Things to do in Seattle with Kids

On a recent trip to the Pacific Northwest, we found ourselves with a full day in Seattle. There were so many things to see there that we could have spent months and months exploring the city. However, with only a few days we found a few kid-friendly spots that our boys really enjoyed. Use our guide below to learn more about family-friendly things to do in Seattle with kids.

Pike Place Market

Seattle has a wonder waterfront! There are dozens of shops filled with bright flowers, delicious food, and plenty of souvenirs. We spent a few hours just walking around. We even found the famous flying fish at the Pike Place Fish Market and tried the “best clam chowder in the world” at a small shop called Pike Place Chowder. It really was delicious!

The Gum Wall is located right near the Fish Market. You have to venture down below and into a narrow alley, but it is easy to find. We’re just not sure why so many people want to see so much chewed up gum!

Also near Pike Place Market is the Seattle Aquarium and the Seattle Great Wheel. We looked at these two spots from afar, but with only one day, we were only able to look.

Ballard Locks

One of the most interesting and inexpensive things we did in Seattle was visit the Hiram M. Chittenden Ballard Locks. We only paid a few bucks for parking, and we got to stroll the botanical gardens, watch the locks in operation, view the salmon above and below the water, and complete the Junior Ranger program. We spent 2-3 hours at the Locks.

The Space Needle

The Space Needle is expensive, but it was one of the most memorable things we did in Seattle. Standing on the glass floor and looking down was even more exciting than looking out over the city of Seattle. If this is your first trip to Seattle, definitely splurge on this destination.

The Space Needle is located in the Seattle Center. There is a lot to do downtown and you could easily spend the day. Here are a few other things located near the Space Needle.

• Pacific Science Center
• Museum of Pop Culture
• Chihuly Garden and Glass
• Seattle Monorail (this was the one adventure our kids were so sad to miss)
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
• Seattle Children’s Museum

Seattle Mariners Game

There is nothing quite like going to a baseball game. The park in Seattle is beautiful and modern, and we felt safe the entire time we were there. Parking was expensive, but the ticket price wasn’t bad at all. You’ll find us at a baseball game in every city we visit!

Whale Watching

Seattle has a lot of different whale watching tours, but the best news is that you can see orcas year round. We were there when other whales weren’t really around, but we were able to see a lot of orcas, as well as some small porpoises. We used the company Puget Sound Express, and we enjoyed our tour, but we chose them base on their departure times. There are many companies to choose from. If you have the time and don’t mind the expense, a whale watching tour in Puget Sound is a lot of fun!

National Parks

We also took some time to drive out to the 3 National Parks that are near Seattle. They were all amazing. So if you have the time to explore, check out:

• Olympic National Park (about 3 hours away)
• Mount Rainier National Park (about 2 hours away)
• North Cascades National Park (about 2 1/2 hours away)

We did not have enough time to explore the amazing city of Seattle as much as we wanted, so we can not wait to go back. It is a beautiful, fun city. We were impressed with the amount of family-friendly things to do in Seattle, Washington.