7 sublime beaches for sunbathing in Seattle
There are two types of beachgoers: those who love jumping into the water, and those who’d rather spend the day with a nice book.
Regardless of who you are, we’re sure you’ll love our list of best beaches to sunbathe in, in Seattle.
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Here are seven of our favorite Seattle-area beaches, and two bonus beaches to enjoy.
Matthews Beach
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Matthews Beach is Seattle’s largest freshwater bathing beach. It’s easily accessible through the Burke-Gilman Trail and features 100 feet of sandbar shoreline.
Madison Park Beach
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Madison Park Beach is a great, family-friendly beach. It includes amenities such as bathhouses with restrooms, as well as a bike rack and well-placed benches.
Magnuson Swim Beach
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Join the many University of Washington students at Magnuson Swim Beach. It’s one of Seattle’s most popular swimming spots and even has restrooms and outdoor showers for use.
Mt. Baker Beach
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Mt. Baker beaches will be open daily, weather permitting, through labor day in September. Relax on the grass or sand, or even enjoy a picnic on one of the few wooden picnic tables.
Alki Beach
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Alki Beach is a long beach strip that runs roughly from 64th Place SW to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. The beach features a bustling beach walk and is typically packed on a hot summer day.
Golden Gardens Park Seattle
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Located in Ballard on Puget Sound, Golden Gardens Park offers some of the best park views in the city. Although it’s not a real beach beach, we appreciate the sand and rugged coastline.
Juanita Beach
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Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland is a little drive out of Seattle, which is great because it’s way not as busy as Seattle beaches and parks. The park includes 1,000 feet of Lake Washington shoreline to relax and splash in.
Bonus beaches a little farther away…
Shi Shi Beach
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Pronounced Shy-Shy, Shi Shi Beach is a beautiful remote beach, perfect for those looking to upgrade their ‘gram or simply seclude themselves in paradise. The trail to Shi Shi Beach begins on the tribal lands of the Makah Indian Reservation, while the beach itself is located in Washington’s Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula. Yes, at five hours away, this beach is quite far, but we think it’s worth the journey.
Seabrook Washington
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Seabrook is a coastal town in Pacific Beach that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. A roughly three-hour drive from Seattle, make a day of relaxing on the beach, catching a few waves, clam digging, paddleboarding, and kayaking.