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You ever have one of those days where everything was going great and you just never wanted it to end? Well, that was our trip to Seattle for us.
We went to Seattle for an extended weekend right when Claire was a toddler and had just the best time. We got great weather, which definitely helped, and despite all three of us feeling a little under-the-weather at times, we flew home reflecting on great memories. Here are our trip details and my take on why Seattle is awesome for a family trip with a toddler or small child, and why it should be on your family’s travel list:
Where We Stayed
We stayed downtown on the water at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. I would definitely stay here again as the location was excellent. We were within walking distance to Pike Place Market, the baseball/football stadiums, the monorail station that takes you to Seattle Center, and right on the water to take a boat cruise.
Where We Ate
Breakfast: There are cool coffee shops all over Seattle! We liked Cedar and Spokes, which was a block or two behind our hotel. On the way to the baseball game, we stopped into Storyville Coffee which also had a cool vibe. If you are looking for a delicious breakfast sandwich by Pike Place, check out Rub with Love which has an amazing bacon, egg, cheese, and avocado breakfast sandwich with locally sourced pork and homemade English muffins.
Lunch: There are a ton of casual restaurants that most would deem as “kid-friendly” in and around Pike Place Market to choose from. There are also a ton of options on Seattle’s waterfront for casual outdoor dining, our favorite was The Crab Pot (Claire got a hot dog and I enjoyed their Fish Sandwich).
Dinner: If you are looking for a Seattle visitor favorite that has a speak-easy type feel (in the sense that there is no signage out front), check out The Pink Door. We did a 5:00pm dinner seating and there were quite a few kids seated around us. The food is a little more expensive since it doesn’t have a true kids-menu, but Claire got yummy meatballs while Clem and I were able to enjoy a nice bottle of wine. For a waterfront indoor/outdoor beer garden type restaurant, check out Old Stone Brewery.
For more kid friendly restaurant suggestions in Seattle, check out our blog post here.
What we did
A lot of what we did was included on our CityPass vouchers, where you can get discounted tickets to many kid-friendly attractions. You can get your CityPass bookets here.
Argosy Cruise’s Harbor Tour:
Toddlers and kids will love a one hour boat cruise for a great view of Seattle’s Space Needle!
We all LOVED this cruise around Puget sound. Here’s some of the highlights:
- It’s only one hour long, which is the perfect length for a toddler or small child’s attention span.
- The whole cruise is narrated by a tour guide who touches on Seattle history, the skyline’s most famous buildings and gives a great overview of Seattle and fun things to do. The sound system on the cruise is pretty good, so if you need to shuffle around a bit, you can still hear very well throughout the boat.
- If the weather permits, I recommend doing this tour on the start of your trip so you can get a lay of the land.
- Have a stroller? No problem, park it on the boat on the 1st level when you first board.
- Hungry? Thirsty? There is a full-service bar with snacks and drinks for both adults and kids!
- Worried your toddler’s attention span won’t last the lenght of the cruise? Luckily there are three levels to the boat with tons of seating or standing room inside and out.
- Do you get seasick? So do I! Even by the end of the day, the water was calm enough and the ship was big enough that I didn’t feel naucous at all. Standing outside with the wind in your face helps!
- Where is the best seat to post up? When you aren’t on the upper deck taking in some of the awesome Seattle views, grab a table and chairs by the windows inside on the 2nd level by the bar.
- Bring a jacket- it can get windy!
- Want tickets? Get discounted tix through CityPass here.
Seattle Center:
Is your kid feeling the heat? Cool off in the International Fountain at Seattle Center.
Seattle Center is a major hub for kids’ attractions and places to play. If you are traveling with a toddler or small kid, you definitely want to wander over to Seattle Center at some point. You’ll find:
- Hot outside? Hit up the International Fountain. Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy dipping their toes or walking all the way up to the center to play and cool off. There is a nice grassy area surrounding the fountain to picnic or drop your things.
- Looking for a place to play that’s not going to get you wet? Check out the Artist’s at Play Playground where kids of all ages will find somewhere fun to explore and play. There is one large play structure best suited for older kids (5-12 years), and another one that isn’t as big and tall for younger kids (2-5yrs). There are also a few little grassy hill areas that crawlers could climb up while supervised. This would be a great place to plan on packing your own lunch as there are picnic tables around the play area.
- Can’t leave Seattle without climbing up The Space Needle!
- Hungry? There is an indoor dining hall area called The Armory which has little fast food type stands.
- Raining out? Hit up the Pacific Science Center, Children’s Museum, or MoPOP which are located within Seattle Center.
- Wondering how to get here? For about $2.50 one way, you can take the two-minute monorail right into the heart of Seattle Center and everything is walking distance from here. The doors are a little loud upon opening and closing, but your kids will want to ride it again and again!
MoPOP:
Toddlers and small kids will love playing different instruments in the Sound Lab at MoPOP.
Located within Seattle Center, MoPOP is pretty easy to find and to get to.
- I loved the gift shop here and got myself a couple of cool band tees.
- It can be loud throughout the museum, so learn from our mistake and don’t take your child in if they are mid-nap.
