21 Fun Things to Do in Seattle with Kids (Year Round Guide)
Looking for things to do in Seattle with kids? You’re in the right place.
We’d heard so many good things about Seattle, that we decided to make a special trip there from the other side of the continent to see it – and we weren’t disappointed. It’s a really a nice city, with so much to do as a family.
The downtown of Seattle is very walkable. You will likely need to take the rail to get into the outskirts of town, where there are some pretty cool things to do as well.
Somewhere between 2-4 days would be the perfect amount of time to spend in Seattle as a family, depending on how many of the activities below you want to fit into your trip. (We spent 4 days there -while it was enough, I also felt that we easily could have spent longer and still had lots of things to do.)
So, let’s jump in – the best things to do in Seattle with kids!
Things to Do in Seattle with Kids
1. Do a tour of the underground city
Best for: Ages 5+
A tour of the underground will take you through the ‘underground city’ which is located beneath some of the current streets of Seattle.
There is a series of streets and passageways which were left abandoned after a fire in the late 1800s caused them to be caved in. As you can imagine, its dark in the underground.
There are two different tour groups to book an underground tour with – Beneath the Streets Underground History Tour, and Bill Siedel’s Underground Tour.
They’re both located within a 5-minute walk of each other, so location-wise, they’re about the same.
Between the two, I would recommend Beneath the Streets, because it’s slightly shorter (by 15 minutes) and because the groups are smaller.
History tours aren’t always the favourite activity for kids, but I think the underground tour (especially with school-age kids) is highly worth it. It’s very dark in the underground, but it’s well-lit enough to be able to see. The roof is fairly low, and the rooms are small.
Pro Tip: If you predict that you or the kids will be hungry, there are a few places to eat near where the underground tours are – Einstein Pro Bagels and a Top Pot Doughnuts (Seattle-based donut chain) are both a 5-minute walk
2. Go up the Space Needle
Best for: All ages!
A visit to Seattle isn’t complete without a trip up its tallest building. At 604 feet tall, the Space Needle is a really cool attraction for all ages.
There is a gift shop and restaurant up at the top, as well as the world’s first revolving glass floor.
The views (especially on a clear day) are mostly industrial but are still pretty incredible. Skyscrapers on one side and Union Lake with mountains in the distance on the other side.
When we were looking out, we could see seaplanes landing on Union Lake from the top.
Plan to spend anywhere from an hour or two at the Space Needle. It’s open from 8am to midnight, so there’s lots of flexibility about when to go.
Pro Tip: The Space Needle is included in the Seattle City Pass, which I recommend grabbing if you also want to see the aquarium, plus more attractions. It works out to save over $100 per kid, and even more per adult.
3. Eat your way through the Pike Place Market
Best for: All ages
Pike Place Market is a farmer’s market that has been running for over 100 years. It’s a fun place just to walk through, but you can also get fresh seasonal foods, and locally made handicrafts.
It’s a great place to find souvenirs, as well as food products, baked goods and bouquets of flowers.
The Pike Place Market is open year-round, 7 days a week from 8am to 6pm. Entrance is free of charge. You can find out about special events, or see a directory of vendors on their website.
4. Do the Seattle Chocolate Tour
Best for: 7+ (it’s 2 hours long, so it may be too long for younger kids, even though there’s chocolate involved)
In the Pike Place Market area, there is the famous Seattle Chocolate Tour. The tour is over 2 hours, so it may be best for older kids. However, you visit some of the city’s best bakeries and chocolatiers, such as:
- Freya Bakery & Cafe (Scandinavian origin, makes everything from scratch)
- Dahlia Bakery
- The Confectional (specializes in cheesecake)
- maÃs + more
Pro Top: If you have young kids under 5, then I recommend visiting these places independently at your own pace. If your kids are older, then book the chocolate tour – it’s pretty fascinating to see what specific treats the pick out for you to try and the history/production process behind them
4. Check out Bubblegum Alley
Best for: All ages (although toddlers may need to be restrained from touching)
Seattle’s famous Gum Wall is located near the Public Market Center. It started in the 90s when people would stick their gum on the wall; and it has now become almost a work of unexpected art.
