Washington State is a spectacular state to visit with so many things to do for families! From its breathtaking mountains to its brilliantly green rainforests and its picturesque wild shores, this is a state that should be one everyone’s bucket list!
Listed below (in alphabetical order) is 20 of our family’s favorite sites across the western portion of Washington state. Hopefully this quick reference can help you easily find Washington’s top sights so that you can better plan where you want to go on your next adventure to this magnificent state!
1. Ape Cave
Embark on an incredible self-guided journey, just south of Mount St. Helens, through one of the world’s longest lava tubes at Ape Cave! Here, only your own light source will guide your way down a path where lava once flowed 2,000 years ago. Ape Cave is about 2.5 miles in total length but its main entrance conveniently lies in the middle and creates two separate trails (in opposite directions) that vary in difficulty. Upper Cave Trail, the harder of the two, is a 1.5 mile one-way trail that requires climbing over abrasive rock piles and the ability to scale an 8-foot lava fall. (This was more than our family was willing to tackle.) Luckily, Lower Cave Trail, the trail our family hiked, is a 1.5 mile round trip easy hike through a broad portion of the lava tube (see above) and it was incredible!
Before you Go:
Please note that the temperature inside this cave is a constant 42 degrees F. For some reason I hadn’t realized that it would be this cold and this took our family off guard. We were freezing by the end of our hike so please make sure you bring a jacket! Also, make sure you bring 2-3 light sources (and spare batteries). This is your only light source in this otherwise pitch black cave. For our family, we each had our own headlamp and a small flashlight to help us light the way on our hike. This worked perfect for us!
Ape Caves was an incredible bucket list experience for our family and we highly recommend hiking it!
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2. Ballard Locks (Hiram M Chittenden Locks)
On the north side of Seattle, visit one of the busiest locks in the nation at the Ballard Locks! Here, at this free attraction, you can see up close and personal how they raise and lower the water levels so that each boat can pass through. Our children were completely fascinated by this process. They loved seeing how these locks worked. And they seriously could have sat here for hours.
The Fish Ladder
Aside from watching the boats pass through the locks, Ballard Locks also has a fish ladder. Here you can watch the salmon make their way upstream. This was a lot of fun to see! Three species of salmon use this fish ladder each year during the summer months. About 50,000 Sockeye salmon per year swim through here. Sockeye salmon viewing peaks from mid-June to mid-July. Chinook, number about 10,000 per year. Their viewing peaks in August. And about 15,000 Coho salmon per year swim by this fish ladder. Their peak viewing is in September.
The History
If you would like to learn more about how these locks work and their history, then you might want to join the free 1 hour tour. This tour leaves from the visitor center several times throughout the day. You can even schedule a VIP Tour here where you can learn all about the engineering and maintenance of the locks and even meet the people who keep the locks working.
Ballard Locks is one of Seattle’s top tourist attractions and it’s not hard to see why!
3. Boeing Future of Flight
Just 30 minutes north of Seattle, tour the only commercial jet assembly plant that is opened to the public in North America!
Here at Boeing Future of Flight, you can view 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliners on the assembly line in the world’s largest building (by volume) before they take flight in the sky. This incredible 90 minute tour is jam-packed with amazing airplane information. And the sheer scale of the assembly process will leave you in awe.
Before discovering this tour, I had never really thought about how an airplane was assembled before. But once I realized that you could see this process in person, I knew that we had to visit. And I am so glad that we did! These airplanes are huge! This tour is such a memorable experience!
Please note that no photos are allowed on this tour (hence the above photo is of the outside of the visitor center). Also, children must at least 4 feet tall (and they will measure) to go on this incredible tour.
Boeing Future of Flight is one of our favorite tours in the United States and we highly recommend going!
4. Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery, located on the Olympic Peninsula, is the most northwestern point in the contiguous United States! And it simply took our breath away! The turquoise colored water completely mesmerized us as we watched it continuously crash over the rocks and into the cliff-sides. We could have spent all day here! Even my 7 year old (see photo above) stood in this one spot for over 15 minutes just watching the waves! Cape Flattery is truly a stunning place and we highly recommend visiting!
To visit this site, please note that Cape Flattery sits on land owned by the Makah Tribe. You will need to purchase a Makah Recreation parking permit which costs $10. This permit can be found in several places in Neah Bay, like Washburn’s General Store. This is where we purchased ours. Once you have a permit, you may park at the trailhead and set off on the 1.4 mile round trip walk out to this spectacular point.
