It’s been said that everyone in Seattle, whether they’re headed to work or play, always dresses to be prepared for a spontaneous hike—you just never know when you’ll be invited out on a trail! Indeed, there are dozens of places to stretch your legs right in Seattle proper (and hundreds within a short distance). The city’s largest green space, 560-acre Discovery Park extends across Magnolia Bluff with dramatic views of the Salish Sea. Multiple trails weave through the park’s grassy fields, dense forests, and even to a small, secluded beach with a picturesque lighthouse. West Seattle’s 135-acre Lincoln Park also offers wooded and beachside paths along Puget Sound, with great views of the Olympic Mountains. Follow the trail behind Colman Pool on the north end of the park to find Thomas Dambo’s reclaimed wood sculpture, Bruun Idun, one of five in the Seattle area (visit nwtrolls.org to learn about the others).

Seward Park is a thumb-shaped peninsula jutting into rippling Lake Washington, with several miles of trails for walking and biking; there’s a paved loop as well as more rugged trails through a 300-acre old-growth urban forest—the largest in the city—which is ideal for spotting birds and other wildlife. Farther up the lakeshore, Magnuson Park is a former naval airfield that today contains more than 4 miles of trails through fields and trees, plus art installations and structures built in the 1930s and 40s along the way. There’s also a large dog park where your pup can hike and swim in the lake.

Step to it

Discover the city’s many outdoor stairways that cut paths through beautiful, hilly terrain where you’ll often be treated to expansive views. Visit seattlestairwaywalks.com for a map and suggestions.

Grab a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard along Seattle’s vast network of interconnected lakes and bays, admiring views of the skyline, surrounding mountains, and perhaps local wildlife while you’re at it. On Lake Union, nosh on flavorful Mexican bites in the café at Agua Verde Paddle Club, where you can then rent a kayak or paddleboard and cruise by Gas Works Park and Washington Park Arboretum. You can also rent equipment or take a kayaking class from Northwest Outdoor Center. On Green Lake, book a pedal boat or water bike from Greenlake Boathouse, which also has a small café. Check out the guided sea kayak paddles from Alki Kayak Tours, which include sunset, lighthouse, and moonlight tours on Elliott Bay—they also offer rentals (paddleboards too). Other spots to rent supplies include Seattle Paddle, University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center, and Mount Baker Rowing & Sailing Center.

Tribal Traditions

In a collaboration between Seattle Parks and Recreation and the United Indians of All Tribes (UITAF), the Northwest Native Canoe Center is planned to open later this year on Lake Union’s south shore. Its completion will achieve the long-standing goal of reclaiming space on the waterfront for Native Americans to gather and practice canoe carving traditions. The public will be invited to visit this striking building with a lushly landscaped living roof and to learn by watching carvers at work and talking with docents.

Here in one of the best cities in the world for watching orcas and whales, you can book a half-day excursion on the FRS Clipper—sightings can include sea lions, birds, and more. For exploring on your own, the Orca Network maintains a map of viewpoints throughout the city where the pods periodically traveling through Elliott Bay have been spotted. Marine animals have their own impressive space on the waterfront at the Seattle Aquarium, with its extensive underwater habitats. In addition to spying wildlife from many local parks and beaches, the trails that wind through Woodland Park Zoo provide up-close encounters with more than 250 species of animals. Don’t miss the zoo’s new Forest Trailhead exhibit—from an elevated platform you can see Matschie’s tree kangaroos, red pandas, and other fauna from Papua New Guinea. Take a guided nature walk with the Seward Park Audubon Center to learn about resident owls and migratory birds that inhabit the park’s old-growth forest. Search for more birds at 74-acre Union Bay Natural Area, near the campus of the University of Washington.

National Treasures

The glorious landscapes of Mount Rainier National Park lie within day-tripping distance of Seattle. There are four entrances, the closest being Nisqually, which accesses the popular Paradise area and its grand Jackson Visitor Center. Open only June–September, the Stevens Canyon entrance is another good option. However you enter, choose your trail—the Washington Trails Association is a great resource—and open your eyes to the incredible natural beauty of the park’s wildflower meadows, alpine forests, and glassy lakes. You can book full-day excursions that include transportation from Seattle through companies like Bearing Tours, Evergreen Escapes, Tours Northwest, and Max Travels. These adventure tours also service Olympic National Park.

Another Seattle team that’s no stranger to clutch victories is the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, which has four championships to its name, tying for the most successful team in the league. Now-retired star point guard Sue Bird is celebrated in a mural on First Avenue in Belltown and a bronze sculpture outside of Climate Pledge Arena, where you can cheer on current top Storm players, including Dominique Malonga, Taina Mair, and Ezi Magbegor. The arena takes sustainability seriously, operating at functionally zero-waste and powered entirely by renewable energy. On game days, your ticket gets you a free transit pass for use on public transportation, which you can obtain by downloading the Climate Pledge Arena mobile app. From downtown, the Seattle Monorail provides a short and sweet way to get to the game—plus it’s steeped in history, built in 1962 for the World’s Fair.

Climate Pledge Arena is also home to a pair of ice hockey teams to root on beginning in October. The NHL’s Seattle Kraken came to town in 2021 and were quickly embraced by fans who’d long been clamoring for professional hockey. (Fun facts: The 1917 Seattle Metropolitans were the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup, but the city hadn’t had a pro team since 1975.) Center Matty Beniers, the Kraken’s first-ever draft pick, went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year) during the team’s second season.

In 2025, Climate Pledge Arena welcomed the newest addition to the pro sports scene, the PWHL’s Seattle Torrent. The team is headlined by veteran forward Hilary Knight, who happens to be the most decorated player in U.S. women’s hockey history. The inaugural season got off to a roaring start when it set the attendance record for a women’s ice hockey game held in a U.S. arena. The debut of the Torrent has also given Seattle an enviable hat trick: it’s the only city with teams in all three major professional women’s sports leagues.

Game On

While you’re in Tukwila, channel your own competitive spirit, with no need to tackle anybody, at the modern bowling alley Bowlero South Seattle, as well as the Great Big Game Show at Westfield Southcenter, where you can play a series of minigames that make you feel like you’re on TV.