“The summer of 2022 was memorable for the incoming senior class at West Seattle High School, due to the amount of time we all collectively spent up at Groveland. Every single day, my friends and I would make the 25-minute mission from West Seattle to Mercer Island for the beach with the volleyball court,” says Anna Rusen, a West Seattle High School senior, when asked about the highlights of her summer in an interview. Seattle is known to have many water-side locations, and I have been on the quest to find the perfect one since moving to the big city three years ago. After deciding to take Anna’s advice, I set out in search of the hidden cove on Mercer Island: Groveland Park. 

I went on a sunny, moderately warm day, which is above average quality weather in a place like Seattle. The drive to Groveland was long and windy but I drove past large homes that were entertaining to look at. A small sign on the side of the road led to a steep street that eventually filtered into the Groveland parking lot. I parked and noticed there were only two other cars, which made me hopeful there were few people there. I brought a book and a beach blanket and headed down yet another steep hill that opened into the Lake Washington waterfront, met by a beach and grass lawn beyond it. It was a beautiful park, but what caught my eye immediately was the beach volleyball court. I connected the pieces of what the student had told me about her summertime spent at the courts and could imagine how much fun it would be on a sunny day.  

I leisured at Groveland Park for a couple of hours and enjoyed my time there before deciding to leave and face the huge hill I had walked down to get here. I was winded about thirty seconds into it, and continued to be until I reached the top after several minutes of dragging myself. The hill is my only con of Groveland Park, even though it is necessary to have water access. Groveland is a beautiful location that captures some of Seattle’s best features.