Family Activities in Seattle to Celebrate Our Splendid Summer

A Seattle summer is always worth celebrating. We don’t suffer through months of cold drizzle for nothing. Before the school-year crunch takes hold and the rain returns, seek out activities that showcase our phenomenal Northwest summer. Some of these are splurges, some are budget-friendly, but all are focused on outdoor recreation and are best experienced when the sun is shining.

1. Rent a donut boat

You don’t actually eat doughnuts on a Seattle Donut Boat Co. ride. But there’s nothing saying you can’t bring some along! Donut boats are named for their shape, resembling giant floating doughnuts. These round watercraft are a decidedly different way to explore Lake Union. You don’t need a boater’s license or extensive water expertise to operate a donut boat; they’re surprisingly easy to maneuver. The boats are electric and steered with a tiller, which you can learn to use during a quick tutorial. Each can accommodate up to six people, making it the perfect self-contained summer family activity. The Seattle donut boats have umbrellas to shade you from the hot summer sun, and there are tables in the middle that are perfect for snacks — doughnuts, of course — out on the water.

Details: A one-hour cruise starts at $145.

2. Enjoy a kayak dinner cruise

Forget dinner and a movie and say hello to a Seattle-style family date night and one of the coolest family activities in Seattle: dinner and kayaking with Agua Verde Paddle Club. Work up an appetite exploring the busy waterway of Portage Bay before devouring a plate of cauliflower tacos and a heaping pile of chips and salsa at the on-site cafe. Agua Verde is your one stop for food, fun and a memorable outing on the water.

Details: Single and double kayaks rent for $10–$20 per hour. The paddle club is open daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays for walk-up rentals. Agua Verde also offers guided tours. 

3. Catch a ball game

Baseball is America’s pastime for several good reasons: fresh air, hot dogs, the seventh-inning stretch, and cheering for old and new favorite players. We’re lucky to have one major league and two minor league teams in our area: the Seattle Mariners, the Everett AquaSox and the Tacoma Rainiers. There’s sure to be at least one game that fits into your family’s schedule this summer. (And unlike other professional sports, a baseball game can be pretty affordable.) Gather your friends and family, because nothing is more quintessentially summer than an afternoon or evening at the ballpark.

Details: Tickets start at about $10 per person.

4. Ride a surrey along Alki Beach

You don’t need to be a tourist to cruise along one of Seattle’s most popular waterfronts, Alki Beach. At Wheel Fun Rentals, choose your cruising equipment: a surrey, a deuce coupe, a quad sport or even an electric bike. A surrey, a sort of bicycle-carriage combo involving team pedaling, promises lots of fun and laughs. If you are feeling really adventurous, pedal over to Marination Ma Kai for loco moco, fish and chips or a guava pop. Even on a summer day, be sure to pack a light jacket, because the breeze off the water can make it feel much cooler. 

Details: A regular surrey rental costs $29 per hour and seats up to three adults, plus two very small kids. A double surrey rents for $39 per hour and seats as many as six adults, plus two very small kids.

5. Rent an electric boat 

This special family outing with The Electric Boat Company is a great choice for a family adventure, birthday or reunion celebration. The standard electric boat holds up to 10 passengers, and the larger luxury boat holds as many as 12 passengers. Grab a picnic dinner and spend a couple of hours cruising around Lake Union, meandering through the rows of houseboats and watching the seaplanes take off and land. Because even our summer weather can be unpredictable at times, Electric Boat Company boats can be open-air for beautiful summer days, or heated and fully enclosed for cooler summer nights.

Details: Standard boats rent for $139 per hour; luxury boats rent for $189 per hour. Driving the boat is akin to driving a golf cart and the designated “captain” in your party will receive a quick training session.

6. Sail at sunset

Set sail on glittering Puget Sound right from downtown Seattle’s Pier 56. Board a U.S. Coast Guard–certified performance racing yacht with Sailing Seattle, and feel the wind in your hair and the sunshine on your face. Enjoy an evening on the water as you watch the sun dip behind the Olympic Mountains. Be certain to bring a jacket, a blanket, snacks and beverages to end your day — and celebrate summer — on a spectacular high note. 

Details: The two-hour sunset sail costs $62 per adult and $49 per child ages 5–12; kids 4 and younger sail free. Daytime sails of 90 minutes or two hours are also available. 

7. Rent paddleboards or kayaks

If the idea of getting out on the water under human power sounds appealing, look no farther than the REI Co-op Boathouse at Enatai Beach Park. There you can try the ultimate Pacific Northwest family activity when you rent stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), canoes or kayaks. Paddle to the nearby wetlands for calm water and enjoy an afternoon of bird-watching and lily pad dodging. A canoe is your best bet if you have small kids.

Details: Kayak, SUP and canoe rentals range from $29 to $49 for the first hour, $10 for each additional hour. The boathouse is currently open Friday–Sunday. There’s another REI boathouse offering rentals at Meydenbauer Bay Park.

8. Explore the beach at low tide 

This glorious summer activity for families is budget-friendly, as in free. Stroll along the beach during low tide, when beach naturalists from the Seattle Aquarium will help identify what you find and share everything they know about the abundant marine life living along our coastline. They’ll also let you know how to keep that marine life safe. Find beach naturalists stationed during low-tide days at the following parks: Richmond Beach Park, Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens Park, Olympic Sculpture Park Pocket Beach, Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint, Lincoln Park, Seahurst Park, Des Moines Beach Park, Saltwater State Park, Redondo Beach and Dash Point State Park.

Details: Various dates and times in early August. A Discover Pass is required to park at Saltwater State Park and Dash Point State Park.

9. Take an urban hike 

Not all spectacular hikes are found in the woods. Crossing the Tacoma Narrows Bridge on foot is a hike you won’t soon forget. The bridge offers beautiful views both coming and going and has a wide pedestrian path used by many walkers and bikers every day. Your family will get a thrill from this must-do urban adventure!

Details: The best place to start your adventure is War Memorial Park which provides access to the bridge’s walking path and plenty of parking. The bridge is about a mile long, but if you start from the War Memorial Park your hike will be about 3 miles round-trip. While the path is open and free anytime, a sunset or sunrise hike offers amazing views of Mount Rainier. Note that there will be heavy road noise from the traffic going by.

10. Try new foods at a local farmers market

Consuming locally grown, in-season produce is a wonderful way to “eat the rainbow.” Local farmers markets are the best places to find this edible rainbow, and letting kids pick out new and unusual foods is a great way to encourage them to try new fruits and vegetables. Find out what is ripe with a weekly visit to your local farmers market, and get to know the farmers, who will have recommendations. Find a market near you and start a weekly family tradition, or pick a market by the day of the week and get ready for an affordable, delicious and nutritious family activity in the Seattle area.

Whether you’re entertaining out-of-town relatives, rejoicing in the fact that your family survived another year of school or just excited about the prospect of reveling the sunshine, you’ll have a great time celebrating our Seattle summer.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2021 and updated most recently on July 29, 2024 by associate editor Kari Hanson, who fact-checked all activities.