Woodland Park

Update January 2026: Lots of homeless folks and car/RV campers. The park doesn't feel safe. Left after walking my dog for 10 minutes. What a disappointment. This park is a truly expansive gem! The vast, wooded areas and grassy fields provide ample space for humans and dogs to run and play, plus there's an off-leash dog park. Despite its size, the park is generally well-maintained and clean. You'll find a generous number of picnic benches and outdoor grills, perfect for gatherings. The abundance of natural sounds creates a peaceful and immersive experience.

We had a great time, went in the morning, and found parking. The exhibits where the animals were not very active at the time were labeled and which is very understandable. Staff was very friendly and just an all around great tiThe staff

Went to the wild lanterns festival on new years day with my kids, and it was spectacular. The kids loved the lights and colors, and even the inside playground area was open and lit up! It was crowded but the zoo is very large so there was plenty of areas to find where the kids could run around. They have hot chocolate, coffee, and some snacks for sale.

Woodland Park Zoo Wild Lanterns: A Magical Evening Visiting Woodland Park Zoo’s Wild Lanterns was an unforgettable experience! The entire event felt like stepping into a luminous wonderland. The intricately designed lanterns, each more stunning than the last, lit up the night with vibrant colors and creative themes. From majestic animals to whimsical displays, there was something enchanting to see around every corner. What truly stood out was the atmosphere. The pathways were beautifully illuminated, creating a cozy and magical vibe perfect for families, couples, or anyone looking to enjoy a serene evening outdoors. The event was well-organized, with friendly staff guiding guests and plenty of opportunities to grab a warm drink or snack while soaking in the sights. This is not just a light show—it’s an immersive experience that highlights creativity and the zoo’s mission to connect people with the natural world. Whether you’re a fan of art, nature, or just looking for a unique way to spend an evening, Wild Lanterns at Woodland Park Zoo is an absolute must. Can’t wait to return next year!

Outstand zoo. Lots of natural habitat to see with animals to see. Very large area and great place to bring the kids. They have a decent restaurant there as well so, you can make a day for the whole crew!

Woodland Park Zoo is one of the best zoos I have been to. There is space for the animals, the keepers talk about the animals as wild animals (not pets but still with care), etc. I loved seeing the Snow Leopards, the Jaguar, the Toucan, Kookaburra, and many others. We went on a really rainy day, during the day, during the Zoo Lights were set up (hence the purple light Alicorn and Antelope in pictures). There were many covered areas, but we probably could have used an umbrella.

As always, the animals are awesome. I went to the bug exhibit and aviary exhibit for the first time today, and it's was fabulous. I don't like how some patrons are disrespectful enough to throw their garbage into some of the exhibits though. It's sad and disheartening. Otherwise, keep up the great work. See you soon 😊

Fantastic zoo. Mostly flat surface for mobility issues. Great safe place to walk with many great photo ops along the way. You will always see something very special here on your visit if you look for it

Have to check out this big park in Seattle that's got a whole lot for anyone. It of course has the Zoo but there's a lot more. Woodland Park is more than 90 acres and takes up a few blocks in the Green Lake and Phinney Ridge neighborhoods. A lot of outdoor activities to do here. There's baseball fields, a dog park, and trails. Cool history about how it came to be. It's been around for a long time and the neighborhood pretty much grew up around it. This was originally the estate of lumber mill owner Guy C. Phinney. After he died it was bought by the city. In 1902 it was turned into one of the city's parks. Basically the park has two halves. The eastern half has baseball fields, a dog park, horseshoe pits, lawn bowling, a picnic area, a pitch and putt golf course, a skate park, and trails. The western half has the Zoo. In 1925 a memorial was erected for late President Warren G. Harding. Just a couple years earlier he made a speech here to the Boy Scouts. It was one of the last speeches he made before he died. The memorial was later demolished, and the site is where the African Savanna exhibit is today. Of course there's many animals to check out here. The rest of the park also has many birds as well as beavers and coyotes among other species. Getting here by a bus is a good idea. It's got a few that go up Fremont Avenue and the other streets. The most popular thing here is the Zoo but there's plenty of other things to do here like playing baseball, jogging, and whatever.

