Seattle Family Calendar
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Endless summer …
What do you mean, last days of summer?! Don’t make me cry into my fresh-picked blueberries over here. Summer just got going, right?
It feels that way, but it’s the second week of August and I’m counting fewer than four weeks until school starts; even fewer if your district starts school before Labor Day.
But hold yer horses on sweaters and school supplies: We are still in peak Pacific Northwest summer! We’ve gathered up our best ideas here — all designed to fuel your fair-weather days, fill your fam with the joy of play and make sweet summer memories.
First up: splash time
Swim and splash
The steady drumbeat of gorgeous 75-degree days calls for a refreshing swim or splash!
Head to a seasonal outdoor swimming pool or water park, or just gather the tots and pop by a spray park or wading pool: They’re free and easy.
Bigger kids will love jumping in the lake. We rounded up some great Seattle-area lake-swimming spots for your crew, on Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and more. If the presence of lifeguards is important to you, check in advance which swimming beaches are staffed with lifeguards and when. (Also, be sure to check for bacteria-related beach closures — ick — which our warm weather can fuel.)
If you’re up for a bit more adventure, we’ve also got a selection of awesome swimming holes for families around Washington, or hikes to mountain lakes.
Or keep it simple and just cool off in your yard with a DIY water-play set up.
One important note: Any time you’re dealing with kids and water together, keep water safety tips from Seattle Children’s top of mind, even if you’ve just got a backyard kiddie pool.
Next adventure: flee to the trees
To the trees
Can’t stand the heat? Get out into the woods! The woods are where you’ll find nature’s air conditioning. Northwest trails can be crowded during summer weekends; hike during the week if you can, and consider having a plan B in the event you arrive at a busy trailhead.
For a wild woodsy time, try newer family-friendly hikes less than an hour from Seattle. Hint: They’re along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River.
Hikes with a prize — that’s what we call treks that have something extra to entice reluctant hikers on to the trail. Tweens might put down the devices for an exciting hike to a ghost town. And for the littles, some tot-sized trails feature in this selection of kid-friendly hikes in the Issaquah Alps, or try a kid-friendly walk on a wider trail, where you’ll have plenty of space for a gaggle of kids and dogs.
To minimize drive time, try these hikes less than 90 minutes from Seattle. Or go all urban hiking and loop Lake Union on a walk that takes you across bridges, past parks, near houseboats and even has a troll sighting. Another city hike takes you across an iconic local bridge and offers sky-high views and thrills. (There are doughnuts, too!)
Next adventure: park it
Park it
We aim to bring you the scoop and our region’s new and innovative playgrounds. Have you checked them out? Summer’s when you might have a little more time, so pick one that looks fun and go!
Try the TriRunner at the fab updated playground at Emma Yule Park. Tip: It’s a unique piece of play equipment your kids will love.
This newer playground is made in the shade. It’s perfect on a hot-hot summer day.
There is so much fun on the farm to be found at the Edgewood Community Park’s newer playground.
The life-size Chutes-and-Ladders-style game at Kent’s West Fenwick Park makes it a not-to-be-missed destination playground.
Adventurous climbers will love the pyramid tower at the playground at Renton’s Sunset Neighborhood Park. Be forewarned, if you or your child are afraid of heights — or your child is not afraid enough of heights — this park may set your nerves buzzing.
Next adventure: sleep outside
Sleep under the stars
Well … you might prefer the coziness of your tent, but sleeping outside sounds pretty nice on a warm August night. If you don’t have a campsite reservation, check out our guide to camping on the fly. It highlights some great first-come-first-serve campgrounds around Washington, plus includes tips for your best chances of getting a site.
If you prefer the certainty of a reservation, check the State Parks reservation site for availability. Tip: Start checking Wednesday or Thursday if you’re looking for a weekend; people start canceling their weekend reservations and open sites pop up all the time. (If you’re trying to reserve for same-day arrival, note that you’ll need to call; online reservations are only accepted one or more days in advance of arrival).
You might also join a Facebook group called PNW camping reservations re-listings. People post reservations they can no longer use, and other people buy them! (If you’re posting a reservation for sale, just be sure to follow the posting instructions carefully.)
Or here’s a simpler idea — one that you can even opt out of if your kids are old enough or you can convince your partner to supervise — stage a backyard campout. This includes many of the fun aspects of camping and sleeping outdoors, but leaves several of the hassles behind.
