An oldie but goodie, Volunteer Park is one of Seattle’s most beloved outdoor spaces. A Seattle Landmark since 2011, the park sits near the north end of Capitol Hill and dates back more than 100 years, boasting a design by John Charles Olmsted, of the famous Olmsted Brothers’ Landscape Architects. (The city commissioned the Massachusetts-based firm to design more than a dozen parks at the turn of the century.) Known for its standard park fare, a playground (complete with wading pool), tennis courts, and amphitheater, the 43 acres are also home to the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum, which underwent a significant renovation less than a decade ago. Large swathes of grass welcome families, friends, and pups, and there are fun surprises throughout the grounds, like Isamu Noguchi’s Black Sun sculpture, the reservoir and water tower, a dahlia garden overseen by the Puget Sound Dahlia Association, and two ponds that become an attraction for dozens of baby ducks and their parents each spring.

1247 15th Ave. E., Seattle | (206) 684-4075 | seattle.gov/parks/allparks/volunteer-park