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Gas Works Park
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Wallingford
2101 North Northlake Way
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 684-4075
2101 North Northlake Way
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 684-4075
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
125 reviews for Gas Works Park
It's beautiful there on hills of grass overlooking the water.
There were a good number of folks hanging out reading, walking, taking pictures (LOTS of these folks), throwing objects, riding bikes and skateboards, picnicking, etc
The most annoying folks were those on bikes and skateboards. They were speeding down the narrow concrete trails going up the modest hill and making it uncomfortable for people on foot. Even when were checking out the sundial at the top of the hill, for some reason small kids were cutting across our path like a biker gang circling a snitch. However, it was very fun watching all the falls and tumbles for great justice.
The sundial looked a bit gross since it didn't drain rainwater very well. The actual dial seemed to be taken out (for the season?) so it was a little disappointing.
We discovered the "back area" for the first time and looked around at all the old machinery and picnic area. It was fun watching the kids crawl around on them and the all the cute pets crawling around on the grass.
The one disturbing item was all the transients and hippies who seemed to camp out around in the covered area. At one point, I almost had to grab a kid that was about to go up to a loft area that housed a sleeping vagrant. No baby rape on my watch.
Despite that, it's still a great place to hang out and take in nature. We'll definitely take a kayak around roam the area while it's still Fall.
For Fourth of July, it's a pretty awesome venue if you arrive early (around noon), claim a spot, and bring your own food and drinks. I'd recommend going to the bathrooms around 9pm and not leaving your spot until the fireworks are over because it will be hell trying to navigate the ungodly crowds. The fireworks going off right on top of you will be well worth it. Televising fireworks should be banned because it doesn't capture the entrancing 3D effect of cascading fireworks at a close proximity.
This is my favorite Seattle park! (I'm sure many others would agree.)
I'm inspired to look up the history of this park but I suggest people pay a visit because it's not just any old park. Of course there are lawns to lounge on, there's space to fly a kite, play bocce ball, volleyball, and even tables and chairs for grilling and having BBQs. However, the two things that really set this park apart from others is its location (the views of Lake Union and the city are priceless) and all of the metal structures and industrial machine stuff that looks like it's growing out of the ground!
If you're a fan of photography or just checking out bizarre sites when you travel, this is a spot you've got to see when strolling through.
As a tourist there is NO WAY I would have known about this place if it werent for my friends. A hidden gem from the Downown tourists, as it is long drive to get there. I would ask ahead before getting into a cab about the cost.
This park was beautiful! We were really lucky to go a warm sunny day with lots of people having picnic, playing games, flying kits, taking naps, and just enjoying the amazing view of the water. You get an incredible sight before you as you walk up to the railings of the skyline, the boathouses, kayakers and basically everything beautiful about Seattle.
The old machinery is still standing and there is some architectural pieces around. All in all, its worth it to get a view of everything from the other side and just relax.
The Five Senses of Gasworks Park (as experienced by Alli D.)
See! the breathtaking views of Lake Union from atop the large hill...boats, bridges, skyscrapers.
Feel! the breeze sweeping off the water...misty, fresh, cool.
Taste! the crazy pills of the guy who wrote all the signage...confusing, incoherent, illogical.
Hear! the children play on the machinery-turned-playground...rusty, sharp, oily.
Smell! the vomit of the homeless man who wretches into the garbage can as you walk by...bitter, alcohol, drunk.
My all-time favorite Gas Works visit was after a night of bar-hopping in Fremont with one of my guy friends. It started to rain but we were enjoying being outside, so we headed to the park to enjoy the city lights from the top of Kite Hill. Unfortunately the hill had turned into a mud slide from the rain and I ate it big time, sliding down the hill and mucking up my green coat. When my friend turned to help me up I may have accidentally on purpose yanked him down the muddy slope along with me. We got into a mud fight, before finally making it to the top. It was a mess (mud in my purse, mud on his face) but I've never laughed so hard.
Gas Works Park is a great play date, no matter who you're entertaining. Bring an out-of-town guest here for the views, picnic on the south side of Kite Hill with your sweetie or grab a croissant and latte from nearby Essential Baking Company and enjoy it on your own. On a nice day you can sit by the water and talk to the kayakers. On a bad day, you can play in the mud. :-)
Me = Tourist.
I'd visit this spot again. But next time I'd bring myself a couple of tall cans and some herbs.
