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Golden Gardens Park
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Ballard
8498 Seaview PL NW
Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 684-4075
8498 Seaview PL NW
Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 684-4075
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
92 reviews for Golden Gardens Park
Love this park.
We had Nissan car meets there every year!!
You know that feeling you get when you're totally at peace with yourself and the world? Just the calmness of the water, the sound of the waves on the beach, and the sailboats in the distance as the sun sets... makes life worthwhile.
I wouldn't have known this place existed if it wasn't for someone taking me here. Only someone who has lived in Seattle for any length of time would know about Golden Gardens.
It was nice to go and feel so small for a bit. I'm jealous of those who live in the area and get to enjoy it year-round. There is tons to do- lots of sand and stretches of beach to explore (I found TONS of beach glass by the way), volleyball games going on, kids building castles, a wedding... the possibilities are endless.
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Who says there are no beaches in Seattle!? Well, its not huge but I really enjoy this park tucked away in a corner of Ballard. It is also the end (or beginning) of Burke-Gilman trail. Great place to BBQ, sit on the beach or gaze at the Sound. They have a small hall that I think you can rent out for special occasions. I take my kayak here sometimes and float around next to the sailboats that come out of the marina.
The secret is definitily out so space can be at a premium. If you are absolutely craving privacy, you can wander north up the beach adjacent to the Amtrak tracks to find a more secluded location. The tide does come up around evening/ late afternoon so I would do this earlier in the day.
A beach? In my backyard?
It's more common than you think.
Where have you been all my life?!?! I've seen you on sunny and "packed" days and deserted and cloudy days. So...two times.
On the super sunny and packed day, there was still plenty of room further down the beach away from the volleyballers, roller bladers, and other rejects from Huntington Beach circa 1995.
The one lesson we learned that day (besides avoiding the greased up men making eyes at each other while "Playing with the Boys" blares from the beatbox) was to bring your own grill. We were supposed to secure one of the free-to-use grills on the beach, but they were all taken upon our arrival. We arranged a grill-share with a neighbor so it all worked out in the end.
The second time, we planned a beach barbecue lunch with our own hibachi. It was a little cold out but it was all worth it because WE SAW WHALES!!! ACTUAL WHALES!!! They were about 40ft off the shore and SO CLOSE!! I was waiting for one of the dogs on the beach to swim out to give them a good barking.
I was so mesmerized that my cameraphone was inexplicably pointed towards the sky as it recorded the sounds of my amazement "Oh my go....OH my GOD!" Yep, barely a stitch of those dark, shiny creatures was captured on film.
After we've had our fill of barbecue, the beautiful grey sea, and the rolling clouds...a small patch of sun started peeking out. The patch grew larger as we packed our things to leave.
The sky cleared up as we were pulling out and a line of cars were pulling in. Amateurs.
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Golden gardens is great. When I fist moved to seattle, it was lik an unknown spot, hardly anyone went there, which really made it great. Now it gets so populated, but you can usually find a patch of sand, rocks or grass to call your own. It's great to go out and watch the Kite boarders. If you wander around the corner all the way around, you can scramble on the rocks a bit and get away from the crowd a little.
It is a little hard to get to if you don't have a car.
So, Golden Gardens gets a buncha stars for having a kick ass view of sunsets and the water, but loses a few b/c it's super crowded on the weekend and the sand is full of poky, sharp things.
The fire pits are cool, the grills are sparce, but a good time was had by all!
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Golden Gardens is always one of my top picks for places to go when it's sunny out. Unfortunately, many people share this same mindset. It has a large beach/sandy area (unlike Alki) with a kiddy area/wading pool at one end, and volleyball at the other. There are picnic tables and bbq areas. There's a little ice cream stand with all the favorites - including the strawberry shortcake bar! There are public bathrooms (though dirty) and a water spout outside where you can wash your feet :) There's a rocky area between the sandy beach and the marina where you can sit on the rocks and go fishing (i used to do this a lot when i was a kid). And even farther down by the marina there's Little Coney where you can get an awesome soft-serve cone for a small price.
-1 for the parking situation
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Beautiful views on the beach.
Good volleyball courts (if you have a net).
Open grassy area for baseball, ultimate, etc.
Able to have bonfires right on the beach.
These are all good things that make this beach a great place to go. Unfortunitly, being such a great place to go contributes to its biggest con- pollution.
The sand is fracking deeeeesgusting!
There is a lot of trash.
The bathrooms smell like death.
The actual dumpsters seem to almost be perpetually full.
It is always packed.
