An ideal location for gatherings, work up a sweat at the volleyball net or running on the Burke-Gilman Trail and then take a dip in Lake Washington at Seattle’s largest freshwater bathing beach.

It can get crowded and trying to park here at the wrong time of the day will take up most of your plans (pro tip: the 45 bus goes there), but if you can settle in, it's a long, sandy beach—the sandiest beach in the city—full of things to do.

Take a dip in Lake Washington along this shoreline of tiny pebbles. You can swim randomly or do a few laps back and forth to the swimming platform. After four feet or so the bottom drops off to around 12 feet, so heads up. There's plenty of room to sunbathe, picnic, or play when you're done with the water.

Dwarfed by Marymoor Park, Idylwood is a nice sandy beach with a playground and tons of shady picnic tables.

Mounger Pool, an outdoor pool open every summer, has two great pools. The big pool has a 50-foot corkscrew slide, and the little pool, warmer and shallower, is great for relaxing and teaching little tadpoles. The whole layout is built for relaxation, with ample deck loungers on a wide patio for a resort-like vibe.

One of the most popular swimming beaches in Seattle, Madison Beach has a grassy area where sunbathers can relax and enjoy a stunning view of Lake Washington.

Bellevue's largest waterfront swimming spot offers plenty of water activities for all different types, including floating dock for older swimmers and wading areas for the young ‘uns.

Alki Beach Park is perhaps our most iconic strip of beachfront, helped along by the great view of the downtown skyline and the Olympic Mountains. The neighborhood is long with a boardwalk feel, so you can bike or skate in, have some beach time, then just pop across the street for a beverage or some ice cream at one of the many cute little restaurants lining the waterfront. There’s even a little sand—a rare find in the city.

Mount Baker Park features multiple fields and sports courts along a trail gently sloping down to what you came here for: the beach. Both a long dock and a swimming raft provide plenty of room for sunbathing after a swim.

Wander through the Magnificent Forest, go for a bike ride around the 2.4 mile paved path while taking in views of Mt. Rainier, watch some crazy birds, go for a long swim, and end the day with a picnic. Your summer days will not be wasted.

This public pool in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park, open every summer, uses less chlorine and adds saltwater to make up the difference, meaning less accidentally green hair and more buoyancy. The outdoor facility also has a great view of the beach and a huge water slide.

This is a small, quiet beach on the western shore of Lake Washington. Amenities include a swimming raft and lifeguards on duty in the summer. Some find this to be a nice alternative to the Atlantic City Beach to the south, as there are no boat ramps here.

This public water park, open through Labor Day, features 26-foot-high orange and blue water slides, plus two separate pools: a 9,000-square-foot leisure pool and a 3,300-square-foot, six-lane lap pool. The leisure pool includes a zero-depth entry, wave machine, water spray play area, lazy river, island lagoon, two water slides, a water play structure, toddler water area, and numerous spray features.

This Burien park has nearly a mile of Puget Sound beach—and a renovation two years ago removed a seawall and made the park even more beachy.

In Des Moines, this beach also features a pier and a dock, making it optimal for post-swim fishing or picnicking.