Seattle Parks Picnics and Grills

From the iconic Gas Works Park, where the Seattle skyline forms a picturesque backdrop, to the serene Washington Park Arboretum with its lush gardens, Seattle’s green spaces provide the perfect canvas for al fresco dining. Families spread out on blankets beneath the towering trees of Discovery Park, friends revel in the panoramic views at Kerry Park, and couples find romantic seclusion along the shores of Green Lake.

Also See Designated Fire Pits in Seattle Parks

FirEpits

Summer in Seattle

The Pacific Northwest often features cool evenings in the summer that are perfect for enjoying a picnic.

Seattle Parks with Grill Sations

Grill Stations will be available for cooking at these Seattle Parks on a first come, first served basis.

Fires must be extinguished by 9:30 p.m.
Use only charcoal or clean, dry firewood
Charcoal and gas grills are allowed in parks

Clean Up

Your picnic area should be tidy and inviting when you arrive. Get in touch with the office if you notice excessive littering or vandalism at your location.

Pick up trash, debris, and any signs, balloons, or streamers from your picnic area before you leave the park.

When using charcoal in a park, soak the used coals in water before removing them from the area or, if there are any available, placing them in the coal buckets provided. We value your assistance in keeping our parks tidy and enjoyable for all visitors before the next group arrives. You can use the recycle bins found in many of our parks.

Our Favorite Picnic Shelters

Alki Beach

Carkeek Park

Gas Works Park

Genesee Park

Golden Gardens

Lincoln Park

Madrona Park

Magnuson Park

Woodland Park

Picnics and Grills – Frequently Asked Questions

Follow this link and click on a specific site for more information and to find links to site photos.

Reservations Online Map

Here you will find maps of individual parks.

Event Planning Map for Parks

The link below has information on all the sites in one place, including site capacity, pricing, and ADA accessibility. Find this list at the bottom of the page, click the + to find images of the picnic areas, learn more about the park and download a map of the park.

For parks that are not listed, picnic areas and grill stations will be available on a first come, first served basis.

It is best to submit your application online for faster response

Picnic Shelter and Table Reservations

All unlisted parks operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Picnics are permitted in all parks in Seattle. Please be aware that only the picnic parks on our list are available for events featuring bounce houses, canopies, and food.

This system can only reserve parks located inside the boundaries of Seattle. They don’t make reservations for parks in King County, Mercer Island, Renton, Sea-Tac, or the Eastside.

For the upcoming picnic season, applications for picnic reservations can be filed in January and February. Throughout March, the applications are handled in a random sequence. If you have received the locations you have requested, you will be contacted in March. Applications are being taken by fax and email starting on March 1st, and they will be handled in the order that they are received, after the processing of lottery applications.

Certain popular locations and times tend to be booked out months in advance. Events can be booked with 48 hours’ notice if they are organizing an impromptu get-together, although the location will depend on what is available. To ensure that the right amount of space is reserved, large groups—50 people or more—should aim to make reservations at least one month in advance.

Under the shelter, barbeque grills are reserved together with the shelter. First-come, first-served policy applies to the grills outside the fire circles and shelters. Extinguish fire with water, and make sure the smoke doesn’t annoy other park visitors

Parks allow the use of gas and charcoal grills with a 5 gallon capacity or less, as long as they are kept on a hard surface—that is, neither sand or grass. It is advise that users of charcoal grills to make sure their smoke doesn’t annoy other park visitors, douse their charcoal ashes with water, and remove them from the park instead of throwing them in a trash can.

Parks in Seattle are off-limits to alcohol. To arrange an alcohol-related event, please give the indoor event schedulers a call at (206) 684-7254.

The facilities are completely accessible throughout park hours during the busiest picnic season. For further information about any picnic held outside of the busiest picnic season, please get in touch with the Event Scheduling Office.

To find out if there are any picnic spots available, visit – Picnic Shelter and Table Reservations. Be advised that during the spring and summer months, the phones can get very busy and there may be lengthy wait times.

One table for every ten people is best. Before making a reservation, take into account the fact that each shelter has a different number of tables. The maximum number of people who can attend if you reserve the shelter and the related picnic tables is indicated by the site capacity specified in the picnic brochure.

It is against the Seattle Parks Code to set up furniture like tables and chairs. Once a picnic permit has been obtained, you are permitted to set up one canopy that is 20 by 20 or less.

Any special equipment or contracted vendors must obtain a permit in advance of the event according to Seattle Parks & Recreation regulations. A $75 catering/special equipment fee and an application for catering/equipment are required. The seller must meet certain insurance standards. For further information about these prerequisites, please call (206) 684-4081.

Amplification of sound or music is forbidden in all parks by the Seattle Parks Code Sound Ordinance (SMC 18.12.170). You are allowed to have acoustic music or sound as long as it doesn’t bother other park visitors.

Tell other park visitors that you have a reservation with the Parks and Recreation Department, and politely request that they move. Your permit has emergency phone numbers on it in case you need more assistance.

Should another group assert that they have also booked the area, kindly request to view a copy of their permit. The reserved spots are listed on every permit. Verify that everyone is at the appropriate place.