Join Seattle’s active set for runs, rides, paddles, and more in one of North America’s most scenic cities.
Trail Run
Discovery Park: Just ten minutes northwest from downtown, Discovery Park’s 534 acres make you feel like you’re tucked away in the mountains. The 11-mile trail system passes through pine forest, rainforest, and a grassy meadow overlooking Puget Sound and Seattle itself.
Run
Washington Park Arboretum: For runs of a few miles, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the Arboretum, with its mix of paved and dirt paths that wind from E Madison to Foster Island in Lake Washington. Need more mileage? Head across the Montlake Cut and hook up with the Burke Gilman Trail, a 27-mile paved bike and pedestrian trail that runs west, along Lake Union and the Shipping Canal, or north, toward Kenmore.
Road Bike
Mercer Island Loop: This classic ride for downtown cyclists begins by pedaling about three miles out to Mercer Island on the I-90 Trail bike path. Once you reach the end, turn left or right to follow the smooth, rolling road that circumnavigates the island for roughly 13.5 miles.
Kayak or SUP
Lake Union: Bordered by Gas Works Park on the north, downtown Seattle on the south, and large steel bridges to the west and east, Lake Union is the city’s protected watersports pool. Rent paddleboards or kayaks by the hour at Moss Bay, on the south end of Lake Union (it’s closest to downtown). If you want to fuel up on one of the best breakfast burritos in town, rent from Agua Verde Paddle Club and Café, near the University of Washington.
Explore
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park: It’s only a 20-minute drive east of downtown, but this 3,100-acre park, which tops out at 1,595 feet, offers sweeping views of Seattle to the west, and of the Cascade Mountains to the east. It also offers more than 38 miles of trails leading to creeks, waterfalls, mountaintops, and marshes.
Work Out
Seattle Athletic Club: This downtown gym doesn’t go in for the most cutting-edge equipment and expensive decor. It just aims to give you what you need for a solid session on the machines or some serious laps in the pool. Day passes can be had for as little as $15.
Gear Up
REI: The company’s flagship store, just north of downtown Seattle, is where the outdoor industry giant got its start. This is a tourist attraction in its own right as well. If you’re using the city as a launching point for adventures throughout the northwest, you’ll find what you need here. And don’t forget to visit REI’s basement level for killer deals on gently used merchandise.