WASHINGTON

An amazing city with so many cool features, you can easily spend a week or more exploring. I traveled here multiple times and there is always something new for kids and families.

Puget Sound Boat Tour:

We booked it that morning and walked to the pier. It was incredibly well-run and easy to navigate, clear signage and precise locations. I brought my stroller onboard (8 month old baby at the time) and carried it to the upper level where the views were outstanding. It would have been easier to wear baby, but we were doing a bigger walk around the city. The tour was wonderful, there were plenty of seats and you could see the whole city as you cruised around. The rails had big gaps, so a toddler would need to be held, kept in their seat or seated below as they (or their things) could easily fall overboard.

Space Needle:

The park around this area has a museum, a food hall and some other tourist-focused activities. We ended up not going up in the space needle this time but took photos of it. The wait to get tickets was longer than we wanted so I’d suggest pre-purchasing yours to minimize wait times.

Pikes Market:

Still one of the most popular destinations, this place is always bustling. We arrived at 9 am on a Saturday and it was jam-packed. I’ve gone at 7 am before and it is my favorite time, hardly any tourists and you can see the fish sellers getting their stores set up. We had a stroller and it was very tricky to navigate due to crowds and also some stairs (old building). I’d suggest avoiding strollers if you can, going early and/or having a lot of patience. The flower stands are stunning though and our baby was very interested in looking at the beautiful colors. The sights/sounds/smells are great sensory stimulants for littles so definitely worth the visit, just mentally prepare for the congestion.

UW Football Games:

This is a gorgeous setting, the stadium overlooks the sound and fans even “sailgate” on boats before coming to the game. It is a very loud venue if you sit in the upper level under the awning, so headphones for baby is a must. Prepare yourself for very long waits at concessions. Bringing food for baby will be helpful. They do have nursing mothers room with baby changing tables and supplies. Ask at guest services on the main level and they will let you in. Parking is also very difficult, however the train takes you all the way from the airport to the stadium station and makes getting to the game easy. Long delays leaving are very real, so you can plan to walk to U Village for food after, dip out early or wait patiently for upwards of an hour to catch the train back.

Woodinville:

Washington Wine Country at its finest. We went to Chateau St Michelle with friends and this large property is very kid friendly. We opted to sit indoors, however they have a great outdoor tasting area with a lawn for kids to run around. At our table, the wait staff brought coloring sheets, crayons and kid cups so they could “taste” as well. We had a 4.5, 2.5 and .5 year old and everyone left having a great time (adults included!). 

Closest Airport
Seattle [SEA]