Next adventure: roll it out
Roll on
If you’ve got a crew of enthusiastic bikers, get pumped for an ultra-fun biking activity: riding the pump track. It’s like a roller coaster on two wheels. Epic!
If your kids are still working on their pedaling skills and you prefer to be completely separated from cars, take the kids to practice along some of the best Seattle- and Eastside-area bike paths, or South Sound-area bike paths.
For a family ride on the street, but away from cars, pedal a section of Seattle’s scenic Lake Washington Boulevard. It’s closed to most vehicle traffic over select weekends, through Sept. 17.
A new and awesome family outing in nature requires pedaling, but it doesn’t involve a bicycle. What could it be?
Next adventure: sail away
Get on the water
Ahoy, young mateys! Set sail with the Emerald City Pirates on a swashbuckling Family Treasure Cruise. Your kids will talk about it forever!
For sweet time on the water, try the Seattle Ice Cream Cruise. This scenic tour of Lake Union suits kid-sized attention spans, and allows dogs! Tip: Bring money for your ice cream; treats are extra in addition to the ticket price.
The Center for Wooden Boats encourages everyone to experience boating. Make a reservation for a free one-hour row boat rental and take in a new view of the city. For a small-scale boating adventure, rent a pond boat from the Center for Wooden Boats and sail it on the model boat pond at Lake Union Park.
Donut Boats do not serve doughnuts — bring your own — but it’s not false advertising, the “donut” refers to the shape of the boat! Gather the fam to cruise Lake Union in a round orange boat with a hole (okay, not a true hole) in the center.
A ride on a Washington State Ferry is an quintessential Pacific Northwest experience. Cruise to Bainbridge and explore the town of Winslow on foot. Or if you drive onto the ferry, you can reach this unique ferry boat for double the ferry fun.
This adventure on the water is next-level amazing. Put it on your bucket list or just look at the pics and enjoy.
Next adventure: the open-air silver screen
Drive-in summer
As the summer progresses, the ultra-cool retro experience of a drive-in movie begins to better suit families. That’s because movies start earlier as the sunset gets earlier! (In June, the movies don’t begin until practically 10 p.m.!)
Lucky for us, we’ve still got a few true drive-ins in operation: four drive-in movie theaters still exist in Washington. They’re not super close for most Seattle-area families — find them in Shelton, Bremerton, Oak Harbor and Port Townsend — but these make for a memorable night out with your kids. Plan ahead and make an afternoon and evening of it.
Or, skip the car and just cozy up on the grass for free outdoor movies showing in parks around town. Kids too young to stay up for a movie at dusk? Pack your picnic for a free outdoor summer concert instead.
Next adventure: garden growing
Garden stroll
Bees, veggies, fish and goats? You’ll find them all at wonderful gardens to explore around Seattle.
Sweet Eastside farms and gardens welcome families for a peek into growing food and keeping animals.
The lovely Seattle Japanese Garden makes an ideal outing for multiple generations, perhaps when grandparents visit.
Kubota Garden in South Seattle packs in phenomenal variety, from stone bridges to an enchanted forest, in a beautiful public space. This spot is popular and can get crowded on weekends; visit on a weekday if you can.
Shadow Lake Nature Preserve is no manicured garden. It’s a wild and fascinating peat bog that’s well worth a visit. Note that you need to make a reservation to go; it’s not a stop-by kind of place!
Next adventure: quick escape
Escape!
Whether your family took a big trip this summer or stuck closer to home, there’s still plenty of time for am easy change of scenery by way of a day trip or quick overnight. And if you’re not yet beholden to the school-year schedule, do take advantage and consider a September or October escape.
For day trips, try exploring Whidbey Island like an insider, or visiting Port Townsend’s best spots with kids. Outdoorsy Bellingham makes for a park-filled day trip, or easy overnight.
Discover someplace new on a family day trip to the north, south, east or west.
For a fall weekend escape, peruse our guides for inspiration and future planning. We’ve got a guide to nearby family getaway destinations, a list of amazing Northwest lodges and a flock of fabulous cozy cabins.
For fall, hop over the mountains to Old-West Winthrop or kitschy-cool Leavenworth. Leavenworth has a new attraction that beckons thrill seekers of all ages!
