We recently spent a few hours on a Saturday doing the hike to Meadowdale Beach in Edmonds! It was a lot of fun and well worth the walking when you get to the end and get to spend time at the beach with gorgeous views! This trail is popular but once we got to the beach it didn't feel crowded at all. There are port a potty's, a covered area with picnic tables, a volleyball net and plenty of grass to play around on and a park ranger on site to answer any questions.
The hike back to the parking lot was more difficult as there are several spots, especially the last 1/4 mile or so that are uphill. The entire hike combined was approximately 2.5 miles. Our kids have not had a lot of experience with hiking and did pretty well (only one 6 year old struggled with being tired on the way back). We carried our 1 (almost 2) year old most of the way which was a good workout, a hiking backpack probably would have helped! We started out the trail at the same time as a Mom who brought a stroller and it looked pretty difficult, I'm not sure how well she managed as we passed her but I would not recommend it as it's a really bumpy trail. Her partner was carrying the child most of the time. There are plenty of benches along the way to rest on!
What we loved:
* A combo of things we love in the NW, beautiful green woodland and beaches with beautiful views!
*Challenging but not impossible to do with the little kids
* Lots of space to explore once you get to the beach
*A cool tunnel to walk through and trains!
What to prepare for:
* The parking! We were lucky to get a spot in the main parking lot but several people had to park higher up and walk up and down the hill.
* Be sure to remember water, hats, sunscreen and beach tools (buckets, shovels, etc)
