The Pacific Northwest is one of my favorite places in the world! If you’re visiting Seattle, there are some fun Seattle day trips with kids you can take to see the best of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. 

As a family, we’ve spent over 16 years living in the Seattle area. And since we love travel, we love taking some fun getaways from Seattle whenever we can. 

There’s British Columbia (BC) in Canada to the north, the Cascade Mountains and eastern Washington (WA) to the east, Oregon (OR) state to the south, and various islands in the Puget Sound to visit in the west. It’s definitely worth doing some weekend getaways from Seattle with kids if you’re planning to spend some time in Seattle.

Read on to find out which Seattle day trips with kids we absolutely love doing as a family.

This article was originally published on January 19, 2016.

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Top Seattle day trips with kids

Best hotels for getaways from Seattle

If you’re planning to do some day trips from Seattle while you’re visiting the city, you’ll want to find hotels that are convenient for getting out of town. Here are three hotels that you should consider for easier day trips outside of Seattle.

Hampton Inn & Suites Northgate (for northern Seattle day trips with kids)

If you’re planning on taking some Seattle day trips with kids to areas north of Seattle, consider booking a stay at Hampton Inn & Suites in Northgate. 

This hotel is conveniently located near I-5. So if you’re planning on some getaways from Seattle in northern Washington state or Canada, you can just hop on the freeway and head north.

Hyatt Regency Lake Washington (for eastern and southern Seattle day trips with kids)

For a hotel that’s convenient to eastern or southern getaways from Seattle, consider staying just outside of Seattle in the city of Renton. The Hyatt Regency Lake Washington is a beautiful hotel in Renton, located right on Lake Washington. 

It’s easy to do Seattle day trips with kids to places like Leavenworth, Snoqualmie Falls, or Portland from the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington. All you need to do is jump on I-405, which is near the hotel.

Crowne Plaza Downtown (for Seattle day trips with kids via ferries)

For Seattle day trips with kids to some of the islands in the Puget Sound, it might be convenient to stay within downtown Seattle. The Crowne Plaza is a nice hotel to consider as it’s within walking distance from points of interest like Pike Place Market and the waterfront. 

The downtown ferry terminal, which can take you to places like Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, and Port Orchard, is about a 15 minute walk from the Crowne Plaza. 

Planning for Seattle day trips with kids throughout the year

Seattle is a year-round destination. And many, if not all, of the Seattle day trips with kids suggested in this post can be done any time of the year. The activities may change seasonally, but they’re all great places to visit on their own.

These trips don't necessarily have to be big trips. But they’re perfect for providing a different perspective on the Pacific Northwest and offering tons of family fun.

For families like us who live in Seattle, planning for Seattle day trips can also be helpful. They make travel affordable and simple. And they offer a nice change of scenery. 

While some of these places on this list require longer than a day to visit, they won’t take more than a five hour drive from Seattle. For ease of reading, I’ve organized the day trips by region: north, east, south, and west (island getaways).

So if you’re looking for ideas for Seattle day trips with kids for this year (or some weekend trips from Seattle), here's the list for you!

Seattle day trips with kids in the north

To the north of Seattle, you’ll find some great Seattle day trips with kids ideas in northern Washington and in Canada. The cities I highlight here are all within a 3 hour drive from Seattle. 

1. Bellingham, WA

Located about 90 miles north of Seattle, the city of Bellingham is a great coastal option for Seattle day trips with kids. Bellingham has cute coffee shops, bookshops, and museums for worldschooling families to enjoy.

Families will enjoy strolling through the Fairhaven neighborhood full of cozy shops and restaurants. We loved browsing for books at Village Books and Paper Dreams and getting coffee there. And we also enjoyed the Spark Museum of Electrical Invention, which was entertaining for the whole family.

2. Victoria, BC

If you’re looking for an easy visit to Canada for your Seattle day trips with kids, take a clipper ferry to Victoria, BC. This city on Vancouver Island in Canada is 3 hours away from Seattle by ferry, and is a beautiful option for getaways from Seattle.

Victoria has a lovely botanical garden, called Butchart Gardens, that you can stroll through. It also has the Royal BC Museum, and a Victorian castle called Craigdarroch Castle. If you have time, throw in a high tea experience at the Empress Hotel too!

Ferries leave Seattle at 8 am, and arrive in Victoria at 11 am. Return ferries are available in the early evening. Be sure to bring your passport.

3. Vancouver, BC

Vancouver, BC is about a three hour drive from Seattle. It’s a beautiful city with so many things to see and do. For Seattle day trips with kids in Vancouver, we like to visit Stanley Park and Granville Island, which has a vibrant market. If there’s time, we also like to go to the Chinese Garden.

To get to Vancouver from Seattle, take I-5 North. You’ll need to allot some time for the border crossing. Be sure to have a passport for everyone. Vancouver’s also a good option for weekend getaways from Seattle, as there are plenty of other activities to do in the city.

