Walk Seattle and Check Out Well-Worn Paths, Well-Kept Secrets
By Amy Hatch
It’s easy to forget how beautiful Seattle summers are after a long, wet winter, but when the sunshine finally comes there’s no place like this place we’re lucky to call home. The Emerald City offers a stunning mix of beaches, mountain views and wooded parks all incorporated into an urban landscape. In City Walks Seattle: 50 Adventures on Foot (Chronicle Books, 2009, $14.95),Ingrid Emerick, a local writer and mother of two, lays out treks that will take you and your family through well-known parts of town and also introduce you to some well-kept secrets.
One of the best things about City Walks Seattle is that it’s not a book. It’s a boxed set of 50 individual cards, so you can just grab one and take it with you on your outing. Each card features a unique walk mapped out on one side, and on the other, a description of what you’ll see on your journey.
“Think of them as a little itinerary for your day,” says Emerick. “Follow the suggestions step by step or just take parts of each walk; you make each adventure your own.”
Emerick, who was born and raised on the East Coast, has fallen in love with the mild Seattle weather that allowed her and her family to take long walks all summer and into the late fall as she wrote City Walks. Here are some of her favorites for families and a few surprises she stumbled on while doing her research:
Best Picks for Small Children For outings with young ones, Emerick recommends the Kubota Garden (No. 42) in the Rainer Beach area. The sprawling Japanese garden is a 20-acre sanctuary donated to the city and later declared a historical landmark. She describes it as a magical space for small children, with little bridges, streams, rock formations and ponds throughout. “It’s safe, serene and easy to navigate,” she says. “It has these little areas that are very fairy-like and captivating for young kids.”
Another family favorite: Lincoln Park (No. 46) off Fauntleroy Way Southwest in West Seattle. Each summer, Emerick and her family head there with their scooters and bikes. You can hike the beach trail or walk along the forest’s edge, but best of all is Coleman Pool, a public saltwater pool that opens from June through September. Lincoln Park is also the perfect spot for family picnics.
The biggest surprise Emerick found during her research was Schmitz Preserve Park (No. 47), an amazing 53 acres of old growth forest near Alki Beach. The land was gifted to the City of Seattle by Ferdinand and Emma Schmitz 101 years ago, and it has remained untouched since. "It’s like walking right into the Cascades. It is a little wild, but fairly easy to get around,” Emerick says. “The main paths are stroller or jogger accessible,” and she notes that little paths that jut off the main ones are great for kids who are walking on their own. After your walk, stop for lunch at Seattle’s famous Spud’s Fish & Chips (2666 Alki Ave. S.W.).
Best Picks for Older Kids For older kids, you can’t go wrong with Alki (No. 48). Emerick and her family take the Elliot Bay Water Taxi, which runs April through October ($3 per person each way) from Pier 55 to Seacrest Park. Because it’s a longer walk, Ingrid recommends the outing for kids ages 5 and up. The best spots to stop by on your walk include the lighthouse at Alki Point, the Log House Museum, Alki Bakery and of course, the beachfront. “Alki has the feel of a wonderful old California beach town,” Emerick says. “It also has one of the best views of downtown Seattle.”
An all-time family favorite is Volunteer Park (No. 35) on Capitol Hill near Broadway, with its beautiful glass conservatory and old water tower that you can climb to the top (107 steps that Emerick’s kids love to take) to get 360 degree views of the city. The Seattle Asian Art Museum is part of the walk and sits right in the middle of the park grounds.
Another interesting walk Emerick recommends is one she and her daughter have taken together through Lake View Cemetery (34). It may seem like an unusual choice, but the location is beautiful, perched high atop Capitol Hill. It also provides a one-of-a-kind Seattle history lesson. The graves take you through the waves of immigrants, Seattle’s first settlers, like the Denny family and the McGilvras, plus Doc Maynard, Bruce Lee, and Emerick’s daughter’s find: Princess Angeline, Chief Sealth’s daughter.
Don’t Forget When planning the hour-long or day-long outings, Emerick recommends that you pack plenty of snacks to satisfy your little explorers, bring your camera and remember to pick a meeting place that everyone heads back to, if the group gets separated.
Amy Hatch is a Seattle freelance writer, devoted Godmother and mom-in-training.
