Golden Gardens Park
Seattle, WA
Golden Gardens Park sits on Shilshole Bay in Ballard, a real sand beach with legal fire pits, first come first served, and some of the most reliable sunset views over the Olympics in the city. A fenced off-leash dog area sits up in the park, but dogs aren't allowed down on the sand itself, a distinction worth knowing before showing up with one.
Iconic and heavily used, real fire pits and genuinely one of the best sunset spots in the city, held back only by how packed the lower lot gets.
How we score beachesThe lower lot right by the beach fills by midday most summer weekends. Arrive early or plan on the upper lots and a short walk down.
Multiple free parking lots; the lower lot fills fastest.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach or sand, though there's a fenced one acre off-leash area in the upper park.
Fire pits run summer only, subject to burn bans. Sunset watching is a year round draw.
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