There are so many parks in Seattle that it seems nearly impossible to know about every park in town (unless you work at the Seattle Parks Department, then I suppose you know them all). While I don’t expect to know every park in town, I thought I at least knew every park that offers a spectacular view of the city. I was wrong. I recently stumbled across Dr. Jose Rizal Park thanks to Twitter. After visiting for the first time, I can safely say Rizal Park offers the best view of Seattle from Beacon Hill.

The view of downtown Seattle from Rizal Park on Beacon Hill.

Rizal Park is nearly 10 acres in size. The park’s parking lot runs right along the section of grass that offers the best view of the city. You can see downtown, T-Mobile Park, Lumen Field, Columbia Tower, The Great Wheel, Elliott Bay, the Port of Seattle and much more. While you can’t see the Space Needle, the view from Rizal Park is still very impressive.

Tim and I walked down the hill from the parking lot and strolled halfway across Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge to see the view from that angle. The bridge goes over I-90 and sits right in front of the two stadiums and the Port of Seattle. I thought the view from the bridge offered the best view of the city, even though you are standing directly over a freeway. It was really fun to walk around and see downtown from a few different spots around the park.

A statue of Dr. Jose Rizal at Rizal Park in Seattle.
The park is named after Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino hero.

Rizal Park is named after Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino patriot who many consider the greatest hero of the Philippines. He lived during the late 1800s and was a major advocate for reform during the Spanish colonial era. He was wrongful implicated for starting the Philippine Revolution, and was executed for his actions. Today, there are parks and monuments around the world dedicated to Dr. Jose Rizal and his legacy. The Philippines even have a national holiday to honor him.

While the view is what brought us to Rizal Park, there are plenty of other great features. There is a small play area for kids, a covered picnic area with a BBQ pit, and even a small amphitheater. The day we visited the park, people were setting up for a wedding. The backdrop is a pretty place for a celebration. Another great part about Rizal Park is the off-leash dog area, which makes up the majority of the park.

The view of downtown Seattle fro Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge.
The view from Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge.

While you can’t see the Space Needle from Rizal Park, I still think it offers an incredible view of Seattle, and it’s one of the best views in town. Tim and I had fun discovering this “new to us” park on Beacon Hill and plan on taking our friends and family there so they can also enjoy the view too.

Have you ever taken in the view of Seattle from Dr. Jose Rizal Park? What did you think? Do you have another favorite spot to check out the Seattle skyline? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and connect with us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. Don’t forget to also check out Seattle Bloggers for more cool things to check out in Seattle and around Puget Sound!

We’re constantly on the prowl for the best Seattle viewpoints. Click on the related links below for more great places to see our beautiful city!

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