Photo:
Make Dad feel special this Father's Day by taking him on a fun outing. Photo: iStock
I’ve always been a strong supporter of letting Dad take the lead on Father’s Day activities. Of course you’ll let him sleep late, shower him with cards and attention, and make him a mammoth breakfast with unlimited bacon. But what if the idea well has run dry or the kids want to plan something special to do on Father’s Day?
I’ve got an array of Father’s Day activities in Seattle for top-shelf dads. Whether he’s a car guy, boat guy, nature guy, music guy, strawberry guy (is that even a thing?), or an easy-to-please guy, you’ll find something here for your Father’s Day weekend family fun.
Happy Father’s Day to all the super dads out there. Cheers to you!
Father’s Day BBQ Train
Date and time: Saturday–Sunday, June 13, 5–6:30 p.m.
Cost: $79; ages 2 and younger are free
Happening the weekend before Father’s Day, this 75-minute train ride in a restored 1920s dining car departs from the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad Museum and includes a barbecue dinner and dessert! Don’t delay booking your reservations online for this popular event.
Strawberry festivals
Date: Through Sunday, June 21
Cost: Varies by location
Let your dad gobble up the sweet berries and shortcake at five local strawberry festivals happening over Father’s Day weekend: Baby Animals & Berries Festival, Berry Dairy Days, Biringer Farm Strawberry Festival, Marysville Strawberry Festival and Burien Strawberry Days.
Edmonds Arts Festival
Date: Friday–Sunday, June 19–21
Cost: Free
Bring your art-loving dad to soak in all types of art from music, dance and theater, to paintings, sculpture, photography and much more. There is even a station where kids can create art of their own!
World Cup watch parties, activities and soccer-related events
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 20–21
Cost: Varies by activity
There are a ton of activities going on during Father’s Day weekend for soccer-fan dads. Catch a World Cup watch party in Renton or Seattle, attend a fest with music, games and clinics, or check out a global soccer photography exhibition.
Bicycle Weekends on Lake Washington Boulevard
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 20–21
Cost: Free
Grab your helmets and enjoy a car-free bike ride with Dad along a section of Lake Washington Boulevard during one of Seattle’s Bicycle Weekends. Might we suggest Seward Park for the fantastic views?
Olympic Air Show
Date and time: Saturday–Sunday, June 20–21, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: $20 day pass; $35 weekend admission; ages 6 and younger are free
Airplane-loving dad? Inspect all the awesome aircraft and look up to catch the amazing aerobatics performed at a local air show taking place at the Olympia Regional Airport.
Father’s Day Weekend Steam Train Ride
Date and time: Saturday–Sunday, June 20–21, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (departure times vary)
Cost: $14–$28; ages 1 and younger are free
All aboard! Northwest Railway Museum brings out its historic steam engine for Father’s Day weekend train excursions featuring amazing views of Snoqualmie Falls. Buy your tickets online.
Rhubarb Days
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 20–21
Cost: Free
Head to Sumner, the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World, for a taste of summer at a family-friendly fest that all are sure to enjoy. Rhubarb Days brings live music, a kids zone, local vendors and food trucks to the downtown area for a weekend of flavorful fun.
Father’s Day Car Shows
Date: Sunday, June 21
Cost: Free
Car dads — and grandpas — will appreciate all the classic and vintage rides to admire during Father’s Day car shows taking place in Issaquah, Burien, Puyallup and Lynden.
Canoe Mercer Slough
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 8:45 a.m.–noon
Cost: $20
Explore beautiful Mercer Slough Nature Park by water with Dad and the rest of the family during a three-hour canoe trip led by park rangers departing from Enatai Beach Park. Preregister.
Free Admission for Dads at Cougar Mountain Zoo
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: Free for dads; $15–$18 for others; ages 2 and younger are free
Dads get free admission to Cougar Mountain Zoo all while enjoying fun themed enrichments and learning about dads in the animal kingdom.
Dads Free on Father’s Day at the Museum of Flight
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: Free for dads; others pay admission ($21–$29; children 4 and younger are free) or membership
Blast off! Dads get in free on Father’s Day at Seattle’s Museum of Flight, where you can check out Air Force One, the Concorde and lots of other flying machines.
Dad Games at Dave & Buster’s
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Cost: $31–$38
Bring Dad and the whole crew to the third annual Dad Games on Father’s Day, where families will compete in the ultimate arcade showdown at Dave & Buster’s Auburn, Lynnwood and Bellevue locations.
Father’s Day at Emerald Downs
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Cost: $10 admission; $60 buffet; $30 ages 12 and younger with free admission
Treat Dad to a barbecue buffet with all the fixings, plus thoroughbred horse racing’s thrill of the gallop at Emerald Downs for an exciting and delicious afternoon at the track.
Father’s Day BBQ & Adventure Race
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 2–6 p.m.
Cost: $50 adults; $20 kids; ages 3 and younger are free
Treat Dad to a delicious barbecue meal and family time exploring the enchanting trails of IslandWood on Bainbridge Island, where there will also be fun trailside activities to enjoy. But hurry, tickets are going fast!
Father’s Day Dinner Cruise
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 4:30–7 p.m.
Cost: $129 adult; $65 children; ages 2 and younger are free
Celebrate Dad with dinner aboard a yacht cruising the waters of Lake Union, surrounded by views of the Seattle skyline, and scenic waterfronts and landmarks.
The Seattle Glow
Date and time: Sunday, June 21, 8–10 p.m.
Cost: Free
If your crew is willing to stay up late, bring Dad to Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion to experience a glow-up like he’s never seen before: a hot air balloon spectacular where 100-foot-tall inflatables stay on solid ground and light up the night like magical, colorful lanterns as they’re simultaneously ignited.
More Father’s Day ideas: |
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2017 and is updated each year, most recently on June 3, 2026, to include new Father’s Day activity ideas for Seattle-area families by ParentMap’s calendar editor, Julie Dodobara.
