Flo Ware Park, Leschi

Check this place out! Located just out of the Central District, climbing the hill into Leschi, the whole playground is covered in the rubbery stuff (is it recycled tires as rumored?) that's at Cal Anderson and other parks. But these swings are better than at Cal Anderson, simply because they are not too close to the ground.

Location: 28th Ave S & S Jackson St.
Number of swings: 2 regular, 2 baby buckets
Ground material: Rubber
Chain length: Medium.


There is an amazing view from here, on a slope in the southern part of town. If you swing facing east, you can scope out the tops of downtown skyscrapers behind a foreground of Seattle's hilly neighborhoods. If you swing facing west, a big red house fills up your entire field of vision.

How to get there: Bus route #14 stops along Jackson St. and route #8 stops along nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Pratt Park, First Hill/Yesler

Originally posted on 04 Sept. 2009, I have updated this post with a photo of the awesome water sprinklers, although it's a post-water-shut-off winter photo.

Location: 18th Ave S & E Yesler Way on the Yesler Terrace area outside the Central and International Districts.
Number of swings: 2 regular, 1 baby bucket, 1 baby seat.
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Medium-short.


This place made me a little excited, but not because of the swings. The swings were just ok. Short chains, but good momentum. I actually cut my swinging short here because I got distracted by the water.


There's a little children's water park adjacent to the playground: this horse shoots water, you can swivel to aim it, and you can play with other sprinkler water guns or stand under a shower...!!! This place is probably very fun in the summer during one of those few hot hot days here in Seattle.

How to get there: Bus route #27 stops along Yesler Way in both directions. Route #14 stops nearby along S Jackson St.

Firehouse Mini Park, Cherry Hill

This park is so cute. It was once a firehouse, and now it's a community center/small park... that would explain the obvious name.

Location: 18th Ave & E Cherry St on the ridge of Cherry Hill
Number of swings: 1 regular, 1 baby
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Short.


This swing is very similar to the swing at Cascade Playground, although it is much higher off the ground, and the baby option is bucket-style. It's short, but you get going pretty fast, so that can be enjoyable for a bit. The park definitely outshines the swing. Gather up some children so you have a good excuse to visit! This has been my favo(u)rite area of Seattle to walk around this fall... a lovely ridge providing delicious views in all directions.


How to get there: Bus routes #3, 4, 84 stop along Jefferson St.

Judkins Playground, Atlantic

According to Wikipedia, the Atlantic neighborhood "is the northernmost neighborhood of the Rainier Valley, between Mount Baker Ridge and Beacon Hill. Atlantic is in turn located in the Central District of east-central Seattle, Washington, though it may also be considered part of South Seattle and the Rainier Valley. Atlantic contains the Judkins Park neighborhood." I'm a geography nerd, so sentences like the previous are like talking dirty to me. Maybe you find it a little dry. But anyway, Judkins Playground has some nice swings!

Location: 23rd Ave S & S Judkins St
Number of swings: 2 regular, 2 baby
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Medium-long. (low to ground)


I really enjoyed these swings, once I was able to get a turn from the children who also enjoyed them immensely. The chains are long, so you can get pretty high, but they are also low to the ground, so sometimes pumping your legs causes some flying wood chips.

I was greeted very nicely by a mom at this playground. It went something like "How are you today?" "I'm good, how are you?" "Very well, thank you." What a nice lady. What a crazy guy to type all this right now, when it's completely irrelevant. I'm kind of awkward when approached sometimes, so her "How are you today?" sent messages into my head like "What you doing at this playground? My children need a safe place to play away from the likes of hoodlums like you!" Actually I think it's pretty obvious I'm one of the least threatening people in the world. There ARE nice people in this world who really just want to greet you on a beautiful, sunny day.

How to get there: Bus route #48 stops along 23rd, #7 and 42 stop along Rainier.

Madrona Playground, Madrona

The Madrona Playground in the Madrona neighborhood is a gem. It's a new-ish park, and there are some fun toys to play on/bring your children to play on.

Location: 33rd Ave & E Marion St
Number of swings: 2 regular, and another set with 1 baby swing and some hanging chains that once were attached to a swing of some kind.
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Medium.


The chains were medium-long, I'd say, but they were thicker than what I usually find in Seattle.



I was impressed by this park. It was full of people attending some sort of bbq when I came through, but getting a spot on the swings wasn't a problem. The chain length was such that I could get some good momentum.

How to get there: Bus routes #3 and 84 stop at 34th St. in both directions.

Powell Barnett Park, Central District

Powell Barnett Park in the Central District is awesome. It's pretty new, and the toys there are big enough to enjoy even if you're a 6'1" adult as myself. Cool park, ok-ish swings.

Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Way & E. Jefferson St.
Number of swings: 2 regular, 1 baby bucket, 1 baby seat
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length is short.


These swings are noteworthy because they have hard inflexible seats. (side note: "inflexible" was a word I missed in the 6th-grade spelling bee, and it haunts me to this day) It's fun to have a hard swing seat option; your hips don't get any pressure from the sides. Go to this park. Now.


How to get there: Bus routes #3, 8, 84.

Garfield Playfield, Central District

Next to Garfield High School are some sports fields and, oh yeah, some SWINGS.

Location: 23rd Ave & E. Cherry St.
Number of swings: 2 regular, 2 baby
Ground material: Wood chips
Chain length: Medium/average


These swings are ok. They're older. You can also watch random baseball games/practices while you swing.

How to get there: Routes #3 and 84 stop at 23rd and Cherry. Routes #48 and 4 stop at 23rd and Alder.