Matthews Beach Park551

This pleasant, shady park on Lake Washington boasts the city's largest freshwater bathing beach. During the summer, take the kids to the lifeguard-patrolled beach on the left, or to the wilder, less crowded (and unpatrolled) sand bar beach on the right. Look for picnic tables scattered around the park, or throw a blanket on the broad lawn between the beach and children's play area. The playground and basketball hoops lie west of the beach. This playground hasn't been renovated yet, so the climbing structures aren't as cool as others in the city, but the location is attractive. A hill above the playground offers child-sized climbing challenges. Matthews Beach Park lies along the Burke-Gilman Trail, so bring your bikes! The trail, located north the playground, is shaded and serene at this point. It offers good short- or long-distance walking, biking, skating, and blackberrying in late summer. Toward the south end of the park, Thornton Creek, through which three salmon species migrate each year, empties into Lake Washington.