The hill is nice to sit on and watch sea planes lift off, boats boat around, and various people run and work out. oh, and watch the other people just sitting around doing nothing, like you'd be doing.
This spot would be cool if there was shit going on besides the nothing that happened there while I was visiting. I only wish there were more bums around...at least then I could have talked to someone interesting.
If you want to see a good review, look at Alli D's. That pretty much sums it up.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My wife and I were really lucky our friend Carl knew about Gas Works Park. As a tourist, I doubt I would have ever found out about this hidden gem. Beautiful, serene, and some of the best views and photo ops in the city. What more could you ask for?
A gorgeous waterfront view of Seattle downtown. Park benches and lots of grassy hill-ish area for laying towels on and having a picnic or just hanging out. A private parking lot and walking distance from Fremont.
Overall, a nice place to relax with some friends on a nice sunny afternoon. Also, super romantic when the sun goes down :)
We went to Gas Works Park early in the morning on Sun 6/28/09. I thought it was good for taking lots of interesting pics and the view of Downtown Seattle w/ the Space Needle is good.
Saw a homeless guy sleeping in there.
Bathrooms available.
AHHH!! Sooo beautiful! People everywhere, basking, flying kites, picnicking in the grass (I take it that Seattlites take full advantage of beautiful summer days). An amazing view of the lake with the Seattle cityscape in the background (including the Space needle!), meadows with geese that allow you to sit amongst them, and the playground (?) of old machinery to climb on. One of my favorite parts of Seattle, so far.
This is a hip little park. My friend and I brought the doggie out here and ended up getting caught up in ice block sledding.
Yes, I said it: ice block sledding.
A group of people had ice blocks that they put towels on and sled down the biggest hill with. The goal was to make it almost all the way to the water. They additionally tried to do so with kites, in groups, and so on.
They asked if they could borrow my dog. I punched the guy who asked me in the face!
No, I'm kidding, who wouldn't let someone use their dog to lead the mush line? The dog was a champ; she yanked two people completely off their ice blocks! Not so mush-effective, but clearly entertaining!
You can watch sea planes land and get a solid view of all the water homes and boat houses on one end of the park. All the metal spurting up from the ground is actually quite pretty. And the colored metal "art" that children play on is entertaining.
I love that Seattle turned a complete environmental waste hazard into something usable by the community. As I'm a new Seattle-ite, this is yet another little thing that makes me utterly love this city. Thank you, Seattle, for turning this lemon into lemonade!
best view of seattle, hands down. if i lived here, i would picnic w my sig other and pup every wknd.
this park made me fall in LOVE w seattle. u can even see the sleepless in seattle boat house from here! hehee
Is there anything better than spending a warm summer day on a blanket with your loved one and your furry pal overlooking the beautiful Seattle skyline? Days like these make me glad to be a Seattle resident. Just wish we had more of them! ;)
I love Gasworks because:
- gorgeous views
- decent sized parking lot and bathroom facilities
- lots of happy people picnicking
- unique looking
- lots of room to spread out
It's always on my list of places when I show guests around Seattle.
This is one of my favorite places to see the Seattle Skyline! On a sunny day it is a great place to tan and just enjoy the weather! The views of Lake Union and the city are simply amazing! The park is usually well maintained and really clean.
Also, don't know how much longer it will be around, but the WaMu Family Fourth fireworks show is fantastic! Just be sure to go early!
Excellent view!
Get a kite before you head up there.
Is there anyplace more beautiful to look at the Seattle skyline? I don't think so, especially if you get there in the afternoon as all the big machinery starts to look like a deep rusted orange.
We took our engagment photo here and I don't think we could have asked for a better picture.
It's also a great place to go on the 4th of July to watch the fireworks. Just get there early and bring a blanket and some food.
This is my favorite park in Seattle, but it may be because I am a little bit bias and it brings back special memories. My boyfriend took me here on our first date to get to know each other and enjoy the view of the marina & downtown Seattle. After our first date, I knew I liked him hehe.
This is also a great location for holidays where there are fireworks shot from Lake Union (i.e. 4th of July & New Years). You get one of the best views in town and it's always fun because it gets soooo crowded with people who are..happy..if you get my drift ;)
At first glimpse, the idea for a park like this seems to be born of the whimsical genius one so often encounters in the Pacific Northwest. The more you walk around, the more you begin to suspect the genius was a bit more cynical and corporate: Somebody got out of paying a massive clean-up bill by turning a refinery into a park. Or, perhaps it was simply inspired stinginess: The city saved itself a massive clean up bill left behind by a bankrupt (?) corporation by keeping some of the gasworks and creating a park around it.