A great way to pack in activities into Vancouver is to take a guided tour. The Vancouver tours offered by locally-owned Landsea Tour and Adventures take families to Stanley Park and Granville Island, with drives through Gastown and Chinatown.

4. Whistler, BC

Being just a three to four hour drive from Seattle, Canada is a great place to visit any time of year. If you're into snow sports, the mountain resort town of Whistler, BC has many excellent outdoor options for you, especially skiing. 

We normally go in the summertime when it's warm. For our family, we like staying at and visiting the Olympic Village or going hiking on the trails.

A fun warm weather activity for families while taking Seattle day trips with kids to Whistler is to take a ziplining tour. Ziptrek Ecotours, a locally-owned company, offers zipline tours for families with kids ages 6 and older. In between the ziplines are opportunities for families to learn about the local nature.

Seattle day trips with kids in the east

To the east of Seattle, you’ll find some great locations for Seattle day trips with kids within the Cascade Mountains. If you’re looking for longer getaways from Seattle, venture out to eastern Washington state, where the landscape changes from dense forests to rolling hills.

5. Snoqualmie Falls

If you live in the Western part of Washington State, a trip to Snoqualmie Falls is required for Seattle day trips with kids. The falls are great to visit any time of year. But the best time of year is in the spring, when the snows begin to melt. This usually falls between the months of March through May.

Other times of year worth visiting is in the fall, especially if it has been a particularly rainy one. A visit to Snoqualmie Falls is a good introduction to the outdoors as there are plenty of paved paths around the area, to give you a nice taste of nature.

If you don’t want to drive yourself to Snoqualmie Falls, you can book a guided hiking tour of Snoqualmie and nearby Olallie State Park. Transportation is included, so all you have to do is follow the guide!

6. Leavenworth, WA

Washington state has some pretty quirky attractions. One such place that should be on anyone's Seattle day trips with kids list is Leavenworth, a Bavarian themed town in Central Washington. We like to visit in the summer time, as there are a number of great hikes in the area.

But Christmas time is also a great time to do visit Leavenworth. The town is decorated with holiday decor. Snow sport enthusiasts will enjoy skiing or snowboarding in nearby Stevens Pass.

Whether you’re planning to visit Leavenworth during the summer or winter time, taking a walking tour of the town is a great way to learn about its history. This walking tour from Bavarian Walking Tours takes families through the quaint streets of Leavenworth as they hear stories about the town.

7. Spokane, WA

Having grown up in Spokane, I go to this city several times a year to visit my parents. We love actively seeking out family friendly Spokane activities to do while we're there. Though technically much further away than just a day trip, I think Spokane makes a great option for Seattle day trips with kids.

Spokane is the second largest city in the state of Washington, with plenty of family oriented activities as well as new locally owned businesses. Our favorite time to visit is during the first weekend in May, when the town comes together for Bloomsday, one of the largest 12k run in the United States. It's a great way to welcome the spring and celebrate fitness at the same time.

Seattle day trips with kids to the south

You’ll find some fun Seattle day trips with kids in southern Washington state and in the state of Oregon. The mountains and forests of the Pacific Northwest serve as a picturesque backdrop for experiencing these lovely destinations.

8. Portland, OR

In terms of fun Seattle day trips with kids to the south, we really enjoy Portland, OR. It’s about a three hour drive south of Seattle. We like exploring kid-friendly Portland because you don’t have to search hard to find fun activities for families.

With its wide selection of restaurants, it's a great place to visit for amateur foodies like my husband and me. Our favorite restaurants so far have been Slappy Cakes and Hopworks Urban Brewery.

If you’re up for a tour of Portland, this tour by Peaks Tours and Transit takes families to kid-friendly spots around Portland. Families will learn all about the city!

9. Mount Rainier

One of the unique things about living in Western Washington is our close proximity to an active volcano. Seattleites have a loving fascination with Mount Rainier. Although its most recent eruption was in the 1800's, geologists are quick to warn about the possibility of an eruption, which can cause terrible devastation and destruction in the surrounding areas.

But despite the risks, Mount Rainier is one of the most beautiful places to visit on my Seattle day trips with kids list. Glaciers cover the top of the mountain, and an abundance of hiking trails allow people to explore the mountainside. Moon Guides' 75 Great Hikes Seattle offers a few hikes around Mount Rainier.

Our favorite area to visit is Paradise, which sits on the southern side of the mountain, and affords visitors picturesque views of the peak, along with some beautiful waterfalls.

10. Tacoma, WA

The city of Tacoma often falls in the shadow of its neighboring Seattle, but there are actually plenty of fun things to do in the city. It's a great city to do some Seattle day trips! Tacoma is known for its glass museum, which features a permanent collection of 20th and 21st century glass, as well as works from visiting artists.

