Book Your Next Staycation in Redmond: 12 Spots to Make a Weekend of It

Microsoft’s campus used to be an open-air chicken farm and Redmond Town Center was a golf course. In 1960, Redmond’s population was less than 1,500. Now, it’s 82,380. 

What’s behind the boom? The little company called Microsoft that established its headquarters in Redmond in 1986. Farms and forests turned into office buildings and condos. Today, Redmond is the eighth-largest city in King County and home to Microsoft, Nintendo, Meta, Amazon, SpaceX and more. 

Redmond sits on the northern tip of Lake Sammamish, about 15 miles east of downtown Seattle. It’s easier than ever to get there, thanks to the new light rail connection that opened in May. 

Redmond is a suburb, but a surprisingly walkable one, with sidewalks and parks and tons of kid-friendly activities centered around the downtown. I’ve rounded up a dozen fun ideas for a family weekend staycation in Redmond. 

Places to play 

Outdoor activities 

Willows Run Golf Complex 

The mini golf course at Willows Run Golf Complex is easily the prettiest mini golf course I’ve ever seen. You play a full 18 holes through a landscape with a waterfall and mature trees. The best hole is 16, where you hit the ball through a tunnel. 

Rainbow Run mini golf is located at the south end of the Willows Run parking lot and has its own clubhouse. “It’s for ages 3 to 103,” said manager Brian Petkavich. “It’s a happy spot.” 

History trivia: This land was a vegetable farm before the brother-in-law of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen developed the golf course in the 1980s. 

Location: 10402 Willows Rd. N.E., Redmond 

Marymoor Park and more park hopping 

Redmond is home to 47 city parks, and you could make an entire day of going on a playground crawl. 

The star of Redmond’s park system is Marymoor Park, which truly has something for everyone. There are two large playgrounds and a life-size train, a 30-foot climbing wall and a 42-acre off-leash dog park known as “doggy Disneyland.” 

Nearby, Grass Lawn Park is the place for rope climbers. The newest of the bunch, Westside Park, features a natural log theme. 

Marymoor Park location: 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., Redmond

Indoor spots 

Kids Magic Lab 

If you want to run some errands and the kids want to play, the best plan is to divide and conquer. One parent or caregiver hits Redmond Town Center, and the other brings the kids to Kids Magic Lab, a beautifully designed play space that opened last year. 

“Educational play was the vision,” said founder Yalin Zhu-Hu, a mom of two. There are five adorable pretend play houses, plus a little gym area in the back. Kids can visit a farm, a supermarket, a kitchen and a hospital. Other zones include big foam blocks for building and sanded wood spheres for sensory play. 

Kids Magic Lab’s prime demographic is kids 1 to 8 years old. There are cubbies for shoes in the front, and everyone wears socks inside. The day pass comes with in-and-out privileges, so you can play, go have lunch, and come back and play some more. 

Location: 7325 166th Ave. N.E., F235, Redmond 

Paint Away

Redmond Town Center opened in 1997 and Paint Away has been a fixture at the shopping center since the beginning. It’s a laid-back creative space. My kids and I each painted a bowl, so now our breakfast cereal comes with this cherished family memory. Form and function!

To start, pick out the form you’d like to paint, then select your colors. The paints, brushes and palettes are all tidily organized. The studio is bright and relaxed and you can paint as long as you like. Your item is fired and ready to pick up in about a week. 

When her daughters were growing up, Eela Nair would bring them to Paint Away for birthday parties. Nair became the new owner last year, and it was a natural transition, given her background as a henna artist and online art teacher. Paint Away is all about people having fun and gathering around art. “I am around happiness,” Nair said. 

Location: 7345 164th Ave. N.E., Suite I-130, Redmond 

Brick & Mortar Books 

When Brick & Mortar Books opened in 2017, taking over the former Eddie Bauer space in Redmond Town Center, naysayers scoffed. A brick-and-mortar store selling books? Well, joke’s on them because eight years later, the store’s busier than ever and just wrapped up its third Bigfoot Kids’ Book Festival. 

The children’s section, which runs along the entire back third of the store, is brilliant. Co-owner Dan Ullom is a former fourth and fifth grade teacher, and his mom, Tina, is a retired school librarian. (Tina read an article about author Ann Patchett’s bookstore, and she texted Dan, “This is the only thing that could get me out of retirement.”) 

What makes this family-owned, indie bookstore stand out is its curated selection and its staff. The people who work here genuinely love books and are deeply knowledgeable. I mentioned my son’s interest in spy books, and school coordinator Shay Shortt immediately pointed out spot-on recommendations. That’s customer service you won’t find online. 

Location: 7430 164th Ave. N.E., Suite B105, Redmond

Uncle’s Games 

Uncle’s Games doesn’t just sell games, it’s a community gathering spot for people who love to play games. The center of the store is lined with long black tables, and the place comes alive in the evening. Every night is game night at Uncle’s Games and it’s free. Psst, Tuesday is Pokémon League and Sunday is family game night. 

