9 Best Family Things to Do in Seattle

If your trip to Seattle is short and you’re sparing just a day to treat your family to some active fun, the Seattle Center might just be your best bet. This vibrant park in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood is filled with green spaces where you can enjoy a leisurely walk or a picnic. The pathways lead you down to fascinating public art and installations that add a cultural touch to your visit.

In addition to its scenic beauty, the Seattle Center boasts a large kids’ playground where children can let their imaginations run wild. The Dupen Fountain provides splashing fun times, perfect for cooling off on a warm day. There’s also a dining area that’s serviced by food trucks.

Take in the breathtaking sights of Seattle, Elliot Bay, and Puget Sound on the 175-feet-tall (53-meter-tall) Seattle Great Wheel. This Ferris wheel sits at the end of Pier 57, and features gondolas that take you up for around 3 turns to enjoy bird’s-eye views.

Each gondola is fully enclosed, and there’s even a VIP option with a glass-bottomed floor for added thrills. On clear days, the views are particularly impressive, stretching as far as the eye can see. Sunset rides are also amazing, as the city lights begin to twinkle and the skyline transforms into a magical panorama.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen started the Experience Music Project at the turn of the millennium, which gave birth to the Museum of Pop Culture. This museum is dedicated to all things pop culture, ranging from music to television and film.

You can get hands-on by channeling your inner DJing skills at its Sound Lab or admire the life-size models and busts of your favorite Star Wars or most recent video game characters. The museum is right next to the Space Needle.

The Seattle Children’s Theatre, with its 2 theaters, regularly shows plays for all ages. It’s a great place to be entertained and spark your kids’ appreciation of the world of performing arts. Favorite kids’ storybook tales such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Velveteen Rabbit are brought to life on stage by an energetic cast.

In addition to its captivating performances, the theater is also home to a drama school, which offers participatory theater arts education and training by professional artists.

If you’re a family with kids aged 10 years or under, you can enjoy a cool range of interactive arts and cultural learning exhibits at the Seattle Children’s Museum. Find it in the basement area of the Seattle Center, featuring over 22,000 sq feet (2,000 sq meters) of exhibition space.

The play areas feature a Twists & Turns section where kids can delve into engineering and gravity, creating their own Seattle Street to navigate cars to the end of the road. The Corner Workshop is another highlight, offering a great space for children to unleash their artistic skills.

A host of hands-on exhibits at the Pacific Science Center are designed to keep the little ones’ minds and hands busy. Intriguing exhibits that even parents will admire at this independent science center in Seattle include the augmented reality space that overlays virtual 3D content on a real-world scene.

The Pacific Science Center’s Willard Smith Planetarium takes you on immersive visual journeys through the solar system. You can also watch the latest and greatest documentary movies at its IMAX theatre.

Seattle’s Green Lake offers a great time out for the whole family, with plenty to see and do in the water and around the lakeside. There’s a scenic trail for strolls around the lake, with special lanes for skaters and cyclists.

The Green Lake Park on the north-eastern corner serves as the main recreational area, with spacious lawns and kids’ playgrounds. You can also rent pedalboats that can seat up to 4 and make your way to the tiny mound in the lake known as Duck Island.

If you visit Seattle around mid-June through October, be sure to check out the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks for a seasonal spectacle of nature. During these months, schools of salmon go on their "salmon runs," migrating by climbing up the fish ladder at the century-old Chittenden Locks in Ballard. The locks are just a short 15-minute drive north from downtown.

Here, you can see the runs through viewing windows. You can also opt for free public scheduled walking tours that you can join from the visitor center, which last around an hour.

Volunteer Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood covers over 48 acres (19 hectares), filled with recreational features fit for families. Spacious lawns are laden with picnic tables and pathways lead you past lily ponds, flower gardens, and kids’ playgrounds. Climb up its water tower observation deck for impressive city views.

In the summer, there’s a music pavilion where gigs usually take place. From July through the early winter months, you can usually see beautiful dahlias in full bloom, overseen by the Puget Sound Dahlia Association.