Growing up in a world of adventure.

August 19, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Seattle Area Hikes with Viewpoints

A nice walk in the woods has it’s place in the hiking world. Tall towering trees, greenery and foliage surrounding you, maybe even a creek or waterfall to gaze at or take a quick dip. Sometimes we want more though. We want an even greater reward for our effort than just the pretty scenery. We long for that light at the end of the tunnel–a gorgeous sweeping view of the landscape giving us more of a perspective of our place here on earth. Viewpoints also often mean you’ve accomplished something big, and that’s extremely satisfying!

This past winter, I set a goal for Bergen (4.5 years at the time) and I (Georgia came along for the ride on my back as well) to hike to the top of Little Si, a smaller neighbor mountain to the larger Mount Si in North Bend, Washington. In order to prep for the journey, we tackled several other trails with viewpoints and similar, but not quite as difficult, terrain and distances, and since then we’ve added a few more hikes with viewpoints to our tally. Consequently, we now have quite a few hikes that we can recommend to other families where your hard work will be rewarded with an amazing view.

August 9, 2016

Good Night Wheedle: Book Review

Do your kids find it fun to make up stories about why things are the way they are? Bergen (our almost 5 year old) is always coming up with grand ideas and reasoning about phenomena in our natural world. He’s also particularly interested in trolls. Between the Three Billy Goats Gruff and the enormous troll statue under the Aurora Bridge in Seattle, he’s got plenty of cause to believe that one of these days, he’ll actually manage to catch a real-live troll under one of the many bridges he checks. It’s rare to cross a bridge (over or under) where he doesn’t crouch down and do his inspection, or at least talk about it.

Our friends at Sasquatch Books (hey–there’s even another mythical creature!) are fueling the fire the with publication of a new “Wheedle on the Needle” book. Good Night, Wheedle by Stephen Cosgrove is a sweet little story for the youngest lovers of Seattle and it’s iconic Space Needle.

August 5, 2016

Zoo Tunes with Kids: Seattle Area Adventure with Steel Pulse and Ziggy Marley

Outdoor concerts are a huge part of summer in Seattle, so we were happy to return to one of our favorite outdoor venues at the Woodland Park Zoo for their Zoo Tunes Summer Concert series. We’ve enjoyed many concerts, it’s a bit of a family tradition, here on the north meadow, and all the effort to prepare a picnic, fight traffic (we have a few tricks), wait in line, and madly search for the best possible spot when the gates finally open is always worth it!

This year we were able to arrive earlier than usual in order to view two of the zoo’s latest additions: Yola, the baby gorilla, and the Butterfly Garden. Members of the zoo are allowed to “line-up” early inside the zoo & are admitted first, so thanks to our cooler and chairs, we saved ourselves a spot in line, and went on to explore the new exhibits.

August 4, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Chirico Trail to Issaquah, WA’s Poo Poo Point

The hike to Poo Poo Point via the Chirico Trail in Issaquah, Washington can get a bad rap because of its crowds and steep climb. We recently hiked the trail as a family, and while we found both of these things to be true, we also came away with the conclusion that it’s well worth the effort. Even if you might need to let other hikers pass every couple of hundred feet (we were hiking on a sunny Saturday afternoon) and you might huff and puff on the way up, and be sore on the way down, the payoff is huge. Here’s what we loved:

Poo Poo Point–Chirico Trail

July 22, 2016

14 Kid Friendly Hikes Near Seattle

Of course we love adventure. Of course we love travel. And of course we love getting out for a hike. With two little kids though, who both still nap, and prefer to do so in their own beds at home, we can’t always venture too far. Since Bergen was a wee toddler, I’ve researched, investigated, and explored kid friendly hikes near Seattle (in or at least with in an hour’s drive of the city).

What’s considered “kid friendly”?

Low mileage: Most of these hikes are 3 miles or less. Some much less, and many with opportunities to add more if little legs allow.
Exciting features: lakes, waterfalls, view points, story boards, bridges, etc. to help peak interest and motivate
Mostly flat: Too many hills and inclines can bring out the whines (at least in my young hiker)!

