Luther Burbank Park Swim Beach
Mercer Island, WA
Luther Burbank Park covers 77 acres with three quarters of a mile of Lake Washington shoreline on Mercer Island, its designated swim beach tested by King County through the season. A dog off-leash area with its own lake access sits nearby, and wetlands and trails give the park a more natural, undeveloped feel than most city swim beaches.
A real swim beach in a genuinely natural, undeveloped feeling park, with the added bonus of a nearby dog swim area, though the cold water deserves real respect.
How we score beachesLake Washington's cold undertow and hypothermia risk are worth taking seriously even on a warm day; county water safety messaging flags this lake specifically.
More Pacific Coast beaches
Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.
Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.