Brighton Playfield, Brighton

Happy Vernal Equinox 2011 to you all! Spring is finally here! It's been a very wet, miserable winter here in Seattle, so it was nice to enjoy some swinging in the sun today. I bring you today the TWO (¡2!) swingsets of Brighton Playfield.

Location: 39th Ave S and S Juneau St
Number of swings: 2 regular/2 baby buckets, and 4 regular/1 baby bucket/1 baby seat
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Medium and Medium-long.


As I've said before, South Seattle is a mecca of playgrounds with swings. Brighton Playground has 2 swingsets, one near the entrance of the main playground with 2 regular swings/2 baby buckets and another older set a little away with 4 regular swings and 1 each of the baby styles. This older set is my preferred set of the 2, as the chains are longer, there's a nostalgic creaking of the old swingset, and it seems like it would be the less busy of the two. But who knows, I imagine this is a popular park on some days.


Children are invited to play the "Paleontology Game" posted at this playground, which involves looking for pictures of fossils, as seems to be the theme of the park. This is similar to the posted "Hot Lava Game" from Cascade Playground.

How to get there: Bus route 8 stops nearby on MLK, route 7 on Rainier.

Lakewood Playground, Columbia City

Lakewood Playground is tucked away in a residential part of Columbia City, before you fly down the hill into Seward Park. It's one of the older-style playgrounds in Seattle; I'm sure a previous generation once enjoyed these swings.

Location: 5013 S Angeline St.
Number of swings: 2 regular, 2 baby
Ground material: Wood
Chain length: Long.


Seats are low to the ground, but when combined with the long chains, it makes for a nice SWOOP. Oh, the joy. And so continues my love affair with Columbia City.

How to get there: Bus routes 34 and 39 run along 50th.

Rainier Community Center, Columbia City

Rainier Community Center, another park in the park chain of Rainier Playfield (to the north and west), Genesee Park and Genesee Playfield (both to the east).

Location: 4600 38th Ave S.
Number of swings: 4 regular, 2 baby
Ground material: Wood
Chain length: Medium long.


Located behind the community center, in the chain of Columbia City parks I've been blogging about lately, I felt that this park was slightly higher quality than its neighbo(u)rs. It's a relatively new park, in the grand scheme of Seattle parks. Note that there are 2 types of seats:


The rounded-end seats are a little more comfortable/ergonomic (as noted in the post from Beacon Hill Playground).

How to get there: Bus routes #7, 39, 42 all stop a couple blocks away on Rainier.

Genesee Park, Columbia City

Genesee Park, a park in a chain with a few others, be sure to walk the path through them all! These swings are at the end of the parking lot.

Location: 42nd Ave S & S Genesee St.
Number of swings: 4 regular, 1 baby bucket, 1 baby seat
Ground material: Wood
Chain length: Medium short.


Good swings. Pretty basic. View of lots of grass and/or a parking lot. There are some nearby athletic fields. Follow the path in either direction and you'll run into more parks, swings, lake.

How to get there: Bus routes #34 and 39 stop along S Genesee St.

Rainier Playfield, Columbia City

Happy first day of spring! Vernal Equinox! Nowruz! Come to Rainier Playfield, gateway to a string of parks with swings that will be documented today and in upcoming entries.

Location: Rainier Ave & S Oregon St.
Number of swings: 6 regular, 2 baby
Ground material: Sand, Wood chips
Chain length: Medium long.


Two (2) swingsets, on the corner with 38th! 4 regular swings over a sand pit and a playground with wood chips containing a 2:2 regular:baby set. I like this park, you can follow the trail and come across a few more between Rainier and Lake Washington.

How to get there: Bus routes #7, 39, 42 stop along Rainier. 42 turns on to Oregon and gets you closer to the swings.