Destination guide
Rainier Beach, Seattle: Kubota Garden, the Beach, and Where to Stay
Updated August 2026
Rainier Beach sits directly on Lake Washington in far southeast Seattle -- originally platted in the 1890s as "Atlantic City" before being annexed into Seattle in 1907. It's one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods today, anchored by real lakefront parks and one of the finest gardens in the Pacific Northwest.
Kubota Garden A 20-acre Japanese-American garden begun in 1927 by master gardener Fujitaro Kubota, blending Japanese landscape design with Pacific Northwest plants across hills, ponds, streams, and waterfalls. Declared a Seattle landmark in 1981, it's free and open every day from sunrise to sunset.
Pritchard Island Beach The neighborhood's actual swim beach on Lake Washington -- despite the neighborhood's name, there's no park called "Rainier Beach" itself. Pritchard Island Beach was a real island until Seattle's 1917 lake-level drop connected it to shore, and it's one of only nine lifeguarded swimming beaches in the city.
Points of interest
Kubota Garden
9817 55th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
A 20-acre Japanese-American garden begun in 1927, blending Japanese design with Pacific Northwest plants -- declared a Seattle landmark in 1981.
- Open daily sunrise-sunset
- Parking gates open 6am-10pm
Pritchard Island Beach
8400 55th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Rainier Beach's real public swim beach on Lake Washington, with a swimmer's raft and bathhouse -- one of Seattle's nine official lifeguarded beaches.
- Park hours 6am-10pm
- Lifeguarded in summer -- check current-year dates
Be'er Sheva Park
East of Rainier Beach High School, Seattle, WA
A 25.5-acre lakefront park with a playground, picnic tables, and sweeping views across Lake Washington to Mercer Island and the Cascades.
Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands
Adjacent to Be'er Sheva Park, Seattle, WA
Seattle's largest urban farm, converted in 2017 from a former city plant nursery -- a community partnership producing 20,000+ lbs of produce a year.
Eat & drink
Jude's Old Town
9252 57th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
A Cajun/Creole restaurant and craft cocktail bar, worker-owned since 2021.
Quick facts
- Kubota Garden
- 20 acres, founded 1927 by Fujitaro Kubota, declared a Seattle landmark in 1981
- Original name
- "Atlantic City" -- developed in the 1890s, annexed into Seattle in 1907
- Pritchard Island Beach
- 8.8 acres -- a real island until Seattle's 1917 lake-level drop connected it to the mainland
- Insider tip
- There's no park actually named "Rainier Beach" -- the real swim spot is Pritchard Island Beach, a short walk from Kubota Garden.
Useful links
Where to stay
Sikes Vacations has a stay here, booked directly with no platform fee added at checkout:
See real-time pricing for these, or everything else Sikes Vacations has, on the rates & availability page.
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