Parking is a nightmare on busy days
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I feel so lucky to have this wonderful, beautiful park so close to my work, where else can I hang out during this hot summer day checking out some hot body half naked men running around with out felling guilty about it . so sad summer did not last forever!
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Golden Gardens is synonymous with Las Vegas. No, not in the name. But in the fact that you have to be astronomically lucky and hit all 7's to obtain a parking spot on a warm summer's day. It's the slot machine from hell, where you look down and see the last person scored big - promising you a snowball's chance in hell of winning any dough.
Luckily during my last visit - two hours, thirty-three minutes and twenty-eight, now twenty nine seconds ago - I did just that. Threw my luck into the machine and scored big. Bam, right in front of me a gaggle of toddlers piled into the back of there mother's Saab and those precious white beacons streaming from the reverse lights lit up. It's only then when you know you can "Screw you!" to hours of parking-spot pursuing.
My apologies in rambling on about the only real downside to this lovely park. This place is a pleasant oasis and one that Seattleites take full advantage of whenever that heat lamp in the sky decides to flick on. You're greeted with acres of warm sand and cool grass - promising a small slice for everyone. Want beach volleyball? Done. How bout some football tossing after a swanky picnic? All ready there waiting for ya.
One of my favorite thing's to do is set up a nice little fire late in the warm summer evening, bundle up with that special someone and a bottle of wine - maybe even stepping up to the plate and making some damn good smores. All while the sun sets out on the horizon, letting you forget that Seattle likes to dump unpleasant water on our heads during those dreaded winter months.
People thought this was:
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The beach has plenty of parking, unlike Alki. So, you will not have to worry about leaving your car too far from the beach.
This beach is a stretch, and has a few volleyball nets and fire pits which can become a problem when it's a beautiful sunny day, and everyone has a bbq in mind.
The view is outstanding. When the sun sets, you are in for a treat!
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Nice! Great for BBQ-ing. Lots of pits, lots of picnic benches, and a decent amount of parking. Even though this place gets super crowded on sunny days, it never feels cramped. There's a lot of space here.
Lots and lots of sand AND grass. There's also a dock and boat launch sites.
This is the perfect place for a romantic "walk on the beach."
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I spent a Sunday afternoon in April on the near beach area here BBQing. The company was fabulous and the picnic tables were nice. The BBQ was convenient and though not on the sand had a great view. The sandy area was nice and had great views!
There's volleyball areas, a marina (where you can walk along and look at all the cool boats), an off-leash dog area, fire pits on the beach, and more. I got the experience of watching somebody burn their old Christmas tree in the fire pit on the beach - so high class. Hopefully next time I'll be back to try out more than the BBQ area.
Beware of the bathrooms though - they're a little gross.
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Maybe because it was the first time I found out there was real - that's right folks - FOR REALS - sand in Washington, that I love this place so much. For reals sand that you and build castles with, write your name with... awesome!
This place has it all... Volleyball - Bathrooms - lots o parking - people making out - birds - water!
Try it ... you'll love it.
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This is not a review of Golden Gardens. This is a review of how Yelp SAVED my trip to Golden Gardens!
So yesterday I was at GG, enjoying some pomegranate chai and soaking up the first day of spring with the rest of Seattle. Ahhh.
Unfortunately, too much chai meant that I had to use the sketchy bathrooms! *cue ominous offstage rumble*
One stall had no TP. One stall had a broken door. And the last one was working, but there was a huge line. *cue louder offstage rumble*
But wait! A Yelper is resourceful!
I reached into my purse, pulled out my trusty Yelp nail file, and carefully slid it into the remains of the latch on the broken stall door. And... it worked perfectly! So I had a nice pee in private and then passed the nail file on to the next lady in line. :)
Yelp saves the day!!!
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I've never come here to just hang out...I run here and back to my place. It's the perfect distance for a run, plus a great opportunity to blast the booty muscles running up and down those stairs! I was thrilled though to know this place is so close to where I live. It's not the beaches in San Diego, but for Seattle...it's pretty darn good. There are always people out playing volleyball, picnicing on the grassy area or sunbathing in the sand. I'm not sure how the parking is since I haven't driven here yet...but if you can find a spot this is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon!
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I am a huge fan of Golden Gardens and I am pretty spoiled by it b/c it is within walking distance from my house. This park is perfect for everything...a work out, relaxing time at the beach, a cook out with smores, bon fires at night, hanging out with friends, or making out on the beach! Right on the Sound, gorgeous views of the Olympics. You will always find nice, nice people here. Families, friends, and couples flying kites, eating a hot dog, throwing a frisbee. I love the sound of the water hitting the shore...can't beat it! My friends and family are always impressed with this park when I bring them here on their Seattle visits. Love it!
