rent a sea kayak for between $10 and $15 per hour. You can also opt for guided
tours lasting from a few hours to several days, and there are plenty of classes
available for those who are interested.
Moss Bay Rowing and Kayak Center,
1001 Fairview Ave. N. (
&
206/682-
2031;
www.mossbay.net), rents sea kayaks (as well as canoes, pedal boats, and
sailboats) at the south end of Lake Union near Chandler's Cove. Rates range
from $10 per hour for a single to $15 per hour for a double. Because this rental
center is a little closer to downtown Seattle, it makes a better choice if you are
here without a car.
The
University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center,
on the uni-
versity campus behind Husky Stadium (
&
206/543-9433
), is open to the pub-
lic and rents canoes and rowboats for $7.50 per hour. With the marshes of the
Washington Park Arboretum directly across a narrow channel from the boat
launch, this is an ideal place for beginner canoeists to rent a boat.
