Beaches

Alki Beach, across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle, is the city's most popular beach and is the nearest approximation you'll find in the Northwest to a Southern California beach scene. The paved path that runs along this 2 1/2-mile beach is popular with skaters, walkers, and cyclists, and the road that parallels the beach is lined with shops, restaurants, and beachy houses and apartment buildings. But the views across Puget Sound to the Olympic Mountains confirm that this is indeed the Northwest. (Despite those views, this beach lacks the greenery that makes some of the city's other beaches so much more appealing.) From May through September, a water taxi operates between the downtown Seattle waterfront and Alki Beach. By the way, Alki rhymes with sky, not key.

For a more Northwestern beach experience (which usually includes a bit of hiking or walking), head to one of the area's many waterfront parks. Lincoln Park, 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW (tel. 206/684-4075), south of Alki Beach in West Seattle, has bluffs and forests backing the beach. Northwest of downtown Seattle in the Magnolia area, you'll find Discovery Park, 3801 W. Government Way (tel. 206/386-4236), where miles of beaches are the primary destination of most park visitors. To reach Discovery Park, follow Elliott Avenue north along the waterfront from downtown Seattle, then take the Magnolia Bridge west toward the Magnolia neighborhood, and follow Grayfield Street to Galer Street to Magnolia Boulevard.

Golden Gardens Park, 8498 Seaview Place NW (tel. 206/684-4075), north of Ballard and Shilshole Bay, is my favorite Seattle beach park. Although the park isn't very large and is backed by railroad tracks, the views of the Olympic Mountains are magnificent, and on summer evenings people build fires on the beach. Lawns and shade trees make Golden Gardens ideal for a picnic.

Several parks along the shores of Lake Washington have small stretches of beach, many of which are popular with hardy swimmers. Seward Park, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S. (tel. 206/684-4075), southeast of downtown Seattle, is a good place to hang out by the water and do a little swimming. From downtown, take Madison Street east to Lake Washington Boulevard and turn right. Although this isn't the most direct route to Seward Park, it's the most scenic. Along the way, you'll pass plenty of other small parks, including Mount Baker Beach.

Seeing the Light -- When the first settlers arrived in the Seattle area, their ship dropped them at Alki Point. Today this point of land jutting out into Puget Sound is still important to mariners as the site of the Alki Lighthouse, 3201 Alki Ave. SW (tel. 206/217-6203). The lighthouse is open for tours from June through August on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1:30 to 4pm.

Biking

Gregg's Greenlake Cycle, 7007 Woodlawn Ave. NE (tel. 206/523-1822), and the Bicycle Center, 4529 Sand Point Way NE (tel. 206/523-8300), both rent bikes by the hour, day, or week. Rates range from $5 to $7 per hour and $15 to $50 per day. These shops are both convenient to the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail, a 27-mile paved pathway created mostly from an old railway bed. This immensely popular path is a great place to take the family for a bike ride or to get in a long, vigorous ride without having to deal with traffic. The Burke-Gilman portion of the trail starts in the Ballard neighborhood of North Seattle, but the most convenient place to start a ride is at Gas Works Park, on the north shore of Lake Union. From here you can ride north and east, by way of the University of Washington, to Kenmore Logboom Park, at the north end of Lake Washington. Serious riders can continue on from Kenmore Logboom Park on the Sammamish River portion of the trail, which leads to Marymoor Park, at the north end of Lake Sammamish. Marymoor Park is the site of a velodrome (bicycle racetrack). This latter half of the trail is my favorite part; it follows the Sammamish River and passes through several pretty parks. Riding the entire trail out and back is a ride of more than 50 miles and is popular with riders in training for races. Plenty of great picnicking spots can be found along both sections of the trail.

The West Seattle bike path along Alki Beach is another good place to ride; it offers great views of the sound and the Olympics. If you'd like to pedal this pathway, you can rent single-speed bikes at Alki Kayak Tours, 1660 Harbor Ave. SW (tel. 206/953-0237), which charges $7 per hour. Because this outfitter has a limited number of bikes, it's a good idea to call ahead and make a reservation. You can then take the water taxi from the downtown waterfront to West Seattle; the dock is right at the Alki Kayak Tours building.

