VISITING Seattle · The Emerald City

Visiting Seattle with toddlers and little kids: the plan.

Stay downtown or near Seattle Center. The aquarium is on the waterfront, Pacific Science Center is at Seattle Center, and Woodland Park Zoo is a short drive north. KidsQuest is across the lake in Bellevue. Here’s a plan with nap time built in.

Top 2 can’t-miss spots

#1Seattle Center, 200 Sue Bird Court N.
Pacific Science Center
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Indoor
See it in the guide
#2Phinney Ridge, 5500 Phinney Ave. N.
Woodland Park Zoo
Open 9:30am–4pm through April.
See it in the guide
Nap breaks built in

One day or two in Seattle

A couple of big stops, a real lunch and a nap in the middle. Tap a stop for the full listing.

If you have one day
MORNINGPacific Science CenterOpens at 10am, Wednesday to Sunday · Seattle Center, 200 Sue Bird Court N.LUNCHArmory Food & Event HallA short walk away · Seattle Center
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPSeattle AquariumLast entry 5pm · Downtown waterfront, 1483 Alaskan Way
If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

MORNINGWoodland Park ZooGates open at 9:30am · Phinney Ridge, 5500 Phinney Ave. N.
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPThe Museum of FlightOpen until 5pm · South Seattle, 9404 East Marginal Way S. · $21 kids, $29 adults
Where to stay

Kid-friendly areas near the big attractions

Pick the area by the stops you’ll make most, then plan around nap.

SEATTLE CENTERHarrison StreetPacific Science Center and the Armory food hall are a short walk apart here.Near Pacific Science Center
DOWNTOWNWaterfront and Pike PlaceClose to the Seattle Aquarium and the Central Library.Near Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Central Library
EASTSIDEBellevueClose to KidsQuest Children’s Museum, across Lake Washington from Seattle.Near KidsQuest Children’s Museum
Before you go

Practical tips

Parking, strollers, changing tables and the best times to go.

Mondays and Tuesdays
Pacific Science Center is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Mondays
Imagine Children’s Museum is closed Mondays.
Half-price days
Imagine Children’s Museum is half price on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Visiting in November or December?

Santa and Christmas lights in Seattle

If your trip lands in the holiday season, these two pages have the dates, prices and booking links.

Santa in SeattleBreakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains, with 2026 pricesChristmas lights in SeattleDrive-thru and walk-through displays, start times and 2026 prices
On a budget

Free and cheap wins for visitors

Spend less without skipping the good stuff.

Downtown, 1000 Fourth Ave.Seattle Central LibraryFree.FreeIndoor
All free things to do in Seattle →
This week

Happening while you’re here

This week’s top events in Seattle. The full list, with hours and the forecast, is on the this-week page.

#1Sat 9:30am–3pm
Pumpkin Bash at Woodland Park Zoo
The zoo’s Halloween day. The animals get pumpkins to smash and eat, and costume parades leave from Zoomazium at 11:30am and 2:30pm.
Woodland Park Zoo · Seattle
Free with zoo admission
Hours, food & parking
#211am–6pm
Día de Muertos Festival at Seattle Center
A free weekend festival in the Armory with community altars and face painting. Kids can sit in on the sugar skull and paper flower workshops, and there are performances on the Armory stage every hour.
Seattle Center Armory · Seattle
Free
Hours, food & parking
#3Sat 9am–4pm
Halloween Spooktacular at KidsQuest
The Bellevue museum’s yearly Halloween day, with a Haunted Hoedown rodeo theme this time. Costumes are encouraged.
KidsQuest Children’s Museum · Bellevue
Regular admissionIndoor
Hours, food & parking
#4Fri 11am–1pm
Trick-or-Treat Story Time (Redmond Library)
Family story time at 11, then kids practice trick-or-treating at candy stations around the library at 11:45. Free.
Redmond Library · Redmond
FreeIndoor
Hours, food & parking
#5Sat 11:30am–12:30pm
Halloween Story Time and Costume Parade (White Center Library)
Books and songs about pumpkins and bats, then a costume parade and trick-or-treating inside the library. Free.
White Center Library · Seattle
Free
Hours, food & parking
See everything this week →
Good questions

Visiting Seattle with toddlers: the FAQ

Is Seattle kid-friendly?

For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Seattle guide lists 12 places we checked for little kids, plus 1 free place and 5 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 3 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 3 library systems. This week’s list has 34 dated outings for ages 0–6. See free things to do in Seattle and this weekend’s list.

How many days do you need in Seattle with a toddler?

Two works well: one at Seattle Center and the waterfront, and one at Woodland Park Zoo.

Where should we eat on the Seattle waterfront?

Ivar’s Acres of Clams is on Alaskan Way. It’s open until 8pm, and 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Where should we stay in Seattle with a toddler?

Downtown near the waterfront puts the aquarium and the Central Library close. Bellevue works if KidsQuest is your main stop.

Get the list every Thursday.

One short email every Thursday evening with the five things we’d leave the house for in Seattle.