Stretching the idea of a backyard road trip well beyond the confines of my New England backyard, we’re heading to the opposite coast. This trip will take us to the Pacific Northwest for a week in Seattle (and its environs) with kids. From urban tourist must-sees to the wilds of a less-visited national park, it’s time to hit the road.
For our week in Seattle with kids, we stayed at the comfortable Paramount Hotel which is centrally located. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk to Pike Place Market, fifteen minutes in the other direction to the eateries and shops of Capitol Hill, and close to the monorail and underground light rail stops. The room was comfortable and fit the four of us without hassle.
This week in Seattle will highlight some of the best parts of our adventure on our week in Seattle with kids.
Pike Place Market
Like most tourists, we started our adventure at Pike Place Market, the home of flying fish and vendors selling food of all kinds. Check out some of the permanent stores on lower market levels, too. A must-try are the local Rainier cherries. These come in a yellowish hue instead of the red of most. Pike Place is a must-stop on the week in Seattle with kids.
Coffee Roasters
No Starbucks for us! Leaving Seattle made it hard to return to the coffee culture at home. Each coffee shop or coffee roaster we made it to had simply delicious coffee. Shops like Anchorhead, Victrola, Seattle Coffee Works, and Top Pot Donuts kept us hopping. Try the blueberry caramel latte from Anchorhead!
Washington State Commuter Ferry
If we had more time I’d love to explore Bainbridge Island. We did, though, take the commuter ferry over there. Instead of paying for a sightseeing excursion, hop on this reasonably priced commuter boat for an excellent view of the impressive skyline. Don’t worry, it’s not all skyscrapers and the Space Needle but just south of the city, Mount Rainier offers an exquisite view on a clear day. (Our summer trip yielded gorgeous weather in the 70s, with no humidity, and no rain).
Seattle Aquarium
This aquarium is located on the busy waterfront. The specialties are indigenous marine animals, including otters, puffins, and seals. It’s an indoor/outdoor experience which will be a crowd pleaser for the whole group.
Seattle Mariners Game
Head over to T-Mobile Park to catch a Mariners baseball game. Although opened in 1999, T-Mobile Park still feels new and modern. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and they’re much roomier than the ones at my usual Fenway Park. Make sure to take in an M’s game while in town. It’s a great stop for our weekend in Seattle with kids.
Space Needle
Although I have been to Seattle twice before, I had never taken the trip up the lightning-quick elevator to the top of the iconic Space Needle. Always thinking of it as a cash grab, I chose not to go. Boy was I wrong! Yes, it’s pricey, but the view from the top and the experience are worth it. Walking on a glass floor, you can not only see the expansive city below and the mountains beyond, but you can see the ground way below your feet! And if that makes you squeamish, there are also viewing platforms without glass below. It rotates at a snail’s pace, not feeling like you’re moving at all.
Seattle Children’s Museum
This museum is located in Seattle Center along with MoPOP and the Space Needle. It’s the antithesis of flashy though. It’s simply a fun museum where kids learn about nature, science, and local culture, with hands-on activities and plenty of room to romp around. Another great stop on our weekend in Seattle with kids.
International Fountain
Also located in Seattle Center, the International Fountain is a leftover from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Move over, splash pad, this is ridiculous! On a warm day, kids of all sizes can spend hours at this man-made geyser, shooting water at its tallest, 120 feet high! We stumbled upon this fountain as we saw it from atop the Space Needle. For my kids, this was a true highlight.
Museum of Popular Culture
Formerly known as the Experience Music Project, the Museum of Popular Culture or MoPOP is a futuristic hands-on museum that combines music and science fiction in a funky Frank Gehry-designed building. Starting at the top floor, step into a recording booth to try your skills on a guitar, keyboard, or drum set. Other exhibits showcase the history of music in Seattle, a Nirvana-centered exposition, and artifacts from famous horror movies.
Breweries:
The Pacific Northwest was way ahead of the curve when it comes to craft breweries, so I just had to try a few while I was there. Typically I chose brewpubs where the whole family could nosh, not solely me imbibing.