Large. A small playground for tinys, a larger one for the older kids, each with slides, swing sets, picnic areas and so much field space to run, play ball, bask. A great, corner park with huge playground to meet the needs of the whole family. The fields surrounding the playground offer space to throw a frisbee, kick a soccer ball, set up a badminton court, and still more.

I volunteered here when I was younger. Mosting in the pony ring, the petting zoo, and with the Australian love birds. A great thing about volunteering is I am able to visit the zoom after my shift is over. One place I would visit all the time was the rain forest, and the African Village.

Like an Eden that shines in the dark forget your worries and cares bad drvers leave all your troubles behind, 'cause I really know just what you're thinkin'. There's a place you can go, there's a place to say all of the bills today don't really matter.

Having completely burnt myself yesterday the last thing I wanted to do was hang out in the sun again but I had a picnic in the park to attend and so I lathered on the aloe and sun block and threw on long sleeves and I headed out the door to my destination, the Woodland Park Rose Garden. I found street parking so I saved myself the $4.00 for parking. The roses were in bloom, a lot were on their last leg but you know that was OK because it smelled wonderful in there. There were lots of trees and shades to protect me from the sun something I greatly appreciated considering I dressed in black. I really enjoyed this park it's a great park in Seattle, a nice place to relax with friends and enjoy a sunny Seattle day. After the picnic in the rose garden we walked around the park I was throughly impressed so much to see and do there. They have a real picnic area with tables and shelters set up that you can reserve for big groups, they have trails and paths you can walk on, tennis courts, horseshoe pits and an off-leash area for your pups.

Woodland park is a major hub of activity in the area. This location has several large spaces for all kinds of different outdoor activities, including baseball, dog walking, and exploring nature. The grounds are kept up about average for parks I've come to visit in this area, and at least you are not likely to run into deer or other larger wild animals here. I'm sure there are raccoons nearby, but I've never seen any. There is a growing population of homeless camping in the area now. Seems that no neighborhood or park is immune to this problem in Seattle. Some of these characters are hiding in such obvious places I've practically stepped on them sleeping. Tucked behind several hiding spaces, you can even find a tent or two pitched in the area. At the very least I've never been threatened here, but I'm less likely to be here around dusk anymore without a group.

This park is in between the zoo and Green Lake. There are picnic tables with shelters you can reserve. There are soccer fields, tennis courts, a skateboard park, and bike ramps. This park is very busy in the summer and parking fills up fast. Its less crowded in the winter, and the trails are muddy. Its kind of awkward space. I wouldn't say that the trails are enjoyable and there is limited signage so its a bit confusing to figure out where you are. I prefer the path around Green lake instead.

Came here for a BBQ and the shelter and picnic area were nice. There was plenty of flat space nearby for playing catch or frisbee. I didn't see much more of the park so I really don't know what the entire place is like. The bathrooms, unfortunately, were horrendous. The floors were soaking wet (puddles in the stalls) and even the doors had water dripping down them. I'm not sure why they were so wet. There was toilet paper and other garbage on the floor. It wasn't pretty.

It's a very nice Zoo and Park to take your family and guests for a fun time. It's very educational and A good way to let your "city folk" get some exposure to nature and the animals that live there. The staff that work there are very friendly and are more than happy to tell you all the cool and fun facts that each animal have. The location is perfect for the people who want to plan something for the family or friends visiting from out of town. The winter season is usually not the best time to go because the park is undergoing most of their remodeling and upgrades during that time and most of the animals are either hibernating or brought indoors to avoid the cold weather. But they will happily compensate and will print you a ticket that is good for future use in the spring time or summer depending on their schedule and park renovations.