- With small kids you may also want to avoid the “Fantasy”, “Sci-Fi” and “Horror” galleries since they are a little scary. Actually, let’s be real, they were too scary for me, so I avoided them, too!
- Toddlers, small kids and adults will like the Sound Lab where you can play instruments and even get mini-lessons in studio rooms. Rock on!
- Find discounted MoPOP tickets through CityPass by clicking here.
Space Needle Day Tour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xg0U3UaFUQ
While the upper deck offers your family the best views, the lower deck is where you will find the glass floor.
As touristy as this was, the daytime trip up The Space Needle was one of our hightlights. If you haven’t been up to The Needle since it’s multi-million dollar renovation was completed in 2018, you definitely need to give it another look.
- Hungry? There are two dining options, a cafe and a wine bar, and neither require reservations. You could also pack snacks and just enjoy your quick treats as you circle around on the rotating glass floor. I wish we packed more food becuase all three of us (our toddler included!) could have looked out and enjoyed Seattle’s panoramic view for an hour or two.
- Worried about the line? Come early in the day, especially if there are clear skies as everyone will have the same idea! We arrived around 11:30am and the line actually moved pretty quick. Once you get inside, there is information and interactive displays to help pass the time.
- Have a stroller? You can park yours outside in the stroller parking area adjacent to the line entrance.
- It’s so cool! Did I mention the floor to ceiling glass walls on the upper level and glass floors on the bottom level? You’ll get an awesome view of the city from head to toe!
- Guess what?! You can get a day and night tour included through the CityPass vouchers here. Note: to get both tours, you need to visit within the same 24 hour period.
Pacific Science Center:
Lots of hands on exhibits for toddlers and kids at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center.
Also situtated in Seattle Center, there are things to do for kids of all ages at the Pacific Science Center.
- Overcast weather? The Pacific Science Center is a fantastic rainy day activity.
- Have a stroller? I brought ours with us throughout the Museum.
- Does your toddler or kid love to explore? You’ll find lots of hands on activities here.
- Kids of all ages will like the tide pool touch tank, the butterfly garden, the Tinkertank play area to design, build, and create things, and the live bugs and snake exhibits (but me, not so much!).
- Toddlers will be especially interested in the Tot Lot play area. They had a toddler storytime and a parent meet up here so I scored big time with the free coffee offered!
- Older kids will like the Planetarium, IMAX theatre and moving dinosaur models. For a toddler, the animatronics were a little spooky for Claire and I. Ok, well, mostly me!
- There are live Science Shows offered throughout the day. We caught the “Camoflauge and Mimicry” show. I wasn’t sure if the content would be too old for Claire, but I was surprised when she was still telling me about what camouflauge is when we got home the following weeks.
- Again, on CityPass!
Chihuly Garden and Glass:
The Chihuly glass is unreal!
The Chihuly Garden is a gorgeous place to stroll around during a toddler’s nap time!
Pictures really don’t do this studio justice and you truly have to see it for yourself!
- Looking for a good napping on the go destination that’s not a park? This is it! I planned our day around strolling through the art exhibits during Claire’s nap and it worked out nicely.
- Watch out! I wouldn’t whole-heartedly suggest wandering through Chihuly Garden and Glass during your toddler or child’s most active hours. Many of the beautiful glass pieces are displayed at floor or knee level, so avoid the battle with your child and head here while they are napping or tired and content to take a breather in their stroller.
- Watch the time! The Glass House and Garden often have closures for private events, and you don’t want to miss this highlight.
- To be honest, this site wasn’t even on my radar when we were planning our Seattle trip’s itinerary. After checking it out through CityPass, I’m so glad we went!
Seattle aquarium
All of the kids loved getting right on the glass during feeding time with the eels.
Perfect viewing underwater viewing windows that are toddler height!
Looks can be deceiving! From the outside, the Seattle Aquarium doesn’t seem very big, but you would be surprised at everything you will find once you get inside!
- Looking for some action? Check out a diver show to be able to interact with the scuba divers feeding the fish at the Puget Sound tank at the front entrance.
- Don’t miss the Giant Pacific Octopus tanks for a chance to see the largest octopus species in the world!
- Your kids will love getting up close and personal with marine life at the Aquarium’s multiple touch tanks.
- Need to take a breather? Make yourselves comfortable at the seating around the 400,000 gallon Underwater Dome tank filled with hundreds of fish native to the Puget Sound.
- Cuteness overload! You won’t want to miss the adorable Sea Otters and the other marine mammals, the River Otters, Harbor Seals, and Northern Fur Seals.
- Want to keep in touch with the new marine friends you’ve made? Watch some of the Aquarium’s most popular animals on the live cams here!
Seattle Mariner’s Game:
Don’t forget to pick up your “First Game Certificate” so your child can remember their time watching the Seattle Mariners play!
Heading to a new city’s ballpark is always one of my favorite things to do with babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages. T-Mobile Park where the Seattle Mariner’s play is especially great!
- The street leading up to the Stadium is closed down to vehicles and is for pedestrians only. It’s loaded with fans, music and food trucks.
- Want to bring in your water? You can, just make sure the cap is still secured on it.