Small Road Trip Toys We Love (For Your Trip)
5. Chihuly Garden and Glass
I love Chihuly Glass! It’s completely breathtaking!
Visit an incredible world of colored glass artwork by Dale Chihuly in Seattle Center’s Chihuly Garden and Glass. His glass work is seriously impressive and this museum definitely warrants a visit if you are in the Seattle area.
6. Hoh Rainforest
Did you know that you can visit a beautiful temperate rainforest in the continental United States?
You can and it’s simply breathtaking! Discover the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Here, each year up to 12 feet of rain falls! This makes it the wettest spot in the continental United States and insanely green! Everywhere you turn, gorgeous moss drapes delicately over the trees, lush ferns blanket the ground and the sun seems to sparkle as it dances through the canopy. The scenery here is spectacular!
While visiting the Hoh Rainforest, we chose to hike 2 of the 3 main trails here, and highly recommend them! The Hall of Mosses Trail is an easy 0.8 mile loop with spectacular scenery (see picture above.) And the Spruce Nature Trail is an incredible 1.2 mile loop bursting with ferns and gorgeous views of the Hoh River (Picture Top Right). The third trail, that we were not able to hike, is an 18 mile one way hike to Blue Glacier. This trail would definitely be an incredible adventure if you have the time.
If you are able to, we recommend visiting soon after the rainy season ends, around mid June, to experience the rainforest when it is the most lush and green. We also recommend visiting early in the day so that you can beat the crowds and enjoy the silence of this beautiful rainforest.
Our Favorites For Hiking in the Pacific Northwest:
7. Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge is a must-see destination when visiting the Olympic Peninsula. The spectacular mountain views here are simply breathtaking! And it is definitely well worth the 17 mile drive up Hurricane Ridge Road from Port Angeles.
At Hurricane Ridge you can easily experience its extraordinary view right beside the visitor center (see top right photo), and then head out onto one of the many fantastic trails in this area. Unfortunately when we visited, Hurricane Hill Road (which continues on past the Visitor Center) was closed. So we were not able to see this well-rated panoramic view. Instead we chose to hike High Ridge Trail which goes out to Sunrise Point and connects to Cirque Rim Trail to form an approximate 1 mile loop. This is a great family-friendly trail and the scenery here completely blew us away! (The top left photo is the view from the trail to Sunrise Point.)
Hurricane Ridge is a spectacular site on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and we highly recommend visiting it!
8. Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is a stunning lake, known for its brilliant blue waters and exceptional clarity. It is located within Olympic National Park and is a popular recreational area with lodging, restaurants and several popular trails (including the trail to Marymere Falls).
We really enjoyed walking along this beautiful lake. And we had a fantastic lunch at the restaurant here. On the day we visited it was surprisingly windy, but this did not detract from the absolute beauty of this lake and the surrounding area. Crescent Lake is a great spot to just sit, relax and enjoy the scenery of the Olympic Peninsula.
9. Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is an iconic image in Washington and a site that most people who visit this state want to see. This active volcano, which can be seen from Seattle, is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S. and it is completely stunning!
Unfortunately when we visited, the entire mountain was hidden in clouds for days and so we were not able to see its beauty. The weather was not ideal but we tried to make the best of it and we drove up the mountain to Paradise anyway. We entered through the Nisqually entrance and drove 22 minutes to the picturesque Christine Falls (see picture above-left). Just a little farther is the beautiful Narada Falls and Paradise being shortly after. Here at Paradise, there is a visitor center, hotel and restaurant.
Paradise, WA
At Paradise we found ourselves in the middle of a cloud that refused to clear. Our children loved standing in this cloud. We could barely see 10 feet in front of us. And although I was disappointed, my children were excited by the wall of white that surrounded them!
Up at Paradise we also discovered a blanket of snow covering the ground. We couldn’t believe it! It was the end of June! (see picture above-right) Our children, again, were ecstatic. They rarely get to see the snow because we are from Florida (where it never snows) and so this was an amazing treat. Mount Rainier was a very different experience than I had been anticipating but I was happy that my family still had a great time.
Mount Rainier is one place that I will definitely be coming back to, maybe in July or August next time, so that I can hike on her beautiful mountain trails.
