6 Great Bike Rides for Seattle-Area Families
1. Car-free in Kirkland
Route: Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail, Terrace Park to the end of the trail at 108th Ave. N.E.
Info: Find more about the Cross Kirkland Trail project
Distance: 3 miles round trip (or longer)
This short ride in picturesque Kirkland is ideal for families with kids on scoots or little ones new to pedal bikes. Park by Terrace Park, a small park about one mile from the Kirkland waterfront, whose ample grassy lawn offers a perfect picnic site where grown-ups can relax while the kids frolic on the play structure. Above the park at the top of the stairs, you’ll find the car-free Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail, a relatively new rail trail that’s part of a larger Eastside rail-trail project. Enjoy peek-a-boo views of Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline as you pedal southbound 1.6 miles, at which point the trail turns into the original railroad tracks again, and then you turn back.
An alternative route is to bike north along the trail about .7 miles and stop for a pint at the kid-and dog-friendly Chainline Brewing Company, right along the trail, where you'll sometimes find food trucks on site as well.
Minimum age: Kids on scooters or scoot bikes or preschoolers on pedal bikes.
Snack stops: The Kirkland PCC is just 3 minutes away (bikeable for grown-ups). Pick up ingredients to build your own picnic: charcuterie, gourmet cheeses, salami, olives, fancy crackers and perhaps your family's favorite chocolate? Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt is also nearby.
