THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A FREE LUNCH (OR DINNER)
Sometimes you just gotta eat out — might as well save a few bucks while you’re at it. Check out our list of great deals for free or low-cost kids’ meals before you go, and make sure to call ahead, because restaurant policies can change just like that.
Multiple days
Charlestown Street Café. Daily after 5 p.m., with adult purchase. 206-937-3800 [WEST SEATTLE]
Varsity Grill. Daily, all day, with adult purchase — drink and ice cream included. 253-627-1229 [TACOMA]
The Ram. Sundays and Mondays $1 off kids’ meals all day, with adult purchase. 206-525-3565 [UNIVERSITY VILLAGE]
Mehfil Fine Indian Dining. Sundays and Mondays after 4 p.m., with adult purchase. 425-883-8989 [REDMOND]
Sand Point Grill. Sundays–Tuesdays from 5–6:30 p.m.; some restrictions apply. 206-729-1303 [LAURELHURST]
Romio’s Pizza & Pasta. Mondays and Tuesdays after 4 p.m., with adult purchase. 425-562-4646. [BELLEVUE]
Ballard Brothers Seafood & Burgers. Mondays-Wednesdays, all day, with adult purchase. 206-784-4440 [BALLARD]
Cattin’s Family Dining. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, all day with adult purchase. 253-848-3494. [PUYALLUP]
Denny’s. Tuesdays and Saturdays after 4 p.m., with adult purchase. [ALL LOCATIONS]
Chevy’s Fresh Mix. Tuesdays and Sundays, all day, with adult purchase. 253-472-5800 [TACOMA]
Mayan Family Mexican Restaurant. Tuesdays and Sundays, all day, with adult purchase (99-cent kid meals). [LACEY]
Pallino. Wednesdays and Sundays, all day, with adult purchase (drinks not included). 425-394-1090 [ISSAQUAH]
Celtic Bayou Irish Pub & Cajun Café. Saturdays and Sundays, all day, with adult purchase. 425-869-5933 [REDMOND]
Monday
Azteca Mexican Restaurant. All day, with adult purchase. 425-672-1771 [LYNNWOOD]
Whistle Stop Ale House. Evenings with adult purchase. 425-277-3039 [RENTON]
Desert Fire Southwestern Grill. All day, with the purchase of an $8 minimum adult meal. 425-895-1500 [REDMOND]
Farrelli’s Wood Fire Pizza. All day, with adult purchase. [LACEY, PARKLAND, TACOMA, SUMNER]
Tuesday
Ruby’s Diner. After 4 p.m., with adult purchase. [REDMOND, WOODINVILLE]
Rikki Rikki. After 4 p.m., with adult purchase. 425-828-0707 [KIRKLAND]
Mabel’s on the Ridge. All day, with adult purchase (99-cent kid meals). 425-396-7733 [SNOQUALMIE RIDGE]
Mrs. Turner’s Hometown Café. All day, with adult purchase. 253-848-7761 [PUYALLUP]
Izzy’s. From 4–9 p.m., with adult purchase. 360-456-0314 [OLYMPIA]
Wednesday
The Rainforest Café. After 5 p.m., with adult purchase ($1.99 kid meals). 206-248-8882 [WESTFIELD SOUTHCENTER]
Saturday
Sunday
Fox Sports Grill. All day, with adult purchase. 206-340-1369 [DOWNTOWN SEATTLE]
Ohana Restaurant. 11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. 206-956-9329 [BELLTOWN]
BeachHouse Bar and Grill. All day, with adult purchase. 425-968-5587 [KIRKLAND]
Z’Tejas. After 4 p.m., with adult purchase. 425-467-5911 [BELLEVUE]
Armondo’s Cafe Italiano. After 4 p.m., with adult purchase. 425-228-0759 [RENTON]
Peppers Mexican Restaurant. All day, with adult purchase (ages 9 and younger). 360-943-1111. [OLYMPIA]
Pints & Quarts Pub. All day, with adult purchase. 360- 943-5611. [OLYMPIA]
CULTURE KIDS
Visit a local museum without paying a cent? You just have to know when to go! The advantage for families (beyond saving some cash): You don’t have to worry about getting your money’s worth out of your admission, and can just take off when the kids get antsy.