This gummy wall is 50 feet long, and is the 2nd germiest attraction in the world. (Second only to the Blarney Stone in Ireland which people kiss.)
The Gum Wall is a good photo op, or something fun to look at. (I would just remind kids not to touch it.)
5. Take a ferry (and get a great view of the Seattle skyline)
Best for: All ages
The ferry rides are a very popular attraction and a great way to get the classic view of the Seattle skyline.
runs year-round. Park your car down by the marina, and walk over to the ferry. You only have to pay for one way, the ride back is free. Everyone under 18 rides free!
The ferries to certain destinations leave and return almost 24 hours around the clock. What we did, was time our ferry trip to Brainbridge so that we were leaving Seattle during the day, and returning at night to see the city all lit up.
Brainbridge Island
- 35 minute ferry ride from Seattle
- There are parks, playgrounds, events held in the summertime, and places to get icecream
- Find things to do on Brainbridge Island here
Kingston
- 30 minute ferry ride
- Has a trails, farms to visit, playgrounds and other things to do.
- Has an amazing French-style crepe place called J’aime Les Crêpes, about 3 blocks from where the ferry drops you off, as well as ice cream places
Bremerton
- Ferry rides don’t leave as frequently, and it takes either 30 minutes or 1 hour to get to Bremerton depending on if you take the fast ferry or not
- More of a residential area as opposed to tourist-oriented; but it has a few parks, and family-friendly programs and things to do which you can find here.
Pro Tip: You can check the ferry schedule for any of the above destinations (and other options) on the Washington Department of Transportation website, and book tickets in advance here.
6. Take a cruise in the harbor
If you’re not keen on the idea of taking a ferry to one of the other locations, then another option is a 1-hour sightseeing cruise in the Seattle Harbor.
It’s a little bit pricier than the ferry (around $50 per adult) but children are half-price, and 3 and under are free of charge.
Book your 1-hour Seattle Harbor Cruise tickets here
7. Visit Museums
Best for: All ages
Seattle has so many great museums, most of which are very family-friendly. Some museums are best suited for certain age groups, and we visited quite a few of them.
I’m going to give you the rundown on each Seattle Museum and what the ideal age range would be for visiting there with kids.
Museum of Flight
Great for all ages; including babies, toddlers and young kids. There’s the KidPort play area and the outdoor pavilion which has planes you can go inside.
Pro Tip: From the Museum of Flight, you can take an optional excursion to the Boeing Factory, which might be better suited to older kids, as it’s a long tour that might be boring for younger ones
Mo POP (Museum of Pop Culture)
Formerly known as EMP, the Pop Culture Museum showcases movies, video games, music TV shows, and other media.
Would be suitable for any age, but probably most fun with school-age kids who you could teach about some of the things you grew up with. (It’s also an option included in the Seattle City Pass.)
Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum includes three locations (the main museum, plus the Asian Art Museum and Olympic Park) but the two latters are located about 30-minute drive from the city centre.
The main Seattle Art Museum is right downtown.
Pro Tip: Save a few bucks by buying tickets online in advance on their website.
Seattle Children’s Museum
The Seattle Children’s Museum is right downtown, in the bottom of the Seattle Center. Great for kids of all ages, up to around 12. Also, next to the Seattle Centre, you’ll find the “Artists At Play” playground.
Pro Tip: If you’re staying or visiting somewhere north of Seattle, there’s also another great children’s museum in Everett called Imagine (about a 30-minute drive from downtown Seattle)
Pacific Science Center (a science museum)
Also included in the Seattle City Pass, the Pacific Science Center is a fascinating place for all ages; including toddlers and young kids.
Visiting the Science Center also allows you to get into the planetarium for free, but you must reserve the planetarium. They have live shows geared to different age groups, which you can check out here.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
The Chiguly Garden and Glass has intriguing works of art made of blown glass. It makes for some interesting photos and just neat to look at.