This park does not have a trail system like Discovery or Carkeek, but there is a large staircase to get your fit on if you need too. It also has a cute little pond with ducks, toads, and turtles.
There is also a fenced dog park east of the shoreline. Just go through the little tunnel, travel and few feet south to find the stairwell that will take you up there. Tons of cutie dogs running around in there that are a lot of fun to watch!
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I visited this park for the first time last week and was really surprised that Seattle had a decent beach scene going on.
The park itself is bigger than I thought and arguably has one of the best views of the sound. There's a dog run nestled towards the east side of the park (hidden in the trees). The beach area follows the coastline and spreads about as far as you can walk (I was lazy and didn't walk that far). Great picnic areas, lots of room for volleyball and they even have a little basketball court.
Only downside is the parking. When the weather is nice, get there early, because at about 3 or 4pm it becomes a nightmare to find parking.
This review is from my son (age 2)..
I like the playground
I made sandcastles
We throw rocks in water
I see lots of boats
My son had a great time..forgot how great a park it really is...were bringing a kite and lunch with us next time..which will be soon..hey a kite event on yelp would be cool. You ask for help on yelp..and the yelpers delivered on a great location.
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Updating to advise this place is actually pretty awesome during the not so nice months... I came during some COLD but not rainy weather the other day and it totally recharged my batteries! I got to watch small dogs chase the waves, and stare out to the Puget Sound.
I was cold when I got back to the car, but my soul was renewed. This place will now totally be awesome once Paseo opens back up.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/21/2007
What could be better than a beach in my neighborhood, watching the wave jumpers (I know that's not… Read more »
I'm lucky my days off are in the middle of the week, because I can imagine this place is insane on the weekends.
It feels and looks (minus catching the other side of the Sound) like a legit ocean beach with shitty waves. Really gorgeous, serene, and just begging for you to look around.
I wasn't able to spend a lot of time here, but I will definitely be back. It is the perfect place for a perfectly relaxing day.
Like so many of my favorite places around here, the crowds are the biggest bummer for me. If it weren't for that, this would be a 5 star review.
This is such an awesome place to have in the city. Spending a summer evening on a real beach, with the stunning views of the Olympic mountains across the Puget Sound while sitting by a bonfire is just not something anyone should take for granted.
One little bit of advice: There seem to be groups of drunken frat guys that congregate to whoever has the most "bitchin" fire. Keep this in mind before you stack your wood sky high and douse it in gasoline. Maybe take note from whoever currently has the most "bitchin" fire, and make sure yours is just slightly less "bitchin" than theirs. This will keep you safe.
Enjoy, and clean up after you're done
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I have come here with my dog a few times. We would take the trails from the off leash area to the beach area. (I know..i know.. dogs are not allowed on the beach but they can walk on the sidewalk!) The trails were easy to moderate. It's really pretty walk in the trees and the view of the water was cool!
There were few garbage cans on the trails. Just hope and pray your dog doesn't go somewhere in the park far from a garbage can;-)
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Before the entire yuppie population of Los Angeles came up and sat its fat ass on Seattle, along with posh cars and "I'm so hip" attitude, this used to be a fairly uncrowded park.
That's the only problem I've got with it outside of the lone male weirdos who come here in the early am. If you are a lone female, some of them will give you the evil eye, I suppose, because they're looking for an encounter in the surrounding greenery with someone of like mind and gender, and they're afraid you might know their wife or gf. Ewwww....
The weekends here have gotten too crowded. I sometimes come here in mid-week when it's not so bad. The duck pond in the back is cute. The views of the Olympics are sometimes spectacular. The railroad tracks got fenced off because most of the natives were too dumb to figure out that walking on them might be lethal.
I have other places to go in the area. They're my secret, and not 1/50th as crowded as this place has become.
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This park is awesome. Beach, water, trees, pier... just a nice nook in the city in general. Very relaxing.
The city park crew, however, seems to be stalking me. Wherever I go, people in orange jumpsuits keep sawing things and clearing things. Which is cool by me. Just wished it wasn't every park system I'm going to. Oh, well... yay for stimulating the economy, park service!
The parking was also easy to find... although must say that the golden park drive was a bit confusing with the detour/drive closed sign when in fact the drive was neither closed and no other detour signs.
Definitely a fan of this place.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
This park has everything you could possibly want in a Seattle location. Let's check a few of them off:
- Large fire pits perfect for BBQ and sitting around drinking perfectly legitimate beverages out of red plastic cups. Check.
- Sand! Sand that gets hot and feels like genuine Ocean sand on a hot Summer day. Check.
