On the north shore of Lake Union you’ll find the peculiar neighbourhood of Fremont. An excellent neighbourhood for spending the afternoon exploring. There you’ll find a tonne of public art, unique and independently owned shops, and plenty of good food. I spent my afternoon wandering the streets of Fremont, waiting patiently to get a photo of the Fremont troll, and admiring the many old homes mixed in with the new builds. Fremont kind of reminded me of home.
Gas Works Park
One neighbourhood over in Wallingford, and a short walk away, you’ll find Gas Works Park. By far one of the most bizarre and strangely beautiful parks I’ve ever been to: Gas Works Park is the site of the Seattle Gas Light Company’s gasification plant from 1906-1956. The design of the park incorporates many pieces of the old plant. Some pieces have been restored and painted while the main part of the plant, the towers, stand rusting and painted with graffiti.
The Great Mound
My Uber driver was super excited that I was going to Gas Works park, he told me it was his favourite park in all of Seattle. He told me about all the great things to do at the park and encouraged me to stick around until after 5pm, when on the nicer days employees from the area offices host silent discos in the park. He dropped me off at the far end of the park and I set off to climb the “Great Mound.” The hill is the tallest point in the park and offers great views of the towers, downtown Seattle and features a beautiful sundial at the top. The hill also makes a great place for flying a kite and is apparently a great place for paragliding too. I sat at the top of the hill a while and watched the paraglider practice his takeoffs and enjoyed the views.
The Towers
By far my favourite part of the park was the towers. They’ve since been fenced off and are covered in vines but it’s still fascinating to be able to wander around the old structure. Some smaller areas of the plant surrounding the main towers remain unfenced but theres something amazing about the towers. A massive lawn surrounds the towers making it an ideal place for a picnic in the summer. Or if you’re looking for a shaded area to have your lunch; located next to the children’s play barn are picnic tables. The park itself also features a bike and walking trail and many areas to enjoy the waterfront views.
Gas Works Park is by far one of my favourite places I visited in Seattle; therefore, I highly recommend checking it out. Whether you spend the whole afternoon there with a packed lunch or go just to enjoy the views of downtown. Gas Works park is a must see spot in Seattle. Maybe you’ll even get to see the family of raccoons that live in the towers.
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