There’s a restaurant and a gift-shop on-site where you can get some unique Seattle souvenirs.
8. Seattle Aquarium
Best for: All ages
The Seattle Aquarium is on the small side as far as aquariums go but has lots of different marine life, including penguins, otters, sea lions and other types of birds. There are also some hands-on areas where you can touch star-fish
You could probably see the aquarium in an hour or less, depending on how fascinated your children are by the animals and how long they want to watch them for.
Pro Tip: The Seattle Aquarium is on the pricey side, but it’s included in the Seattle City Pass. (Along with Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Pacific Science Center.)
9. Lynnwood Recreation Center
Best for: All ages
Just a 30-minute drive from downtown Seattle is the Lynwood Recreation Center. It has a large pool that is great for kids, with a waterslide and a toddler splash and play area, and a lazy river.
Adults would enjoy the hot tub; there are fitness centers that allow kids 13 and over. Perfect for a rainy day, year-round. You can buy a pass for a single visit, or for multiple visits here.
10. Check out the Fremont Troll
Best for: All ages
The Fremont Troll was built for an art’s competition about 35 years ago, and is now one of Seattle’s bucket list attractions.
There’s not much to do other than look at the sculpture – but it’s a pretty cool thing to check out with kids.
Right by the troll, there’s a nature trail called Troll’s Knoll Forest, which has beautiful flower gardens and some birds. Definitely recommend walking this short trail with kids.
The Fremont Troll is in north Seattle, and a bit of a trek from the downtown. (It would take an hour to walk there from the Space Needle.) If you drive, give yourself extra time, as parking can be a challenge.
Pro Tip: If you make your way up this way to see the troll, there are a few other things to do with kids. There’s Woodland Park Zoo, which has wildlife from around the world. I also recommend heading to Gasworks Park, about a 20-minute walk from the troll. From the edge of the park staring onto Lake Union, you can get a great view of Seattle.
11. Woodland Park Zoo
Best for: All ages
There are animals from all different habitats around the world, such as the African Sahara, the tropical rainforest, a penguin exhibit, the butterfly garden and more.
There’s lots of food on site. Some of the restaurants and kiosks are closed during weekdays, but usually, everything is open on weekends.
Within the Woodland Park Zoo is a nature-inspired indoor play placed called the Zoomasium. Perfect option if it’s rating, ideal for young kids (they say its for 8 and under.) It’s included in the admission for the park.
You can get Woodland Park Zoo included in the City Pass, or buy tickets separately. There’s a skip-the-line option here (great for busy periods during high season.)
12. See a family concert at the Seattle Symphony
Best for: Any age, depending on the show
The Seattle Symphony offers Tiny Tots performances (geared to toddlers) and special family concerts. You can attend the symphony any time of year.
This winter for example, they have Home Alone symphony, and a Snowman Concert which are geared at families with kids but really are enjoyable for all ages. It’s a great way to get your kids exposed to music.
They have performances scheduled over a year in advance, and you can check their line up of upcoming shows (general and children-specific) on their website here.
13. Do a kayak tour to see wildlife
Best for: Older kids only (Ages 9+)
Kayak tours geared to families run in the summer months that take you to see wildlife such as seals, sea lions, and marine birds.
For the meeting point, you need to head to 7901 Seaview Ave, which is about a 30 minute drive north of the city centre.
Book your 2-hour Kayak Tour here (around $100 per person)
14. Do the Boeing Factory
Best for: School age (there is a height requirement – 4 feet or 122cm tall)
The Boeing Factory allows you to see where these large commercial airplanes are built.
It’s a spectacular complex, and the tours are just over an hour long. We were in awe looking at the rows of massive airplanes, it felt like being in a sci-fi movie.
You can see pieces of planes, planes that are half-built, the insides of planes – even if you’ve been on planes before, its even more fascinating to see this because never would you see planes that are half put together.
Boeing Factory tours can be arranged with transportation from the city, or you can head there via bus if you’re already at the Flight Museum.
