What to know before you go
- 01
Golden Gardens is a free city park on Puget Sound at the northwest edge of Ballard, with sandy beaches, a rugged stretch of shore to walk, fishing piers and forest trails on the hillside above.
- 02
It faces west across the Sound to the Olympic Mountains, which is why locals come down for the sunset.
- 03
Behind the beach there are two wetlands, a short loop trail and a restored northern beach. At low tide, the large boulders toward the north end are covered in tide-pool animals.
- 04
In summer the Seattle Aquarium's volunteer Beach Naturalists come out here on the lowest daytime tides to show visitors what lives on the beach.
- 05
The fire pits open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, first come, first served, unless there's a burn ban. Burn only firewood, only in the pits, and put the fire out with water.
- 06
Dogs aren't allowed on the beach, but there's a one-acre off-leash area in the upper northern part of the park, with parking and a restroom nearby.
- 07
Harry W. Treat developed the park in 1907 as a destination at the end of a new electric streetcar line, and the northern half of Meadow Point was a shipyard until 1913.
- 08
The parking lot gates open later in the morning than the park itself, so early visitors park along Seaview Avenue NW. There are restrooms, grills, picnic sites, volleyball courts and a play area.
- 09
Without a car, buses stop up the hill in Sunset Hill and Loyal Heights, with a steep walk and stairs down to the beach. In summer 2026 Metro also ran a Golden Gardens Direct shuttle from Ballard; check whether it returns.
Fire pit dates, burn bans, parking and the summer shuttle change from year to year. Check the Seattle Parks page before you go.
