Seattle Vacation with Kids

Families will enjoy the many activates that Seattle offers. Kids young and old will be excited by all of the things to do in this busy town. Also, many of the kid-friendly activities are free or low-cost.

Take the family for a walk - explore the town of Seattle. Check out the different neighborhoods, squares, shopping districts, and unique buildings around town. The downtown towers, spires, and skyscrapers will impress. The scenic waterfront offers great opportunities for photography, food, and activities. The town is so busy - kids will marvel at the buses, trolleys, horse-carriages, ferry boats, and monorail.

Children love to ride on public transportation! Take your family on the many buses (many of which are electric or hybrid-powered). Ride the monorail from the Westlake Center (downtown) to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located. Take a harbor cruise or ride the ferry across Elliott Bay and Puget Sound. View the downtown Seattle bus route map.

The Seattle Center west of downtown offers a bunch of activities for kids. There is a mini-amusement park area with rides and carousels. The towering Space Needle is also located here. The Seattle Children's Museum (view map) is also located here and will entertain younger kids for hours! Just south of the Children's Museum is the Pacific Science Center (view map) with many attractions for older kids and adults. Just west of the Seattle Center, located right on the waterfront, is the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park.

Waterfront Park is just south of Pike Place Market and offers much fun for families. The large Seattle Aquarium (view map) is located here - with interactive displays for kids. There are also merry-go-rounds and other fun rides for kids here. There are plenty of restaurants, snack counters, ice-cream stores, and more.

If you get a chance, visit the REI Flagship Store at 222 Yale Ave N. and shop for gear and clothing for the whole family. As an added bonus, there is a towering 65' climbing wall to challenge your rock climbing skills on, and for the smaller kids there is an elaborate tree house play area upstairs.