Entry No. 49 — the Seattle file — filed under: history
Agua Verde Full Moon Paddle
Agua Verde is a taqueria-on-stilts over Portage Bay with a kayak club bolted underneath, and on summer nights they string lights along the hulls and push off into the dark Washington Park Arboretum. Guides lead two-hour paddles through the lily-pad channels as the city quiets, with real odds of bumping into beavers and bats working the shoreline. It's a rare in-city way to be on the water after sunset without a long drive to the coast.
The story
At 1307 NE Boat Street in the University District, Agua Verde looks like a basic waterfront taqueria perched on stilts over Portage Bay. But drop down the wooden stairs beneath the dining deck and you hit the Agua Verde Paddle Club dock, wedged between Lake Union to the west and the Montlake Cut leading into the Washington Park Arboretum to the east.
During summer full moons, the crew strings lights along kayak hulls and guides small groups directly into the dark. Instead of dodging powerboats in open water, you slip east through the Montlake Cut and straight into the overgrown backwaters of the Arboretum. Out on the lily-pad channels, the city light fades, traffic shrinks to a faint hum, and you're floating through black water alongside nocturnal wildlife—beavers working the shoreline trees and bats swooping low over the marsh.
It is one of the stranger pockets of Seattle after dark: a guided night journey through a flooded botanical forest right under the city's nose, starting and ending at a taco dock.
What it's like
Show up early at Boat Street to grab tacos and a drink on the upper deck at golden hour, then head downstairs to get fitted for life jackets and paddles. You'll launch as a small group in light-strung kayaks (singles or doubles) and follow a guide for roughly two hours. The catch: these guided full-moon paddles are seasonal summer events with strict capacity limits, and spots book out fast weeks in advance. The air over Portage Bay chills down rapidly after sunset, so bring synthetic warm layers that can handle a little paddle splash.
The move: Grab tacos on the deck at golden hour, then slip into a light-strung tandem kayak for the guided full-moon paddle through the Arboretum's hushed back channels.
📍 Before you go Seasonal summer tours timed to the full moon; small groups, books up fast, reserve well ahead; weather-dependent.
- 📍 Portage Bay / Montlake, Seattle
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1307 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA 98105
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Wall of Death — Take a short walk west along the Burke-Gilman Trail before your paddle to stand beneath the University Bridge and inspect this giant, surreal ring of lavender concrete cones.
- Theodor Jacobsen Observatory — Combine your night on the bay with a stargazing session at UW's 1895 sandstone observatory just up the hill in the U-District.
- Gas Works Park Shadow Sundial — Explore the rusted industrial towers and hilltop sundial at Gas Works Park on Lake Union before heading over to Portage Bay for sunset.
Good to know
When do the full moon tours run?
They operate seasonally during the summer, timed specifically around monthly full moon dates. Because capacity is intentionally kept small, you need to reserve online well ahead of time.
What is included with the tour?
The tour provides a kayak (single or double), paddle, life jacket, lights for your boat, and a guide to navigate the channels through Portage Bay and the Arboretum.
Where is Agua Verde located?
The launch site sits at 1307 NE Boat Street in Seattle's U-District / Portage Bay neighborhood, directly below Agua Verde Cafe.
Is experience required for the full moon tour?
No prior experience is necessary. The two-hour tour stays in calm inland waters and back-channel marshways with a guide leading the group.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp
last checked: 2026-06-24