Best Things to Do With Kids on the Seattle Waterfront

Seattle is a city that people from all over the world come to visit. Our temperate climate is becoming even more of a draw now that other parts of the country, and world, are experiencing extreme heat. I’ve never found a more perfect place to fully appreciate the city’s cool sea air than along the Seattle Waterfront. 

My family loves exploring the 1.3-mile-long Seattle Waterfront for an exciting and easy day of fun. Some things are free — the views of Puget Sound and the Olympics, watching ferries and container ships on Elliott Bay — and all of it is family-friendly! (And Pier 58 will be home to a new marine-themed playground, hopefully by summer 2025.)

To make getting to each attraction easier, the free Waterfront Shuttle is back for summer 2024. The shuttle runs daily, every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., through Sept. 2, 2024. (It’s possible the shuttle will be extended through September, check the website for updates.)  

Pick one end to start your waterfront adventure: the Olympic Sculpture Park to the north, or the Washington State Ferries Colman Dock to the south. Bring a stroller and stash water bottles, sunscreen and an extra layer just in case and you’re ready to start exploring.

Now, let’s get going on a Seattle Waterfront adventure. Click the arrow above the image on each page, or the link at the bottom, to scroll through all our fabulous family destinations. Or, jump to the Seattle Waterfront feature you are ready to explore today: 

• Argosy Cruises
• Seattle Aquarium
• The Seattle Great Wheel
• Ye Olde Curiosity Shop
• Ivar’s Fish Bar
• Olympic Sculpture Park

First stop: Argosy Cruises

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2020. It was updated in July 2024 by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson, and again in October 2024 by ParentMap’s family fun editor, Meredith Charaba. New details were added, including information about the opening of the Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion and Seattle Waterfront's Overlook Walk.