Not For Tourists Guide to Seattle 2017 by Not for Tourists

Author:Not for Tourists
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Not For Tourists
Published: 2016-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

Parks & Places • Washington Park Arboretum

General Information

NFT Map: 22 & 19

Address: 2300 Arboretum Dr E, Seattle, WA 98122

Phone: 206-543-8800

Website: depts.washington.edu/wpa or @uwbotanicgarden

Arboretum Foundation: www.arboretumfoundation.org or @ArboretumFound

Overview

The Washington Park Arboretum is 230 acres of sprawling beauty that contains more than 5,000 different plant species. You will find a large collection of mountain ash and maple as well as an abundance of wildlife. The Arboretum is huge. It is difficult to see it all in one day, but definitely fun to try. There are many meandering trails with few hills, so it’s perfect for jogging (just look out for people taking pictures!). You will find a strange combination of the beauty and serenity in the view in front of you and the constant din of traffic from the nearby freeway. However, once you push that out of your head, it is a wonderful place to get away from it all. And speaking of traffic, it can be pretty bad surrounding the park, so give yourself extra time to navigate it. Once there, take a stroll to Foster Island, where the floating bridges provide extra fun when boats go by and create a wake. Here especially, keep your eye out for birds and turtles. But don’t go too quickly! The fragile earth under your feet wishes you to walk, not run. If you really love the plants and desperately want to take them home with you, seedlings are available for purchase at the Arboretum Shop.

Japanese Gardens

Address: 1075 Lake Washington Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98122

Phone: 206-684-4725

Website: www.seattlejapanesegarden.org

Hours: Apr-Sept: Daily, 10 am-7 pm (shoulder seasons generally until 5 pm and closed Mon)

Admission: $6; youths 6-17, seniors 65+, college students with ID, and disabled $4; children 0-5 free.

This 3.5-acre, formal garden was dreamed up by world-renowned Japanese garden designer Juki Iiada in 1960. He oversaw all construction of this garden, which includes a koi pond and a traditional tea house. The Garden is exceptionally beautiful and unique as it incorporates both plants traditionally found in a Japanese garden and plants native to the Northwest. It can be a welcome sanctuary from busy city life and well worth the admission fee. Try to catch a tea ceremony, which is periodically offered in the tea house.

Guided Tours

To better appreciate the diversity of the different plant species at the arboretum, take a free guided tour on Sundays, January through November. Guides expertly highlight the plant collections, different seasonal displays of beauty, and the history of the arboretum in 60-90 minutes. Tours start at the Graham Visitor Center (2300 Arboretum Drive E); check schedule online. Free self-guided tours and maps are also available online, as are downloadable audio guides.

Boating

The arboretum now includes three public, non-motorized boat-launching sites and is a part of the Lakes to Locks Water Trail which starts in Lake Sammamish and ends at Puget Sound. Since it used to be illegal to land your boat at a public park, it’s a welcome addition. If you don’t own a boat or kayak, you can rent one from the Washington Activities Center (206-543-9433) just across the lake from the park.

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