They do not allow you to take photos inside, so photos are very limited. Children under 5 years old are free. Personally, we feel that the tour is best suited to children who are at least 7 or 8, because of the talking on the tour.
Keep in mind some of the rules (all for safety and security reasons)
- Carrying kids on the tour isn’t allowed
- You can’t carry anything with you at all (no purse, bags, etc)
- No phones or any photo equipment
- Remember to note the height requirement of 4 feet for all members of the family on this tour
Book your Boeing Factory Tour (4 hours long and ages 3+ minimum) here from Seattle
15. Splash Around at the International Fountain
Best for: All ages
In the heart of downtown Seattle, near where the Space Needle is, you’ll find the International Fountain. It’s located at the Seattle Center.
It’s a huge fountain, and the ambiance surrounding it is very nice; especially in the warm months. You can hear music in the background and anyone is welcome to approach it to get wet.
The fountain surprisingly, operates year-round and is totally safe to get wet in. You can read more about regulations or info for using the fountain as a splashpad here.
16. See wildlife at the Ballard locks
Best for: All ages (special tour for ages 8+)
Head out to Ballard Locks, (also known as the Hiram Chittenden Locks) which is one of the most famous locks in the country.
It’s a popular area for salmon, and sometimes sea lions who come to feast on them.
They have been trying to deter sea lions from visiting Ballard Locks over the last couple years, but they are a determined bunch who have returned regardless. You can read more about recent sightings here.
If everyone in your family is 8+, you could visit the locks, along with Gasworks Park as a part of an educational tour where you can see salmon and blue herons.
Book your Ballard Locks + Gasworks Park, and boat tour (ages 8+) here
17. Spend some time in the Washington Park Arboretum & The Japanese Garden
Best for: All Ages
The Washington Park Arboretum and the Japanese Garden are right beside each other. They are both beautifully landscaped grounds to get outside in. We also saw lots of large goldfish swimming in the ponds.
They are both a little bit further east, in the outskirts of the city. But its a nice area in the city to check out. (Nearby, there is also the Capital Wishing Tree just a 15 minute walk away which is a really unique thing to see.)
Here are some different options of getting out here via public transit from downtown Seattle.
18. Grab a coffee at the Starbucks Roastery Reserve
Best for: All ages
If you’re a fan of Starbucks, then you must visit the Starbucks Roastery Reserve while you’re in Seattle. It’s one of only 8 or so in the whole world. With Starbucks having been founded in Seattle, the roastery in Seattle the oldest one of them all (open since 2014.)
They have some special items on their menu (a bit fancier) that you can’t find at a regular Starbucks. See the menu here.
The kids could get a hot chocolate and a pastry, such a cinnamon bun. There’s indoor and outdoor seating, and its quite a large area inside.
It’s open from 7am to 10pm; it can definitely get busy at peak times. If you have young kids, I’d take advantage of their early mornings and head here bright and early. It’s just a short walk from where the Pike Place Market is.
19. Get some doughnuts at Seattle’s doughnut chain
Best for: All ages
Top Pot Doughnuts is a coffee and doughnut chain which is only located in the Seattle region.
Stopping at one of them is a special Seattle experience and a sweet treat for you and the kids.
See their doughnut menu and ingredients here (unfortunately, it may not be the best option if you have allergies to gluten, dairy or egg.)
Pro Tip: Of all the Top Pot Doughnuts in Seattle, the one located at 2124 5th Ave. (5th in Belltown) is very large, open area. High bookcases and windows that look out. Very instagrammable, and just a nice place to relax.
20. Spend time in Gasworks Park
Best for: All ages
Gasworks Park is a large park the outer skirts of the downtown core (not too far from the Woodland Park Zoo and the Fremont Troll.)
From the park, there are two pretty cool things to see:
- A great view of the city skyline across Lake Union. You can see the seaplanes landing in the lake, and boats sailing by.