- Water that you could theoretically swim in. It's cold, but if you feel like it, go ahead, be my guest, swim to your heart's content. Check.
- Close proximity to the new Ballard Paseo. Check!
- Views that will make all your visiting friends and family green with envy. Don't take your California friends, they'll probably want to move up here afterward, those jerks*!! Check.
- Perfect water for skipping rocks. Last time I went there, I skipped one at least ten times. Just make sure there aren't any kids or animals** in the water before skipping, because that could turn awkward. Check.
There you have it. A recipe for the perfect Seattle Summer park. Go here, you won't regret it.
*This is a joke.
**Animals with the exceptions of sea gulls. Why? Because they're annoying. It's their own fault for being out there in our precious rock-skipping water***.
***Sorry about the multiple footnotes. I'd say it won't happen again, but that's a lie.
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Tips for a perfect day...
1. no workie
2. sunshine
3. paseo for lunch
4. no line at paseo
5. baking in the warm sun, snacking on your sandwhich, at golden gardens.
Yay, for this last bit of summer weather!
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I've managed several visits back here this summer, and twice just this weekend.
The two nights were similar in weather and seperate in vibe. Saturday was definitely party night, with large groups and lively activity all around.
(wood raid! )
Sunday, completely different. Still groups, but mellow.
Full moon, fire pit, and amazing company. Seriously, it does not get better.
p.s. to S.K *sailor in a hammock!*
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/29/2007
I'll just sum up a few thoughts up into a short list..
Gorgeous sunset views from here, truly close… Read more »
First let me emphasize, the company was FIVE STARS. I got to know some fabulous yelpers a little better AND bury dfens in the sand (although the sand was adequate to make boobies, but it was too grainy for the man parts). I also got some sun (complete with ankle burns) and I got to dip my feet in the icy cold water whenever I felt overheated.
And even though there were a lot of people out that day, we were able to snag a great spot with lots of space, near some logs that were perfect for those of us who forgot to bring beach towels.
However, after three beers (which I swear were NOT consumed on the beach), my ADH receptors were outta whack, not to mention there was (3 x bottle volume) of fluid in my system, which meant I had to find a bathroom. I looked around and saw a large brick building and thought, "great! It's bigger than those little rooms you find at campsites; maybe it'll be an okay bathroom."
So my gentleman friend carried me piggyback to the building (thank you!), then dropped me off. I found the men's pretty easily, and I naturally thought that the women's was going to be on the other side of the building.
Wrong. (meanwhile, my bladder was getting fuller)
I walked all the way back around to the men's, then walked past to find the women's with - you guessed it - a LINE out the door.
As I was standing there, in line, heavily buzzed from the three beers and handful of tortilla chips I had consumed that day, my bladder getting ever fuller, the woman in front of me handed me a wad of toilet paper. ("What? Why? Don't you need it?") I'm so grateful that she gave up her tp for little ol' me...it turned out she didn't need it (for reasons I still don't understand), and a very thoughtful dude had gotten a bunch for us from the men's, because as it so happened, there was none left in the women's. (I was torn between subtracting a star for the bathroom upkeep and leaving it in for the awesome people that frequent this place.)
So, standing there, buzzed, bladder now FULL, with a wad of tp in my hand, I start sending text messages:
1. to dfens (only in my head because I realized he didn't have his phone): "Is there a line at the mens room? Can you guard the door for me?"
2. to Ari C: "Fuck this women's bathroom shit!"
3. to Ari C: "I need computer access!"
4. to Betsy K: "If you need the bathroom, go EARLY...there's a line."
5. to Betsy K: (I don't even remember what I said...actually, I think it was something else about needing computer access)
So finally, I get in, and I have *just enough* tp to do my business.
*RELIEF.*
Then I find, there's no GD soap.
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This is a neat place to hang out with friends and/or walk around with the fam. Good spot for a picnic, too, but good luck getting a table when it's peak season. Usually a good idea to come early or get one reserved.
The last time I was here was for a small dance/house music event. There was a dj set up and people dancing. It was loud and pretty neat.
The time before that was my first after-dark visit in the Summer and I was kind of surprised to find the park crowded with teenagers... and a police car slowly moving around the parking lot. One guy got cited and then arrested after he got caught peeing on a fence. Hmm. I think I'll stick to school nights and daytime from now on.
Seattle is blessed to have some great public parks, this is one of the great ones. beautiful views of the sound and Olympic mountain range. great for an evening stroll or BBQ.
one of the best places to watch the sunset, only problem is everyone and their moms knows about this place so it can really pack out quickly especially in the warm summer time.