I hosted a picnic here recently. The pluses: the parks department was easy to deal with, and made the process to reserve a covered shelter and picnic tables very simple. (I will stress I booked a couple months in advance.) The prices were reasonable, and they provided maps and driving directions that made it easy for guests to find our group. The picnic facilities were good, too, with a sink and grill in the shelter, and several trash cans available (and empty). Parking was wonderful, unlike my experiences at other parks, so we were able to unload supplies with ease. The negatives: Bathrooms! There are several porta-potties around, and they are all locked. Why? It's confusing. There is apparently a bathroom near the picnic shelters, but several guests didn't know to look for it, assuming that, since there were Honey Buckets everywhere, there were no other options. Very odd. All in all, though, it was the best location I've used to host a group picnic.

This is my neighborhood park & I'm so fortunate! Enclosed Dog park, check. Running/Bike Trails, check. Clean bathrooms, check. Quiet places to read, check. Two beautiful bridges that lead to the Zoo, check. Clandestine path to Greenlake, check. Lawn Bowling green, check. Rent-able BBQ spots, check. Cons: *Cruising spot. *Sometimes creepies lurking. *Lame dog owners who don't leash (I have been licked/jumped on several times) and say "My dog's super friendly." Guess what, I don't care. Leash it mo-fo's.... It's a GO!

The park is lovely. The thing is, it's a little bit like a Tim Burton movie, in that, at first glance, it appears to be kid friendly (awesome swings, toddler slide, sandbox). In reality, though, it's really just a little bit too scary for the little ones (raggedy homeless people, hoodlums who need to pull up their pants, used band-aids strewn in the grass). If the parks crew spent more time cleaning the area, and the weirdos quit watching the children's play area, then, this place would be near perfect. NOTE: If Johnny Depp were to show up in this park, it would increase the stars in my review to six. Six stars for any Johnny Depp sighting.

Nestled off busy Seattle streets, you'll find this gem of a park. For years, I went to the side off Aurora Avenue North. It's the side with the horseshoe pits where sunshine lovers frolic during the summer months. Among the trees, hills, and greenery, you'll find a number of shelters for rental. Over the weekend, I was in that area for the BEST laser tag birthday party. Okay, it was for kids but it was fun to watch. For the first time last year, I went to the other side of the park. Whaaat? There's another side? I was attending a picnic and discovered more shelters. That area has many more large trees that create a huge shady space. Shelters and horseshoe pits not your thing? That's cool. They have tennis courts, baseball fields, croquet, lawn bowling and more! I must admit the dirt hills (if that's what you call them) seem kinda fun but I've never had the courage to do more than watch dirt bikers fly in the air. Overall, this is a great place to hang out. It's easily accessible, within walking distance of Green Lake, and close to many amenities. Just cross the street and you can head over the zoo for a new adventure!

A perfect example of why I miss Seattle in my moments. Woodland Park is a haven of peace amidst the, well, actually, also pretty damn peaceful life in the surrounding, errm, well, continually peaceful neighborhood. OK, so the surrounding environment isn't exactly a stormy sea, but Woodland Park is most certainly a calm port regardless. I used to take my dog(s) here to run around the dog park, and later, I enjoyed staking out a quiet spot to play some guitar, read, or simply look up at the summer skies and ponder. I'd advise against attempting that in the late fall, winter, and early spring, unless pondering just how many raindrops equals pneumonia is something you're into. All sorts of funky cool trails to ride bikes around on, including a few that are clearly designed to launch the aforementioned bike (and rider) into the air, and plenty of private spaces. During the summer, theater troupes sometimes favor Woodland Park as a good venue for a play. I never caught one myself, but I'd imagine they'd be fun. All in all, a great place to kill a few hours, and reconnect with the basics.

Between the rose garden, zoo, playgrounds, picnic areas, and green spaces, Woodland Park has a lot to offer. The park is large enough that it's pretty easy to get away from the traffic and forget that you're in the big city and can easily be an all day trip if you so chose. Lots of wildlife in the area, including super adorable rabbits! The rose garden is one of my favourite parts of the park; it's lovely to walk through even during the off season.

