Low Tide Weekend! Where to Explore the Tide pools

Description

The tides are exceptionally low this weekend so it's a fine time to explore the tide pools on many beaches in the Puget Sound region.

Here's a couple of good beaches for tide pool exploration on this low-tide weekend.

Discovery Park

Getting there: There are three ways to get to Discovery Park Beach.

You can hike there and get a look at the forests and meadows that make up Seattle’s largest park as you go down there. The trip is at least a mile and a half, and there is a bit of steep climbing on the way back.

What’s there: A lot! Discovery Park Beach at low tide is huge, with broad stretches of mud flat, sea-life encrusted boulder, pools, eel grass, and abundant bird life. Plus: it has terrible cellphone reception, so your family can be out of touch for a little while.

Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint

Getting there: Also known as South Alki Beach, this beach is around a rocky point from the big, sandy, social part of Alki Beach. There are three ramps leading from the sidewalk to the beach. The number 37 bus stops nearby.

What’s there: Arguably Seattle’s best beach for exploring intertidal life. Along with the pebbles, loose rocks and sand, and some eelgrass, there’s a rare stretch of bedrock, full of pools and crevices where creatures can hide.

For more ideas on beaches to go on low-tide weekend see  8 Great Beaches to Explore at Low Tide

Beach naturalists will be at several beaches guiding exploration of tidepools - check the following:

• Seattle Aquarium (beaches from Shoreline to Federal Way)
• Tacoma Nature Center (Titlow Beach)

Read more about what to look for and where to go to find the best tidepools.