A good way to see Edmonds is to begin with a stroll on the half-mile-long Sunset Avenue with its Victorian homes and views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. If the tide is out you can walk back along the beach.

The marine sanctuary at Olympic Beach (200 W. Dayton St.) is an excellent place to take youngsters to look at tidal creatures and shellfish when the tide is low. From Memorial Day through Labor Day come on the weekends to the visitors center (425/775-1344) to talk with docents about local marinelife and see the tanks with native species swimming around.

Also on premises is the lighted Edmonds Fishing Pier, which runs 950 feet over the Sound. Try your hand at fishing or just watch anglers cast for salmon and bottom fish and jig for squid.

Walkers and joggers like the boardwalk that runs 0.25 mile along the Port of Edmonds marina. The marina is home to 1,000 boats, including the largest charter fishing fleet on Puget Sound. It is only a short walk down to the small Edmonds Marina Beach Park (498 Admiral Way). This is a perfect place to fly kites, cook a dinner over a beach fire, and watch ferries crossing the sound into the sunset.

The prized park of Edmonds, Brackett’s Landing Park envelops the ferry dock downtown. Here you can see picnicking families mingle with wet-suited diving enthusiasts gearing up to slip into the water to tour the 27-acre Edmonds Underwater Park, located just offshore.