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I think, like most home schoolers- I gravitate more towards places with less throngs of suffocating people. The people to acre density I prefer is about 12 to 1 tops. So I go here in fall, winter and week days. I like it then.
Only when I was here last I was going to have a picnic lunch and as I started into my apple slices I noticed way more homeless people than usual- not unlike what you usually see in pioneer square.
Which was sudden and unsettling. I should not need to worry about defending or feeling guilty about a lunch that I took a LOT of time packing. They just seemed interested in staring balefully- thankfully rejecting the offer of my favorite sandwich.
Concentrating their efforts on looking at me like I eat meals infront of homeless people as some kind of sick hobby.
Needless to say I didn't stay long. It's usually okay.
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Love Golden Gardens. I live near by so I just ride my bike along the Burke Gillman trail. Awesome place to play frisbee or football or just walk along the beach. Perfect for BBQ's and bonfires. Maybe next time I ride my bike there I'll bring my guitar and just chill in front of the ocean and play as the sun sets
I like to come here when it is a quiet, cold day and sit on one of the benches. It isn't much for taking a long walk, and I was expecting more from the name.
However, this is one of the best places to come with friends for a little firepit action. Spending evenings out here, cozy on a log with some friends, is just so stellar. This is definitely a don't miss spot in Seattle.
Lovelyyy! I adore Golden Gardens. Beautiful location with great views and plenty of beach to walk and/or park your behind. It's best in summer, of course...but enjoyable all year around.
I run from my apartment to GG several times a week and it's quite nice. BBQ bonfires on the beach are the greatest things ever invented.
Note to self: Don't mention any future visits to GG to your dad. Remember that he will always go into his long stories about visiting Golden Gardens when HE was young...with his buddies, cruising in their cool cars, hanging out on the beach, blah blah....
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Its a great place for kids.
It gives off that SoCal feeling. Soft sand, the Sound and a great view of the Olimpics what more would anyone ask for. You have the option of being with crowd or you can go up to the north end get a little more privacy. There are also poles to set up a vollyball court.
On hot days skin is in. So grab that bikini and those boardshorts and take a nice cool to cold dip in the Sound.
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Very cool park. What I loved about it is how man different options you have. You can:
Walk on the beach
Walk on the rocks
Walk on a sand/gravel path
Walk on a paved path
Sit on the many different picnic benches, logs, and seats that are throughout the park
Have a picnic
Grab lunch at the little food area
Go in the water
Sail
Play volleyball
Look at the turtles and ducks (that was my favorite, the turtles were so fun)
And of course........just people watch. That was fun, there is an area where the shallow water was moving quite a bit and there are rocks forming a small tidepool. There were these adorable little kids just playing in the mud building stuff, picking up rocks, splashing around.....super cute!
It was a fun place to spend a couple hours just catching up with a friend. Parking was pretty bad but we parked up on this side road that is across the street from the main lot and walked down. Not a far walk at all and there was a lot of parking up there. Super cool park! Very fun!
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Once again - why didn't anyone ever take me here? When I have guests in town and spare time in the afternoon when you can't fit in a hike or get out of town, I will take them HERE.
Beach, water, green! And yes, we can bump the volleyball back and forth.
Pack a picnic or grab a hot dog and enjoy the summer sun. Endless people-watching opportunities too. So fun - so close to home and such a great reason to live in Seattle.
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I love Golden Gardens and do NOT use that term loosely.
A little birdie told me this used to be the cruisin'' spot back in the day.
You can view the sound, sunrise and sunset entirely.
If only you could set up camp here and have a weekend stay!!
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This place beats Alki for sure! I do like the restaurants at Alki, but park-wise I like Golden Gardens (GG) much better.
For one thing, the sand is CLEAN. When my boyfriend and I were hanging out on Alki Beach, he noticed clumps in the sand. I told him that it was probably just wet sand. He replied, "No... they're on top.." We believe the clumps are either remnants of bird or other animal poop... But we still don't know what exactly they were. In any rate, I felt comfortable walking around barefoot at GG because the sand felt wonderful.
There are also volleyball posts here, but you need to bring your own gear. It would be nice to be able to rent out a net. Not a major drawback though. At the end of the park there is a large grassy area where you can play football, toss a frisbee, have a picnic.... pretty much anything. I've seen some wedding ceremonies there too. There are a bunch of bonfire and bbq pits, but on nice days they fill up quickly so go early or expect to wait a while for a free table. There are even a few little spouts where you can rinse the sand off your feet.
I love walking over to Little Coney and grabbing an ice cream cone. It's just those little things that makes you happy. : )
