Seattle Just Named Best City for Outdoor Activities — 6,480 Acres of Parkland

[homesinseattle]

Article link here: https://www.travelandleisure.com/sea...vities-8630384

"Spending time outdoors and being active has many physical and mental benefits, so living in a city that offers its residents an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities can positively impact their lives. A new report on the best places to live for outdoor activities by Niche.com ranked Seattle first in the country and gave the city a perfect grade of A+.

“To determine the Best Places for Outdoor Activities, we take into consideration several factors such as access to nearby parks and recreational equipment rentals, as well as weather and air quality. Seattle excelled, earning a B or higher in all these areas and ranking sixth among America's Healthiest Cities,” Aaron Miller, senior manager of data and product solutions, told Travel + Leisure.

As one of the busiest hubs of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle has an urban cityscape, but it also boasts one of the best public park systems in the country, ranking eighth in a separate survey that considered access, investment, amenities, acreage, and equity.

Seattle has 6,480 acres of parkland, which accounts for 12.3 percent of its total area. An overwhelming majority of Seattle residents (or 99 percent) live within 10 minutes of a public park, and the city has one of the highest annual park investments per capita in the country. With amenities such as basketball courts, playgrounds, splash pads, and senior recreation centers, Seattleites of all ages can stay active without leaving the city limits year-round. Places like Discovery Park, located on the shores of Puget Sound, also feature miles of hiking trails, beaches, and forests and are a favorite of guests and locals alike. At the same time, its network of biking lanes made it the third most bike-friendly city in America.

Of course, Seattle’s allure with outdoor enthusiasts doesn’t stop here. Having access to several large bodies of water also means residents can spend time kayaking, swimming, paddleboarding, and boating.

To top it all off, there are three national parks within a couple of hours from downtown, rewarding travelers with lush mountain views, endless wilderness, and untouched beauty, where residents can go camping and hiking on weekends".

[rjshae]

Also the best city for homeless camping...

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by rjshae

Also the best city for homeless camping...

Funny shae! You know, it's interesting if you think about it, my wife and I talk about this. Homeless campers, in general, I think prefer to be relatively close to food banks/social services. Some of the the largest parks like Seward Park, Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, are too far away from services to make living/staying there practical. We don't tend to see many unhoused in those parks, at all. .

[rjshae]

Walks in Green Parks Mean Stronger Immune Systems and Better Mental Health (Scientific American)

A 2019 study of more than 19,000 people in the U.K. found that those who reported spending at least 120 minutes in nature (such as parks, woodlands or beaches) every week had better health or higher well-being than those who spent less time. It didn’t matter whether people reached the total time in many small increments or one long block.

Sounds like a good excuse to visit a park.