I thought I would be the first person to write a review of the best park in the country. But, I'm happy to see that many people have reviewed this fantastic park. I've been using this park for over 20 years. My friends and I have developed a 23 hole Frisbee golf course that goes through the whole park. We also have about a half dozen alternate holes that we play when there are events or people that we would disturb by throwing our Frisbees through their area. I get together with my friends about twice on month early morning Saturdays or Sundays to play a round of Frisbee golf. It is the most fun thing that I do outside of my normal routine. plus I'm real good at the game. If they had a professional Frisbee Golf League I would be in the Top 5% of players. The park is big and has many different uses. Picnic areas, of leash dog area, horse shoe pits, lawn bowling, soccer fields, tennis courts, and with Green Lake there swimming, theatre, walking and biking trails, baseball fields, skate park, motocross bike jumps, plus the zoo is right there. (occasionally we hear the monkeys getting horny during our Frisbee golf round) Before My wife and I moved to Kirkland we lived in the Roosevelt neighborhood and before I met my wife I lived for 10 years 5 blocks from Green Lake. So I used this beautiful area for years. If someone comes to Seattle and would like to try something other than just the normal tourist stuff I highly recommend coming to the Park.

Woodland Park is huge...the playground to the north is always a kid favorite and while they are playing there is a large feild for some disc throwing. There is good birding through if you are into that. Some say there is a dog-park but I don't believe them...then again I can see how you could loose a whole dog park in here. I like the little area of the park to the south. Sit under the trees watch kids play with the old cannon. Dogs on there way to the dog park.

Another gorgeous natural park tucked into the folds of Seattle in the Wallingford Phinney area. Bathrooms - cleaned regularly; friendly people; shade; hills; squirrels all over; flowers; bridges to the zoo and fun to walk over; hidden from cars and onlookers. You can come here and often frind solitude among trees and slopes. It is beautiful and a bit less used than many other parks.

This is such a huge park! Lots of parking, picnic tables, bbq pits, trails, off leash dog area, play area and shade! Not to mention great trails to get to the zoo! I have not come during summer so not sure how busy it gets but from what I saw they have plenty of picnic tables!

Driving past the zoo we found this fun park! We had to park on the street since zoo parking cost money (?) this playground is made to fit in the woodsy tree filled surroundings there are play structure made for 2-5 yrs and 5-12 years my 4 yr old was able to use both proficiently and the 15 month old had a blast. I highly recommend this park for some fun times

It's a beautiful but small park and the zoo is on the land (which makes the park feel smaller to me). i spent about 45 minutes walking through woodland park with my dog (on leash). There were plenty of squirrels and small birds flying around. I was able to check out the tennis courts and a skateboard court by walking along the park's edge. The difficulty of trails varied from easy to moderate. I did meet police on a horse that was patrolling the area. Garbage cans were found closer to the parking lots or by the off leash dog park. Bring your own poop bag! At the end, I took my dog to the off-leash dog park.

Stopped by the playground on the NW corner of the park a few times now. There is parking great play equipment and nice people. One of the better playground in Seattle I think. The only downside is no bathroom nearby for the kids. You have to walk quite a ways to the zoo to use their facilities.

This park is huge! I went to go to the enclosed dog area but never found it. I parked off 50th and I guess I was on the wrong side. No worries. My daughter and I just walked the dogs around in the wooded area for a doggie hike. They enjoyed trampling around in the leaves and trying to make us chase squirrels. One of them really wanted to go talk to kids that were at the skate park area and another wanted to go help kids practicing their soccer. So, basically it's a big park, big enough to not just find areas you're looking for if you've never been there before, that seems to be well kept, with lots of stuff to do. That is dog friendly (my girls did stay on leash the whole time). You can't go wrong with that.

Lived next to the park for 4 years now. So lucky to have a natural "forest setting" in my back yard, along with the giant dog park. 5 stars.

