Review: Green Lake Park

Let’s start big picture. What’s the vibe here?
When the Olmstead Brothers planned Seattle's system of connected parks throughout the city, Green Lake quickly became one of the focal points. More than a century later, the crowds walking or rolling the three-mile path around the lake rarely subside, the sports fields and facilities bring people from all over the city, and the beaches attract crowds throughout the summer.

Fun! Any standout features or must-sees?
A walk around Green Lake introduces anyone to staples of Seattle culture, mostly through the people one passes: the walkers, the fishermen, the picnicking families, and the soccer players. But also through the buildings, including historic bathhouse and aqua theater.

Got it. Was it easy to get around?
They key to finding your way around Green Lake is starting anywhere: it can be difficult to coordinate locations when there are two parks, two beaches, a boathouse, a bathhouse that's now a theater, and a theater that's now a boathouse. But if you just get to the lake an start walking, you pass everything eventually.

That sounds cool. All said and done, what—and who—is this best for?
Green Lake requires about an hour to properly circle, longer if you plan to stop for a swim or to rent a human-powered boat or paddleboard and get out onto the lake. The beach makes a good add-on to spending part of a day at the nearby Woodland Park Zoo.