As school concludes for the year and kids flood home with seemingly endless hours to fill, you may find yourself waxing nostalgic about your summers of yesteryear. Full days roasting by the pool and catching the eye of a cute lifeguard, sitting on your roof to watch the 4th of July fireworks, reading multiple novels in a day, and bike-riding with abandon may be things of your past, but here’s our question to you: Do they have to be?
Even without all the detail and options we’re about to share, you can probably tell that Edmonds was built for fun, especially in the summer. We have playgrounds and pools, ice cream shops, bike paths, and beaches. We have everything you need to set up your summer for success—whether you’re a kid with time to fill or an adult who worries about how much time you have to give.
If you fall into the latter category, dip your toe into summertime fun with one of the activities from this list. We have a sense that once you do, we may find you under a beach umbrella at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday in no time at all. Summer is fleeting, after all.
This summer, make Edmonds your playground, regardless of where you end up that first week after Labor Day.
Move Your Body
Tan skin and lean legs were two main tenets of our school-age summers, and there’s no reason you can’t have them now, too. You may want a more targeted workout than what running through sprinklers provides you (still highly recommended, for what it’s worth), so check out the newest workout on the block, Tramp Stamp Fit. Currently housed in the Edmonds Center for the Arts, this sweat-inducing, musically-driven, low-impact HIIT workout will send you off with a breathless smile. Trust us. We’ve tried it.
And while there are plenty of places around town to lift and tone, none compare to the breadth of fun you can have at the newly redeveloped Civic Center Playfield. SPF those muscles you’ll be flexing all around the park, which gives you free access to all kinds of fun, including a pétanque grove (it’s kind of like bocce), a skate park where you can educate the youngsters about the legend who is Tony Hawk while you wait for your next turn in the bowl, various sports courts, a trail, a large grassy field, and built-in exercise stations. Who knew you could fit in so much cardio while in between ferries?
Play All Day
Civic Center Playfield is having a bit of a moment in the sun, as it were, but there are lots of other places to explore around Edmonds that are worth noting. We recently wrote about easy hiking trails that are fun for all ages, and here is a non-comprehensive list of other places you may want to play:
Walk the loop pathway—accessible to the blind—with your people or your pup at Sierra Park (19020 80th Ave West)
Check out the inclusive playground, ball fields, and tennis courts at Seaview Park (80th Ave West & 186th St SW)
Explore the 24-acre urban forest at Pine Ridge Park (20330 83rd Avenue West)
Try the different workout stations at Hickman Park (23700 104th Avenue West)
Fight over the viewing scope at Haines Wharf Park (16121 75th Pl West)
You could be visiting for a few hours or several years. Whatever your situation, there is certainly a new place in Edmonds for you to play!
Get Wet
At Edmonds City Park sits a source of summer screams—and not for ice cream, although you may see the Kool Kidz truck roll through from time to time. No, the shrieks originate from Hazel Miller Spray Park, the go-to water zone in Edmonds. Kids will get lots of kicks here, and if you’re a water fan yourself, you’ll find endless entertainment at the Edmonds Underwater Park.
Want to keep it simple and laze by the nearest pool for a few hours? Check out Yost Pool. For a beach day, well, we have miles of shoreline for that. Don’t forget your towel and SPF.
Take In A Show
Nothing says summer like an outdoor family movie night, and the 2023 lineup is a fun one for young and old! Bring a blanket and chair and cozy up to your loved ones for four fun movies, plus special presentations before the sun sets and the stars come out. Keep checking the Edmonds Rec Zone Facebook page here for updates.
Got time during the day? Make a standing date for yourself at the iconic Edmonds Theater, which is just about to celebrate its centenarian birthday with a special showing of The Way, which features a cameo by none other than our own local celebrity, Rick Steves. They’ll be showing other movies this summer, too, but the Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez dramedy has a special place in our hearts. Don’t pass by the popcorn, either. It’s the best around.
And, if tapping your feet to free music is your idea of a good time, check out the slew of summer concerts happening all around the city in July and August.
Drive-In
We may not have a drive-in theater, but we do have a legendary drive-in certainly worth the visit. Linger while you people-watch at our local Dick’s, which has been pumping out fresh, satisfying burgers and shakes since 1954.
Cool Off with A Sweet Treat
Nothing says summer like a drippy, cold drink or creamy confection. Get a scoop of gelato from Shore Pine before or after a long beach stroll, explore Korean desserts at Milkie Milkie, bond over boba at Happy Lemon, pick your favorite milkshake flavor at Herfy’s, or sip a vibrant Blue Magik smoothie from Jaiiya.
Daydream
When we think about summer’s of yore, our minds go to lazing and lingering. Summers are when dreams are made and plans are hatched. Stroll around Cascadia Art Museum or loop the boardwalk at the Edmonds Marsh, get inspired at the Edmonds Summer Market, take a ferry ride just because, pop into galleries, and enjoy endless window shopping. Take the time and soak it all up—summers are for fun!
Photos by Matt Hulbert
