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Traveling with kids can be, well — difficult. While it’s great to get away and make memories, family trips often end with keyed-up kids and parents who need a vacation from their vacation. Finding the right destination for your family can make all the difference. I’ve scoped out five popular Washington vacation destinations for your next family getaway, along with the ideal age to visit each.
For babies and toddlers, it helps to have a room you can easily get back to for naptime and meltdowns, a fridge for snacks and a microwave for warming up kid meals and bottles. For preschoolers and little kids, lots of kid-friendly activities keep your crew from getting bored. Big kids will love pools with slides and outdoor activities, along with supervised programs that give parents some much-needed downtime. For tweens and teens, I’ve stepped up the adventures so you can consider skiing, snowmobiling or whitewater rafting as a family. I’ve also included a destination that works for families who need to accommodate a wide range of ages.
Best with babies and toddlers: Alderbrook Resort and Spa, Union
When vacationing with babies and toddlers, you want as little hassle as possible. A smaller resort where you can walk around and use a stroller or baby carrier beats constantly having to wrestle with a car seat.. Alderbrook is described by reviewers as being peaceful and laid back, exactly what parents of very young kids need.
Location: 10 E. Alderbrook Dr.
Resort accommodations: Rooms and cottages
The resort offers hotel rooms (many with refrigerators), as well as cottages. Most cottages have kitchenettes — great for heating up a bottle or making a kid-friendly meal — and some are pet-friendly. Cribs are available upon request.
Dining options
Alderbrook offers multiple dining options: a lounge for cocktails, a restaurant serving cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients, a spot for coffee, snacks and grab-and-go food, as well as seasonal outdoor dining.
Activities
There is a heated indoor saltwater pool, which is comfortable for kids and offers adult-only hours for parents who want a quiet swim. Outside, large grassy areas are perfect for kids to crawl or toddle about, while parents sittervise as they lounge nearby. There is also a playground that has been recently updated and short on-site hiking trails for getting the wiggles out. Kids will love the small beach where they can explore sea creatures, shells and rocks. Pro tip: Pack water shoes because the beach isn’t sandy and there could be sharp shells.
Inside the lobby, you’ll find a Lego tinker table where little kids can play while parents pick up a beachcombing guide or get details about the on-site scavenger hunt. S’mores kits are available day or night and the firepits that are lit in the evening make a great spot to roast a treat or watch the sunset.
The spa
Alderbook’s spa was completely revamped a few years ago and it’s one of the big draws for families with very young children. Parents can book a spa service during nap time (tag-team parenting at its best). Try a massage, mineral bath or facial to make your stay extra special.
Best for little kids (ages 4–8): Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine
Just two hours north of Seattle, the Semiahmoo Resort sits on the spit between Semiahmoo Bay and Drayton Harbor. Surrounded by sparkling water, with views of Mount Baker and the Canadian shoreline, this is an iconic Pacific Northwest getaway. The resort offers plenty of activities and relaxation for both parents and kids.
Location: 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy.
Resort accommodations
There are a variety of guest rooms and suites to choose from, and almost all offer something for families. To take full advantage of the resort, book a room with a water view if you’re able. Some patio rooms have walkout beach access while others lead to the marina walkway and beaches on the east side of the property.
Dining options
The rooms include a mini fridge and microwave for preparing kid-friendly food and snacks. There are two restaurants at the resort and another just three miles away at the Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club. Grab-and-go options are available for families on the move.
Activities
There is an indoor/outdoor heated pool and hot tub, board games, lawn games, as well as pickleball and tennis courts. The whole family can rent bikes, from toddler push bikes to adult beach cruisers, as well as kayaks and paddleboards. The Semiahmoo Spit is walkable with a stroller or you can ride bikes. Reviewers say that there is a lot to see, from seals and eagles to sea creatures at low tide. At night, families can pick up a s’mores kit at the front desk to enjoy at the communal firepit.
Best for big kids (ages 8–11): Suncadia, Cle Elum
Just 90 minutes from Seattle, Suncadia Resort is a popular vacation spot for families. Located in Cle Elum with Roslyn right next door, the resort is a beautiful spot in the Cascade mountains.
Location: 3600 Suncadia Trail, Cle Elum
Accommodations: Hotel, condos and houses
Stay at the lodge at the heart of Suncadia, where most rooms include kitchens and washer/dryer units. If you want to stay someplace smaller and closer to recreation pavilion events, grab a room at The Inn. There are also Trailhead condos and vacation homes available for rent.
Dining options
At the resort, there are two restaurants (The Source Plates & Pours and The Stovehouse) and four more casual eateries. The Source is popular for its s’mores experience served right at the table. For more options, head into Cle Elum or Roslyn for a bite.
Activities
With over 40 miles of trails for walking, hiking and biking, you won’t run out of things to do at Suncadia. You can rent gear for many of the on-site activities at the resort if you didn’t bring your own.
The whole family will enjoy the indoor/outdoor pool with a waterslide. When you get the kids out of the pool, head to Nelson Farm, where you’ll find a BMX pump track and a playground. The village is walkable, plus there is a shuttle service for getting around.
Suncadia also offers many seasonal events. Winters brings a magical element with snow tubing, winter holiday celebrations and even an ice-skating rink at select times. In peak season (June 19 through Labor Day), parents can get some time off while the kids join the Cedar and Sasquatch program, which includes nature activities and arts and crafts for kids ages 5–12.