What you have are the tanks and pipes and some of the machinery of an old refinery, in a sylvan waterfront setting, between rolling hills and trees. One part is covered, the other taller section is merely fenced off. Signs make an effort at explaining what it used to do, and for a variety of reasons (all at some point connected with litigation) much of the plant has either been disassembled, filled in with concrete, or in some other way rendered off limits and stilled.
You get great views of Seattle, and the nearby houseboats, and the industrial lines of the old machinery, interest in which wears off rather quickly. Atop the highest of the park's hills is an artful and fairly accurate sundial on which your body casts the essential shadow. Still, given the sad state of the rusting steel, either the city is going to have to restore or stabilize the remains, or remove them, so why bother? I would have hired artists to come up with colors for each of the pieces, or found some way where--even if you had to stand behind a fence--you could push or pull something and get the moving parts going, either by yourself or with friends. Perhaps even producing a puff of steam or ringing a bell or something, if you really got up the effort and cooperation. Having a bunch of grass and two piles of rusting machinery is hardly a compelling park, views or otherwise. This is one of those things you see if you're in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it (the duck tour goes right past it, by the way, so that's another way to go about it...). On the other hand, it's a short drive to Hales Brewery, and any excuse to go there is a good one.
Very interesting concept ... however, much of it is fenced off so you can neither touch nor play in ... I guess originally this was where all of the gas and electric needs of the city was handled back in the days and now that they have moved to bigger, more modern facilities, instead of tearing this place down ... they decided ... to make a park out of it?
I think it's nice and green and grassy ... but the idea of coming to play here with my dog / family ... or whatnot. Kind of odd.
Definitely worth visiting, but perhaps just once?
I love walking here with my dog (on leash)!
OMG! You would always get a very nice view of the city skyline! There is a walking trail to get on top of the kite hill and around the old facilities. I always see people flying their kite on top of the big grassy hill. There are some open spaces. Currently some geese tribes (or maybe they are some breed of a duck) are hanging out. My dog would love to chase the birds out! Occasionally, I see some young kid (or an adult who is young at heart) chasing them!
I can totally can see this place being crowded when its warm outside. It looks like a fun place to have a picnic and take in the view of the city skyline. Maybe throw Frisbees or fly a kite! I was told that this place gets packed for the 4th of July!
Went there for the fireworks July 4, magnificent.The view is great, the fireworks were great. The gasworks are interesting. There are a bunch of folks who walk around them and balance on the rails and such. Also, a lot of skateboarders.
A very chill park for a chill city. One of my favorite things to do is park my rear on the hill facing Lake Union and the Seattle skyline and watch the float planes land and take off. My son gets a kick out of the air/sea traffic and the wife and I find it very relaxing. Gas Works also offers one the most ideal places for flying kites. There always seems to be one of those avid stunt kite persons showing off their skills. The park also has an array of large salvaged objects for kids and the young-at-heart to climb upon and skirt around, yes, I'm guilty. If only I possessed the Parkour-like skills of some of the regulars.
a truly spectacular view. not just a pretty face either. it's got plenty of charm and personality...with rusty abandoned gas tanks to your left, families flying their kites, sailors parking their yachts, and of course the seattle skyline beyond the lake. it's a must see for anyone traveling through seattle.
After checking out the Fremont Troll I decided to take the parents to Gasworks Park. Once I got there I realized mom wasn't going to make it but being exhausted she happily sat in the car while my father and I headed in the check it out.
I soon learned Gasworks Park is a great place to have some 'father/daughter' bonding time. This was the first time he and I were alone on this little vacation and it was nice. While walking to the edge of Lake Union he wanted to see how things were going. It was a nice relaxing walk and talk and the weather couldn't have been better for us. He saw the beauty that Seattle has to offer and realizes why I stay here and have no desire to move back to San Diego to be closer to them. Mind you this was before the big announcement on 9/25 so I may end up back in San Diego sooner than I think mooching off mom and dad.
Anyways the park is great, I would never come close to it on the 4th of July but on a sunny Monday afternoon it is a very nice place to go and relax and spend some quality time with your father.
Perfect place to bask in the Seattle cityscape. Located right on the Burke Gilman trail it's incredibly accessible. No frills, no fancy park amenities, just plenty of grassy knolls to bask in the seattle summer.