Daily
Frye Art Museum. Closed Mondays. 206-622-9250 [FIRST HILL]
Olympic Sculpture Park. Dawn to dusk. 206-654-3100 [SEATTLE WATERFRONT]
Multiple days
Imagine Children’s Museum. Thursdays, 3–5 p.m., half-price admission; third Fridays, 5:30–9 p.m. 425-258-1006 [EVERETT]
Seattle Art Museum. First Thursdays, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; second Fridays, 5–9 p.m. (ages 13–18 with ID). 206-654-3100 [DOWNTOWN SEATTLE]
Seattle Asian Art Museum. First Thursdays, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; second Thursdays, 5–9 p.m.; first Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (family day). 206-654-3100 [VOLUNTEER PARK]
Wing Luke Asian Museum. First Thursdays, third Saturdays, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. 206-623-5124 [CHINATOWN/INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT]
Northwest African American Museum. First and second Thursdays, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. 206-518-6000 [CENTRAL DISTRICT]
First Thursdays
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. 206-543-5590 [UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON]
Henry Art Gallery. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. 206-543-2280 [UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON]
Museum of Flight. 5–9 p.m. 206-764-5720 [SEATTLE]
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). 10 a.m.–8 p.m. 206-324-1126 [LAURELHURST]
Third Thursdays
Museum of Glass. 5–8 p.m. 1-866-4MUSEUM [TACOMA]
Washington State History Museum. 2–8 p.m. 253-272-9518 [TACOMA]
Tacoma Art Museum. 5–8 p.m. [TACOMA]
First Fridays
Bellevue Arts Museum. 11 a.m.–8 p.m. 425-519-0770 [BELLEVUE]
KidsQuest Children’s Museum. 5–8 p.m. 425-637-8100 [BELLEVUE]
Children’s Museum of Tacoma. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. 253-627-6031 [TACOMA]
Hands On Children’s Museum. 5–9 p.m. 360-956-0818 [OLYMPIA]
TAKE THE PLUNGE
The minute summer hits, residents of the Puget Sound area crawl out of hiding and scurry to the region’s outdoor pools and water parks. There are plenty to choose from, and most outdoor facilities are open mid-June through Labor Day. Call for updated admission prices and hours.
Outdoor pools
Mounger Pool. Features a large pool with corkscrew slide and a warm, shallow “little pool” that’s perfect for younger kids. 2535 32nd Ave. W., Seattle. 206-684-4708
Colman Pool. The heated saltwater pool’s bonus: a breathtaking view of Puget Sound. 8603 Fauntleroy Way S.W., Seattle. 206-684-7494
Peter Kirk Pool. The outdoor pool, located between the library and Kirkland Performance Center, is also close to the play area at Peter Kirk Park and the Kirkland Park Place shopping center. Kirkland Avenue at Third Street, Kirkland. 425-587-3330
Yost Pool. The pool is located in Yost Park, which features nice hiking trails through heavily wooded terrain. 9535 Bowdoin Way, Edmonds. 425-775-2645
Cottage Lake Pool. Features family activities during the summer. 18831 N.E. Woodinville-Duvall Road, Woodinville. 206-296-2999
Stewart Heights Pool. Features a lazy river, bubble pool and water-play structure, plus an on-site Subway concession. 402 E. 56th St., Tacoma. 253-573-2532
Titlow Pool. The Olympic-size pool has a minimum depth of 3 feet. 8355 Sixth Ave., Tacoma. 253-564-4044
Tanglewilde Pool. This public pool, located in Olympia’s Tanglewilde community, is open late May to Labor Day. 360-491-3907
Water parks
Wild Waves and Enchanted Village. Hurtle down the five-story Zooma Falls raft slide. 6201 South Enchanted Parkway, Federal Way. 253-661-8000
Henry Moses Aquatic Center. Long slide, lazy river, toddler play area and many other water-play features. 1719 Maple Valley Highway, Renton. 425-430-6780
ANIMALS ALL AROUND
Kids got an itch to groom a goat or goggle at a goose? Head to a local petting zoo, where you can look at (and sometimes touch) a variety of farm animals. Some of these facilities are open year-round, and others are open only for the summer season. Contact each location for current hours of operation and admission prices (where not marked as “free”) and don’t forget to wash up after your trip to the barn to avoid the transmission of E. coli.
Farrel-McWhirter Park. Farm animals — including babies in the spring — are on view daily, year-round at this popular location. Free. 19545 Redmond Road, Redmond. 425-556-2300
Kelsey Creek Park. View animals, such as ponies, chicks or pigs, daily, year-round. The farm also hosts popular pony rides on a few days in early spring, for a nominal fee. Viewing the farm critters is free. 410 130th Place S.E., Bellevue. 425-452-7688
Forest Park Animal Farm. Ducks, chickens, calves and other farm animals are on view daily from June through August. The farm also offers programs such as pony rides and bunny care. Free. 802 Mukilteo Blvd., Everett. 425-257-8300
Remlinger Farms. Kids can view, feed and sometimes touch many farm animals (babies in the spring) in the 4-H Animal Barnyard, located in the Country Fair Family Fun Park. Free with admission, open May–October. 32610 N.E. 32nd St., Carnation. 425-333-4135
Woodland Park Zoo. The zoo’s Family Farm area allows children to interact with and learn about goats, bunnies and other farmed animals. Free with admission, open daily during the summer. North 50th Street and Fremont Avenue North, Seattle. 206-684-4892
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Visit the Contact Junction in the Kids’ Zone to feed or groom resident goats and sheep. Free with admission; open year-round. 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma. 253-591-5337
