With Seattle’s reputation for being a rainy city, you wouldn’t think that there’s a big picnic culture here. However, the opposite is true: all it takes is one sunny spring day for everyone in Seattle to start fighting for space in the parks with their blankets and coolers. We can’t promise that the picnic spots on this list won’t be crowded, but it’s for good reason. They all offer something special for when you need a life-changing afternoon picnic, whether you’re proposing or just yapping with the girls.
To help you out, we also included recommendations for the best restaurants, markets, and eateries near each picnic spot—so you don’t even have to make your own sandwiches.
Read on for the best places to picnic in Seattle!
1. Gasworks Park
🏆 Out of all the picnic spots in Seattle, Gas Works Park is the best for overall view and vibes on a sunny day.
Located in Wallingford with a stunning view of Lake Union and the Seattle skyline (including the Space Needle), this small but mighty park fills up with people of all ages enjoying picnics, games, kite flying, yoga, and more on sunny days. Just watch out for goose poop when you’re picking a spot for your blanket—and don’t forget the sunscreen, since this park has basically no shade.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Mas Cafe (1906 N 34th St), a Mexican restaurant that is only a five-minute walk from Gas Works Park and that has the best breakfast burritos.
2. Discovery Park
🏆 Discovery Park wins for sheer size, with honorable mentions for views and variety of natural settings.
With over 500 acres, Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest city park. You have so many options here for setting up your picnic: in a meadow, down on the beach, or up on a bluff with views of Puget Sound and mountains. It’s located on the upper tip of Magnolia, so the only possible downside is that it’s not the most centrally located park in the city. Once you get there, though, you can spend hours exploring.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Magnolia’s Met Market location (3830 34th Ave W), which is only a 10-15 minute walk from Discovery Park, is a godsend for picnic baskets thanks to delicious prepared foods like sandwiches, sushi, and more. Plus there’s the usual grocery store fare such as fruit and baked goods. Just don’t forget to grab The Cookie: it’s famous here in Seattle.
3. Washington Park Arboretum
🏆 Washington Park Arboretum wins best picnic spot for year-round natural beauty and privacy.
This park has 230 acres situated right next to Lake Washington. Its sprawling grounds are beautiful year-round, so even in the winter you can find a spot surrounded by lush greenery. It’s also easy to step off the beaten path and find a quiet, secluded spot for your picnic (just be aware of signage and respectful of nature). When you’re done with your picnic you can pay $10 to visit the Japanese Garden.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Pagliacci Pizza (3015 E Madison St) if you’re closer to the south end of the park or Oxbow Bakery (2307 24th Ave E) if you’re farther north.
4. Volunteer Park
🏆 Volunteer Park is the best for having the most things to do after your picnic—both in the park itself and nearby.
Located in Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park is on the smaller side with 48 acres but it still has plenty of space for picnics. When you’re finished eating, you can explore the Volunteer Park Conservatory, the water tower (which is free and has a view at the top), a cemetery where Bruce Lee is buried, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum—all of which are inside the park.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Volunteer Park Cafe (1501 17th Ave E) is a must-stop on your way to the park. The cafe is in a cozy yellow house located just four blocks outside of the park and is a great spot for breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, baked goods, and coffee.
5. Ella Bailey Park
🏆 Ella Bailey Park is Seattle’s best picnic spot for a skyline view without the crowds.
This hidden gem of a park in southeast Magnolia has an excellent view of the Seattle skyline, but it’s typically pretty empty. There’s a playground, picnic tables, and lots of food options within a ten-minute walk. Just note that it can sometimes get quite windy there.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Niko’s Gyros (2231 32nd Ave W), a family-owned Greek restaurant nearby.
6. Green Lake
🏆 Green Lake Park is the best spot for pairing a picnic with some exercise.
Everyone in Seattle and their dog can be found doing the three-mile loop around Green Lake on sunny days. You can join them to digest your meal after having a picnic under one of the many trees around the lake. You can even take a dip in the lake or set out in your kayak or paddle board.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Bongos (6501 Aurora Ave N), an authentic Caribbean restaurant on the west side of Green Lake.
7. The botanical garden at the Ballard Locks
🏆 The Ballard Locks is the best (and most underrated spot) for a sunny day picnic in Ballard.
It’s a bit of a mouthful: the Carl S. English Botanical Garden at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. But if you just say you’re having a picnic at the Ballard Locks, people will know what you mean. The botanical garden is lovely to walk through, and on a sunny day it’s extremely healing to sit on the sloped lawn watching the boats go through the locks. Plus there’s a free summer concert series that starts every June and runs through early September.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Freya Cafe which is located a mere five-minute walk away in Ballard’s National Nordic Museum (2655 NW Market St). You can stock up on sweet and savory Scandinavian treats here during museum hours, and you don’t have to pay for museum admission (although that could be a fun add-on adventure for your day).
8. Olympic Sculpture Park
🏆 Olympic Sculpture Park is the best picnic spot in Seattle for enjoying art with a view.
Conveniently located within walking distance to Seattle Center, Pike Place Market, and Belltown, this waterfront sculpture park is an extension of Seattle Art Museum but is free to experience. After you’re done enjoying your picnic and the views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic mountains, you can go for a stroll to see the sculptures and even a small beach.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: The seasonal MARKET at the Park is located in the PACCAR Pavilion (2901 Western Ave) inside the park. You can get seafood, such as crab rolls, as well as ice cream and lemonade. Note that it is currently closed and will reopen for the summer on May 26, 2025.
9. Lincoln Park
🏆 Lincoln Park is the best picnic spot in West Seattle.
This waterfront park in West Seattle has 135 acres and a wide variety of outdoor recreation to enjoy: forest trails, a scenic beach with a paved walkway, playgrounds, and a heated saltwater pool in the summer. There’s also plenty of picnic tables if you’re not the type to spread a blanket on the ground.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Wildwood Market (9214 45th Ave SW), which is about a 10-minute walk from the southern tip of Lincoln Park. You can load up on sandwiches, fries, breakfast burritos, pastries, candy, snacks, coffee, beer, and wine.
10. Kubota Garden
🏆 Kubota Garden is the only Japanese garden in Seattle where you can picnic.
Kubota Garden is a 20-acre Japanese garden in Rainier Beach that is open daily and free to visit. The garden welcomes you to picnic at its accessible picnic tables located near the event entrance to the left of handicap parking.
🧺 Stock your picnic basket at: Umami Kushi (9099 Seward Park Ave S unit 2) offers popular Japanese street food (okazu pans) which seems fitting for a picnic in a Japanese garden. You can walk to the garden from there in about 15 minutes.