Destination guide
Burien, WA: Seahurst Park and Where to Stay
Updated August 2026
Burien sits right on Puget Sound, and its best park makes the most of it — a genuine local secret with far fewer crowds than the bigger-name waterfront parks closer to Seattle.
Seahurst Park Over 300 acres of forest and saltwater beach, with views across to the Olympic Mountains. There's a rocky beach for kayaking and paddleboarding, trails through forest and wetlands, an environmental education center, reservable picnic shelters, and a playground. It's also a solid birdwatching spot along the shoreline.
Burien Town Square The center of town — a public plaza next to the library and city hall, with a splash park water feature running May through October and regular farmers markets and festivals. Burien also has a genuinely active public art scene, with murals scattered around the downtown core.
Points of interest
Seahurst Park
1600 SW Seahurst Park Rd, Burien, WA
Over 368 acres (locals still say 300+) of second-growth forest meeting saltwater beach — Seahurst is where Burien goes to breathe. Rocky shoreline for kayaking, paddleboarding, and tidepooling at low tide, forest and wetland trails through cedar and fir, and a long, unhurried view straight to the Olympic Mountains.
- Trails: North + South loop, 2-3 miles total, easy and family-friendly
- On the water: hand-carry kayak launch, paddleboard-friendly cove, tidepools with sea stars and crabs at minus tides
- Learn: Marine Technology Lab / Environmental Science Center at the south end — touch tanks, school programs
- Watch: great blue herons, bald eagles, belted kingfishers along the shoreline
- Open 6am-10pm, free parking
- Dogs on leash
Burien Town Square
480 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA
The center of town — a proper plaza next to the library and City Hall. In summer the splash park water feature runs May through October and the place fills with kids and strollers. Thursdays 10am-6pm, the Burien Farmers Market takes over — berries, bread, flowers, salmon — and keeps going through winter, rare for a market this size.
Highline Heritage Museum
819 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA
One block west of Town Square — Burien and SeaTac local history.
Burien Press
423 SW 152nd St, Burien, WA
Newsprint, espresso, good people.
Three Tree Point
Park at Cove, Burien, WA
A quiet neighborhood beach with driftwood and a view of Vashon Island.
Eat & drink
Mark Restaurant & Bar
Burien, WA
A seasonal restaurant and bar in Burien.
909 Coffee & Wine
Burien, WA
Coffee and wine in Burien.
Grand Central Bakery
Burien, WA
A bakery in Burien.
Classic Eats
Burien, WA
Ice cream downtown — a good stop after a sunset walk on Seahurst Beach.
Quick facts
- Seahurst Park
- 300+ acres of forest and salt beach, with Olympic Mountain views across the Sound
- Distance from SEA Airport
- 10 minutes
- Restoration note
- In 2004 and again in 2014, the city removed the aging seawall to restore the natural shoreline — now the largest estuary restoration project in Puget Sound.
- Insider tip
- Check tide charts and arrive 1hr before low tide for the best tidepooling. The north lot fills first on sunny Saturdays — the south lot is quieter.
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