Here you’ll find 14 of our favorite kid friendly hikes in or near Seattle. It is in no way an exhausted list, and I hope to add to it in the future. Make sure to click on the hike’s title for either a more detailed trip report from our site or another trusted resource like the Washington Trails Association (WTA).

Looking for more?

Grab our Seattle Area Kid Friendly Hiking Guide

with 25 Adventures you and your kids will love!

July 13, 2016

Savoring the Season with a Summer Bucket List

We are well into summer, but Bergen (my 4.5 year old) and I just had a chance to sit down, and come up with a list of things we wanted to accomplish this season. When we create this lists (past lists: end-of-summer, fall, winter, spring), I often think about what we already have planned and on the calendar, and we brainstorm and look through books to come up with ideas that are quintessential to that particular season. Then I consult my husband Slaed, and he fills in the gaps with anything we might have overlooked.

The end product is a list of 10 to 15 items. Some involve travel, some involve the outdoors, we have day trips, city outings, even crafts. I’d like to be able to get to every single item on the list each season, but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it does, but often we get to most of it!

May 17, 2016

Seattle’s Georgetown Neighborhood with Kids

If we’re not traveling somewhere for the weekend, chances are we’re still finding time to get out and explore even if it’s “in our own backyard”. One of the ways we do that is by visiting other neighborhoods around Seattle. We may not go far, but these mini-adventures nourish our wandering spirits. Georgetown is one of our go-to places when we are looking for a change of pace.

Georgetown is located about 10 minutes south of downtown Seattle, and is know for its grittiness, quirkiness, and all around creative vibe. The neighborhood now boasts several breweries, lots of family friendly eateries, and so many fun and unique shopping/browsing experiences from a trailer park mall to a handful of antique shops and galleries. Keep reading to find out some of our favorites!

April 27, 2016

Savoring the Season with a Spring Bucket List

Now that the real spring weather has returned to Seattle, and we are back to mild temperatures after a bout of hot weather, it’s time for us to get cracking on our spring bucket list! If you aren’t familiar with our seasonal bucket lists, here’s the scoop: Each season, we create a list of about 10 fun adventures or projects that are specific to the season.

We dig through our favorite nature books, think about our favorite happenings of that particular season, and look at our calendars as a way of being more intentional with our time and to take advantage of the best things that nature has for us. To learn more, check out our summer, fall & winter bucket lists.

Here’s our 2016 Spring Bucket List in no particular order!

April 25, 2016

3 Things We Love about British Swim School

As I mentioned in my first post about the British Swim School 2 weeks ago, Bergen (4.5 years) and Georgia (16 months) are enrolled in lessons at one of their franchises here in the Seattle area. The company offers lessons starting with babies (must be at least 3 months of age), and all the way up into adulthood. Classes for children are divided by skill level with certain criteria allowing them to move on to the next program.

Bergen is working on working on introductory skills and learning basic survival techniques as a “Minnow”, and Georgia is just getting started and introduced to water in the parent-child “Tadpole” class. While it took Georgia a couple of lessons to warm-up to having fun in the pool, I’m happy to say that they are both now thoroughly enjoying their swim lesson experience.

As a parent (and participant with Georgia), I’ve been so impressed with the format of the lessons and the skill and dedication of the teachers. I took some time to reflect on exactly what I love most about the British Swim School, and I’m sharing here in hopes that it might help you learn more about the organization in case you’re looking for lessons for your own kids!

March 27, 2016

Travel Guide to Seattle, Washington with Kids

This extensive Guide to Seattle with Kids is brought to you in collaboration with Expedia.com. All opinions and ideas are my own, and the content was created and written by me. Special thanks for providing the push that I needed to finally create this (hopefully) helpful and long overdue resource for families!