Our Favorite Books for Kids Visiting Washington:
A Fun Board Book for Toddlers about Washington State
A Fantastic Book for Ages 4-9
An Excellent Book for Ages 8-12 looking to know more about the Lewis & Clark Expedition
10. Mount St. Helens
In 1980 a 5.1 earthquake caused part of Mount St. Helens to collapse. This lead to a lateral explosion where 150 square miles were immediately blown over. And a mushroom cloud of ash began to rise thousands of feet in the air. This ash subsequently drifted over 900 miles, affecting states as far away as Missouri, Colorado and even Oklahoma! This is Mount St. Helens, one of the worst natural disasters in the United States.
Mount St Helens is a sobering reminder of just how powerful Mother Nature can be. Here we visited the Johnston Ridge Observatory and thought they did a great job presenting information about Mount St. Helens. At this site we saw an incredible movie recounting that historic day (which we highly recommend). We also learned all about volcanoes and earthquakes through their fun hands on displays. Lastly we were able to see this incredible view of Mount St. Helens herself and (her half cloud covered) crater convieniently from the backside of the building. Johnston Ridge Observatory is the perfect place to see and learn all about Mount St. Helens and if you are short on time, this should be where you head first.
Top Sites to Visit Here
There are three main areas to visit at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, but due to the lack of roads here, please be aware that it takes a long time to drive to each site.
Johnston Ridge Observatory is the most popular site and on the west side of the mountain (see information above). On the west side you can also find the Mount St. Helens Forest Learning Center where you can learn about the recovery efforts, reforestation, visit their museum with interactive exhibits and visit their gift shop.
On the East side is Spirit Lake (with its impressive log jam that still exists 40 years later) and an incredible view of the west side of Mount St. Helens at Windy Ridge Viewpoint. There are also numerous hiking trails here. As a side note – It takes over 3 hours to drive from Johnston Ridge to Windy Ridge.
To the south, you can visit Ape Cave (see #1 on this list). Here you can walk through a lava tube, the longest in the contiguous United States! This is truly an incredible experience that we highly recommend! Please note that it takes 2 hours and 20 minutes to drive to Ape cave from Johnston Ridge Observatory and almost 2 hours from Windy Ridge Viewpoint.
All in all, Mount St. Helens is an absolutely incredible place to visit in Washington and we highly recommend visiting!
11. Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is an incredible farmer’s market in Seattle that is over a century old! Here you can visit the Fish Market and watch the famous throwing of fish. You can stop by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and watch cheese being made through their large glass window while you eat your delicious lunch (please note that they have very limited seating).
Or you can just wander through the abundance of farm fresh produce stands and specialty shops throughout the area. While you visit you might also want to stop by and see Rachel the Piggybank, sample some incredible chowder at Pike Place chowder, grab a yummy piroshky at Piroshky Piroshky or visit the original Starbucks!
Pike Place Market is a wonderful place to visit, but please note that this market gets very crowded and that traffic/parking in this area can be difficult. There are several parking garages near but you should plan on spending at least $15 if you stay more than three hours here. If you are looking to spend the day then you might want to check out the Early Bird Rate which is $15 for the day if you park before 9am and exit by 9pm.
12. Quinault Rain Forest
The Quinault Rain Forest is a beautiful temperate rain forest on the Olympic Peninsula. This forest is often referred to as the “Valley of Rain Forest Giants” because of the number of record size species located here. Discover the World’s Largest Sitha Spruce, the largest specimens of Western Cedar, Western Hemlock, Alaskan Cedar, Mountain Hemlock and five of the ten largest Douglas-firs. This area is believed to hold the greatest number of record sized giant species in the smallest area in the world!
Our family loved visiting the Quinault Rain Forest and we really enjoyed how much less crowded it was here than the Hoh Rainforest. Now to be honest, there was a lot less moss and “rainforest feel” compared to the Hoh Rainforest, but the scenery was still stunning and we loved its remote feel.
In the Quinault Rain Forest we chose to hike the Rain Forest Nature Trail (0.5 miles) which connected to Cedar Bog Trail (for 1.8 miles) and over to Cascade Falls Trail (0.9 miles) and than circled back along Lake Quinault. This was a beautiful and peaceful 4.2 mile walk and our family really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a shorter experience, you can just walk the 0.5 mile Rain Forest Nature Loop Trail and then drive along the scenic loop drive where you can find several other short trails that go out to some of the most impressive trees in this rainforest.
