Private beach sits in Seattle in King County representing one of the city's numerous shoreline street end locations where public streets terminate at the water, though this particular site carries the designation of private beach indicating private use permit or encroachments limiting public access. Seattle's Shoreline Street Ends program was established in 1996 when City Council designated more than 140 shoreline street ends for public uses and enjoyment, though the program acknowledges that as many as two-thirds of sites remain unmarked, overgrown, or have private encroachments restricting visitor access. The shoreline street end permit system allows for long-term private use of designated shoreline street end sites by adjacent property owners, with permit revenue directed back to program sites for management, maintenance, and improvements to public access. Concentrations of street end beaches are densest in South Park, Leschi and Mount Baker, Portage Bay, North Queen Anne, Eastlake, Magnolia, and Ballard neighborhoods where the city's street grid meets Lake Washington, Lake Union, the Ship Canal, or Puget Sound.
Beach access and activities at this private beach location remain limited compared to Seattle's designated public shoreline street ends, with private encroachments or permits potentially restricting public use depending on the specific permit arrangements and adjacent property owner activities. Seattle maintains an interactive map helping residents identify which of the 140-plus shoreline street ends are designated as worth a visit versus not yet ready for visitors, with 88 sites receiving worth-a-visit designation and 54 remaining not ready due to various access, maintenance, or encroachment issues. The city's shoreline street ends provide access to swimming, kayaking, beachcombing, and wildlife watching when sites have been improved for public use and cleared of private encroachments. Views from Seattle's waterfront street ends typically capture the city's various water bodies including Lake Washington with views toward Bellevue and the Cascade Mountains to the east, Lake Union with houseboats and maritime activity, the Ship Canal with boat traffic, or Puget Sound with views toward Bainbridge Island, the Olympic Mountains, and ferry routes. The Shoreline Street Ends program remains funded solely by permits for private uses, creating a system where private encroachment revenue supports improvements to public access sites.
Seattle waterfront dining offers exceptional seafood restaurants throughout the city near shoreline street end locations. Elliott's Oyster House has served as Seattle's classic seafood house and waterfront dining destination for almost 50 years with approximately 42 oyster varieties on recent menus. All Water Seafood and Oyster Bar operates in downtown Seattle within walking distance of the waterfront, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, and Pike Place Market. Cutters Crabhouse sits near historic Pike Place Market with quarter-century tradition serving Northwest seafood including crab, salmon, clams, shrimp, and halibut. Anthony's Pier 66 occupies Seattle waterfront with views of the skyline, Mount Rainier, and Elliott Bay. Ray's Boathouse in Ballard sits seven miles from downtown with unparalleled waterfront location and exceptional seafood praised as apex of touristy waterfront dining.
