• Washington Park Arboretum — This 230-acre swatch of green is home to thousands of plant varieties, numerous creatures large and small, walking trails, the largest wetland areas on Lake Washington and the Japanese Garden. This is a great escape from city life, even as it abuts state Route 520 on the north.

• Sunrise over Mount Rainier from Leschi Marina — There is no better start to a clear day that to sit on the dock as the sun rises and illuminates Mount Rainier.

• Participate in a neighborhood work party at a local park — Monthly work parties take place at Frink Park, the Alder Creek Natural Area and several other locations.

• Drive along Lake Washington Boulevard — The grand views of the lake, Mount Rainier and waterfront homes make this long stretch of roadway one of the best drives in the city. It stretches from the Washington Park Arboretum to the north, through the eastern boundaries of Madrona and Leschi. It goes even farther south into Seward Park.

The roadway closes on certain Saturdays in the summer for non-vehicular traffic, so pedestrians and bicyclists can have it all to themselves.

• Child’s play — Enjoy the creative climbing equipment, wading pool, Frisbee field and mini castles at Powell Barnett Park, along Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Leschi. It is considered by some in the travel industry to be among the best playgrounds in the country.

• Play on the quieter Madrona Beach — While crowds will swarm Madison Beach on hot days, Madrona Beach is, comparatively, a little cooler and more subdued, especially since it’s in the shade of a greenbelt and it’s a little more out of the way along Lake Washington Boulevard.

• Look up your family history — One of the lesser-known treasures of the area is Washington Pioneer Hall’s Fiske Genealogical Library in Madison Park, which offers thousands of pages of documents for those whose families came from townships east of the Mississippi River.

• A spectator’s sport — Head down to the Washington Park Playfield, at the south end of the Washington Park Arboretum, to take in an adult-or youth-league soccer game.

• Children’s story time at Madrona-Sally Goldmark Library — On Thursdays at 11 a. m., preschoolers and toddlers can share the love of reading through stories, rhymes and songs with the branch’s children’s librarian.

• Christmas Ships viewing — The annual Argosy Christmas Ships Festival lights up the area as it departs from Leschi Marina during the first part of December, and it stops at Madrona and Madison beaches for bonfires on shore and musical performances from special-guests choir groups aboard the lead ship.