Red Hook Brewlab
Red Hook was an originator of the craft beer movement. With past locations in nearby Woodinville, Washington, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, its range went coast to coast. Fast forward to 2024, and all that’s left of Red Hook is its Brewlab. Located in the Capitol Hill section of Seattle, it features excellent pizzas and has a selection of libations well beyond the standard Red Hook offerings. It’s a cool spot with lots of indoor and outdoor seating in a former automobile factory, the Pike Motorworks. Check out the nearby Elliott Bay Book Company while you’re there.
McMenamins
The McMenamins chain is a collection of brewpubs, restaurants, and even lodging located in really cool buildings throughout the Pacific Northwest. We had lunch at the Lower Queen Anne McMenamins which matched hippy decor with good old pub grub. I had a flight, there was a kids’ menu, and everyone was happy. McMenamins was a great stop on our weekend in Seattle with kids.
Fremont Brewing’s Urban Beer Garden
When I chose which brewery I must visit, Fremont was at the top of my list. Arriving at this location just after opening, we had the place to ourselves. It’s an indoor/outdoor space with plenty of unique seating, games to play, and, of course, delicious and fresh beer. It’s right off of the Burke Gilman Trail for anyone wishing to ride here.
Gas Works Park
During my last visit to Seattle in 2008, I was highly disappointed that I never made it to Gas Works Park, literally an old gas works that remains in the middle of a hilly park. The rusted shell is a pretty neat focal point of this Wallingford park where you can watch seaplanes land in Lake Union while flying a kite on this windy point.
Hiram M Chittenden Ballard Locks
In the neighborhood of Ballard, watching boats go through this set of locks is fascinating. Watch water rise or recede to make way for ships from above. Go to lock level with a large viewing area for the fish ladder that salmon utilize to go from one place to the next.
Archie McPhee
While in Ballard, you have to stop at Archie McPhee. It’s a toy store of sorts. More of a novelties store. For instance, during this visit, I bought a sweater of Bigfoot wearing a Santa hat, and the kids got a transforming robot killer whale and monster finger puppets. A horse head mask? A pound of small rubber dogs? Caution tape? Yes, you can find it all there. And in the back is a rubber chicken museum.
Restaurants – Elliott Oyster House
Speaking of salmon, for a nice dinner out at a restaurant that is still kid-friendly, try Elliott Oyster House on the waterfront. There’s nothing like a local salmon served fresh. They serve many varieties of local PNW oysters, so starting with a few is always a good idea.
Leavenworth
Heading outside of town our first stop is Leavenworth. Leavenworth is about two hours west of the city and is as if a Bavarian village had been transported to a valley between the Cascades. Cute souvenir shops, a Christmas shop, and a gingerbread bakery truly transport you back to Europe. With a reindeer farm nearby, they take it seriously in Leavenworth! For lunch, we tried the Icicle Brewing Company (ironic since the temperature here was at around 110). It’s worth the drive!
North Cascades National Park
For our other day-trip adventure we visited North Cascades National Park. With gorgeous mountain views, the greenish-blue hue of glacier water, and trails galore, this is a little-visited national park that is ripe for exploration. While lines and slow-moving traffic are jamming up more well-known parks, there are still many hidden gems. At North Cascades, there is camping and a visitor center, but not even an admission.
Snoqualmie Falls
Not far out of the city, Snoqualmie Falls is certainly worth the trip. This towering cascade is viewable from a hike overlooking the falls. There is also a hotel, restaurant, and tourist center on the other side of the falls. The waterfall is simply stunning.
Ruston Way and Point Defiance, Tacoma
On our last day, we had a red-eye flight from SeaTac airport. Deciding to explore Tacoma, thirty miles south of Seattle, proved to be an excellent diversion. Ruston Way has a slew of restaurants and shops to explore. My kids enjoyed a cascading splash pad to cool off in. We ate at a market, enjoying tacos on a patio. Of course, we bought more Rainier cherries. Before heading back to the airport, we drove through Point Defiance, which is on a peninsula in Tacoma. Here there is a zoo, the actual fort, and recreational activities. It would be easy to spend a day here by itself but we did a quick tour before hitting the road.
As our week in Seattle with kids came to an end, we looked back on it and found it an unheralded success. I didn’t know how a city trip would go with the tired feet of the younger ones, but they did just fine. A combination of walking, renting a car, the light rail, the monorail, and using an Uber all made travel less of a headache. There were so many incredible sights to see in the Seattle area that we were ready to extend our trip by another week!