Golf

While Seattle isn't a name that springs immediately to the minds of avid golfers, the sport inspires just as much passion here as it does across the country. Should you wish to get in a round while you're in town, Seattle has three conveniently located municipal golf courses: Jackson Park Golf Club, 1000 NE 135th St. (tel. 206/363-4747); Jefferson Park Golf Club, 4101 Beacon Ave. S. (tel. 206/762-4513); and West Seattle Golf Club, 4470 35th Ave. SW (tel. 206/935-5187). This latter course has great views of the Seattle skyline and gets my vote as the best of the city's municipal courses. All three charge very reasonable greens fees of between $28 and $33. For more information on these courses, visit the Seattle Golf website.

Hiking

Within Seattle itself there are several large nature parks laced with enough trails to allow for a few good, long walks. Among these are Seward Park, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd., southeast of downtown, and Lincoln Park, 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, south of Alki Beach in West Seattle.

The city's largest natural park, and Seattleites' favorite spot for a quick dose of nature, is Discovery Park, 3801 W. Government Way (tel. 206/386-4236), northwest of downtown, at the western tip of the Magnolia neighborhood. Covering more than 500 acres, this park has many miles of trails and beaches to hike -- not to mention gorgeous views, forest paths, and meadows in which to laze away after a long walk. To get here, follow Elliott Avenue north along the waterfront from downtown Seattle, then take the Magnolia Bridge west toward the Magnolia neighborhood, and follow Grayfield Street to Galer Street to Magnolia Boulevard.

My favorite area hike, the trail up Mount Si, is also the most challenging hike near Seattle. The rugged, glacier-carved peak is just a 30- to 45-minute drive east of downtown on I-90. Rising abruptly from the floor of the Snoqualmie Valley outside the town of North Bend, Mount Si has an exhausting trail to its summit, but the payoff is awesome views. (Take lots of water -- it's an 8-mile round-trip hike.) From I-90, take the North Bend exit (exit 31), drive into town, turn right at the stoplight onto North Bend Way, continue through town, turn left onto Mount Si Road, and continue 2 miles to the trail head.

Farther east on I-90, at Snoqualmie Pass and just west of the pass, are several trail heads. Some trails lead to mountain summits, others to glacier-carved lakes, and still others past waterfalls deep in the forest. Because of their proximity to Seattle, these trails can be very crowded, and you will need a Northwest Forest Pass ($5 for a 1-day pass) to leave your car at national-forest trail heads (though not at the Mount Si trail head, which is on state land). My favorite trail in this area is the 8-mile round-trip hike to beautiful Snow Lake, a cool pool of subalpine waters surrounded by granite mountains. The trail head is just north of I-90 on Alpental Road (take exit 52). For more information and to purchase a Northwest Forest Pass, contact the Snoqualmie Ranger District, 42404 SE North Bend Way (tel. 425/888-1421), in North Bend.

In-Line Skating

The city has dozens of miles of paved paths that are perfect for skating. In North Seattle you can rent in-line skates at Gregg's Greenlake Cycle, 7007 Woodlawn Ave. NE (tel. 206/523-1822), for $5 per hour. The trail around Green Lake and the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail are both good places for skating that are convenient to Gregg's.

Other favorite skating spots include the paved path in Myrtle Edwards Park, just north of the Seattle waterfront; the paved path along Lake Washington Boulevard, north of Seward Park; and the Alki Beach pathway in West Seattle.

Jogging

The waterfront, from Pioneer Square north to Myrtle Edwards Park, where a paved path parallels the water, is a favorite downtown jogging route. The residential streets of Capitol Hill, when combined with roads and sidewalks through Volunteer Park, are another good choice. If you happen to be staying in the University District, you can access the 27-mile Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail or run the ever-popular trail around Green Lake. Out in West Seattle, the Alki Beach pathway is also very popular and provides great views of the Olympics. Spring through fall, you can access this trail via water taxi.

Sea Kayaking, Canoeing, Rowing, Sailing

If you'd like to try your hand at sea kayaking, head to the Northwest Outdoor Center, 2100 Westlake Ave. N. (tel. 800/683-0637 or 206/281-9694), on the west side of Lake Union. Here you can rent a sea kayak for between $12 and $17 per hour. You can also opt for guided tours lasting from a few hours to several days, and there are plenty of classes available for those who are interested.

