Seattle suggestions?

[sometimesrunner]

We're headed to Seattle in August with our kids (10 and 6). Any "must dos" when we're there? On our vacation last summer, the kids learned they LOVED hiking, so we'll definitely head out of the city some. We're planning on being in the general area 10-14 days. Thanks!

[sdlaura]

We love the Pacific Northwest including Seattle with our kids, and that area of the country is so gorgeous in August. The Space Needle is definitely worth doing in my opinion. And that area around there is great for wandering around and playing on playgrounds (like the one called Artists at Play). My younger kids loved the Seattle Children's Museum, but your kids are probably a little too old - at least the 10-year-old - to enjoy it as much. Pike Place Market is fun for the fish throwing. We booked a timed entry to the Amazon Spheres and that was kind of cool to wander around. The Lake Union area is also pretty and we usually stay there.

If you're going to be in that area for almost two weeks, I highly recommend visiting the San Juan Islands. You can take a rental car on the ferry from Anacortes, North of Seattle (just make sure to have a reservation that time of year). You can also take the ferry on to Victoria, Canada and then to Port Angeles, and explore Olympic National Park from there.

[186momx]

Pikes Market and the kids science place that is right next to the Space Needle. DD loved both of these places at the age of 7. She also loved the Harbor Cruise we did because it was one of the few activities that allowed her to just sit and chill.

We did the Seattle City pass to help with costs and it was great. We didn't like MoPOP. Space Needle was fine but a very long line even with timed tickets.

We stayed near the airport and took the train into town each day to avoid parking and traffic but that meant we walked a lot every day.

[InBetweenDays]

Where are you staying? Are you staying in the city the entire time or are you traveling to other parts of the state? And I'm guessing you'll have a car if you're looking to do some hikes?

A few ideas on kids activities:

The Ballard/Chittenden Locks in Ballard. Watch the boats go through (you may see some boats from Deadliest Catch), check out salmon swimming up the underwater fish ladder, and walk the gardens. Afterwards grab a sandwich at nearby Un Bien (if your kids are adventurous eaters) or grab lunch at Ray's Boathouse. There are almost always sea lions that hang out near Rays so they can be fun to see. Then try and go to the north end of Golden Gardens beach during low tide to check out the tide pools. On your way out stop in Ballard to grab ice cream at Salt & Straw (if they have it their marionberry, habernero, goat cheese ice cream is AMAZING and i don't even really like ice cream) or molten cakes at Hot Cakes.

For a great hike near Mt. Rainier check out Pinnacle Saddle. It's 2.5 miles round trip and is a fairly easy hike for kids. But it has AMAZING views of Mt. Rainier and isn't as busy as the Paradise area. And when you reach the saddle you can look south to see (on a clear day) Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood.
www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/pinnacle-saddle

Another hike idea if you are up for a drive are the Ape Caves near Mt. St. Helens. It's a 2.5 mile lava tube that you can explore. I believe you need a reservation this year. www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=40393

Rent an electric boat on Lake Union. You can bring a picnic and tour around the lake - looking at all the houseboats.
www.theelectricboatco.com/

Take a float plane tour from Lake Union. If you have the time, you can fly up to the San Juan Islands.
kenmoreair.com/

Also on Lake Union - visit the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI).

Take the ferry from downtown Seattle over to Bainbridge and go to Mora Ice Cream. If you do this I'd just walk on the ferry rather than take the car - unless you want to explore the island more. But the town of Winslow is right off the ferry and is a cute place to walk around.

If there are specific things you're wondering about or specific areas you want to visit I can offer other suggestions.

[lust2hart]

We really enjoyed the Experience Music Project. 

[laterz]

We drove up and did a tour at Boeing. Very interesting.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
We rented bikes and used some of their trails.
Bill Speidel's Underground Tour

[rootbeerfloat]

Oh, may I butt in? We're staying near the Space Needle, and H wants to do a day trip to Olympic National Park. How doable is this? Any other suggestions for nearby hikes? Kids are 12 and 15.

Food (not too fancy) recommendations are also welcome.

[InBetweenDays]

rootbeerfloat a day trip to ONP is doable but could be a long day depending on where you want to go. If you just want to do a sort of "one stop shop" out there I'd go to Hurricane Ridge and then stop by Devil's Punchbowl at Lake Crescent (great spot to jump in if it's hot). But that will still be 3+ hours of driving each way from Seattle.

For food:
If you like oysters check out Taylor Shellfish which is right near the Space Needle.
For diner type food look at the 5 Point Cafe.
For casual, fun waterfront seafood check out The Crab Pot.
For great Italian and a beautiful location check out the Pink Door (make reservation early)

For other hike recommendations:
Lake 22 (Near Stevens Pass) - www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/lake-22-lake-twenty-two
Spray Park (Mt. Rainier) - www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/spray-park
Snow Lake (and if you're up for it continue on to Gem Lake)(Near Snoqualmie Pass) - www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/snow-lake-1

[supertrooper1]

You could also head north from Seattle and check out the San Juan Islands. Or for hiking, go to Artist Point at Mount Baker and check out Bellingham for the day.