Ah Gasworks park. On my first visit to Seattle, I immediately loved this park for its gorgeous view of Lake Union and surrounding neighborhoods. Kerry Park may be higher, but there's something about being here that can't be beat. Maybe that's why I bought a home nearby four years later.
Naked festival goers, LARPers, fireworks watchers, bikers - they all love this park.
The only reason I gave four stars and not five is because a walk on grass usually means you need to be actively watching out for goose poo. :-) Hey - they have to go somewhere, don't they?
If a Bladerunner industrial post-coital architortural rusted Stud mated with a stunningly beautiful blue skied Garden with a view you would be staring directly into the eyes of this cunning 19 acre mysterious Vixen.
Gas Works Park was where I woke up after passing out at Paseo.
A collie chased after a cherubic boy trying to fly a kite with what looked to be his giggling grandmother as she chased after the dragging kite. This is the land of Lassie and pleasant breezes and giggles and infinity. A place to clear your head.
A group of about 8 women sat on the ground and a bench, all covered in large brightly colored Mexican blankets. Talking. Two of the women were knitting. Resting. All just peacefully being with each other. Land, water, earth, sky... I am in love with a city. I am in love with these views to the sky... views to the horizon.
A passel of about six 14 year olds wearing all black passed in front of us. Tight skinny jeans. Make-up. Tough age. All wanting to belong and at the same time all desiring originality and purpose. I will bet they don't want to be labeled. Why do they all end up looking exactly the same? My mind could not help labeling them. Goth. Dark. Emo. Creatives. These are the kids who ask the big questions and don't take anything for granted.
When the street savvy world of EFFING emoticons, incorrectly-hyphenated words, "air" quotation marks, ironic hipsters ironically wearing ironic t-shirts and effing asstastic, too skinny jeans with 1" of crotchzipper, it is time to take a break and breathe some cool, clean, blue sky. No one here cares what you wear. Let your cares drift away. Take a trip on a passing cloud. Watch the fireworks. Laugh.
COMPLETE.
PASTORAL.
BLISS.
We hear music and walk to a steel structural "play" area with booming boombox, larger than life spider which almost attacked my screaming sister, and a fire in some strange firebox. Three guys are hovering around the fire, cooking something. Another guy climbs out of a web of steel spaghetti, smoking a joint.
This feels like the dark underbelly of the project... the part that nobody talks about. The Goth wedding celebration with monkeys hanging from the steel rafters and white wedding playing on the boom box.
As we are leaving and right after our picture perfect one point perspective photographs through a skeletal structure lined up like an upside down boat, my sister leans to me and whispers,
"Every now and again...
*
*
"THEY" close the park.
*
*
Completely unannounced.
*
*
AND...
*
*
They umm, clean it."
"Yeah, so what?" She is acting like it is a big deal if anyone overhears us and I am wondering WTF? They CLEAN it?
"Yeah, ummm, apparently..."
And at this point she is leaning farther in to me and i can hardly hear her...
"Apparently, oil starts seeping up from the ground..."
"NO! What? You are not serious." My mouth is now dry. I feel scared.
She whispers as she looks me in the eyes, "I am damned serious."
Post-Paseo pastoral bliss.
Over.
Such an awesome place where all worlds collide, with kids playing in the playground, older folks jumping around through the parks, people laying on the hill getting a tan ... We need more places like this.
JONASAPPROVED!
What a perfect place to have sandwiches from Paseos. Perfect view of the bay, a nice breeze, people walking and kids laughing.
Tip: Watch out for the poo.
I remember the first time I saw this park (I was 20 & in Calif). It was on the big screen in the movie: Singles. It looked like a bit of an ugly rusty pile, but it also looked cool and unique, and was a good backdrop to the movie scene.
I've been in beautiful Washington state for 10 years and this was my first visit to Gas Works Park! What a travesty on my part.
Made it here on one of those Seattle days when the sky is bluer than a tropical ocean and the sun is warm. People were out in battalions occupying the park. Kites were zipping and zapping in the air. A huge herd of teenage kids were annoying as heck. Dogs were darting around with abandon having canine-fun. The Seattle cityscape was a marvelous backdrop.
Gas Works. My first visit, but not my last.
A great place to view large, old, rusty pipes, even if you're not into that kind of stuff. I wish it wasn't fenced though, so I can get a better view of all the knocks and crannies. There is a children's play barn off to the side with brightly painted machinery. On a sunny day, people sunbathe here, which can totally ruin a good view of Lake Union (well, depending on who's doing the sunbathing).