This past summer, we spent time in Point Defiance Park, which has features a zoo and aquarium, as well as a few miles of coastline. There's also a living history museum called Fort Nisqually, which we happened to stumble upon on our visit last summer. It was fun to see the fort recreated to how it was in the 1800's.

11. Cape Disappointment

Another great place for Seattle day trips in the summertime is Cape Disappointment, in the Southwestern part of Washington State. Part of the Lewis and Clark trail, Cape Disappointment provides 27 miles of coastline, as well as two light houses.

We enjoyed learning about the history of the area at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The interpretive center features information about the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the Chinook Tribe. If you're planning to stay longer than a day at Cape Disappointment, you can also consider visiting nearby Astoria in Oregon.

Ferry getaways from Seattle

If you’re looking for a change of scenery, head out to the islands of the Puget Sound. Most of these islands are only accessible by ferry. So you’ll need to make note of departure times, and leave room in your itinerary for potential ferry delays.

12. Friday Harbor, WA

A cute spot for getaways from Seattle is Friday Harbor, located in the San Juan Islands, an archipelago in the Puget Sound consisting of 6 major islands and many more smaller islands. The little port town of Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island, has unique shops, an interesting whale museum, and some yummy ice cream shops. 

Within San Juan Island itself, you can go hiking at San Juan Island National Historic Park. There are two lighthouses you can visit, as well as viewpoints for seeing whales (there’s a great one at Lime Kiln Point State Park). 

We also liked visiting the alpaca farm at Krystal Farms and the San Juan Sculpture Park. These activities are great for worldschoolers looking to make their Seattle day trips with kids educational and fun.

Friday Harbor is accessible by ferry from the Anacortes ferry terminal. Anacortes is about a 1.5 hour drive from Seattle. Morning ferries to Friday Harbor leave around 9am, and last about an hour.

If you have a little more time to spend in Friday Harbor, consider booking a whale watching tour to see the local whales up close and personal.

13. Whidbey Island, WA

The Puget Sound is surrounded by islands. And an easy island getaway from the bustling streets of Seattle is Whidbey Island. The island is accessible by ferry from the Mukilteo ferry dock. Otherwise, you can drive further north and get onto the island via Deception Pass.

There are plenty of good Washington state camping options on Whidbey Island. Some of the state parks include Deception Pass, Fort Ebey, and Fort Casey. We like camping in Whidbey Island because it’s just far enough away to make worthwhile getaways from Seattle, but not too far. It’s a good first step for families who are new to camping.

If you like kayaking, consider taking a kayaking tour around Whidbey Island. This short tour takes families to see wildlife and views in and around Deception Pass State Park.

14. Bremerton, WA

In late August or early September, the island town of Bremerton holds its annual Blackberry Festival. We stumbled upon this one year, and were pleasantly surprised by how many things there were to do in Bremerton.

The late summer is the best time to enjoy blackberries in the Pacific Northwest. And doing some Seattle day trips to the Blackberry Festival is a great opportunity to taste the delectable berries in things like pies, ice cream, and other sweet treats.

Bremerton also has some small museums as well as a planetarium for families to enjoy. There's also a weekly Farmer's Market on Thursdays from May to October.

15. Vashon Island, WA

Another easy choice for Seattle day trips with kids is Vashon Island. Unlike many of the other ferries leaving from Seattle, the Vashon Island ferry leaves from the Fauntleroy terminal in West Seattle. From downtown Seattle, take the I-5 south, then take the West Seattle Bridge to get to West Seattle.

Vashon Island doesn't have a lot of landmarks or prominent destinations. However, it's a nice island to drive around and enjoy the scenery. There’s a lighthouse on the south eastern side of the island. There are also some forest trails for hiking. 

If you don’t want to take a ferry, you can drive to Vashon Island from Seattle by going south via Tacoma. However, the drive takes an hour and a half.

Other great ideas for Seattle day trips with kids

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg for Seattle day trips with kids. There are plenty more getaways from Seattle that we haven’t yet tried or didn’t have room to include in this post.

These trips from Seattle require more than just a day trip. However, they are definitely worth considering for a weekend trip from Seattle: 

• Olympic National Park
• North Cascades National Park
• Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
• Orcas Island
• Mount Hood
• Woodinville Wine Country
• Port Townsend
• Bainbridge Island
• Winthrop
• Port Orchard

Making time for Seattle day trips with kids during your visit to Seattle

For traveling families like us, keeping the wanderlust at bay can be challenging. Taking small getaways from Seattle help feed our travel bug and keep us inspired by the area around us.

For those of you planning a visit to Seattle, be sure to include some Seattle day trips with kids. The Pacific Northwest and the Puget Sound are beautiful places to visit. My hope is that these small adventures in the area help bring you closer together as a family!

Do you have a favorite spot for Seattle day trips with kids? Let me know!

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