Lake Washington, Arboretum & Seattles Outdoor-Leben
Seattle's outdoor culture (the most outdoors-oriented major American city after Denver, the city where more residents per capita participate in hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, cycling, and skiing than any other large city in the United States): the combination of immediate access to Puget Sound (kayaking, sailing, rowing), Lake Washington (the 87 km² (33.6 sq mile) freshwater lake on Seattle's eastern border), the Burke-Gilman Trail (the 27 km (17 mile) bicycle and pedestrian trail from Ballard through the University District to Kenmore), and the proximity of the Cascades and Olympic mountains defines Seattle's outdoor character.
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Washington Park Arboretum — 230 Acres of Living Plant Collection
Washington Park Arboretum (2300 Arboretum Drive E, Madison Park, 230 acres, free, open daily dawn to dusk, managed by University of Washington) is Seattle's primary botanical resource — the Japanese Garden (within the arboretum, $8 adults, open April–November, the finest Japanese stroll garden on the West Coast) and the Azalea Way (the 1,200m central path lined with Japanese flowering cherries and azaleas, peak bloom late March–April) are the principal features; the Graham Visitors Center (free, plant identification maps) and the floating bridge path above Lake Washington are secondary attractions.
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Lake Washington — Fresh Water Sailing 10 Minutes from Downtown
Lake Washington (21km long, the largest freshwater lake in the Seattle area, bordered by Seattle to the west and the Eastside cities Bellevue and Redmond to the east, connected to Puget Sound by the Lake Washington Ship Canal) is Seattle's primary water recreation resource — the Montlake Cut (the waterway connecting Lake Washington to Lake Union) and the Ballard Locks (the engineering structure that raises and lowers boats between the freshwater Lake Union and the saltwater Puget Sound) are the two engineering landmarks; sailboat rental (Community Boating Center, Eastlake Ave E, from $20/hour) is available on Lake Union.
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Mount Rainier — The Volcano Dominating Seattle's Sky
Mount Rainier (4,392m, the highest peak in the Cascade Range, the most glaciated peak in the contiguous US outside Alaska, 97km from Seattle, Mount Rainier National Park, $30/vehicle entry) is visible from Seattle on 40% of days — the standard summer approach (Paradise Visitor Center, 1,646m, the most-visited sub-alpine meadow in the US during the July–August wildflower season) provides access to the Skyline Trail (7.5km loop, 450m elevation gain, the best single-day Rainier hike without technical equipment); the Wonderland Trail (150km circumnavigation of the mountain, 9–14 days) is the Pacific Northwest's premier multi-day hike.
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Cascade Wilderness — The Alpine Lakes Area
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness (the most visited wilderness area in Washington State, 160,000+ acres, within 80km of Seattle, accessible from I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass or US-2 at Stevens Pass) contains 700+ alpine lakes at elevations 600–1,800m — the most popular day hikes: Snow Lake (8km return, 1,300m summit, the most-hiked trail in Washington), Rattlesnake Ledge (4km return, a rock ledge with Seattle skyline views), and the Enchantments (the most spectacular alpine terrain in Washington, 18km one-way, lottery-based permits required, October only for day-use without permit).
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Green Lake Park — Seattle's Urban Swimming Hole
Green Lake (Green Lake Park, north Seattle, 1.5-mile circumference paved loop around an urban lake, the most-used running/walking path in Seattle, 3km from downtown by frequent bus) is the gathering centre of north Seattle's community — the lake itself (open for swimming June–September, 2 lifeguarded swimming beaches, no fee) and the boat rental (rowboats, kayaks, paddleboards from the green lake boat rental, $20/hour) make it a complete outdoor leisure destination; the Saturday morning community yoga (Green Lake Park outdoor space, free, 9:30am June–September) is Seattle's most inclusive outdoor fitness tradition.
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Puget Sound Sea Kayaking — Paddling with Orcas
Puget Sound sea kayaking (rental from Agua Verde Paddle Club on Portage Bay, $22/hour, and Northwest Outdoor Center on Lake Union, $18/hour) ranges from the urban lake circuit to multi-day island crossings — Orca Island (not the whale, but the island in Haro Strait), Lopez Island, and the San Juan Islands (accessible from Anacortes, 2 hours north of Seattle by car) offer 3–7 day kayak camping trips through the most productive orca habitat in the world; the Southern Resident Killer Whale population (J, K, and L pods, approximately 73 whales) passes through the San Juan Islands May–October.