Light Up the Night With Glow-In-The-Dark Activities for Families Around Seattle

The first couple months of the year can feel a bit gloomy with shorter days, cooler weather and less sunlight. One way to survive the Big Dark is to lean into it by getting out and doing fun activities in the dark. Try Cosmic Bowling with the family under black lights and glowing colors, play glow-in-the-dark mini golf, jump around to energetic music under black lights at a glow-in-the-dark trampoline park, fight battles in laser tag or take a spin on light-up Ice Bumper Cars. If it’s dry outside, get your nature fix after sunset with night skiing, a twilight snowshoe walk or go tubing on slopes lit up with rainbow lights.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park Glow, Tukwila

Sky Zone Trampoline Park offers more than trampolines. Attractions such as a zip line, trapeze, climbing wall, wall-to-wall trampolines, free jumps, Parkour, jousting, their signature Ninja Warrior Course and more activities that will allow kids (and their parents) to jump, fly, push limits and have fun. 

If your kids enjoy bouncing around at Sky Zone, they can level up the experience in the dark with Glow. On Fridays and Saturdays, 8–10 p.m., the lights go out and the black lights and energetic music come on to add a glow-in-the-dark twist. Tickets include a Glow T-shirt, which must be worn while playing.

Monster Mini Golf, Bellevue

Monster Mini Golf in Bellevue offers a variety of glow-in-the-dark activities. The mini golf course, lit by black lights, is filled with neon monsters and fantastical creatures for a fun putting experience. After you get your hole-in-one, head over to the mini bowling lanes for cosmic, glow-in-the-dark bowling. This mini bowling alley offers shorter, elevated lanes as well as lighter-than-usual balls and pins, which makes bowling more accessible. Best of all, no special shoes are required! 

Additionally, the arcade offers cutting-edge games and virtual reality attractions that promise immersive escapades.

Ice Bumper Cars, Tacoma

For a unique and colorful bumper car experience, try out the Ice Bumper Cars at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma. Drive bumper cars directly on an ice rink, where you’ll not only bump but also spin 360 degrees. Ages 6 and older can ride on their own and kids 3 and over and under 42 inches can ride on a parent’s lap (free with a parent’s ticket). 

The lights on the rink are dim and the cars have changing colorful lights to amp up the illuminated experience. You can add on ice skating for $7, which I would recommend since the bumper car session is only 15 minutes. Tickets are $12. Check website for availability.

Laser tag

Laser tag is a fun game that can be played by both kids and adults. Run around a battlefield arena filled with obstacles, mazes and barriers lit up with LED or neon lights. Play in teams or individually, and tag other players while avoiding getting tagged yourself. Some arenas even include fog machines, ramps and different levels to add to the excitement. When choosing an arena, check height/age requirements and if reservations are needed.

Play laser tag at Spaceland in Tacoma, Bullwinkle’s Family Fun Center in Tukwila, or Arena Sports in Issaquah or Mill Creek.

Cosmic and Vibe Bowling

Cosmic Bowling means that when regular lights go down, the black lights come on! Some alleys also have music, smoke machines and other lights, but all are neon, glowing fun. Vibe (Video Interactive Bowling Experience) bowling is also a way to liven up the game: the ball interacts with images in the lane. Think bubbles or butterflies trailing behind the ball as it rolls, plus many other lively projected scenes. Many bowling alleys offer helpers for younger kids, such as bumpers, ramps and lightweight balls, making bowling fun even for preschoolers. 

Wear your white and or neon colors for extra glowing fun.

• The Chalet Bowl in Tacoma offers glow bowling Saturday nights, 5–6:30 p.m.
• Round 1 in Puyallup and Tukwila offers Cosmic bowling and Vibe bowling daily.
• Bowlero in Tukwila offers Cosmic bowling daily.
• Monster Mini Golf in Bellevue has a mini cosmic alley with shorter, elevated lanes and no need for special shoes.
• West Seattle Bowl in Seattle offers Vibe bowling on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Lynnwood Bowl and Skate offers Cosmic bowling Tuesday nights and Friday through Sunday nights.

Snowy fun under the stars

Just because it’s dark at 4:30 p.m. doesn’t mean fun in the snow has to stop. Skiing, snowshoeing and tubing are all fun during the day, but downright magical at night. Whether you go tubing under rainbow lights, hit the slopes after dark or walk a trail under the stars.

Night tubing at The Summit at Snoqualmie

My family’s favorite place to go tubing, The Summit at Snoqualmie, offers more than tubing lanes plus an awesome covered conveyor belt that takes you back up the hill while you sit comfortably in your tube. They also feature night tubing with the lanes lit with rainbow lights to turn up your tubing experience on Friday and Saturday nights during Sessions 5 (5:15–7 p.m.) and 6 (7:15–9 p.m.). 

Tickets start at $20 for children; adult tickets start at $45. Available online only.

Twilight snowshoe tours, White Pass

If you have active kids ages 12 and up, try exploring the White Pass Nordic Center at night on snowshoes. Guides lead groups through parts of the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests at night, which are magical as you navigate under the stars by moonlight or headlamp. After the tour, relax in the Nordic Yurt with light appetizers and beverages. Prices include snowshoes, headlamps, guided tour, appetizers and beverages. Tours are Dec. 27– Feb. 21, Saturdays, 4:30–6 p.m.

Night skiing

Skiing doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down. Most of the ski resorts in our area offer fully-lit slopes for skiing under the stars. Skiing at night is not only fun, but also often less crowded after sunset. Just remember that it will be colder at night, so bundle up in an extra layer or two and schedule in a hot chocolate break to warm up in between runs.

Night skiing is offered at The Summit at Snoqualmie (night tubing as well), Crystal Mountain Resort, White Pass and Stevens Pass. Check website for lift ticket prices and availability.