Pictures below will take you on a virtual tour through a beautiful Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks. Enjoy the beauty of our beloved Washington State!
Seattle Waterfront is an amazing combination of various parks, piers, food courts, art galleries, and numerous recreational opportunities for the visitors, situated at the shoreline of Elliot Bay, so close to Seattle Downtown which is only adding to its advantages and popularity.
Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks are just two beautiful segments (out of so many) constituting the Seattle Waterfront. These are two separate adjoining each other parks, but being located so close to each other, sometimes it feels that the Centennial Park is just a prolongation or continuation of Myrtle Edwards Park, thus they are often considered by people as one big park.
Due to the fact that along the entire park's territory the railroad tracks are running, separated from the eastern edge of the park by a fence, there are only a couple of options as for how to enter the park. The easiest way, especially if you are having a walking tour around Seattle Downtown or the central part of Seattle Waterfront, is to enter the Myrtle Edwards Park from its southern end, near the end of Broad Street, where the park is adjacent to the Olympic Sculpture Park (one more amazing element of Seattle Waterfront which we highly recommend to include into your tour).
As an option – you may also start your exploration of these parks from the northern part of the Centennial Park, moving south. One more variant of the excess to these parks is by the footbridge (known also as W Thomas Str. Overpass), entering this area almost in-between these two parks.
Myrtle Edwards Park, renamed in 1976 (from its original name Elliot Bay Park) to honor Myrtle Edwards, a distinguished member of the city council, who's great efforts to preserve the natural area for public use were really significant.
This beautiful "urban park", stretching along the shoreline of Elliott Bay, is the beloved recreation space for many residents of Seattle. Two paths – one biking trail and one trail for joggers/hikers are running parallel for 1,25 miles through the park. The trail for foot-passengers goes northwards, to the northern part of Centennial Park. And the biking trail goes even further, reaching Magnolia.
Among the amenities and peculiarities the park offers to its visitors are picnic tables, cozy grassy hummocks often used by Seattle dwellers for exercising or picnicking, beautifully landscaped gardens and interesting sculptures. Come closer to the water to watch the sea life of Elliot Bay or just to enjoy the fascinating scenery which will open in front of your eyes – majestic Puget Sound, magnificent view of Mt. Rainier, and incredible Olympic Mountains.
Very smoothly Myrtle Edwards Park flows into the Centennial Park, which you will even not notice if you are not attentive enough to see the sign telling you that you are entering another park.
Centennial Park used also to have another name – Elliot Bay Park, but in the year 2011 the Port of Seattle celebrated its 100-years anniversary, and as this park is operated by the port, the decision was made to rename it into Centennial Park, to commemorate this anniversary.
The highlights of this of this park, distinguishing it from Myrtle Edwards Park, are the rose-garden at the southern section of the park, often used for taking amazing photos with the Space Needle at the background.
The Pier 86 Grain Terminal, also located at the park, is also one of the most interesting attractions of this section of Seattle waterfront, allowing the park visitors to watch the vessels loading and unloading at the 600-foot dock.
The Elliot Bay Fishing Pier is one more option for recreation at the Centennial Park, with the fishing allowed from it (you can do it for free using your own fishing gear, or there is also a possibility to rent the gear and receive a license at the tackle shop, which is also situated at this part of the park.
But the most valuable attraction of these two parks to our mind, is the possibility to observe the astonishing sunsets, which will take your breath away, and imprint into your memory.
Coming from Space Needle it's really easy to find the entrance to the park – you just need to follow the Broad Street till you see the park and waterfront.
To get to the northern trail-head (at Centennial Park) from Seattle Downtown (there you may park), drive northwards on Elliott Avenue, then take a left turn to W Galer Street, and then take the second left turn after 1 block. At the end of the street you will see the park's parking site.