Open from 4 am to 11:30 pm, Woodland Park is 90 acres of entertainment! It has the zoo, rose garden, lawn bowling, tennis courts, tons of trees and much much more! I think this is my favorite park around us because you can be right next to Aurora (that ugly beast) and not know it because of the dense trees that the paths wind through. The area I tend to enjoy the most is the west side with the free tennis and many picnic tables (some with grills and shelters). The grassy hills are perfect for a relaxing day reading in the shade.. and now is the perfect time to check out the changing leaves of fall :) enjoy! (ps- tons of bunnies here too!)

Great playground, with spiderweb and swings and unique structures but NO BATHROOM!!!! what is Seattle thinking?? Children spend hours here. We just came from touring canada and every park has restrooms, most clean with running water and fountains to refill water bottles. Somebody cheap here??

Absolutely an amazing place to get a quick workout in or just relax and feel like you're a little disconnected from the city for a few moments. It has rolling hills and neat trails. I haven't seen it crowded - it may seem like the size alone may have something to do with that but the sheer ratio of people to acreage is fantastic!

Wabbits! Wabbits! Wabbits! Although Seattle did "remove" some of the rabbits from this perennial favorite of parks, the Woodland Park area is still chock full of renowned rabbit. If you're not just interested in observing hares, take time to have a picnic or play a little frisbee. Since the park is so vast, you won't need to worry about crowding. As an added bonus, the actual zoo itself is just a hop away ...

A beautiful city park, complete with plenty of open space, walking trails, a zoo, and sports facilities. A great place to post up for a bbq, lay in the shade, or let the dog run around.

This is one of my favorite parks mostly because there is a bike race once a year on November 18 and there are some really cool trails and paths you can walk or ride your bike on

I was recently here to shoot some family photos for a group of 5. Love this spot, the parking lot always has plenty of room, the park is so large that you can easily get away from other people there and it is beautiful and well kept. There are little shelter areas for covered picnicks or just to get out of the sun (if that is EVER a problem for anyone). I really like this place! The only downside is it can be a little confusing if you are meeting someone there, as there are several spots to enter the park and its very large...but who doesn't like a literal walk through the park? Definitely a spot to check out, anytime of year!

uh, easy parking, plenty of open space, plenty of bbq pits, what else do you need? But, shhhhh, don't tell anyone about this!! It's an easy to get to, amazing park. I really need to stop sharing all my secret spots with the interweb.

This really is a spend the whole day hanging out and playing kind of park. Don't do just the zoo. Check the whole place out. Bring a picnic, there are LOTS of great spots. Bring a frisbee or football. Bring a big family or lots of friends. Bring a willingness to just hang out or take a walk among the trees. It's that kind of place.

Woodland Park is usually known for only the zoo, its huge though. There are tons are sports fields, a rose garden, fields of open grass to chill out in, some wooded areas which are a bit creepy. Basically its got it all. I think that most of all its a runner's park though, you'll find people there running circles almost any day of the year. Yup even in the pouring, pouring rain.

This is one of my kids' favorite playgrounds. It's fun when one of the local day schools shows up with 30 kids at a time. There's no potty, but there's a great grocery closeby (Phinney Market) if you want to grab a lunch or snack before heading out. Zeek's Pizza nearby for lunch if that's what you like.

It's not Discovery Park, but it's much more centrally located, easier to walk up and down, and still great for feeling like you've gotten away from it all. (It's also a great way to get shade while traversing Phinney and/or 50th.)

Woodland Park is wonderful! Great for walking when you want to be alone, and also for meeting with a group. Great for strolling with pups, and for great exercise. There are so many wonderful facets to Woodland Park!

I hosted a cookout here last year (2011) at one of the picnic shelters and everything was perfect. Making a reservation with Seattle Parks was really easy and they were pretty flexible with the two week payment deadline. The shelter was in great condition and the grills were clean. I would definitely come here again!

Big place to do all sorts of things. This is an all day type of event. this park is a go to place on a Saturday with your kids and animals. It def is a woodsy and has all sorts of beautful thigns to see

Huge park with excellent scenery all around, and not filled with too many people at a time. Took a nice walk around and saw soccer fields, tennis courts, bike trails and a enclosed dog park!!! Tennis courts are awesome, coming here again!