Michelle Janson, a reader of the Angle Lake Blog, shared with us a recent post discovered on a national web site, Red Tricycle. The mission of Red Tricycle is simple: to help parents have more fun with their kids. Their website Redtri.com is an awesome community of moms building and maintaining a curated list of the best weekend activities; recommending mom-tested local picks from playgrounds to date night spots with sweet insider tips on sales & deals on mom, baby & kids gear.
The following article was created by West Seattle author, Erin Cranston and published on RedTri.com.
See SeaTac from another Angle: Jet Over to Angle Lake Park
It’s an unfortunate fact for most of us urbanites–hear the name SeaTac and you’re envisioning impossible check-in lines, incessant jet noise and whiny kids after a long flight. But what if we told you SeaTac also equals hours of water fun, picnicking on rolling green hills and breathing in cool lake breezes? Literally a five-minute car ride from the airport, the city named after its biggest commodity also hosts a park complete with a scenic, swimmable lake, a shaded playground, green space ready for spreading a blanket, and the biggest, splashiest, most totally awesome spray park south of the Ship Canal. Grandma’s flight delayed? Forget the cellphone lot–check out Angle Lake Park for a kid-tastic new angle on SeaTac!
Park it at the Gate
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| View Looking East |
From the road (International Boulevard to be exact), you can hardly tell there’s a park, much less a tree lined 102-acre lake, surrounded as it is by office parks and hotel chains. Angle Lake Park sits at the west end of the lake and has 10 acres of green grass and lots of room to kick a soccer ball, spread a picnic blanket, or relax (at least the parent version of it) in the shade of the many towering evergreen trees that dot the landscape. As you walk east towards the lake, don’t miss the view of Mount Rainier, popping unexpectedly out of the trees.
Insider Parking Tip: The parking lot fills quickly on nice days, but don’t despair! There is an overflow lot three driveways south of the park, a very short walk away. Just turn left out of the lot and look for the signs immediately to your left.
Splash Down
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| "King of All That Is" spray park. |
Hands down we think this is the coolest spray park south of the Ship Canal. The central point of this King of All That Is spray park is a 50-gallon, bright red bowl–accurately named the Mega Splasher–that slowly, silently fills with water, 20 feet above teenagers and tots alike. As the bowl fills, watch the braver kiddos begin to line up under its splash zone, and then get ready for the tidal wave—the bowl slowly tips, and those carefully collected gallons of water wash down towards the sea of kid-manity, completely drenching the ones who dared to stay. It’s great entertainment for you and a cool thrill for the bravest of splashers.
Besides the awesomely entertaining Mega Splasher–the only one in Washington–there are smaller tipping bowls that also spin by kid power, a spray circle, spray guns and various gentle ground sprayers, including four “flowers” that send a sweet spray two feet in the air, and can be turned on with little toes. The spray area is surrounded by a low cement wall, perfect for parents to sip their iced lattes and steer clear of the sun. Bathrooms and water fountains are right next to the spray zone, just the right distance for the potty-trainers who just gotta go.
Insider Mega-Splash Zone Tip: Keep an eye on your tots and steer them away from the Mega Splasher—because of the amount of water, we suggest this area for kiddos 5 and up.
Cool Your Engines
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| Roped of Toddler Swim Area |
Good news for your little fishies-the average summer temperature of Angle Lake is 66F, with temps getting into the mid-70s in August. Even better news –despite the warm temps, the water quality stays pretty darn good. Sold! Besides the tempting water temperature, your kiddos will love the sandy beach (don’t forget the bucket and shovel) and you will love the roped off toddler swim area (which does get muddy on busy days) and the lifeguards, on duty daily from 1-7pm through Labor Day. The lake is also great for your fisher-kids (it’s stocked with rainbow trout every year), and there is a boat launch for the sailors in your crew.
Insider Beach Tip: If you have some kind of shade–tent, umbrella or canopy–bring it! There isn’t one bit of shade by the lake and the sun can get pretty intense if your kid is trying out for Water Baby status.
Pilot Picnic
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| New Shelters Nestled Among The Firs |
The City of SeaTac has recently (as in early August) completed a park renovation, which included adding a spray park, new landscaping, and two more large picnic shelters, each with two grills, available to rent by calling the SeaTac Community Center at 206-973-4680. There are also nine first come, first served picnic tables with grills dotted throughout the park, a large bandstand overlooking the lake, and acres of grass under majestic evergreens, all great places to park your picnic basket and make a day (or evening) of it. And if you’ve got a lil’ airplane buff, you’re likely to see an airliner making its way skyward while you munch.
Insider Picnic Tip: If you want a grill, get there when the park opens. It’s a popular place for birthdays and BBQs, especially on hot days!
Deploy the Slides
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| Playground Equipment for Those Who Wish to Stay Dry |
Tucked in a shady spot on the north side of the park is a small playground surrounded by benches. The littlest ones in your crew will appreciate the toddler area with a covered slide, while older kids will line up for the small zipline and the whisper-ma-phones that would make Dr Seuss proud.
Editors Note: If you haven't taken the time yet to explore the upgrades and/or played in the spray zone - come and see the new amenities that are drawing others from miles away. Summer will only be here for a few short weeks longer.