- The last remaining coal gasification plant – quite huge, you can walk around it getting a bunch of photos from different angles
It’s 20 acres large, and there are many stroller-friendly trails in the park, its a nice place for a stroll.
Gasworks has its own designated parking lot, which is free. It may fill up at peak times (summer weekends, or afternoons) in which case, you can parallel park on a street nearby.
Pro Tip: There are many take-out places in the area. You could grab food, and sit and have a picnic while you’re in Gasworks Park.
21. Take a pottery class
Best for: Ages 10+
Pottery classes are offered at FEELartistic Studio, which is in Everett (north Seattle.)This would be a fun thing to do with your pre-teen or teenager in the Seattle area.
The pottery class is about $130 per person (regardless of age), and 90 minutes long, and includes all the materials.
Book your Seattle Pottery Class here
22. (Bonus) Head to Friday harbour for whale watching!
Best for: The tour allows all ages to participate
A place called Friday Harbor, about 90 miles north of Seattle, is a great place to go whale watching. Generally, you don’t need a car to visit Seattle, but we rented one for the day just to drive up to Friday Harbor for whale-watching cruises.
San Juan Island in particular is a place where killer whales hang out between the spring and the fall.
There are a few different companies to go with for Whale Watching at Friday Harbor – Maya’s Legacy, San Juan Safaris, and Western Prince Whale Watching.
We chose to go with San Juan, and it was great. We unfortunately didn’t see a killer whale during our tour which was in May, but we saw a humpback whale and several dolphins!
You’re not guaranteed to see a while, but you are guaranteed to see other types of marine animals.
Book your San Juan Whale Watching Tour here
Where to Stay in Seattle
If you want to be central (within walking distance) to the main attractions, then I recommend staying in Belltown or in Downtown Seattle. Both are a short walk to the Pike Place Market and the Space Needle.
- Budget: Staybridge Seattle Suites – Good value option that comes with breakfast, and isn’t too far from attractions. There are also studio rooms so you can cook your own meals
- Mid-Range: The Mediterranian – right on the lake, 10-minute walk to the Space Needle, close to public transit, has parking
- Luxury: The Four Seasons – outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, and babysitting service at a surcharge (perfect if you’re looking for childcare while on vacation) and it has parking, 5-minute walk to the Space Needle
Suggested Itinerary for Seattle for Families
I recommend spending a minimum of 3 days in Seattle with kids. This will be enough to fit all the ‘must-dos’ in. Any day after that is a bonus that leaves room for other options on this list
Day 1: Walk around the Seattle Center. Go up the Space Needle. Check out the Pike Place Market and the International Fountain. Squeeze in a museum of your choice
Day 2: Head to the Woodland Park Zoo. Check out the Fremerton Troll, walk the nature trail beside it. Grab take out, and relax in Gasworks Park with a view of Seattle
Day 3: Take a ferry ride to Kingston or Bainbridge Island. Get ice cream or crepes and play at a playground.
Seattle for Families FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about visiting Seattle with kids
Is Seattle worth visiting with kids?
Seattle is definitely worth visiting with kids; it’s one of the most kid-friendly cities in the US. There is lots of green space, museums for all ages, wildlife sightings, boat tours, parks – the list goes on.
How many days to spend in Seattle with kids?
I recommend spending at least 3 days in Seattle with kids, especially if you’re visiting during the warmer months. There’s a lot to do both indoor and outdoor.
Is Seattle a good city for families?
Seattle is a great city for families. There’s such a good mix of indoor and outdoor activities, it’s very walkable, there’s a decent amount of green space and wildlife. There’s some good diversity and food options, and so many parks.
What is the best time of year to visit Seattle?
The best time of year to visit Seattle is anytime from April through to November, before the weather cools down. However, many Seattle attractions are open year-round and the weather is fairly mild throughout the year.
Final Thoughts on Seattle with Kids
By now, you know that there are so many fun things to do in Seattle with kids, and that it’s a city that welcomes the whole family. Whether you have toddlers in tow or are travelling with teenagers, there’s stuff for all ages in between.