As a resident of Seattle, Washington for over 10 years, a teacher, and a mother of two young children, I’ve come to realize that Seattle really is a great city for kids! Over the past 4 years of blogging, I’ve certainly written about some of our favorite spots, including things to do and places to eat, but I’ve yet to compile it all into one handy guide for those visiting Seattle with kids, or for fellow Seattleites who are looking for more ideas…until now!

In this guide to Seattle with kids, you’ll find our favorite recommendations for activities and restaurants, plus a few of our recommendations for lodging. For planning or organizational purposes, I’ve divided the guide into two sections: The Downtown Core & Beyond Downtown (though still within the city limits). Of particular note and what I absolutely love is that most of our attractions can be enjoyed by everyone, not just children, not just adults, but the whole family!

February 12, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte Trail (North Bend, WA)

In order to feel less guilty about all the junk we’d consume at our Super Bowl extravaganza last weekend, I decided to take the kids on a good calorie burning, heart pumping hike. I don’t really need an excuse to go on a hike, but this was a great way to get the kids out of the house while Slaed (born and raised in Colorado & devoted Denver Broncos fan) prepared, stressed and prayed, for the big game ahead.

As you might have read from our Winter Bucket List post, I’m hoping that the three of us (Georgia, the 1-year old on my back in the carrier) can conquer Little Si this season. The mileage, at 4.7 miles round trip, isn’t something that I’m extremely concerned about, but more the mountain climb and elevation gain (1300 feet). So in preparation, we are training with hikes that are a bit easier, but have relatively similar distance and hill climbing.

Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte trail definitely fit the bill as another good hike to get ready for the more difficult Little Si. It’s also less popular than it’s neighbor, Rattlesnake Ledge, which was bustling with folks and crammed with cars in the parking lot as we drove by.

To give you an idea of our hiking experience, I once again documented the journey with a video!

Olallie State Park’s Cedar Butte Trail

February 6, 2016

Visiting Olympia’s Nisqually Wildlife Refuge with Kids

We traveled down to the Olympia, Washington area earlier this week because someone who shall remain nameless (okay, it was me) forgot to order her daughter (who is now almost 14 months old) a birth certificate! We need a copy of Georgia’s birth certificate in order to cross the border into Canada for our trip to Vancouver Island later on this month. Rather than wait for it to come in the mail & pay a bunch of shipping costs, we opted to drive a little over an hour to the state’s Center for Health Statistics.

If you know us, you can probably guess we wouldn’t be able to just drive down, retrieve a copy of the certificate, and head back home! No, we’d have to make it into an adventure! So we took an hour and a half or so to explore the nearby Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. I hadn’t visited Nisqually since Bergen was just a wee baby, so I was excited to go back, and experience the wetlands a bit more.

We only had time to make the 1-mile Twin Barns loop, a walk that’s all on boardwalk with several viewpoints and cutoffs along the way to take in the scenery and try our hand at bird watching. We ended up seeing eagles, several types of ducks, geese, and lots of sparrows! We documented our journey around the loop in this quick video:

January 27, 2016

Hiking with Kids: Cougar Mountain’s Wildside-De Leo Wall Loop

Mondays are turning out to be our day for hiking and adventure. Bergen goes to school 4-days a week (Tuesday-Friday), so Monday is our one full day together. In the new year and partially thanks to our winter bucketlist, I’ve been more motivated to be intentional with our “free day”. Last Monday, we explored St. Edwards State Park in Kenmore, Washington.

This week, I decided we’d tackle a hike, Cougar Mountain’s Wildside-De Leo Wall loop, that didn’t go so well the first time. You can read about that misadventure here, but I’m happy to share that things went a whole lot better the second time around! I didn’t lose my phone, we managed to find the viewpoint, and everyone was in good spirits. Life allows for do-overs, and I’m so grateful for that!

