Lake beaches and sea beaches for kids around Seattle
Seattle has two kinds of beach. Lake beaches on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish are shallow, lifeguarded in summer, and warm enough to swim. Puget Sound beaches stay in the 50s all year; there, you're digging sand, poking in tide pools, and watching boats and trains. We've picked the most toddler-friendly of both.
For lakes, start with Idylwood in Redmond, Juanita Beach in Kirkland and Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, all with playgrounds right there; Meydenbauer Bay is a walk from downtown Bellevue, and Gene Coulon in Renton pairs ducks with Ivar's fish and chips. On the Sound, Golden Gardens for sunsets and bonfires, Alki for sand and skyline, Carkeek for trains, Edmonds for ferries, and at a big low tide the flats at Dash Point go on forever.
- 11 places
- 8 free
- 10 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
11 places
Drive times from Bellevue
Meydenbauer Bay Park
5.0Bellevue · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free park lot (small, full on weekend afternoons)
Idylwood Beach Park
5.0Redmond · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot, full after 11am on summer weekends
Juanita Beach Park
5.0Kirkland · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Lake Sammamish State Park
5.0Issaquah · 15 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: State park lot, Discover Pass required
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park
5.0Renton · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free large lot
Golden Gardens beach
5.0Seattle · 35 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot (full on summer weekend afternoons)
Carkeek Park (salmon slide + trains)
5.0Seattle · 35 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots inside the park
Edmonds waterfront (Brackett's Landing + Marina Beach)
5.0Edmonds · 35 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free public lots on both sides of the ferry terminal (3-4 hour limit)
Alki Beach
4.0Seattle · 30 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free street parking (hard to find on weekend afternoons)
Dash Point State Park
4.0Federal Way · 40 min drive
3 h · carrier recommended
$ · Parking: State park lot, Discover Pass required
Deception Pass State Park
4.0Oak Harbor · 95 min drive
4 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: State park lot, Discover Pass required; very few spots at the bridge viewpoints
💡 Good to know
- The lakes don't warm up until July; lifeguards are generally on duty mid-June to early September, and there are occasional algae advisories in summer, so check the city's site.
- At the Sound, check the tide table: low tide is when tide pools and crabs appear. The sea breeze is cool; bring an extra layer.