One of the best points for living in Seattle is the close access to God’s great creation, the outdoors. Drive an hour and you are on the snowy slopes of Snoqualmie. Or drive 40 minutes and you can hit hearty hiking trails off I-90 in the Mt Baker/Snoqualmie Ranger district. Driving 30 minutes you will find nice single-track mountain bike trails in Bothell and Renton. All of these activities can be done after work and you can be back home on the couch for prime time television.
Last spring while my mom was visiting, we discovered a little hidden gem close to home and at our level for extreme outdoor sports. Tucked away in the heart of South Seattle are twenty acres of flowing steams, mirrored ponds, manicured lawns and abundant green foliage thriving at a special place called Kubota Gardens.
Welcome to my urban retreat. This park is a harmonious blend of Japanese gardens with Northwest vegetation and plenty of walking trails.
Kubota Gardens is a great local outdoors place where you can simultaneously feel far from home and still be close to home. The vibrant colors, fragrant flowers, lush green trees, and soothing reflection ponds transport one from busyness to a place of undistracted solitude and rest in His magnificent creation. Bring a Bible or journal or yourself, set aside time with Jesus and leave the rest behind. As you relish in the handiwork of the Master Gardener, you soon forget Kubota Gardens is a mere nine miles from downtown. With huge manicured lawns and short paved or gravel trails, this park is ideal for picnics, quality time with friends, small children, and frequent visits. Kubota Gardens is open daily from sunrise to sunset and admission is free.
