Seattle Official Visitors Guide 2008 - (Page 20) AT T R AC T I O N S & TO U R S URBAN ESCAPES n Erickso onald Photo/D ©iStock W ith so much excitement in Seattle, you’re likely to find yourself looking for a secluded spot to relax. Luckily, there’s no shortage of urban retreats in the Emerald City, which earned its nickname because of its abundance of green land and trees. In fact, the city boasts more than 400 parks and open spaces. The largest, Discovery Park, sits on 534 acres encompassing numerous hiking trails, two miles of protected beaches and breathtaking views of the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Some of the best scenery in the park can be found on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound. From there, adventurous visitors can hike down to the beach and check out the picturesque, red-roofed West Point Lighthouse on the westernmost tip of the beach. Clockwise from top left: Japanese Garden in Washington Park Arboretum; cherry blossoms at the university; canoes; Waterfall Garden Park in Pioneer Square; bicycle riders in Discovery Park; West Point Lighthouse in Discovery Park; kayaker and city skyline; Zoomazium Cave at Woodland Park Zoo. Credits: ©Denise Chambers/Weaver, ©iStockPhoto, ©Richard Cummins, ©Aurora Photos/Chuck Pefley, ©James Lemass, ©David Hogan, ©Anna Zoromski/Weaver, ©Woodland Park Zoo/Ryan Hawk Looking for a range of fun recreational options? Then head north of the city center to Green Lake Park, where Seattleites flock to jog, skate, windsurf and sunbathe. Visitors can rent paddleboats and rowboats in summer months, and nearby shops rent inline skates and bicycles — perfect for the 2.8-mile trail around the lake. The park also has basketball and tennis courts, a children’s play area and a wading pool. For an escape on a smaller scale, grab sandwiches from a deli in Pioneer Square and have an impromptu picnic in the neighborhood’s tranquil Waterfall Garden Park. Bustling streets surround the urban park, but the noise of the city is drowned out by the park’s 20 WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG http://WWW.VISITSEATTLE.ORG
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