Runners Paradise

Mild year-round weather, a scenic setting, and that local outdoorsy spirit make running a favorite Seattle pastime.

Plug into the local scene by hitting the trail or pounding the pavement with an area club—West Seattle Running Club (westseattlerunningclub.org) and Green Lake Running Group (meetup.com/seattle-greenlake-running-group) are both visitor-friendly options with multiple runs per week. Or you can combine sightseeing and calorie-burning by joining City Running Tours (cityrunningtours.com) for a casually paced jaunt with designated stops along the way, covering attractions like the waterfront, the Space Needle, and the sports stadiums.

When you want to head out on your own, the classic choice is Green Lake Park (7201 E Greenlake Dr N), which has a 2.8-mile loop that always buzzes with runners and dog-walkers. If you need to get some serious mileage in, the nearly 27-mile-long Burke-Gilman Trail (burkegilmantrail.org) winds through North Seattle from Ballard to the University District and north into the cities of Lake Forest and Bothell. Try the section from Ballard to Wallingford for a quick four-mile jog. If you’re staying downtown, Myrtle Edwards Park (3130 Alaskan Way) hugs the waterfront for a convenient 1.25-mile running trail with picture-perfect views.

Need to gear up? Brooks Trailhead (3400 Stone Way N; brooksrunning.com) in Fremont is running apparel company Brooks’s only retail location, and it’s much more than just a store—the bright, welcoming space features treadmills to try out new kicks, a hydration station, and regular events on topics like injury prevention and cross-training. Nearby in Green Lake, Super Jock ’N Jill (7210 E Greenlake Dr N; superjocknjill.com) has been outfitting runners since 1975, making it one of the oldest specialty running stores in the country. And, of course, there’s outdoor outfitter REI (222 Yale Ave N; rei.com), which not only stocks a plethora of running gear but also offers free Refresh Your Run workshops on a monthly basis.

*Visit Seattle Partner