The people of Seattle love a good book, but sometimes sitting in your apartment alone reading is not very fun. The city is full of many great places to sit, relax, and read, so why not go out and check some of them out? So today, I went and searched for six of the best places to read a nice book, and have put them into this list for you to enjoy! Hopefully this helps you find a good spot for you.
The Best Places to Read in Seattle
1. Seattle Central Library
Jeff Wilcox from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re looking for somewhere to read, then why not try a library? That seems like an obvious answer, but some people I know don’t even know about this awesome place!
Seattle Central Library is an incredible work of architecture. The multi-level building is made just about completely of windows, from ground to ceiling. It’s truly a magical experience to read here, especially with the rain falling onto the glass ceiling above you. Whether you have your own book to read, or want to check one out, this is definitely one of the greatest places to read in Seattle.
2. Waterfall Garden Park
Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
You probably wouldn’t expect for there to be a waterfall right in downtown Seattle, but oddly enough there is. To be fair, this isn’t a real waterfall, it’s a man-made one, but still interesting nonetheless.
Related: The Best Parks in Seattle
The Waterfall Garden Park is a monument to the UPS, which was started where this waterfall now stands. This location is nice and relaxing, with plenty of seating and the calming noise of the water in the background.
3. Kerry Park
If you’ve read some of my other posts on Emerald City Explored, you will know that I’m a big fan of Kerry Park. This park sits in Queen Anne and, while the park itself is not very large, it has incredible views of the city skyline.
If you want a place to relax and read with a great view, this is the place to do it. It is also just down the road from a house that was featured in the show Grey’s Anatomy, so that’s another reason to visit if you like that show.
4. Lake Union Park
Liesl Matthies, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
As someone who enjoys the water and boating, this park is definitely one I’m interested in. Lake Union Park sits right on the shore of, you guessed it, Lake Union. There’s a few benches here for you to sit with your book and enjoy the views of the boats all around you.
There’s also a museum here so if you want something to do when you’re done reading, that’s a great option.
5. Olympic Sculpture Park
M.O. Stevens, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Art is huge in Seattle, and if you’re into it too, then consider going to the Olympic Sculpture Park to go through a few pages. Only a few blocks away from the Space Needle, this park has plenty of amazing sculptures and places to sit and read. There’s even a whole row of benches facing right out into the sound!
6. Westlake Park
Jon Stockton at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
The last place on this list is for those who enjoy being in the center of life in the city. Westlake Park is located right outside of the Westlake Mall, where there is tons of foot traffic per day. Some people enjoy peaceful waterfall sounds when reading, others enjoy the bustling of the city.
While there’s not as much seating here as other parks, there is lots to do nearby including shopping at the mall, and even getting food from food trucks at the park. This is my kind of reading spot, and maybe it’s yours too!
Conclusion
These six places that I just listed are nowhere near all of the places to read in Seattle. I’m sure that you might know about more places if you’re an avid reader in the Emerald City. If you do, feel free to leave a comment down below to give your suggestions. That way, you can tell others about what you know, and I might even use it in an article in the future.
Hi, I’m Jared. I’m a life-long Washington resident, and love the big city. In my free time, I do YouTube, photography, coding, and more.
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