[woot16]

We did spring break in Seattle with our girls who are 5 & 7. We did a split stay 3 days in CLE Elum at the Suncadia resort and then 4 days in downtown Seattle. We did the Citypass and went to the aquarium, space needle and Pop culture museum - all were hits. We checked out Pike Place Market on two days. However the highlight of our trip was a whale watching tour on the Puget Sound - we saw a family of orcas and gray whales and we all still talk about it fondly. We had an absolute blast. We stayed at the Marriott down by the pier it was nice however they are doing tons of construction so there wasn't an easy way to walk up to the city that was direct.

[eb777888]

We did Pike Place Market, rode the big Ferris wheel, went up the space needle, checked out the gum wall (David really wanted to do this, it was fun but kinda gross). We had most meals on the pier with a view of the water, eating crab, potatoes and corn on the cob and drinking wine, it was awesome. We also took a ferry ride to one of the little islands but I didn't pick a good one because it was kinda boring, but the ferry ride was fun.

[picksthemusic]

The Market, Science Center, Ferris Wheel.

Any Tom Douglas restaurant will be worth it and while some spots may be a bit pricey, he definitely has affordable options. Our favorite is Etta's down by the Market, or Lola.

We haven't been in downtown Seattle in forever, but if you like to drive a bit, you can go North on 405 and go to Bellevue, Kirkland, or Woodinville; all nice areas with things to do. Kirkland has a new shopping center with fun shops and good restaurants if that's your thing. Woodinville has wineries and pretty scenery the further towards the wineries you go.

You'll have plenty of time to drive up to Bellingham (it's near the border), and the drive itself is gorgeous. You can stop in Skagit Valley for some great views. Bellingham has amazing hiking, and be sure to go to Fairhaven if you make it up there (it's an old-town feel place with good walkability). Lots of gorgeous views of the sound.

[ellipses84]

My kids are about the same age and I grew up in the area so we go back to visit often. I try to have a typical Seattle Fun Day every couple of years but we also try to do new things we’ve never done.

Seattle Fun Day: Park near Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located. I used to live in this area so it’s nostalgic for me. There’s tons to do here so you could spend more than one day, but with limited time/not our first time we only do the free stuff. There is an amazing playground and an awesome fountain that you can play in (although the fountain area may have been renovated). Then take the monorail. Sitting near the driver one time my kids got to help “drive it”. There’s a food court at each end. It’s one and only stop to Westlake Center which is a mall that has a couple near novelty shops and maybe some small play areas outside, and not much else. From there you can walk a few blocks toward the water to Pike Place. Pike Place has the Gum wall, market, oldest comic book shop, magic shop, etc. The oldest Starbucks and Beechers Cheese are there (Watch cheese be made through the window and get mac n cheese to eat). From Pike Place you can go down to the waterfront where there’s more shops, the aquarium, usually seals or sea lions in the water, Ferris wheel, piers, ferries leave from there, etc. Then we go back on the monorail and cool off in the fountain if it’s a hot day.

Other things to do at Seattle Center: Space Needle (get reservation time / tickets), Amusement park area with rides and games, Science Center (great for your kids age), MoPop Musuem (fun for all), IMAX and Laser light shows, Childrens Museum (pretty small and geared for younger kids), childrens theater, other theaters, etc.

Last time we went to Seattle we met up with friends at Green Lake (there is a small beach and a splash pool fountain in the summer but check conditions for swimming) and we went to see the Fremont Troll which was an awesome adventure!

Alki Beach is in west Seattle and great, too, quiet with an amazing view. Not sure how traffic is to get there but hopefully construction work is done and it’s possible.

For easy day drives / hikes from Seattle I’d either do Snoqualmie (waterfall) or Mt. Rainer (paradise pt. has a visitor center). Northwest Trek near Mt. Rainier is like a wildlife park with Native Northwest animals and also has an amazing playground (entry fee and tour tram). It’s wooded so the walking portions feel like hiking on paved paths.

If you have more time, Hoh rainforest is amazing although I rec. you stay the night in the area because it’s a long drive. There is a hotel with hot spring pools in the park.

The peninsula is also nice. We spend time at the beaches near the Narrows bridge (rocky and cold but great for low tides). Gig Harbor, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island are all cute waterfront towns you can access from the bridge or take a car ferry from Seattle. There’s so much more you can explore in terms of islands and the Puget Sound but these are easily accessible and I grew up going to them. Poulsbo is an adorable Nordic town with a great bakery and free little aquarium. In GH you can take a gondola ride in the marina. All have lots of shops and restaurants.