Pro tip: Be sure and ask what activities your reservation includes (pool, Nelson Farm, etc.) when reserving your room to avoid surprises.
Best for tweens and teens: Leavenworth
The Bavarian-style alpine village just two hours from Seattle is a great place to take teens and tweens for family adventures in summer or winter. As you wander the cobblestone streets while viewing the mountains and Bavarian buildings with balconies overflowing with flowers, you will feel like you’ve been transported to Germany.
Accommodations
Families will find every possible accommodation combination in Leavenworth. Choose from bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, cabins, lodges or hotels. Downtown is packed with hotels so you can ditch the car and stick to shopping, eating and enjoying the Riverwalk during your stay. The Enzian Inn, Icicle Village Resort and Bavarian Lodge work well for families. Further out, Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort and Spa offers quiet mountain solitude and cozy cabins (some with kitchenettes) if relaxing is your goal.
Dining options
Known for its German fare, there are a variety of restaurants serving up German favorites from soup to schnitzel. Tweens and teens will get a kick out of the Andreas Keller Restaurant, with its Hobbit hole tables that feel like you’ve crawled into a wooden barrel. Munchen Haus is another option that may be especially appealing to families with older kids — they serve quick bites so you can keep the teens happy. There is plenty of other cuisine available as well.
Shopping
Check out fun German shops like the Kris Kringl store where it’s Christmas all year, Krampus Kave for comics and Marvel merch, The Nutcracker Museum and more.
Activities
In the summer, hike trails ranging from easy to difficult, or hop on a bike to try the Leavenworth pump track in Enchantment Park. There are also e-bike rentals and tours, making it a little easier to view all of the outdoor beauty Leavenworth has to offer. The popular Leavenworth Adventure Park has rock climbing and an Alpine Coaster. My teens enjoy river floats on the Wenachee River, but you can also try whitewater river rafting if you are looking for more adventure.
In the winter, Leavenworth offers the ultimate snowy adventure. There is a ski hill located just minutes from downtown for skiing and snowboarding. Leavenworth also offers miles of groomed trails for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. Those who prefer to ride can try out snow tubing or a horse-drawn sleigh ride. For adventure seekers, book a backcountry snowmobile tour. And don’t forget that Leavenworth is lit up with a half a million lights after Thanksgiving through February to add to the storybook atmosphere.
Best for all ages: Great Wolf Lodge, Centralia
This indoor waterpark in Grand Mound is a great place to take the family for a weekend, especially if you have kids in different age groups. Many families stay just one night because you can access the waterpark starting at 1 p.m. on the day you check-in. You can continue to use the waterpark all day the next day, even after you check out of your room. That being said, staying at least two nights can allow for more activities.
Location: 20500 Old Highway 99 SW
Accommodations
You can book a standard or themed suite with a separate bunkbed area for the kids, offering a bit of separation for kids and adults. Each room is different, and most offer a microwave and mini fridge.
Dining options
Dining options include sit-down restaurants serving kid-friendly items like hamburgers and pizza, mobile ordering through the Great Wolf Lodge app, grab-and-go food and more. Reviewers recommend that you bring your own snacks and even breakfast, just confirm before going that your room has a mini fridge. You can’t bring outside food into the waterpark itself, but you can go back to your room throughout the day.
Activities
The huge indoor waterpark is kept at 84 degrees, making it perfect for any time of year. The waterpark offers fun for all ages, ranging from the thrilling Howlin’ Tornado slide for big kids to Cub Paw Pool for toddlers, which features miniature waterslides and an 18-inch deep end. Reviewers praise the number of lifeguards throughout the facility, allowing parents to enjoy a relaxing time as well. Life jackets and towels are available, but reviewers recommend bringing your own beach towels and/or robes for walking back and forth to your room.
When your pack is done playing in the water, there is plenty of dryland entertainment. Free events include kids yoga, story time, meeting the characters of the wolf pack, movies, arts and crafts, family dance parties and more. You can also go on a Magiquest. This costs extra and is a sort of scavenger hunt throughout the levels of the lodge. To play, you wave a wand at a sensor to get a series of clues. They offer bundles which include the cost of a wand and the game, and you can bring the wand back to play the next time you visit. There is also an arcade, glow mini golf, a mirror maze, Build-a-Bear and a ropes course. You can purchase packages that bundle different experiences together at three different price points.
Frequently asked questions
Which Washington vacation destinations for families are closest to Seattle?
Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum is the closest, located about 90 minutes from Seattle. Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine and Leavenworth are both approximately a two-hour drive from Seattle.
Which Washington family resorts offer kitchens or kitchenettes for preparing meals?
Alderbrook Resort and Spa has kitchens in select cottages. At Suncadia Lodge most rooms include full kitchens. Cabins at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth provide cooking or kitchenette options for family meal prep.
Which Washington family getaway destinations are pet-friendly?
Alderbrook Resort and Spa offers select pet-friendly cottages for families traveling with pets. They have two cats (Alder and Brook) who can often be seen roaming around the lobby.
Which Washington vacation destinations offer both summer and winter activities for families?
Both Leavenworth and Suncadia offer year-round family recreation. Leavenworth provides summer river floating, e-biking and an Alpine Coaster, alongside winter skiing, snow tubing and sleigh rides. Suncadia features summer hiking, biking and a waterslide, with winter snow tubing and outdoor ice skating.
Editor’s note: AI was used to generate the Frequently asked questions portion of this article. It was reviewed by ParentMap’s editorial team for accuracy and edited for clarity.
