8 of the Best Things to Do in Seattle With Kids

Set between Puget Sound to the west, Lake Washington to the east, and the forested peaks of the Cascade Mountains rising beyond the city, Seattle is a place where wilderness and urban discovery come together. Celebrated for its culture of innovation, maritime heritage, and easy access to the outdoors, the Emerald City offers families countless ways to discover the qualities that define it. Here are eight family-friendly experiences to consider when visiting Seattle.

(Plan your trip to Seattle with our essential travel guide.)

1. Discover Seattle’s waterfront

Stretching along Elliott Bay at the edge of downtown, the Seattle Waterfront, revitalized in 2025, combines sweeping views and family-friendly attractions. One of its biggest draws is the Seattle Aquarium. “It both educates and entertains with a huge variety of creatures that live in and around Puget Sound, like the giant Pacific octopus, seals, and otters,” says Bryan Dutt, a tour guide with Tours Northwest, a Seattle-based tour company, for 18 years. 

Home to nearly 400 species across six exhibit areas, the aquarium invites families to watch playful sea otters, touch tide-pool creatures like anemones, and explore underwater habitats, featuring blue-spotted stingrays and blacktip reef sharks. 

Continue along the waterfront and ride the Seattle Great Wheel, which towers 175 feet above Pier 57, or consider a stroll along the Overlook Walk, an elevated pathway connecting downtown to the waterfront. Dutt also recommends Pike Place Market, the century-old public market overlooking Elliott Bay, where families can cheer on the famous fish toss, snack on locally made treats, and browse artisan shops for souvenirs, ranging from craft kits to plush toys. 

“During the busy summer months, the goal should always be to get to the Pike Place Market at or before 9 a.m.,” he says, recommending an early arrival to avoid crowds. “There are plenty of bakeries, cafes, and businesses that start opening around 7 a.m., and you can grab breakfast to go, then explore the Market as it’s waking up.”

2. Make a day of discovery at Seattle Center

Originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair, this 74-acre civic campus brings together many of Seattle’s top attractions within an easy walk of one another. Anchored by the iconic Space Needle, Seattle Center is home to museums, theaters, and playgrounds. 

Start with panoramic views from the Space Needle, where daring kids can experience the world’s first and only revolving glass floor while looking straight down at the city below. Younger children can spend hours at the Seattle Children’s Museum, an interactive, play-based space for building, role-playing, and creating art. Continue to the Pacific Science Center to enjoy laser and planetarium shows, a tropical butterfly house, and watch live science demonstrations that reveal how the brain interprets optical illusions and how air and air pressure shape the world around us.

Between attractions, relax on the campus lawns or cool off at the International Fountain by splashing through its water jets. 

3. Escape into the city’s outdoor spaces

Seattle is woven together by nearly 500 parks spanning more than 6,400 acres, combining dense evergreen forests, saltwater beaches, and freshwater lakes within the city limits. 

At 534 acres, Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest park, transformed from a former military fort into a retreat of forests, meadows, bluffs, and nearly two miles of tidal beaches overlooking Puget Sound. Keep an eye out for bald eagles and great blue herons while making the scenic walk to the historic West Point Lighthouse. 

Families can also head to Green Lake Park, centered around a 2.8-mile paved path that loops around the lake. With two swimming beaches, boat rentals, playgrounds, and a rowing center, families can rent paddleboats, water bikes, and kayaks. 

4. Join the crowd at a game day

Home to eight major professional sports teams, Seattle has built a reputation for its passionate fan base. No matter when you visit, there’s a good chance you can catch a game. 

Seattle’s teams include the Seattle Seahawks (National Football League), Seattle Mariners (Major League Baseball), Seattle Kraken (National Hockey League), Seattle Sounders FC (Major League Soccer), Seattle Storm (Women’s National Basketball Association), Seattle Reign FC (National Women’s Soccer League), Seattle Seawolves (Major League Rugby), and Seattle Torrent (Professional Women’s Hockey League). Even if you’re not a die-hard sports fan, attending a game lets you join thousands of locals cheering in unison, sample classic stadium fare, and experience the traditions that make game days feel so electric. 