The store carries a huge selection of family games, party games, puzzles, cards, chess sets and more. You can bring your own games to game night, or borrow any game in the demo library (an overflowing Ikea Kallax) to try for free.

Location: 7325 166th Ave. N.E., F150, Redmond

IPIC Theater 

Thinking of going out for dinner and a movie? How about both at the same time? IPIC Theater is a boutique, luxury cinema with a full-service menu. 

Settle in on the cozy, reclining seats. Dinner arrives with real plates and cutlery, and there’s a call button at your table. “Everything down to the ranch dressing is made in-house,” said general manager Dan Hutchinson. 

The Redmond IPIC opened in 2011 and is one of the first of now 14 IPIC locations nationwide. There are seven theaters in the building, each with 29 to 60 seats. Hutchinson estimated that the Redmond IPIC’s audience is 40 to 50 percent families, much higher than other IPIC theaters because so many families live in the area. 

Hot tip: You’re welcome to come play pool or shuffleboard in the lobby for free, even if you’re not watching a movie. Just leave an ID at the desk. (A school ID works if you don’t have a driver’s license.) 

Location: 7330 164th Ave. N.E., Suite E200, Redmond 

GripWerx Simulation Racing 

Car-crazy kids will go nuts for GripWerx Simulation Racing, where you can try real race circuits around the world. There are 300 tracks to choose from, including the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, the Mugello in Italy and the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany. 

GripWerx opened in 2020 and owner Calvin Le, a former Microsoft engineer, built all the simulators himself. Choose your ride from among 1,500 options; Le’s favorites include the Honda S2000, the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo2 and GT3 race cars. 

Kids need to be above 4 feet tall to play, which is usually around 7 or 8 years old. The eight simulators are connected, so you can race against your friends in real time. 

Location: 7330 164th Ave. N.E., E220, Redmond

Places to eat 

Farine Bakery & Cafe

We walked exactly one block over from our hotel to … Europe. After retiring from Microsoft, Olivier Dispas opened Farine Bakery & Cafe to bring a taste of his hometown of Brussels to Redmond. 

Farine is the French word for flour. You cannot go wrong with any of the French and Belgian pastries in the display case: the croissants, the pain au chocolat, the eclairs and definitely the creme brulee cruffin. We sat at a heated outdoor table, digging into Belgian waffles with a pile of the fluffiest whipped cream. It hurt me to drink my coffee, only because the latte art was too exquisite to ruin.

“Where are we?” my son asked. It honestly felt like we were transported to a café in Europe. 

Location: 16450 Redmond Way, Suite 100, Redmond 

Nékter Juice Bar 

Nékter owner Arceli Ilar is officially a genius — she got my kids to happily eat spinach and they didn’t even know it. The leafy greens are disguised in a smoothie, but there’s no trickery in her menu. The only ingredients are fruits and vegetables, and she even makes her own cashew milk every day. 

“We use the real stuff,” said Illar, who is the mom of three and has a grandbaby on the way. “I eat like this at home. I want to teach people to eat better.” 

We loved the bright dragon fruit bowl, and the PB&J bowl is a fun spin on a kid-favorite. Nékter Juice Bar, which opened two years ago, is tucked in a newer building facing a beautiful park. Take your acai bowls, waffles and drinks to the park for a yummy picnic. 

Location: 8020 161st Ave. N.E., Redmond 

#K-Street KBBQ 

Judging from the hordes of K-pop demon hunters running around on Halloween, Korean pop is really having a moment. And with it, Korean cuisine: #K-Street KBBQ is a family-owned Korean restaurant, and it’s Washington’s first halal Korean barbecue. 

K-barbecue is another word for the most juicy, tender meat you will ever eat. It’s cooked right at your table, using scissors to cut up the meat, Korean-style. Don’t let the name fool you, the “small” beef platter is enough to feed four hungry adults, easy. We also loved the seafood pancake and the Korean side dishes called banchan. 

Save some room for dessert — there’s a Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream shop a five-minute walk away. The Seattle-founded chain is known for its local ingredients, progressive values and just really, really good ice cream. 

Location: 7430 164th Ave. N.E., B103, Redmond 

Making a weekend of it 

Hilton Garden Inn 

Make it feel like you really got away by booking a quick overnight stay. We checked in at Hilton Garden Inn, which is one block from Redmond Town Center. (Like I said, you will not believe how walkable Redmond is.) 

The hotel was built in 2020 and it still feels brand new. There’s a big room off the lobby called the library, where there’s seating and tables and tons of lounge space. Going off routine is such a special treat for my kids. Their favorite part was staying up late and watching cartoons in bed!

Location: 16630 Redmond Way, Redmond