The Mercer Island Beach Club is located on 625 feet of waterfront at the south end of Mercer Island. Once the site of the Seattle Central Lions Club summer camp, this family oriented member-owned club has been active since 1953. The grounds include two swimming pools (an eight lane competition pool and an activity pool with a lazy river), six outdoor tennis courts, a fitness center, outdoor pickle-ball, basketball and volleyball courts, a sandy beach, a lake roped off swimming area with dock and waterslide, a play structure, boat moorage, a firepit and a barbeque area with many picnic tables.
Summer adult tennis programs include Ladies Night, Mens Night, Saturday morning Wimbledon workout and Cardio tennis. The year round fitness center offers a variety of classes - Boot Camp, Abs, Buns, & Guns, Tone Body Basic, Teen Training, Yoga and Personal Training. Group and private swim lessons are available through the aquatics program. MIBC junior teams compete in the popular summer Midlakes swim, dive and water polo leagues. Junior tennis players participate in the summer Junior Eastside Tennis (JET) league. The pool is covered during the fall, winter and spring months, making swimming accessible year round. Social programs are held throughout the year - Family 4th of July Celebration, Songs & S'mores and Dive In Movie Night are popular summer events. A large clubhouse with expansive views of Mt Rainier and Lake Washington is available for club functions and private rentals.
Luther Burbank Park sits on 77 acres of the northeast corner of Mercer Island, featuring three quarters of a mile of Lake Washington waterfront and many walking trails. A variety of recreational facilities are available including tennis courts, play structures, a public dock (fishing and boating) and a swimming beach. Picnic tables, a picnic shelter, off-leash dog runs and an amphitheatre are other amenities enjoyed by visitors. The park also features the city's only Pea Patch community garden.
Enatai Beach Park offers swimming and a picnic area along with seasonal canoe and kayak rentals. The park also has a dock and boathouse. Guided canoe tours are offered May through September and there is a lifeguard on duty June through Labor Day.
Proctor Landing is popular with East Seattle neighborhood residents for its small beach and public fishing/recreation pier.
The pier provides an ideal point to launch and land canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and other car-top boats into Lake Washington and is officially designated as a Launch and Landing Site in the LakestoLocks Water Trail.
Calkins Landing is a street end park with deep conections to Mercer Island's history. Formerly known as the "East Seattle Dock", the marine structure was removed years ago but the landing was eventually converted to a small park with a pebble beach.
Two benches provide fine views of the Seattle shore and skyline in the distance, while the large grassy area is popular with picnickers.
It also provides a LakestoLocks Water Trail Launch and Landing Site.
No dogs are allowed in the park May 1 - Sept 30.
Clarke Beach is located near the South End of the Island. It is known as the "locals beach." A short trail connects a large parking lot to a grassy meadow that offers picnic benches and grills, and then descends to the beach below. There are several sheltered areas for picnicing and grassy areas to sunbathe, as well as two fishing piers.
A large area of the beach is protected by a wake barrier, providing swimmers with a natural wading pool that is popular with children.
The park is also officially designated a LakestoLocks Water Trail Launch and Landing Site.
Medina Beach Park is a great spot to go for a dip on a sunny day. Amenities include a sandy beach, floating dock and several benches. The park is right next to the town's historic city hall building. Dogs are not permitted in the park.
Groveland Beach is Mercer Island's largest westward-facing public beach, with plenty of light brown sand for lounging around or a sand volleyball court on the south end of the beach and two swimming piers for more active beachgoers.
The afternoon/evening sunshine typically draws a younger crowd during summer months, but it's very-family friendly. Fishing and hand-carried, non-motorized boating are also permitted with limitations. The park is also officially designated a LakestoLocks Water Trail Launch and Landing Site.
Like Clarke Beach, the park also features a shaded playground above the beach including swings and a children's jungle gym/play structure and a (much smaller) parking lot.
A shaded barbecue area and picnic tables are available, and the park can be reserved by permit for large events.
Currently under construction, Juanita Beach Park is a popular place for families and individuals alike. Juanita Beach is an expansive beach front with large grassy fields, a beach and docks for boats to drop off and pick up passengers. For families there is a playground, swing set, beach with shallow-end swimming and picnic areas. Juanita Beach is also a social hang-out that's good for sunbathing, docking the boat in the water just off shore, and beach volleyball games.