1 star off: the person I saw was flabby
Great view of the city! We didnt have any trouble finding parking.
I believe we also came here after visiting the Fremont Troll. A must-go for tourists.
Me: Hey hunny, what do you want to do today?
Hubby: I dunno. It's a Tuesday, and it's gorgeous outside, and you're home from work. What do you feel like doing?
Me: Well, I've been told that I'm as white as they get. Perhaps we could lay in the sun a little at Gas Works Park? What do you think?
Hubby: Yeah sure, that'll work. Should I bring Mafuski* with us?
Me: Yeah, I think that would be nice.
Gas Works is good for watching seaplanes take off and land, and watching the stupid Ride the Ducks go by in Lake Union. The lack of trees is kinda creepy, but it does give a good place to throw a Frisbee or just have a little picnic with your significant other.
On the downside, there is always a ton of Canadian Geese poop closer to the shore, and down by the water's edge is remnants of a hobo party gone astray.
*Mafuski is the name of hubby's old blanket. A drunk friend named it when they were back in college. Isn't that odd??
I love going there.
Its beautiful. The view of the city is a one of a kind. People flock and play and sun. Last weekend there was a wedding there. For sunsets the view is phenomemal.
Be aware its now a home for homeless.
They are not all friendly. Public urination, burning of flats, swear words, personal articles strewn all over. It used to be a place for public picnics.. that area now belongs to others.
The city is thinking about what to do...DO NOT GO there at night.
I heart the hell out of Gasworks! I can see it from my apartment, and it never ceases to put a smile on my face.
On sunny days, my roommate and I like to go lay on the hill, sun bathe, read, and watch the boats and planes pass by.
I also really love the kites. (Hoping for one of my own someday) But watch out, because occasionally they crash into people! Ow!
Great people watching, and lots of doggies!
This is a great place to go nuts with your digital SLR, especially if you're a tourist. The green grass, blue sky (when it's sunny that is), sparkling blue water, all the white little sail boats, the random colors of the gas works pipes and the amazing view of the lake and downtown Seattle behind it.
I actually popped on my craziest zoom lens and took shots of the space needle from the top of the hill at gas works. Then the next day while eating in the Space needle's SkyCity restaurant, I did the reverse by zooming into gas works park from the needle. Fun.
I love the view at gasworks, it is the perfect place to sit and watch the boats and reflections on downtown buildings as the sun goes down on your summer day.
My new absolute favorite gasworks activity (which I stole from a fellow yelper) is to get take out from musashis (this is a very yummy wonderful activity in and of itself) and then walk down the hill and eat it at gasworks. The anticipation makes the food that much better plus it's sushi so I don't tend to worry about it getting cold...
I did not give gas works 5 stars because it is a hill, and as such sometimes difficult to find a flat place to sit and eat your picnic - my soy sauce sometimes spills.
This place is so cool on a nice day. I live near by so I ride my bike around here. Be great spot to bring a date and have a picnic or watch the sunset...
I visited Gas Works Park on my first trip to Seattle, many mango seasons ago. It was the dead of winter: the remnants of grass were sparse, brown, and frost-covered; it was as cold and desolate as a post-apocalyptic wasteland. I loved it immediately.
On my recent return trip one of the few places on my "must-see" list was GWP. Our intrepid band walked therefrom Fremont (a bit of a trek, but safe enough on a Sunday afternoon), and enjoyed the spectacle of cardboard tube combat against the backdrop of corroded industrial machinery. But this time (early May) the grass was lush and green, there was a brilliant and clear sky, and the breeze was enough to keep the kites flying. It was marvelous!
There is that small matter of the peeling and corroded warning sign near the park entrance, the one suggesting that you wash your hands thoroughly after touching the soil or grass, and that you not let your dogs (or children) dig in the soil. It did give me some concern about coming back next time with a blanket and picnic basket. but hey! What are a few non-beneficial mutations among friends?
I look forward to going back during my next visit.
I'm always surprised at how many people like Gas Works Park. I can't deny the views are beautiful. One of the reasons the city made it a park is the ground is so contaminated and would have cost too much to clean it for other uses. You can't dig more than a few inches into the soil because of the contamination. I'm sure there are continuous cleaning efforts and testing done by the city but I prefer the city scape from less damaged ground.
