Family Vacation Planner 2020: Our Travel Guide for Seattle-Area Families

A good road trip really is the perfect family getaway. Road trips provide flexibility in timing and route that air travel can't, and for families with young kids, being able to bring your own stuff and stop when you need to is so helpful. Plus, road trips are generally more affordable. And in the upper left corner of the U.S. where we live, there is so much amazing stuff to explore.

• It's all about ocean beaches along the epic Oregon coast. Try the Tillamook Coast for family fun that includes the area's namesake cheese and ice cream.
• Saddle up, escape city life and connect with your fam on a Western family adventure; ride horses, watch a rodeo and visit a working ranch in these Western towns.
• Highway 97 slices through central Washington, from B.C in the north down through Oregon. A road trip along this highway delivers so much fun with kids: waterslides, zip lines, lakes, apples and unique animal encounters.
• Wander in a real rainforest, hike along a spit and dip your toes in the waves of the mighty Pacific on the amazing  Olympic Peninsula.
• Head over the mountains for sun, sun, sun at family-friendly and beautiful Lake Chelan.
• This road trip sampler has ready-made itineraries for easy planning to fab nearby spots, including B.C.'s Sunshine Coast.