Discovery Park

A 560-acre natural area on Magnolia Bluff with meadows, forests, beaches and trails offering outdoor exploration and environmental education. Amenities include trails for walking and biking, a playground with slides, tennis and basketball courts, drinking fountains, and scenic viewpoints over Puget Sound. The park hosts nature programs and volunteer opportunities. An historic lighthouse at the tip of a sandy point within Discovery Park that is open to visitors for shoreline views and trail access. The site offers scenic waterfront views, walking trails, and interpretive historic photos and displays for families interested in coastal history and nature.

Category

Park

Where

3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199, USA

Hours

Ages

0 mo+

Accessibility

Parking
Free · Parking lot · Three general-use parking lots: North Lot (Illinois Ave & Texas Way); East Lot (Discovery Park Blvd & 36th Ave W, next to the closed Visitor Center); South Lot (enter from 43rd Ave W & W Emerson St). ADA placard required for Beach Lot (end of Discovery Park Blvd). Visitor Center is closed and the city is unable to issue beach parking permits while the Visitor Center is closed. Only handicapped parking and permit parking is allowed at the lighthouse. Permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center, Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; permits are intended for those who otherwise would not be able to get to the beach (families with children under 8, people over 62, and others who are not physically able to walk to the beach).
Restroom
Standard

Rules

* Discovery Park Visitor Center is closed until Summer 2027. * The rest of Discovery Park is open as usual. * We are unable to issue beach parking permits while the Visitor Center is closed. * Allowed on the shuttle: People, service animals, and strollers. * Not allowed: Pets, coolers, surfboards, paddleboards, other large items. * Parking at the beach level without a permit or ADA placard is not allowed and may result in citation or towing. * ADA placard required: Beach Lot (end of Discovery Park Blvd, by the lighthouse). * Access is restricted to boats arriving by water only. * Only handicapped parking and permit parking is allowed at the lighthouse. * Permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Discovery Park Environmental Learning Center, Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. * Permits are only for those who otherwise would not be able to get to the beach - families with children under 8, people over 62, and others who are not physically able to walk to the beach due to an injury, illness or some other physical condition. * From the Discovery Park Visitor Center it is just under a two-mile walk to the lighthouse. * Grounds open, dwellings/tower closed.

Contact

Phone
(206) 684-4075
Email
pks_info@seattle.gov
Website
https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/discovery-park

Upcoming events