For an even closer look at Seattle’s sports culture, go behind the scenes with a stadium tour at venues including Climate Pledge Arena and T-Mobile Park. Claire Pepple, event sales activation specialist with the Seattle Mariners who leads the tour program at T-Mobile Park, says one of her favorite moments is something families may not fully appreciate from their seats during a game: stepping onto the field’s warning track and peeking into the Mariners dugout, where the team’s favorite players spend their seasons.

“A close second would be stopping by the interview room and taking in where the Mariners' biggest and brightest, from Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki to Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, have spoken about their best moments on and off the field,” Pepple explains.

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5. Cruise across Elliott Bay

Turn a trip to the beach into a mini harbor adventure by riding the King County Water Taxi across Elliott Bay. Board the passenger-only ferry at Pier 50 on the downtown waterfront for a scenic 15-minute crossing to Seacrest Dock, where you’ll enjoy front-row views of the Seattle skyline, ferries, sailboats, and even seals moving in the bay.

From Seacrest Dock, hop on a short, free shuttle to Alki Beach, one of Seattle’s most beloved urban beaches. Stretching roughly 2.5 miles along Puget Sound, Alki is perfect for a relaxed afternoon outdoors, whether you’re building sandcastles, searching for starfish at low tide, or exploring the paved waterfront path by foot, bike, or rollerblades.

6. Meet animals at Woodland Park Zoo

Spanning 92 acres, Woodland Park Zoo is home to more than 800 animals representing over 250 species from around the world. Its habitats transport you from the African savanna to the tropical rainforest, showcasing wildlife conservation and environments inspired by animals’ natural homes. 

“Programs where guests get to see our animal keepers and our animals interacting really resonate with kids,” says Daniel Rother, director of guest and volunteer engagement at Woodland Park Zoo. “Our Tree Kangaroo and Red Panda Spotlights, for example, happen in our brand-new Forest Trailhead and connect our guests to Carson the red panda and Aria, Renbo, and Rocket the tree kangaroos.” During these programs, you can watch animals participate in training sessions, while educators share stories about their personalities, feeding habits, and behaviors. 

Because the zoo covers such a large area, Rother recommends planning your route around your favorite to help younger visitors stay engaged. He adds, “The zoo is built around one main loop, so make sure you step off the main path and towards our habitats to see animals.” 

7. See Seattle’s waterways in action at the Ballard Locks

Located between the neighborhoods of Ballard and Magnolia, the Ballard Locks form a vital waterway connection between Puget Sound and Lake Union and Lake Washington. Visiting feels like stepping into a real-life science demonstration: you can stand just feet away as fishing boats, sailboats, and yachts enter the lock chambers. Watch the gates close, and see water levels rise or fall, as boats move between saltwater and freshwater.

During salmon migration season, typically mid-July through September, don’t miss the fish ladder, a series of channels that helps migrating salmon safely return to spawn.

8. Set sail in search of whales

A whale-watching excursion invites visitors to connect with the city’s wild landscapes just beyond its shoreline. “Encounters with wildlife not only resonate well with children, but also those experiences are vitally important,” says Alli Montgomery, lead naturalist at FRS Clipper, noting that people build connections with the things they experience, and hopefully, inspire guests to care more deeply about wildlife.

FRS Clipper launches from Pier 69 and ventures into Puget Sound and the Salish Sea in search of orcas, humpback whales, porpoises, seals, and sea lions. Along the way, naturalists share stories about the Salish Sea’s ecology and the waterways that have shaped the Pacific Northwest.

These half-day tours operate seasonally from May through early November. Beyond whale sightings, families can dive deeper into the region’s wildlife through hands-on educational resources. “We have a myriad of presentations, displays, artifacts, books, and more for folks to engage with and learn from,” says Montgomery. “I truly want people to not only walk away from their voyage with great encounters, but also to learn something that they perhaps never knew.”