Seward Park
Seattle, Washington · on Lake Washington · Seward Park
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Seward Park
Seward Park is a 300-acre Seattle city park occupying Bailey Peninsula on Lake Washington, with a designated swimming hole at Andrews' Bay on the park's southwest shore. The park is otherwise known for a 2.4-mile paved perimeter trail, old-growth forest, and Olmsted-designed grounds, and is managed by Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR).
The swimming beach sits within Andrews' Bay, a sheltered inlet of Lake Washington on the southwest side of the Bailey Peninsula, backed by a broad lawn. The rest of the peninsula holds one of the last surviving tracts of old-growth forest within the city of Seattle, laced with upland hiking trails, and is encircled by a 2.4-mile car-free paved loop.
Swimming at Seward Park
Swimming is in freshwater Lake Washington at a sandy beach within the sheltered Andrews' Bay, adjoined by a lawn used for sunbathing and picnicking. No first-hand water-quality, depth, or temperature details were found in the sources reviewed.
How to get to this swimming hole
From I-5 northbound, take the Swift Ave S/S Albro St exit, turn left onto Swift Ave S, then right onto S Graham St. From I-5 southbound, take the same exit, left onto Michigan across the freeway, right at the light onto Swift Ave S, then left at S Graham St. Follow S Graham St to Beacon Ave S, turn left, follow to S Orcas St, turn right, and follow S Orcas St to the park entrance at 5895 Lake Washington Blvd S.
Parking: Multiple park parking lots are shown on the official park map, including one directly adjacent to the swimming beach near the art studio.
The hike in
- Time on foot
- under 5 minutes on foot from the adjacent lot
No hike is needed to reach the swim beach: the official park map shows a parking lot immediately next to the swimming beach/art studio off Lake Washington Blvd S, essentially a curb-to-sand walk. Separately, a paved, car-free 2.4-mile perimeter loop trail circles the Bailey Peninsula shoreline and passes near the beach for anyone who wants to explore the rest of the park, but it is not required to reach the main swim spot.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
The swim beach sits in sheltered Andrews' Bay with a sandy shore and adjoining lawn, a setting well-suited to families, but no source found in this pass confirms lifeguard staffing, marked swim boundaries/buoys, or entry depth, so it should be treated as unsupervised open-lake swimming rather than a guarded, roped-off kids' beach.
Parking
Free
Free parking; the official park map shows a lot directly adjacent to the swimming beach and art studio off Lake Washington Blvd S, plus several additional lots spaced around the 2.4-mile perimeter loop.
Restrooms
Yes
The official Seattle Parks & Recreation park map shows restroom buildings near the play area/Environmental & Audubon Center by the S Juneau St entrance and near the amphitheater lawn, but does not show a restroom immediately adjacent to the swimming beach itself (nearest ones are a short walk away along the loop path).
Hours
6 am - 10 pm daily (per Wikipedia's Seattle Parks-sourced summary; not independently confirmed on seattle.gov during this pass)
On the water
No official source was retrieved confirming whether hand-launched kayaks, canoes, or paddleboards may be launched from Seward Park's shoreline, or whether any boat launch exists at the park; Seattle Parks facility pages for the park and for nearby boating centers returned 404s and search engines did not surface usable results during this pass.
Backstory
Seattle purchased Bailey Peninsula in 1911 for $322,000 and named the park after U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward; the grounds were designed by the Olmsted Brothers. A Japanese torii gate originally built for Seattle's 1934 Potlatch festival was reconstructed and formally dedicated in 2022, and President Biden visited the park in April 2022 to sign an executive order on old-growth forest conservation.
Seward Park: FAQ
Is Seward Park kid friendly?
The swim beach sits in sheltered Andrews' Bay with a sandy shore and adjoining lawn, a setting well-suited to families, but no source found in this pass confirms lifeguard staffing, marked swim boundaries/buoys, or entry depth, so it should be treated as unsupervised open-lake swimming rather than a guarded, roped-off kids' beach.
Do I need to hike to reach Seward Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Seward Park?
Free parking; the official park map shows a lot directly adjacent to the swimming beach and art studio off Lake Washington Blvd S, plus several additional lots spaced around the 2.4-mile perimeter loop.
What water body is Seward Park on?
Seward Park is on Lake Washington, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
