Just Outside Seattle Is Washington's Scenic Coastal Park With Bay Views, A Lighthouse, And Rental Cottage

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Seattle, Washington, is no stranger to pretty parks. In fact, visitors and locals alike can choose from more than 500 of them, ranging from tiny gardens to wide-open spaces. However, if you'd like to get away from city life without committing to a long drive, Browns Point Lighthouse Park is a locally loved gem with a history worth getting to know. 

Only 40 minutes from Downtown Seattle, the park occupies a 4-acre grassy field in Browns Point, a small community in Pierce County, Washington. Yet it makes up for its small size with fantastic views of Puget Sound. Here, visitors can watch ships make their way through the Port of Tacoma and look for ospreys diving or seals bobbing in the waves. Visitors recommend coming at sunset to take photos and capture the golden glow across Commencement Bay. 

Featuring picnic tables, paved paths, and a historic lighthouse and accompanying cottage, the park earns praise regardless of the time of day. It has a 4.7-star rating on Google Reviews and is one of the most photographed spots in the Puget Sound area. A photographer on the r/Tacoma subreddit recently wowed fellow Redditors with photos and wrote, "Even with a few people around, it still felt like the kind of place where you can slow down, walk through the little park, and really take in the views." The park is free to visit and open from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Upon arrival, you won't be able to miss the 38-foot-tall lighthouse perched on the very edge of the sound. Restored in 2021 to local fanfare, the lighthouse isn't huge, but it adds a touch of coastal charm to the scene and guides vessels into Commencement Bay. 

Originally, a lantern hanging from a pole and then a wooden lighthouse occupied the spot, but the current concrete construction replaced its humble predecessors in 1933. "This lighthouse is an icon of Browns Point," shared Jim Harnish, the vice-president of Points Northeast Historical Society with Tacoma Parks. "It's one of very few Art Deco lighthouses in the world, and our community loves it." Visitors praise the informative plaques around the park, which do a great job telling the story of this beloved landmark. The lighthouse's first keeper, Oscar Brown, tended the original light station with his wife, Annie, and recorded their wild 36 years on the point.

Today, visitors can take in the lighthouse from the lawns or a paved path that leads to the water. There's also a beach area where visitors can look for sea glass and other treasures along the sands or put their toes in the water. But if you're looking for longer hikes, you'll need to visit nearby Dash Point State Park between Seattle and Tacoma. Parking is very limited at the lighthouse, but visitors typically find spots along the nearby side streets.

While the park is a day-use site, the restored lighthouse keeper cottage has been transformed into a vacation rental available through Airbnb and VRBO. Dating back to 1903, the historic home accommodates six guests in three bedrooms, and is up there with any of the world's most unique travel experiences. It features a well-cared-for flower garden surrounded by a white picket fence, a fully equipped kitchen, and cozy beds covered in plush duvets.

Guests on Airbnb award the cottage 4.94 stars, praising the period-appropriate furniture, maritime antiques, and unique location. "It's like taking a step back in time and yet with all the comforts for a lovely night's sleep, and a gorgeous morning sitting on the water's edge with a cup of coffee," shared a recent guest on Airbnb. 

If you'd like to see the inside of the cottage — plus the boathouse and gardens — without booking an overnight stay, join the weekly public tour operated by the Points Northeast Historical Society. Tours are free and only available on Saturdays between May and September from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Keep in mind that if your cottage booking lands on a Saturday, you will have to vacate the property from 12:30 to 5 p.m. to accommodate tour groups. For another lighthouse stay in the Pacific Northwest, book a room at the highly photographed Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast, an 1894 keeper's cottage only 14 miles from Yachats, aka the "Gem of the Oregon Coast."