Travel Tips

Seattle Washington is a city that has much to offer young and old alike as a vacation destination. The truly amazing thing about a city like Seattle is that many of the attractions that might appeal to young children, might also appeal to those of an older generation for much the same and very different reasons.

One of the many attractions that older visitors are sure to enjoy, well, if flowers are there thing, is the Woodland Park Rose Garden. These gardens are free to attend and offer some spectacular blooms if you visit between the months of May and August.

The Seattle Aquarium is another point of interest for young and old alike. Whether you are in your first childhood or your fifth there really is nothing more exciting than watching glorious sea creatures swim above your head. When I was a child, which was something that happened in science fiction, not in real life.

Which brings me to my next timeless attraction: The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. This museum explores the history of science fiction and the impact it has had on the world we see today. I love the way imaginations from times long past have sparked some of the inventions of today. As a serious science fiction lover and fanatic, I completely enjoy this museum and could spend days here. But I also have to admit that there are things I see here that belong to my father, and some things that belong to my children. This is why the Science Fiction Museum made my list.

The Underground Tours are another thing that someone who is more mature might find very interesting. I know that I was completely enthralled not only in the story, but also in the hearing of the story. This was one tour that was well worth the price I paid for it. I would pay the price again if for nothing more than to take another stroll around the museum that requires a tour ticket to gain entrance. Of course, the only exit from this tour is through the gift shop, which really poses no problem. I have will power, really!

The Whale Museum and any of the whale watching tours are another draw worth mentioning. If you have never seen one of these magnificent creatures up close it is an awe-inspiring event and one well worth repeating if you have. Young and old alike, no matter how big you are, it’s amazing how small you can feel next to these great animals.

And of course there is always the Private Eye on Seattle Tour. This tour is not for the faint of heart and yet if you are a fan of old private eye novels or ‘true crime’ then you should find this particular tour to be a great amount of fun. There are three tours available: The Queen Anne Mystery and Murder Tour, the Capital Hill Mystery and Murder Tour, and Haunted Happening-also called the Seattle Ghost Tour. Each of these tours costs $25 per person and lasts between two and a half and three hours.

It doesn’t really matter if you are young or simply young at heart, Seattle has something to wonderful to offer all who visit here. From the gorgeous scenery that only nature could provide to the cultural center that this great city has become, I hope you can find plenty to keep you occupied during your stay.

If you are planning to visit Seattle Washington any time in the near future I hope you are either bringing along your children, or the child in you at the very least. Why you ask? Well, the answer to that is simple, because there are so many fun things for children to do in Seattle.

In addition to the many parks spread throughout the city, and by that, I mean that Seattle has several extraordinary parks. Among those great parks are: Alki Playfield, Cal Anderson Park (which boasts a wading pool and a gigantic chess set), Cascade Playground (which features free music Fridays from noon until 2:00), Discovery Park, and Woodland Park. But parks and playgrounds are just a start. Seattle really has so much more to offer than just this.

There is the Children’s Repertory Theatre, which offers plays and musicals that are sure to delight children of all ages. In addition to the theatre, Seattle has an excellent Children’s Museum. For hands on learning, there is the Pacific Science Center and to aid in a healthy respect and appreciation of musical arts, there is the Experience Music Project.

If you have a child or are a child that wants to grow up and touch the stars, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame might be in order. And there’s always Gameworks’ for the child in all of us that has never outgrown playing video games. For little boys that may never grow up there is the Northwest Railway Museum and the Boeing Tour that shows how these huge planes is made. There is also the Museum of Flight, which consistently ranks as one of the top museums in this category worldwide.

If your child is a lover of animals, there is so much to do and see in and around Seattle that it is difficult to know where to begin. I’ll start with Wolf Haven, which offers daily tours that last about an hour and provide visitors an opportunity to observe these magnificent animals in a natural surrounding. Next, there is Northwest Trek, which allows guests to take a tram ride through their park for the purpose of observing several animals in a natural environment. One of my favorites is Cougar Mountain Park, which is really a one of a kind experience for any animal lover. This park takes animals that are endangered and shelters them while providing education and enlightenment about the plight of these animals and the effect they have on the ecosystem.

In addition to these animal havens, there is Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the Seattle Aquarium, and Woodland Park Zoo. Each of these is more common as far as zoos and/or aquariums go but offer the opportunity to view animals just the same. Also, there is my personal favorite Seattle activity, whale watching. You can either charter a boat or take your child out to Lime Kiln Point State Park to look for these magnificent creatures. Either way, this activity will probably be the highlight of your trip for your child, especially if you happen to see one of these beauties.

If that isn’t enough, Seattle is the host city for several professional sports teams. If you or your inner child loves sports, then this is the city to visit. Almost every major sport is represented. There are the Sonics, the Storm, The Mariners, The Seahawks, and the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds are a Western Hockey League team but a professional team just the same and you really don’t want to get me started on the NHL for now, that would take days of writing.

At any rate, it would be really wonderful to me, if I could see Seattle just once through the eyes of a child. The closest thing I can hope for is to see it through the eyes of my children and hope that they develop the same respect and appreciation for this great city that I have.

Seattle Center is the heartbeat of modern day Seattle and a must see for anyone visiting the Seattle Washington area. It is perhaps one of the most famous places in Seattle if for nothing else, for the Space Needle that is housed here. The Space Needle is one of if not the most easily recognized landmarks in the U.S. Northwest.

The Seattle Center has evolved over time and now hosts many cultural aspects of Seattle City life. Among these cultural centers is McCaw Hall, which is the home of the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. In addition to these establishments, Seattle Circle is also home to several theatres. Among them are: the Bagley-Wright Theatre, Leo Kreielsheimer Theatre, Poncho Theatre, and the Intiman Playhouse.

If theatre, opera, and ballet is a little too ‘high brow’ for you, then you will also be interested in knowing that Seattle Circle is home to Key Arena where the Seattle Sonics play as well as the Thunderbirds (Seattle’s Western Hockey League team).

If you enjoy music, you should be sure to check out the Experience Music Project while you are here. This is essentially a museum of rock memorabilia and multimedia displays. Seeing the building itself is almost worth the hefty admission price, but the actual exhibits makes it a good bargain. You can make your dollar go even further by purchasing combo tickets for the Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. Both of these are located within Seattle Circle and they each offer a unique look at the cultures of today and the past. The Science Fiction Museum is one of my favorite places in Seattle to visit and I think even the stodgiest and most humorless among you would be hard pressed not to find something of interest in either of these museums.

For the younger members of your vacationing group, Seattle Center offers a great deal to do. First of all it is home to the Children’s Museum. This is an incredibly fun, interactive, hands on learning experience for big and little kids alike. You could easily spend an entire day at the Children’s museum without seeing the same thing twice. Even better is the knowledge that your kids will learn a lot and you can disguise their learning as fun. They will never know what is really happening.

Another point of interest for small children is Pacific Science Center, which is home to the Boeing IMAX Theater. The museum consists of eight buildings and houses not one, but two IMAX theaters, a tropical butterfly house, a planetarium, and several hands-on exhibits that are constantly changing and traveling around the country and to other museums.

In addition to all of these wonderful places, there are several fountains and gardens throughout the circle in addition to many restaurants that will appeal to all kinds of tastes and desires. But perhaps the most interesting feature of Seattle Center to the teen crowd is the skate park.

As I’ve said, you could very easily spend a day or even a week in the Seattle Center area and never run out of fun things to do. If you are planning a visit to Seattle Washington any time in the near future you will want to be sure that a stroll through Seattle Center is pretty high on your itinerary.