Best Beaches in Seattle - Tacoma for a Family Photo Session
From lovely golden hour sessions to the grey skies Seattle is famous for, there’s never a bad day for a family beach session! Bring your rain boots to stay dry or get sand in your toes.
Let’s go on an adventure!
Seattle
Carkeek Park - Seattle
This popular park offers extraordinary views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Explore the secrets of this northwest Seattle watershed, nine miles from downtown. Here, 220 acres of lush forest, meadows, wetlands, creeks, and beach are formed by the magic of water and time. Come take part in an education program, have a picnic, or get involved as a volunteer teacher or as part of an outdoor work party. Walk the Pipers Canyon Story Trail, play on the uniquely salmon themed play area, or touch time at the historic Piper Orchard.
Golden Gardens - Seattle
Located in Ballard on Puget Sound, this popular park offers extraordinary views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. This park features two wetlands, a short loop trail, and restored the northern beach. Golden Gardens offers strolls along a rugged coastline, hikes through forest trails, sunbathing on sandy beaches, fishing from a pier and a boat launch consisting of 300' of shoreline at south end of park. The park is also home to an off-leash area for dogs in the upper northern portion of the park. Dogs are not allowed on beaches, or children's play areas in Seattle parks, per the Seattle Municipal Code.
Discovery Park - Seattle
Discovery Park is a 534 acre natural area park operated by the Seattle Parks and Recreation. It is the largest city park in Seattle, and occupies most of the former Fort Lawton site. The site is one of breathtaking majesty. Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Discovery Park offers spectacular view of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. The secluded site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams.
Myrtle Edwards Park - Seattle
Myrtle Edwards Park has a 1.25-mile winding bike and pedestrian paths along Elliott Bay, fantastic views of the Olympics Mountains, Mount Rainier, and Puget Sound, easy access from downtown and easy connection to bike paths to Magnolia.
Alki Beach - Seattle
Picture a perfect summer day, and chances are your thoughts will take you to Alki Beach Park, a long beach strip that runs roughly from 64th Place SW to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. It's a great spot for a long walk any time of year, and in the summer draws joggers, rollerbladers, volleyball players, sunbathers, bicyclists and strollers out to enjoy the sun. The water temperature ranges from 46 to 56 degrees Fahrenheit depending on season.
Lincoln Park - West Seattle
Amazingly diverse for its size, Lincoln includes 4.6 miles of walking paths, 3.9 miles of bike trails, five picnic shelters, acres of playfields, and an outdoor heated saltwater pool and bathhouse.
Burien
Seahurst park - Burien
The jewel of Burien's park system, Seahurst Park offers a saltwater beach on Puget Sound, views to the Olympic Mountains, reservable picnic shelters and tables, a playground area, and several trails. The park contains many natural features such as forests, streams, wetlands, and shorelines. Volunteer naturalists visit regularly to answer questions about marine plants and animals. It is a favorite for area photographers and families.
Des Moines - Federal Way
Saltwater State Park
Saltwater State Park delivers a sandy beach getaway on the edge of Washington's largest urban area, and the park is only 2 miles from Interstate 5. Set on a stretch of shoreline between Tacoma and Seattle, Saltwater is one of the most popular Washington state parks. While you won't often have the beach to yourself on a warm summer day, the atmosphere can't be beat. Wade in the shallows, make sand castles or play on the driftwood-strewn shore. Explore Saltwater's tide pools or its seasonal salmon spawning in McSorley Creek. If you prefer to view sea life from under the water, Saltwater is the only state park with an underwater artificial reef for diving. The reef is a protected marine sanctuary, and harvesting is not allowed.
Dash Point
Hidden in plain sight between Seattle and Tacoma, this park offers miles of forested hiking and biking trails, but its main draw is the beach. The shoreline narrows at high tide, bringing anglers out to its pier. Low tide turns the sand flats into a play destination for locals, families with children and hip skim boarders surfing the shallow water. Whether you're out for an afternoon or a camping trip, whether you're watching your kids, the birds or the boarders, you'll be delighted by this oasis tucked between two urban hubs.
Tacoma
Brown's Point- Tacoma
Browns Point Lighthouse Park (4.03 acres) lies on the tip of historic Browns Point, and provides waterfront access for the community. A large green space makes this a nice spot for a picnic as you watch the deep-sea ships entering Tacoma’s busy port.
Titlow Beach- Tacoma
Titlow Park is a large grassy flat park located near a lagoon and Puget Sound at the base of 6th Avenue. The park is 75 acres. The extensive beach frontage and estuary lagoon serve as the focal point to park visitors. Other site amenities include tennis and basketball courts, playfields, trails, sprayground, playground and picnic areas.
Chambers Bay - Tacoma
This 930-acre site includes over two miles of saltwater shoreline, two and a half miles of urban creek and canyon and breathtaking mountain and Puget Sound views. Enjoy a walk on the beach and public trails, play golf or dine at Chambers Bay, relax at Central or North Meadow or see the award-winning Environmental Services Building.