- Hungry? I actually found there to be some pretty good food vendors. I got a hummus platter and Claire got a hot dog on a gluten-free bun.
- Have a stroller? No problem! Head over to Guest Services at Gate 128 to drop it off.
- Is this your child’s first Seattle Mariner’s game? Make sure you pick up their “First Game Certificate” also at Gate 128 with Guest Services.
- Wondering how to get your baby or toddler to sit still? At two years old, Claire still didn’t need to buy her own seat, so I put her in my lap in the carrier, like when we fly. I brought her backpack filled with some toys and activity books for when she needed a little extra engagement.
- Meet the Moose! If your child love the Mariner Moose mascot, they can meet him at the “Moose Den” at section 191 90-30 minutes before the first pitch and during innings 2, 3, 7 & 8.
- Need to get up and run around? For small kids (ages 3 & Up), head over to the play ground in the outfield of section 100. Older kids can run, throw, and practice hitting in the 300 section behind home plate.
Our day-by-day itinerary
Friday:
Took a Lyft (you get Delta miles when you use a Lyft!) from the airport to the hotel. Briefly unpacked and had Claire explore the room and see her crib. Exchanged our CityPass voucher for a reservation on the 6:40 Argosy Cruise Harbor tour. Explored the waterfront, ate at The Crab Pot. Went on the Argosy Harbor tour. Played by the Seattle Great Wheel at Pier 57. Went back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep!
Saturday:
Grabbed a breakfast sandwich at Rub of Love (made with local bacon and homemade English muffins-yum!) and a coffee at Cedar and Spoke. Quickly walked through Pike Place Market and headed over to Seattle Center via the monorail. Went up The Space Needle for a daytime tour– it was a gorgeous, clear-sky kind of day! We could have stayed here for hours, and I wish we packed a picnic lunch and ate here. We explored the Space Needle gift shop, got Claire a couple of books, and then she fell asleep in her stroller. Claire needed a nap, so we walked around for a bit outside and continued on to the MoPOP gift shop-they have the coolest band tees! Taking our chances, we entered the museum while she was still asleep. Word to the wise, probably don’t plan on a nap inside the exhibits, it’s kind of loud. Explored the MoPOP museum and then played on the “Artists at Play” playground right outside of it. Took the monorail back toward Pike Place where we had dinner at The Pink Door.
Sunday:
Went to church and then spent the morning exploring shops around Pike Place Market (cool children’s store called “Boston Street Baby” and handmade local art at “Robot vs. Sloth” to discover some unique kids shirts and accessories were my favs). Claire fell asleep on the walk down 1st Ave to T-Mobile Park where the Mariners baseball team play. We went to a 1:00pm baseball game and stayed until the 8th inning. Walked back along the water and had dinner at Old Stove Brewing company. Took a leisurely walk back to the hotel.
Monday:
Had breakfast at the hotel and leisurely journeyed over to Seattle Center via the Monorail. It was an overcast, rainy day and spent the morning at the Pacific Science Center. Went to The Armory for lunch (not my fav), followed by wandering the Chihuly Garden and Glass for Claire’s nap. I doubled back to MoPOP to grab a couple graphic tees from their gift shop that I was still thinking about. Took the monorail back to the hotel and stopped at Nordstrom on the way back. Ate at the hotel for an early night in.
Tuesday:
Ate at the hotel where the servers surprised Claire with a birthday pancake and present. Spent the morning at the Seattle Aquarium. Claire napped at the hotel for the first time all trip (I completely broke my “nap every 2-3days MAX” rule- she should have had a nap in the hotel on Sunday) while I packed. Took a Lyft over to the airport and took a 7:40pm flight back home!
What’s on our list for next time in seattle
- More parks! Gas Works Park, Green Lake Park, Discovery Park, and Kerry Park
- Bainsbridge Island and Ferry
- Museum of Flight: We didn’t go because we would have needed a car and we simply ran out of time.
- Ballard Locks: Many locals said it is a favorite spot for kids, but again, we ran out of time and didn’t have a car to move it to the top of our list.
- Seattle’s Children’s Theatre: I really wanted to see a show here, but there wasn’t anything playing at the time we were in town. Kids love live theatre!
- Seattle Library
- Woodland Park Zoo
- Center for Wooden Boats: You can do some really cool little boat tours from here. We will do this next time when Claire is a little older.
- Safeco or CenturyLink stadium tour
- Children’s Museum: This is at the bottom of my list since I wasn’t a huge fan of the Armory, but it would be a good rainy day option with kids.
- More coffee shops! General Porpoise looked like a cool one. We walked by here on our way to the baseball field and it looked really neat from the outside.
- Day trip to a winery.
- Hiking trails. We aren’t the most outdoorsy of families, but I’d check out a “mild” hike for next time.
As you can see, there are tons of fun things to do in Seattle, your experience is up to you!
All in all, I absolutely loved Seattle and would encourage those with kids of any age to go check it out!
Check out all of our links on traveling to Seattle with kids here.
Looking for kid-friendly restaurants in Seattle? Check out our list here!
Wondering where to take the best pics of Seattle? Check out our list here!