Moss Bay Rowing, Kayaking and Sailing Center, 1001 Fairview Ave. N. (tel. 206/682-2031), rents sea kayaks, rowing shells, and sailboats at the south end of Lake Union near Chandler's Cove. Rates range from $12 per hour for a single kayak to $17 per hour for a double. Because this rental center is a little closer to downtown Seattle, it's a better choice if you are here without a car.

On the University of Washington campus behind Husky Stadium is the Waterfront Activities Center (tel. 206/543-9433), which is open to the public and rents canoes and rowboats for $7.50 per hour. With the marshes of the Washington Park Arboretum directly across a narrow channel from the boat launch, this is an ideal place for beginner canoeists to rent a boat.

In this same general area, you can rent kayaks at the Agua Verde Paddle Club, 1303 NE Boat St. (tel. 206/545-8570), at the foot of Brooklyn Avenue on Portage Bay (the body of water between Lake Union and Lake Washington). Kayaks can be rented from March through October and go for $15 to $18 per hour. Best of all, this place is part of the Agua Verde Cafe, a great Mexican restaurant! Before or after a paddle, be sure to get an order of tacos.

At Green Lake Boat Rental, 7351 E. Green Lake Way N. (tel. 206/527-0171), in North Seattle not far from Woodland Park Zoo, you can rent canoes, paddleboats, sailboats, and rowboats for a bit of leisurely time on the water. A paved path circles the park, which is one of the most popular in Seattle (it's a great place to join crowds of locals enjoying one of the city's nicest green spaces). Kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and paddleboats all rent for $12 per hour, and sailboats go for $20 per hour.

And now for something completely different. If you're not up for paddling, how about an electric boat? The Electric Boat Company, 2046 Westlake Ave. N, Suite 102 (tel. 206/223-7476), rents boats that will hold your whole family (up to 12 people). The boats rent for $89 per hour (2-hr. minimum) and are a fun and safe way to cruise around Lake Union and check out the houseboats. You can even stop at one of the lakefront restaurants for a meal or drinks. I'm sure you'll get asked lots of questions about the boat.

Skiing

One of the reasons Seattleites put up with long, wet winters is because they can go skiing within an hour of the city. And with many slopes set up for night skiing, it's possible to leave work and hit the slopes before dinner, ski for several hours, and be back home in time to get a good night's rest. The ski season in the Seattle area generally runs from late November to late April. Equipment can be rented at the ski area listed below or at REI, 222 Yale Ave. N. (tel. 888/873-1938 or 206/223-1944).

Cross-Country Skiing -- In the Snoqualmie Pass area of the Cascade Range, less than 50 miles east of Seattle on I-90, the Summit Nordic Center (tel. 425/434-7669) offers rentals, instruction, and many miles of groomed trails.

Several Sno-Parks (designated cross-country ski areas) are along I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass. Some have groomed trails; others have trails that are marked but not groomed. Be sure to get a Sno-Park permit ($8-$9 for a 1-day pass; $20-$21 for a season pass), which is required if you want to park at a cross-country ski area. Sno-Park permits are available at ski shops; pick one up when renting your skis.

Downhill Skiing -- Jointly known as the Summit at Snoqualmie (tel. 425/434-7669 for information, or 206/236-1600 for the snow report), the Alpental, Summit West, Summit Central, and Summit East ski areas are all located at Snoqualmie Pass, less than 50 miles east of Seattle off I-90. Together, these four ski areas offer more than 65 runs, rentals, and lessons. Adult all-day lift tickets cost $49. Call for hours of operation.

Tennis

Seattle Parks and Recreation operates dozens of outdoor tennis courts all over the city. The most convenient are at Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave. E. (at E. Prospect St.), and at Lower Woodland Park, 5851 W. Green Lake Way N.

If it happens to be raining and you have your heart set on playing tennis, indoor public courts are available at the Amy Yee Tennis Center, 2000 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. (tel. 206/684-4764). Rates here are $20 for singles and $28 for doubles for 1 1/4 hours. This center also has outdoor courts that cost $8 for 1 1/2 hours.