Cultural, Natural & Free Families in Seattle Do Have It All

Cultural, natural and free: Families in Seattle do have it all By Ashly Moore Sheldon, ParentMap

Families in the Puget Sound area have endless options for fun. Seattle is a modern city boasting numerous historical, cultural and educational experiences for growing young minds. And just outside our doors lies the natural treasures of the Pacific Northwest, from glistening lakes to stunning coastlines and magnificent mountains.

As for our infamous weather—well, sure, rain is a daily event at certain times of the year, but with all this precipitation comes mild temperatures that can keep families playing outside all year long. And here’s a little secret: Summer in Seattle is glorious.

Here’s a sampler of the many adventures families can enjoy year round in the Puget Sound.

Kid-size culture

Seattle is home to dozens of amazing, family-friendly museums, from traditional options such as Seattle Art Museum (always free for kids 12 and under) to more alternative choices such as quirky EMP Museum, which explores popular music, science fiction and pop culture.

For cultural awareness, try the International District’s Wing Luke Museum, the nation’s only museum dedicated to the Asian Pacific experience; the Northwest African American Museum; or the new Holocaust Center for Humanity. At MOHAI, kids (and adults) can learn all about Seattle’s rich history from Native American roots to our current status as world leader in technology and innovation. Play with STEM concepts at hot spots such as Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Flight and the Pacific Science Center. (P.S. Many area museums offer weekly or monthly free-admission days.)

For theater, it’s hard to beat the quality and consistency of Seattle Children’s Theatre, one of the nation’s top such theaters. Other excellent kid-centered theaters include Thistle Theatre, StoryBook Theater (whose original 45-minute musicals make for a great preschool-age show) and Youth Theatre Northwest.

Growing nature lovers

Greater Seattle is packed with fantastic parks and green spaces where you can sneak in an hour of outdoor bliss without having to drive far. Right in the city, the trails of Carkeek Park, Seward Park and Camp Long are perfect for small feet.

Other favorite city parks include sunny Volunteer Park, which boasts the historic Seattle Asian Art Museum on site; Discovery Park, with its stunning beach and woodsy trails; and the exquisite Washington Park Arboretum, where kids can learn about native plants and enjoy plenty of seasonal WOW moments.

In North Bend, the Cedar River Watershed Center offers interactive exhibits on the region’s water cycle, as well as flat trails on Rattlesnake Lake. And every family loves a hike to a roaring waterfall: Try Wallace Falls or Twin Falls in the Cascades.

Want to get out on the water? Rent canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and sailboats at paddle centers such as Alki Kayak Tours in West Seattle, or Agua Verde Paddle Club on Lake Union where you can nosh on Baja Mexican cuisine after your adventure.

Free fun!

Life in Seattle can be pricey, but many of the best family-friendly activities don’t cost a dime. For a day of cheap fun, start at Seattle Center. Kids love to splash around the famous, music-generating International Fountain before climbing up the towering slides of the new Artists at Play playground. If you have older kids, check out the inspiring exhibits about global development and poverty at the free Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center.

Next stop—Pike Place Market, where the vibrant colors, sounds and smells will entrance even the smallest visitors. Finish up in historic Pioneer Square at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, an excellent, free museum about the gold rush years.

In summer, you can find free water play in almost every ‘hood. Seattle Parks and Recreation offers lifeguarding at nine lakefront beaches throughout the city, many of which also have diving boards and deep-water docks, as well as shallow roped off areas for little ones. (Tip: Free swim lessons are also available at these sites!) On a low-tide day, head to a Puget Sound beach to identify and learn about starfish and moon snails, with Seattle Aquarium naturalists on hand for free tutoring.

Many parks offer free wading pools for tots—pools at Volunteer Park, Green Lake and Magnuson Park are usually open daily from June through August. And older kids will love to dash and scream through the city’s spray parks. Especially beloved are Northacres Park in north Seattle and Willis Tucker in Snohomish.

And don’t forget Seattle’s neighborhood libraries, which offer a wide variety of story times and other kid activities, from free movies and live music to coding lessons and crafts.

This, of course, is just a tiny sampling of the adventures that await Seattle families. The only drawback to raising kids in the Puget Sound is that it’s impossible to do it all.

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