Definitely get out on the water whether it’s a ferry, dinner cruise, etc.

[letsgetweird]

If I had that much time there, I'd go to Mount Rainier or Olympic NP

[egeiger]

Maybe not applicable here but my kid loves claw machines so Round 1 arcade was a nice treat for her on a rainy day. We are from a very rural area and don’t have anything that big in our area.

[mambo123]

Bring gum for the gum wall at Pikes Place Market.

[redheadk]

Dd loved the Chihuly museum. We combined it with glass making on Whidbey Island another day.

[sometimesrunner]

These are all great, thank you everyone! We're planning on staying a few nights north of Seattle, a few SW of Seattle, and a few in Seattle. Glad to hear having a car and parking in the city doesn't sound like a huge hassle.

ellipses84, InBetweenDays, thank you for the itineraries! It's good to know how much we can possible fit into a day.

I'm assuming we'd need passports if we stop in Victoria, right?

[sdlaura]

sometimesrunner , yes, you would need passports to get off the ferry at Sidney and visit Victoria. On one trip, we spent a few nights in Seattle, then drove up to Anacortes and took the ferry to Orcas Island, where we spent a few nights, then went on to Victoria, spent a night, then took the ferry from there to Port Angeles, drove down to Olympic National Park and spent time there, then looped back to fly out of Seattle. But if you didn't want to deal with passports/Canada, you could still take the ferry to any of the San Juan Islands, then just take it back to Anacortes. We did that with the kids a few years ago - we stayed at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island and then just went back to Seattle afterward.

[sometimesrunner]

May 9, 2022 12:15:35 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

sometimesrunner , yes, you would need passports to get off the ferry at Sidney and visit Victoria. On one trip, we spent a few nights in Seattle, then drove up to Anacortes and took the ferry to Orcas Island, where we spent a few nights, then went on to Victoria, spent a night, then took the ferry from there to Port Angeles, drove down to Olympic National Park and spent time there, then looped back to fly out of Seattle. But if you didn't want to deal with passports/Canada, you could still take the ferry to any of the San Juan Islands, then just take it back to Anacortes. We did that with the kids a few years ago - we stayed at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island and then just went back to Seattle afterward.

H and I have passports, but we'd have to get them for the kids. Do you think it's worth it to get them passports and see Victoria? We're definitely going to San Juan Islands and going on a whale watching trip. 

[sdlaura]

sometimesrunner, personally, I would get them the passports and do it. Because it's cool to see another country so easily, and would probably be pretty exciting for them to have visited another country. And because I plan to hopefully take my kids on another international trip in the next 5 years that the passports would be good. Plus, if you're going to do Olympic National Park, it's kind of fun to do the loop from Canada on the ferry vs. driving back through Seattle. So I would do it for those reasons vs. just to see Victoria - which is a very pretty, nice city, but not necessarily a city I'd go to a lot of trouble to see if you weren't already going to be so close.

[ellipses84]

May 7, 2022 10:21:15 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Dd loved the Chihuly museum. We combined it with glass making on Whidbey Island another day.

Oh yeah, the Chihuly Glass Garden is also at Seattle Center! There’s lots of glassmaking studios around Seattle to see artists at work. If you are staying North, the Funko Pop HQ store in Everett is fun for kids and you can make Funko Pops of yourselves.

[InBetweenDays]

So the ferry service from Anacortes/San Juans to Sidney BC is suspended due to staff shortages. It's possible they'll have it up and running again for the summer, but who knows.

If you want to go to Victoria I'd either take the Blackball ferry from Port Angeles if you're planning on visiting the Olympic Peninsula, or the Victoria Clipper from Seattle if you're not planning on going to the Olympic Peninsula. Or if you want to splurge, do a float plane one way from Lake Union and then do the Victoria Clipper the other direction. The float plane is SUCH a cool experience.

Also, are you planning to bring a car to the San Juan Islands? If so book your ferry reservation now.

[smock]

May 9, 2022 12:18:19 GMT -5 sometimesrunner said:

May 9, 2022 12:15:35 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

sometimesrunner , yes, you would need passports to get off the ferry at Sidney and visit Victoria. On one trip, we spent a few nights in Seattle, then drove up to Anacortes and took the ferry to Orcas Island, where we spent a few nights, then went on to Victoria, spent a night, then took the ferry from there to Port Angeles, drove down to Olympic National Park and spent time there, then looped back to fly out of Seattle. But if you didn't want to deal with passports/Canada, you could still take the ferry to any of the San Juan Islands, then just take it back to Anacortes. We did that with the kids a few years ago - we stayed at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island and then just went back to Seattle afterward.

