Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden is one of those places that earns a double-take the first time you visit. You're on 24th Ave S in SeaTac — not exactly a destination neighborhood — and then you walk in and find a surprisingly large, thoughtfully maintained garden with a pond, a diverse plant collection, and paths that wind through distinctly different themed sections.

The garden is maintained almost entirely by volunteers through the Highline Botanical Garden Foundation, which makes its quality even more remarkable. It covers several acres with areas dedicated to Pacific Northwest natives, food-producing plants, a shade garden, and a pond section that's the undisputed highlight for families with young kids.

The pond attracts mallards year-round and frogs in spring and summer. Toddlers and preschoolers can spend 30 minutes just watching ducks and tossing (appropriate) food into the water. The paths around the pond are paved and completely stroller-friendly.

The garden is genuinely underutilized compared to its quality. On a weekday morning, you may have the entire place nearly to yourself, which makes it an ideal destination when you want a nature walk without crowds.

Spring bloom season (April-May) brings the most visual drama — bulbs, flowering trees, and perennials all cycling through bloom in overlapping waves. Fall brings foliage color. Winter is quieter but still pleasant on dry days.

Practical notes: free parking, free admission, open 6:30 AM which means it works for early-bird families. No food on-site — bring snacks. It's convenient if you're in the SeaTac/Burien area and want a quick nature hit that doesn't require driving to a major park.