Edmonds, Washington, is located in South Snohomish Country just north of Seattle, and it has five beach parks that I visit on a regular basis. The first three are all part of the Port of Edmonds. In all three parks, dogs must be on-leash and on the trail or in the dog park. The last two are picnic parks without a marina. Leashed dogs are allowed.
1. Brackett’s Landing North extends north from the Edmonds/Kingston Ferry along the jetty and has a walking trail with public art and interpretive signs. There is also the largest underwater dive park on the west coast with sunken ships and under water treasure hunts and trails. My husband and I have often walked along the beach and on the trail enjoying the sunset. While strolling along the beach you can watch the ferry come and go at regular intervals or fish or walk on the public dock.
2. Brackett’s Landing South is the beach trail between Brackett’s Landing North and the marina. There is a nice walking trail as well as benches, public art and beautiful views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
3. Marina Beach Park is the most family friendly. It has a children’s playground, beach access, a walking trail, volleyball net, BBQ pits and picnic tables. My husband and I have brought our granddaughters here and spent the better part of the afternoon without anyone becoming bored, just wet from playing in the water. On the south side of the park there is an off-leash dog beach park which is popular for dogs who love to play in the water.
4. Meadowdale Beach Park is a hiking trail to the beach. There is a small meadow with a picnic table, port-o-potties, and a swing set at the top of the park. The parking lot has a gate that closes about half an hour after dusk which can trap your car on the wrong side so pay attention to the closing time sign. There is a handicap accessible gate at the bottom of the hike. The hike is a about a mile long on a wide trail through a beautiful old growth forest. It is a steep hill and a workout on the way back. At the bottom of the trail, the park opens up into a meadow with more port-o-potties, a fish cleaning area, and a picnic area. There is an access tunnel under the train to an isolated and beautiful beach. The tunnel closes often during the winter and spring, so check the website or the signs before going.
5. Picnic Point Park is a beautiful gem that is located in a nice neighborhood in north Edmonds. If you follow the signs to the park, it’s not too hard to find. There is limited parking which is a problem on sunny weekends, but okay the rest of the time. You access the park via a walk-over bridge over the train. The park itself has picnic tables and port-o-potties. It also has beautiful views of Puget Sound and Whidbey Island.