H and I have passports, but we'd have to get them for the kids. Do you think it's worth it to get them passports and see Victoria? We're definitely going to San Juan Islands and going on a whale watching trip. 

I don't think kids need a passport for the Victoria Clipper. Here's what it says on the Clipper website:

3.1 Proof of citizenship is required for Customs and Immigration.

U.S. or Canadian citizens are required to have a passport, Passport Card, Enhanced Driver License or an Enhanced ID Card. A passport is required for air travel.
U.S. or Canadian children under the age of 16 can travel with a birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

And if you've got an enhanced driver's license, you can use that instead of a passport. Might be worth double checking to save the hassle of getting passports for your kids!

[InBetweenDays]

May 6, 2022 23:16:28 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

Other things to do at Seattle Center: Space Needle (get reservation time / tickets), Amusement park area with rides and games, Science Center (great for your kids age), MoPop Musuem (fun for all), IMAX and Laser light shows, Childrens Museum (pretty small and geared for younger kids), childrens theater, other theaters, etc.

The Fun Forest!! That used to be awesome! Unfortunately it's been gone for about 12 years.  

[sometimesrunner]

May 9, 2022 13:06:48 GMT -5 smock said:

May 9, 2022 12:18:19 GMT -5 sometimesrunner said:

H and I have passports, but we'd have to get them for the kids. Do you think it's worth it to get them passports and see Victoria? We're definitely going to San Juan Islands and going on a whale watching trip. 

I don't think kids need a passport for the Victoria Clipper. Here's what it says on the Clipper website:

3.1 Proof of citizenship is required for Customs and Immigration.

U.S. or Canadian citizens are required to have a passport, Passport Card, Enhanced Driver License or an Enhanced ID Card. A passport is required for air travel.
U.S. or Canadian children under the age of 16 can travel with a birth certificate or naturalization certificate.

And if you've got an enhanced driver's license, you can use that instead of a passport. Might be worth double checking to save the hassle of getting passports for your kids!

THANK YOU!

[sometimesrunner]

May 9, 2022 13:05:26 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

So the ferry service from Anacortes/San Juans to Sidney BC is suspended due to staff shortages. It's possible they'll have it up and running again for the summer, but who knows.

If you want to go to Victoria I'd either take the Blackball ferry from Port Angeles if you're planning on visiting the Olympic Peninsula, or the Victoria Clipper from Seattle if you're not planning on going to the Olympic Peninsula. Or if you want to splurge, do a float plane one way from Lake Union and then do the Victoria Clipper the other direction. The float plane is SUCH a cool experience.

Also, are you planning to bring a car to the San Juan Islands? If so book your ferry reservation now.

I'm not sure...would you recommend bringing our car? 

[ellipses84]

May 9, 2022 13:07:29 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

May 6, 2022 23:16:28 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

Other things to do at Seattle Center: Space Needle (get reservation time / tickets), Amusement park area with rides and games, Science Center (great for your kids age), MoPop Musuem (fun for all), IMAX and Laser light shows, Childrens Museum (pretty small and geared for younger kids), childrens theater, other theaters, etc.

The Fun Forest!! That used to be awesome! Unfortunately it's been gone for about 12 years.  

Hmm, maybe what we’ve seen was temporary for a festival/carnival because I definitely remember rides in my kids’ lifetimes and they aren’t that old. It wasn’t as large as Fun Forest used to be though.

[InBetweenDays]

May 9, 2022 13:12:31 GMT -5 sometimesrunner said:

May 9, 2022 13:05:26 GMT -5 InBetweenDays said:

So the ferry service from Anacortes/San Juans to Sidney BC is suspended due to staff shortages. It's possible they'll have it up and running again for the summer, but who knows.

If you want to go to Victoria I'd either take the Blackball ferry from Port Angeles if you're planning on visiting the Olympic Peninsula, or the Victoria Clipper from Seattle if you're not planning on going to the Olympic Peninsula. Or if you want to splurge, do a float plane one way from Lake Union and then do the Victoria Clipper the other direction. The float plane is SUCH a cool experience.

Also, are you planning to bring a car to the San Juan Islands? If so book your ferry reservation now.

I'm not sure...would you recommend bringing our car? 

Do you know which island(s) you're planning to go to? Or where you're staying? It is nice to have a car to explore more, but probably isn't truly necessary if you're going to San Juan Island and staying in Friday Harbor. If you're going to Orcas or Lopez Island you may want a car because there isn't a ton to do within walking distance of the ferry dock. Although I think Orcas Island has shuttles that can take you to some of the main points on the island.


Overall if you can make a reservation I'd bring a car as it definitely opens up your options once you're on the island. 

[sdlaura]

Interesting - that's great that kids don't need a passport for water travel to Victoria.

Yes, I would recommend a car - the San Juans require a car to get to most of the places you want to go. Especially since you said you'd like to do some hiking.