# Weekend getaways from Seattle with kids Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/seattle/weekend-getaways/ > The best trip within about five hours of Seattle for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on. After the weekends there are 4 day trips that work any weekend. Last checked: 2026-10-29. ## Weekend of Oct 30–Nov 1 Nothing verified within reach is worth the drive this weekend. ## Weekend of Nov 6–8 Nothing verified within reach is worth the drive this weekend. ## Weekend of Nov 13–15 Staycation is your best option: Seattle is the regional pick this weekend. WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo, 4 to 9pm with last entry at 8:30. Tickets are dated, so pick your night before you drive over. ## Weekend of Nov 20–22 Staycation is your best option: Seattle is the regional pick this weekend. Santa is at the Seattle Christmas Market in Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center. Weekend hours run from 11:30am, so you can go before nap. ## Weekend of Nov 27–29 Staycation is your best option: Seattle is the regional pick this weekend. The Winterfest train and village at the Seattle Center Armory is free, 10am to 6pm, and Snowflake Lane runs in Bellevue at 7pm. ## Weekend of Dec 4–6 Staycation is your best option: Seattle is the regional pick this weekend. Seattle Center's Winterfest Winter Train and Village is free and open 10 a.m.–6 p.m., a daytime outing that fits around naps. ## Other family getaways within 5 hours We don't post event listings for these places. Check the official page for hours and what's on. - **Leavenworth**, Leavenworth, WA (about 2 hr 45 min from Seattle). A Bavarian-style village in the Cascades, known for its Village of Lights. Official page: https://www.leavenworth.org/ - **Mount Rainier National Park**, Paradise, WA (about 2 hr 45 min from Seattle). Paradise is known for its wildflower meadows and gets about 640 inches of snow in an average year. Official page: https://www.nps.gov/mora/ - **Olympic National Park**, Port Angeles, WA (about 3 hr 15 min from Seattle). Port Angeles is home to Olympic National Park's headquarters, and the park has temperate rain forests and over 70 miles of wild coastline. Official page: https://www.nps.gov/olym/ - **Cannon Beach**, Cannon Beach, OR (about 4 hr 30 min from Seattle). A beach town known for Haystack Rock and its tidepools. Official page: https://www.cannonbeach.org/ ## Day trips any weekend - **Snoqualmie Falls**, Snoqualmie (about 45 min from Seattle). A 270-foot waterfall a short walk from the parking lot. The upper viewing deck is about 200 feet from the paid lot and is wheelchair accessible, and there are picnic tables nearby. Hours: Sunrise to sunset every day. Cost: Free to visit; parking is free across the street or $7 an hour in the paid lot. Official page: https://www.snoqualmiefalls.com/ - **Children's Museum of Tacoma**, Tacoma (about 45 min from Seattle). Hands-on play spaces for kids from birth to 12 in downtown Tacoma. Strollers and food stay out of the galleries, but there are free lockers and a lobby space for snacks. Hours: Fri–Sun 10am–5pm. Cost: Pay as you will (donation only). Official page: https://greentrike.org/childrens-museum-of-tacoma/ - **Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium**, Tacoma (about 1 hr from Seattle). The only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest, inside Point Defiance Park. Thomas Dambo's giant troll sculptures are on the grounds through January 24 with regular admission, and Zoolights starts November 27. Hours: Thu–Mon 9am–3:30pm through Dec 20 (closed Tue–Wed and Thanksgiving); Zoolights 4:30–10pm nightly from Nov 27. Cost: Daytime tickets online; prices on the zoo's ticket page. Official page: https://www.pdza.org/visit/hours/ - **Northwest Trek Wildlife Park**, Eatonville (about 1 hr 15 min from Seattle). A wildlife park in the woods with the Kids' Trek nature playground and guided tours through the free-roaming area, where bison, mountain goats and caribou wander. Hours: Thu–Mon 9:30am–3pm through Dec 23 (closed Tue–Wed, open Nov 11, closed Thanksgiving). Cost: Prices on the park's ticket page. Official page: https://www.nwtrek.org/visit/hours/ ## FAQ **Where can we go for a weekend from Seattle with little kids?** None of our other cities are close enough for a weekend pick yet, so start with a day trip: Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie (about 45 min), Children's Museum of Tacoma in Tacoma (about 45 min), Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma (about 1 hr), Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville (about 1 hr 15 min). **Which cities are within an easy drive of Seattle?** Portland (about 3 hr 30 min). Times are normal driving times without traffic. **What other family getaways are within 5 hours of Seattle?** Leavenworth (about 2 hr 45 min), Mount Rainier National Park (about 2 hr 45 min), Olympic National Park (about 3 hr 15 min), Cannon Beach (about 4 hr 30 min). We don't post event listings for these, so check the official page for what's open before you go. **Why is the same city picked more than once?** Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety. **Are the times and prices current?** They're what each official page showed on Oct 29, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.