13. Rialto Beach
Rialto Beach is a wild and completely stunning beach on the Olympic Peninsula. Picturesque driftwood lines this foggy shore and water as still as glass lies in brilliantly colored tide pools while waves crash dramatically against the rock formations all around. The scenery here completely took our breath away and we highly recommend visiting!
Here, at Rialto Beach, we chose to walk along its shore for 1.5 miles in the morning to the famous “Hole in the Wall” (see our picture above) and it was incredible! Aside from the spectacular scenery, here at “Hole in the Wall” you will also find a huge area of tide pools containing tons of starfish and sea anemones!
Please note that the walk to the tide pools at Hole in the Wall takes about an hour. And you’ll want to time your arrival during the lowest tide (minus tides are best) or even 30 minutes prior so that you can access this area safely. By doing this you should have plenty of time to explore these incredible tide pools and be able to observe lots of sea creatures before the tides start to rise again.
Our family had an absolute blast at Rialto Beach! The scenery here is unbelievable and exploring the tide pools was a ton of fun! Overall, I have to say that Rialto Beach is by far my favorite wild and scenic beach walk in the entire United States!
14. San Juan Islands
Discover the beautiful San Juan Islands, located just west of Seattle. Here you will find over 172 islands and reefs scattered throughout these waters. Ferry service is available to the four most populous islands (San Juan Island, Orca Island, Lopez Island and Shaw Island) where most of the lodging and restaurants are found.
While visiting these islands you may want to embark on a whale watching adventure, head out in a kayak or grab a bicycle to explore these beautiful islands. You may want to visit one of their many wineries, breweries or their chocolate tasting room. On these Islands you can go horseback riding, visit the Whale Museum or go on one of their many farm tours. Visit a shellfish farm, a lavender farm or an alpaca farm. With so many choices your family is sure to have fun on the San Juan Islands.
15. Sol Duc Falls
Sol Duc Falls Trail is a wonderful 1.6 mile round trip hike through beautiful old-growth trees in the middle of a lush rainforest atmosphere. Our family absolutely loved the peacefulness of this trail with its moss covered rocks, soothing streams and picturesque scenery.
As you near the end of this out-&-back family friendly trail, you will begin to hear the roar of Sol Duc Falls as it cascades 48 feet down into a narrow rocky canyon.
This is quite a magnificent sight!
Our family really loved Sol Duc Falls and the unique perspective at which it is viewed. Here you view the falls from slightly above and directly across from its crest before watching the water tumble down into the canyon. This uncommon viewpoint makes Sol Duc Falls an even more special waterfall to visit.
To give you a perspective on the size of this beautiful waterfall, my three children are standing on the boardwalk, overlooking the falls, in the upper right of this photo. This falls is much bigger than it seems at first glance!
If you are able to visit Sol Duc Falls, please note that this is a relatively hard waterfall to photograph. As a helpful suggestion, I found that the best photographic viewpoint is from the angle that the photo above was taken (before you actually reach the falls). Once you get closer to the falls, although spectacular in person, it becomes much harder to photograph. From this photographic viewpoint as well, you may even be lucky enough to see, like we were, a beautiful rainbow filling the canyon below you.
16. Tide Pooling
The Olympic Peninsula in Washington is a fantastic place to explore tide pools with your family! Here at low tide the Pacific Ocean retreats from the beaches and exposes hundreds of pools of water that are exploding with sea life among the rocky crevices. Discover starfish (purple, red, or yellow), spiny sea urchins, sea anemones and many types of crabs scuttling all around these rocks and pools.
The top tide pool spots on the Olympic Peninsula include “Hole in the Wall” at Rialto Beach (see #3 on this post), Kalaloch’s Beach 4 and beaches such as Ruby Beach, Second Beach and Third Beach. Tide pools are best explored at 30 minutes before the lowest tide and are exceptional at minus tides so check a tidal calendar before venturing out. Please remember to observe these creatures respectfully and watch where you step as you explore their incredible home.
17. "Tree of Life"
The “Tree of Life” is a spectacular site to see on the Olympic Peninsula near the Kalaloch Lodge! Here a Sitka Spruce hangs in mid-air, with roots dangling and the ground beneath, completely eroded away!
How in the world is this tree’s weight supported? And how does it continue to thrive?
This tree is a breathtaking site that will completely leave you speechless!
