Views From the Southwest Slope
Kinnear Park
Start on the southwest slope of Queen Anne Hill at Kinnear Park, 14.1 acres that the city has named a designated landmark. Spread out on the open lawn along the top of the bluff, then wander down into the wooded tier below. Developer George Kinnear gave the land to the city in 1887 and 1897, which makes this one of the older parks on the hill.
Bring the dog, too, since the park includes an off-leash area. Our guide to the Kinnear Park dog area covers that side of the park, along with its sweeping views over Puget Sound.
Marshall Park and the Betty Bowen Viewpoint
Marshall Park is small, yet it holds the Betty Bowen Viewpoint, one of the better-known lookouts on this side of the hill. Keep your eyes on the ground as well as the horizon, because the concrete walkway carries work by six artists, none of it signed. Find more in our Marshall Park and Betty Bowen Viewpoint guide.
Gardens and Quiet Green Corners
Parsons Gardens
Cross the street from Marshall Park to Parsons Gardens on West Highland Drive, which began as a family's private garden in 1905. The family gave it to Seattle in 1956, and today it is a designated landmark. Paired with the viewpoint, it makes an easy, rewarding short stop, and our Parsons Gardens guide shares more of its background.
SW Queen Anne Greenbelt
Seattle Parks and Recreation lists the SW Queen Anne Greenbelt at 12th Ave W and W Howe St. It sits a short walk from 12th and Howe Play Park and Marshall Park, so families can link a playground break with time at the viewpoint.
Ballfields, Swimming and the Playfield
For an active day, head to West Queen Anne Playfield at 150 W Blaine St. This Seattle Parks and Recreation site offers baseball and softball fields, a community center and an indoor pool, and several of the neighborhood's best-known landmarks surround it. Our West Queen Anne Playfield guide has the details.
Near the top of the hill, Queen Anne Pool is both a working public pool and a designated Seattle landmark. Architect Benjamin F. McAdoo designed it, and it opened in 1977; our Queen Anne Pool landmark page tells its story. Swim schedules and fees can change, so check with Seattle Parks and Recreation before you pack your towel.
The Carnegie Library and Other Historic Sites
Queen Anne Branch Library
Step inside the Queen Anne Branch of The Seattle Public Library, a Tudor Revival building funded by Carnegie money and completed in 1914. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and named a City of Seattle landmark in 2003, it still works as the neighborhood's public library, so you can browse the shelves instead of only admiring the facade. Learn more in our Queen Anne Library landmark guide.
Historic Houses, Walls and Telephone Buildings
Stroll the surrounding streets and you will pass a long roster of historic properties from the city's records. Look for the West Queen Anne Walls, a group of homes on Fourteenth Ave W, the Chelsea Apartment Building and West Queen Anne Elementary School. Two former telephone buildings join the list: the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Garfield Exchange and the Sunset Telephone and Telegraph building, which later became the Queen Anne Masonic Temple.
Many of these are private residences or buildings, so enjoy them from the sidewalk. For current access or designation details, check the City of Seattle's landmarks records.
Planning Your Visit
For a simple loop, begin at the Betty Bowen Viewpoint, cross over to Parsons Gardens, then continue to Kinnear Park for the bluff lawn. Or build the day around the playfield and library, then wander the nearby streets to spot the historic houses.
- For views: Kinnear Park and the Betty Bowen Viewpoint.
- For dogs: the off-leash area at Kinnear Park.
- For kids: 12th and Howe Play Park and West Queen Anne Playfield.
- For history: the 1914 library, Parsons Gardens and the Fourteenth Ave W homes.
