12 Secret Gardens for Seattle-Area Kids and Families

While Bellevue Botanical Garden is also not particularly secret, its 20 acres of paths and innovative gardens make an ideal first hike for a preschooler, from its Lost Meadow Trail through wetlands and woodlands to a rock garden to the ultimate adventure for the short set: a one-third-mile-long nature trail that crosses a ravine via a 150-foot suspension bridge. Don’t miss a meditative walk through Yao Garden.

Location: 12001 Main St., Bellevue

Next stop: Hedge heaven