18. Whale Watching
Whale Watching is an incredible bucket list experience and here along the Washington coast you can explore some of the richest whale habitat on the planet. Orcas, Humpbacks, minke or gray whales sightings are possible at any time of year making the Pacific Northwest one of the premiere whale watching destinations in the world!
Along Washington’s coast, there are so many highly rated whale watching tour companies that it was hard for us to choose which one to use. But in the end, we decided to go with Island Adventures and take their 4 hour trip out of Anacortes. It was incredible and we were ecstatic to see the magnificent orca swimming in the wild!
Island Adventures Whale Watching
Our family absolutely loved our trip with Island Adventures! Not only did we get to see a wild orca, but we were also able to see a variety of seals and even two bald eagles. During our journey we loved listening to their Marine Naturalist who provided a wonderful amount of information about what we were seeing and about the ecosystem here. We learned so much!
There was also plenty of space onboard to view the wildlife and the tiered decks made it easier for everyone to get the perfect angle without crowding. We also loved the nice and warm cabin that we could go in and sit periodically to warm up or to get out of the wind. (Prior to our trip I had not realized how important this could be.) This cabin also housed an onboard concession and there were nice bathrooms just down the hall. (This is a great feature to have especially when traveling with kids.)
Whale watching is a spectacular activity to do while visiting Washington and we highly recommend this experience!
19. The Underground Tour - Beneath the Streets
Did you know that there is an entire system of historic underground passageways in Seattle? There is, and you can tour them!
This is “Beneath the Streets,” and this tour is fascinating! On this one hour walking tour you will cover four city blocks of historic Pioneer Square and explore three underground passageways that were originally constructed in the 1890’s. You’ll see and hear the history of the neighborhood from both the original and current street levels.
Our family really liked this tour and found this part of Seattle’s history incredible! It’s hard to believe that there is a whole separate level below the streets of Seattle! There are other tours that take you down to explore these passageways as well, but to me this tour is the most family friendly.
With Beneath the Streets, they concentrated on the history of Seattle and limit how much detail they provide about the numerous illegal activities that used to go on in these tunnels. I really appreciated this for our family. If you are looking to discover the “underside” of the underground history (and everyone is 18 or older) then you can take their adult only “Red Light District Tour” that reveals some of the non-family friendly activities that used to occur in these tunnels before they were closed up.
Beneath the Streets is an incredible underground history tour and a fun thing to do when visiting Seattle.
20. North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a spectacular mountain range that is tucked away in the northern part of Washington state less than 3 hours north of Seattle. It is one of the least visited national parks in the United States, but I think that this makes it one of Washington’s best kept secrets!
There are several incredible things to do at North Cascades National Park. First, make sure you drive the stunning North Cascades Highway (which traverses straight across the national park). Second, don’t miss stopping to gaze upon the breathtakingly turquoise Diablo Lake. And third, try out one or two of this park’s fantastic hikes. North Cascades National park also includes the two popular areas of Mount Baker (to the west) and Lake Chelan (to the south) which offer even more fun things to do.
Top Hikes in North Cascades National Park
Top hikes in this park include Blue Lake Trail, Maple Pass Trail and Cascade Pass Trail.
Blue Lake Trail is a kid friendly 5.3 mile out & back trail with less than 1,000 feet of elevation gain. This moderately easy trail passes through extremely beautiful sub-alpine forests to reach an iridescent blue lake with unbelievable clear water. This trail is best used from July until November due to snow.
Maple Pass Trail is a 7.8 mile moderate loop trail with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Here, you will find incredible views of the Cascade Mountains and the surrounding alpine lakes. It is recommended to hike this trail counterclockwise. This trail is only open from July to October due to snow.
Cascade Pass Trail is the most popular trail in the park and is 6.5 miles out & back with an elevation gain of 1,781 feet. It is rated difficult but could be fun for the experienced hiking family. Here, nearly 30 switchbacks take you through absolutely stunning scenery that is beyond compare. Please note that if you are looking to hike this trail, it too does not open until July due to snow, so plan accordingly.
North Cascades National Park is truly a breathtaking national park and an amazing place to visit!
This concludes our list of Top Things to Do in Washington for Families.
I hope you found it helpful in planning your future trip to Washington and that you discovered several sites that you would like to visit.
Have a Great Trip with Your “Traveling Feet!”
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