Planning to visit Seattle with kids soon? Here’s a rundown of our first trip to the city, which served as the starting point for our seven-day Alaska cruise. We arrived two days before the ship set sail, giving us time to explore and we were pleasantly surprised by what we found! Follow our Seattle port stop adventure, including what we enjoyed and the lessons we learned along the way.
This blog is a part of a travel diaries series! I’m not an expert in family travel to Washington State or any other state/region (other than the Washington, D.C. metro area) 🙂 I’m simply sharing my experiences in hope to spark a curiosity in you and your family to explore for yourself!
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In this Travel Diary...
Flying to Seattle with Kids
This was our first time flying with Alaska Airlines. During the five-hour-and-40-minute flight from Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport to Seattle-Takoma International (SEA) Airport, the kids began working on their Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Junior Ranger activities. Since we planned to visit the park’s Seattle and Skagway locations, this helped prepare them for what they would learn while passing the time.
Unfortunately, we sat in the last row, directly in front of the bathrooms. My advice: Do not sit near the bathrooms! Between the noises, smells and steady stream of passengers, it was not the most pleasant way to spend nearly six hours.
Our Two-Day Seattle Itinerary
- Sunday, August 2: Arrived in Seattle, took a Lyft to our hotel and explored downtown, Pike Place Market and the Seattle waterfront
- Monday, August 3: Got lost in transit, explored Pioneer Square and took the ferry to Bainbridge Island
- Tuesday, August 4: Made a last-minute visit to the Gum Wall and set sail for Alaska
Where We Stayed in Downtown Seattle
After landing, we took a Lyft XXL from the airport to the Hilton Motif Seattle. The ride cost approximately $100 for our family of four. We also paid $30 to check in early at around 11:00 am.
I decided against renting a car, which was the right decision for our itinerary and budget. The Hilton Motif is conveniently located within walking distance of Pike Place Market, Westlake Center, restaurants, stores and public transportation.
Exploring Downtown Seattle with Kids
We visited several attractions and local shops while walking around downtown Seattle. Our favorite stops included:
- Musubi Kai (108 Union St.): We started our trip with a refreshing pineapple Dole Whip. Their menu also includes musubi, poke bowls and other Hawaiian-Japanese fusion dishes.
- Pike Place Market (85 Pike St.): This free public market offers a flying fish experience, beautiful flowers, food and souvenirs. It’s also home to the original Starbucks, which draws large crowds, and the Gum Wall hidden along Post Alley. The Gum Wall was just as gross as it was cool—and definitely something kids will remember!
- Olympia Coffee (1420 5th Ave.): My daughter loved her sprinkled donut, and my vanilla iced coffee was delicious. It was a little pricey, but I would return.
- Delusional Bird (1503 5th Ave.): My daughter enjoyed browsing this hip vintage and secondhand shop filled with clothing, accessories and nostalgic finds.
Getting to Pioneer Square + Transit
On the second day of our trip, we headed toward Westlake Center to travel to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. We accidentally boarded the Seattle Monorail instead of the light rail and ended up at Seattle Center, where the Space Needle is located.
We weren’t particularly interested in visiting the Space Needle this time, so we completed the round trip back to Westlake Center. Once we returned, we found the Westlake station for the Link light rail, located about a block away, and traveled to Pioneer Square. This historic neighborhood is beautiful, with impressive architecture, statues and public artwork.
We eventually made our way to the Klondike Gold Rush–Seattle Unit National Historical Park. To my surprise, the museum was closed on Mondays! This was an important reminder that not every National Park Service site is open daily, as many are in the D.C. area.
From Pioneer Square, we walked back to the Seattle waterfront. The walk was surprisingly manageable, and once we reached the harbor, we decided to take a ferry to Bainbridge Island.
Ferry to Bainbridge Island
The Seattle-to-Bainbridge Island ferry is located at Seattle’s Waterfront Pier 52. It takes approximately 35 minutes to get to Bainbridge Island by ferry and ferries run continuously throughout the day. You can check the current sailing times using the Washington State Ferries schedule.
The ferry was spacious, with plenty of seating and beautiful views throughout the ride. We noticed passengers playing cards, reading and browsing the informational brochures onboard. The ferry also transports cars and bicycles. From the ferry terminal, Bainbridge Island’s Main Street, Winslow Way E, was a short distance along Olympic Drive.
Exploring Bainbridge Island
Here are three stops to consider while exploring Winslow Way E.:
- Historical markers and signs: Markers throughout the area share the island’s history, including its connection to the Suquamish people. We learned that the waters near Winslow Ravine are called Elaledaltx, meaning “Home of Eagles,” and that pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965.
- Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (550 Winslow Way E.): This free museum features contemporary art from the Puget Sound region. During our visit, I especially enjoyed the intricate wood carvings in the Indigenous Craft exhibition.
- Ice Cream Social (278 Winslow Way E.): Stop here for delicious New Zealand-style fresh-fruit ice cream!
Use this downtown Bainbridge Island map to plan your walk.
Embarkation Day
Our terminal arrival window for our seven-day Alaska cruise was between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. After check-out, we took a Lyft from the Hilton Motif to the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91. This XXL ride cost approximately $50 for the four of us, and the convenience made it a good option for our family and all of our luggage.
Cruise check-in was smooth and easy. Before we knew it, we were preparing to set sail on our very first trip to Alaska!
Post-Cruise Tips + Transportation
We used the Port of Seattle’s complimentary Port Valet service, which transferred two of our five bags from the cruise ship to our airline and checked them through to our final destination. Although the service is free, standard airline baggage fees may still apply.
Port Valet lightened our load tremendously, but managing the remaining bags, personal items and two kids was still challenging. We purchased Carnival’s airport shuttle on disembarkation day, but the wait was longer than expected. Next time, I would use a rideshare service or reserve private airport transportation in advance.
5 Tips Learned from this Trip
- Arrive before your cruise. Two nights gave us time to recover from the long flight and explore without worrying about missing the ship.
- You may not need a rental car downtown. We booked a hotel in the heart of downtown to avoid needing a rental car. Hotels near the airport may be cheaper, but transportation to and from downtown could quickly eat into those savings.
- Double-check museum operating days and times. The Klondike Gold Rush museum was closed on Monday, which threw a wrench into our plans.
- Know the difference between the monorail and light rail. Our accidental monorail ride was fun, but it did not take us toward Pioneer Square! We also spent an unexpected $24 on round-trip fares for our family of four.
- Plan post-cruise transportation in advance. The cruise-line airport shuttle involved more waiting than we expected. Next time, we would consider prearranging a shuttle or using a rideshare service instead.
Is Seattle Worth Exploring?
Absolutely! Seattle was more than a place to board our cruise ship. Spending two days downtown gave us time to explore Pike Place Market, enjoy the waterfront, experience the city’s coffee culture and take an easy day trip to Bainbridge Island.
The combination of walkable attractions, public transportation, local history, art and beautiful waterfront views made Seattle a great destination for our family. I would gladly return; although next time, I’ll check the museum schedule and choose better seats on the plane among other lessons learned!
Have you traveled to Seattle with kids? Share your favorite places, restaurants and activities in the comments so we can add them to our bucket list!
Check out our weekly list of family-friendly activities happening across Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. You can also explore our Daily Activities guide for recurring things to do throughout the week—many of which are free or low-cost.
