Seattle Family Calendar
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My dad always said, “The sunset doesn’t wait for anyone!” I grew up appreciating the beauty of a sunset, how it slows down time in the best way.
While there are many worthwhile spots to watch the sunset around Puget Sound, my family’s favorites will always be along the waterfront, where the water sparkles and the kids are occupied playing in the sand. With over 200 miles of shoreline in Seattle alone, there are more than a few great spots to catch a glorious end-of-summer sunset with kids.
What time should you arrive at one of my favorite spots to watch the sunset? First, use a weather app or visit a website like weather.com to find the local sunset time. I like to use the Apple Weather app on my phone. Next, aim to get to your destination at the “golden hour,” the hour right before sunset where the sun sits low in the sky, creating a soft warm glow that photographers chase. As long as there aren’t any dense low-hanging rain clouds or thick fog, you can still see a sunset when it’s cloudy. In fact, some of the prettiest sunsets have clouds that disperse the light in the best ways.
Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to decide where to go. Here are six of my favorite spots where the kids can play and you can relish the painted sky. Bonus: All of them have nearby parking, public bathrooms and sand to keep your little ones occupied.
Seacrest Park Cove 2 and 3
Location: 1660 Harbor Ave. S.W., Seattle
Along the paved Alki biking and walking trail, Seacrest Park Cove 2 and 3 sandwich one of our favorite casual dining spots — Marination ma kai. Watching the sunset from Marination ma kai’s enclosed patio (perfect for corralling children!), or at either one of the coves next door are some of our favorite spots to watch the sun go down.
Once you are set up at one of the coves, take in the glowing Seattle skyline, mountain range views and ferries passing by. While the coves are very rocky here, my kids keep busy collecting sea glass, climbing on driftwood and big bolder rocks, and skipping rocks into the water. Marination ma kai’s authentic Hawaiian shave ice is a great treat to add to your sunset. If your kids can’t hang, you can always enjoy the view while walking along the Alki trail with little ones in a stroller, or older children riding on a scooter or bike.
Dogs are not allowed on the waterfront beach or cove.
Chism Beach Park
Location: 9600 S.E. 11th St., Bellevue
This hidden gem is tucked away amongst neighborhoods and is one of the largest beach parks in Bellevue (following Newcastle Beach Park). Take in a beautiful Lake Washington sunset at this generally quieter park. Families can enjoy a sandy swimming beach with shallow entry, a floating swimming platform, fishing dock, updated small playground in the sand and expansive green areas to picnic.
Please note that the path from the parking lot to the beach is steep, but a lower accessible parking lot is available. Dogs are not allowed at this beach park from June 1 to Sept. 15.
Marina Beach Park
Location: 470 Admiral Way, Edmonds
Just a mile outside of downtown Edmonds you’ll find Marina Beach Park. This Puget Sound beach park can feel a little less busy than nearby Brackett’s Landing, and you can still see the Olympic Mountains and watch the ferries coming and going.
My kids like to play in the sand, build with driftwood and explore the small pirate ship-themed play structure. Pack a picnic or walk along the Edmonds Marina boardwalk to grab some scoops at Snoqualmie Ice Cream (located on the fishing pier end of the marina). Please note that bathrooms at Marina Beach Park are portable toilets.
Lake Sammamish State Park
Location: 2010 N.W. Sammamish Rd., Issaquah
Bring your Discover Pass or pay a one-day fee to enter this 531-acre state park with two swimming beaches on Lake Sammamish. Play at the large Pacific Northwest-themed playground, rent a paddleboard or kayak (seasonal), walk or bike the trails and set up a spot on one of two beaches to catch the sunset. We often spot bald eagles here so keep your eyes peeled! Sunset Beach Café is open seasonally and has a selection of food, snacks, ice cream and beverages. We like to bring our kite here as there’s often enough wind to fly one.
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park
Location: 1201 Lake Washington Blvd. N., Renton
Head to this popular 57-acre park on Lake Washington where you can enjoy playing at the playground, swimming at the beach, fishing on the pier, walking on the 1.5 miles of paved walking trails and more. With 5,400 feet of shoreline, there is plenty of space to play and watch a sunset. If you want to add dinner to your sunset plans, Ivar’s Seafood Bar and Kidd Valley Burgers have locations within the park. Birders will enjoy trekking out to the Bird Island boardwalk.
Please note that dogs are not allowed at this park.
Juanita Beach Park
Location: 9703 N.E. Juanita Dr., Kirkland
Park yourself for a sunset along this 1,000 foot stretch of sandy Lake Washington shoreline. Kids can play at an accessible playground, swim in the sandy and shallow swimming area or take a stroll over the water on the U-shaped dock. Throughout the summer months, Juanita Friday Market pops up every Friday with vendors from various local farms, handcrafted goods and artisanal bites. DERU Market is another local favorite, just 10 minutes away — grab a few slices of their famous cake for a sweet sunset. We also like getting their house-made pizzas and farm salad to go for picnics.
Dogs are allowed and must be leashed at all times (unless you are in the designated off-leash dog area) but they are not allowed to enter the swimming areas.
Tips for watching sunsets with kids
- Pack simple snacks, novelty treats or bring an easy picnic dinner. I like bringing takeout pizza, a charcuterie board, cookies and sandwiches.
- Pack some toys to keep kids occupied — a kite for windy nights, sand toys for the beach and something to throw around like a Frisbee or football. Glow-in-the-dark Frisbees, glowsticks and the like are fun between sunset and dusk.
- Pack layers and blankets for those nights when the temperatures drop with the sun.
- I appreciate a chair in the sand, so I always pack chairs so the adults can relax while the kids run around.
- If the sunset is past bedtime, change into pajamas before you head home for an easier transition.
- For earlier sunset times with kids, go later in the summer when daylight hours are shorter.
