Outdoors Magnolia, Seattle
Discovery Park
An outdoor spot in Magnolia, Seattle, free to visit and worth about 2.5 hours. Best time to go: Clear afternoon.
Why go
Seattle's largest park: bluff meadows, forest loop trail and a beach walk to West Point Lighthouse.
It is one of 19 curated places we feature in Seattle, alongside 8 places to eat, 7 sights and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Discovery Park, 0.2 mi away as the crow flies.
- Type
- Outdoors · Nature
- Neighborhood
- Magnolia
- Price
- Free
- Time needed
- 2.5 hr
- Best time
- Clear afternoon
Nearby
Our closest curated picks, including 2 beyond Seattle. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.
- 1Discovery Park
The city's largest park, with bluffs, forest trails and a beach walk to the 1881 West Point Lighthouse.
Outdoors · Pike Place Market & Waterfront · 0.2 mi straight-line - 2Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Ballard Locks move boats between Lake Washington and Puget Sound; fish ladder windows show migrating salmon.
Sight · 1.0 mi straight-line - 3The Walrus and the Carpenter
Ballard oyster bar from Renee Erickson, known for local oysters.
Food · 1.7 mi straight-line - 4Paseo Caribbean Food
Fremont's cult Cuban-style sandwich shop; the Caribbean Roast pork sandwich is the order.
Food · 3.1 mi straight-line - 5Kerry Park
Small Queen Anne viewpoint with the classic view of the Space Needle in front of downtown and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Sight · Seattle Center & Queen Anne · 3.5 mi straight-line - 6Kerry Park
Small Queen Anne park with the classic skyline view of the Space Needle and, on clear days, Mount Rainier.
Sight · 3.5 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Discovery Park is a stop on our Pacific Northwest route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More to do in Seattle
Discovery Park is our only outdoors pick in Seattle; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Seattle guide.
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Pike Place Market
Century-old public market with fishmongers, produce stalls and the original market arcades over Elliott Bay.
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Zig Zag Café
Classic cocktail bar tucked down the Pike Street Hillclimb steps below the market.
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Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with strong Northwest Coast Native and modern collections.
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Chihuly Garden and Glass
Dale Chihuly's glasswork in galleries and a garden beside the Space Needle.
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Elliott's Oyster House
Waterfront seafood institution on Pier 56 with a long raw-oyster list.
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Piroshky Piroshky
Russian bakery in the market selling fresh beef-and-cheese and salmon piroshky.
When to go
Average daily highs in Seattle run from 44°F in December to 75°F in August; November is usually the wettest month. For Discovery Park itself, we suggest: Clear afternoon.
Modelled monthly averages for Seattle from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Seattle weather by month.
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Discovery Park, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Address
- Seattle, WA 98199, USA
- Coordinates
- 47.66132, -122.41714
- Destination
- Seattle, Washington
Discovery Park: quick answers
How much time do you need at Discovery Park?
Plan on about 2.5 hours at Discovery Park. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Discovery Park?
Our pick: Clear afternoon. Insider tip: Take the 2.8-mile Loop Trail plus the beach spur.
Is Discovery Park free?
Yes, we list Discovery Park as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.
Where is Discovery Park?
Discovery Park is at Seattle, WA 98199, USA, in Magnolia. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.
Which TripsCircle routes include Discovery Park?
Discovery Park appears on Pacific Northwest, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Discovery Park to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Seattle.
Plan Seattle
- Seattle travel guide 19 places
- Best time to visit Seattle weather by month
- Seattle to Bainbridge Island 8.9 mi straight-line
- Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass 45 mi straight-line
- Seattle to Olympic NP 61 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Seattle
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.