I love the varied terrain of this hike. We were up high with views, down low with rushing creeks, jumping over puddles, crossing bridges, and checking out horse tracks. So much interest, especially for my 4-year old companion. To get an idea of exactly what I’m talking about, we documented the journey with a video:
[Read more…]

January 13, 2016

Savoring the Season with a Winter Bucket list

We’re celebrating our days slowing getting longer and longer after the recent winter solstice. It’s a little hard to believe, but in less than a month’s time, I can already tell a difference in the afternoon! We’re getting just a little more out of that sun on our daily walks before dinner.

To help us appreciate all that the season has to offer, we’ve (yes, Bergen and Slaed had input) put together a list of 11 winter inspired activities for us to focus on, and hopefully accomplish! Depending on your location, you might be able to gather some winter inspiration, and get into the fun right along side of us. Included in the list are nature and outdoor focused activities that we would like to get to this season.

December 17, 2015

Christmas in Downtown Seattle: 2015 Edition

Every year we make it a tradition to celebrate Christmas in downtown Seattle. It’s always in the evening and, more or less, we visit the same places to take full advantage of this magical time in the city. A couple of years ago, I highlighted 3 of those happenings (all free), but this year I thought it would be fun to show you our trail of Christmas cheer with a little video/slideshow:

October 7, 2015

15 Western Washington Farms, Parks + Hikes to Enjoy this Fall

Our family has a special love for fall in Seattle. For Slaed, it’s the cooler temperatures, for Bergen (4 years) it’s all the collecting he suddenly gets to do–leaves, acorns, nuts, and fruit all falling from our regions’s trees, for me it’s the fall foliage–I just can’t get enough of the glowing display of yellows, oranges and reds, and Georgia (9 months) isn’t so sure what she loves most, but maybe it’s just seeing everyone so happy to be out and about.

Over the years, we’ve enjoyed fall in the Seattle Area (and beyond) in so many different ways, so I’ve compiled all of our favorite experiences together here to keep track of all the fun and in hopes to inspire and equip some of you to make your own autumnal memories!

October 6, 2015

Seattle Scavenger Hunt (with printable) for Kids

We love exploring our city and especially love seeing the sights we’ve known and gone to for years through the eyes of our children. Seattle has so much to offer for the entire family. At least from our perspective, there are landmarks, attractions, museums, and parks that we can enjoy just as much as our kids.

For Bergen (now 4 years old), the more we involve him in our everyday adventures around town and in our travels around the country, the richer the experience becomes. When I saw how engaged he was recently as we completed a scavenger hunt together at his school, it got me thinking. Wouldn’t it be fun to hunt for various items that identify our city and make it unique? Why not create our own Seattle Scavenger Hunt?

September 22, 2015

Hiking without Kids: Lake Valhalla near Stevens Pass, WA

It took some advance planning, and a bit of preparation, but this past weekend, I got the chance to hike without my kids. While I love hiking along side my children, well..carrying one of them, and either chasing after or encouraging the other to keep up, I needed the chance to trek at my own pace.

September 17, 2015

Good-Bye August//8 Memories and Highlights

Last year right around this time, I put together an end-of-summer bucket list. I wasn’t ready to part with summer and still felt like we had a lot more to pack in before the cool weather and rains set in. This summer of seemingly endless sunshine has been a little different, and instead I’m feeling like a need to hold on to the memories we’ve already made. So since August is the 8th month & our youngest’s 8th month in the world, I’m preserving 8 random memories worth celebrating and sharing from our full & glorious 31 days! Even if we’re now in the middle of September.

1. Happy Birthday to Slaed!

We celebrated the best dad and husband in the world with a hike around Discovery Park, plus lunch and peach slump at our beloved Chinooks restaurant.

[Read more…]

July 23, 2015

Seattle’s Volunteer Park Dahlias//2015

While spending time at Volunteer Park’s wading pool in order to get some relief from the sweltering 97 degree day last weekend, Georgia started to get a little restless. There’s only so much a baby who doesn’t yet sit-up on her own can take. So I loaded her on my back and we decided to wander over to check on the Dahlia garden near by leaving Slaed and Bergen on their own to splash in the cool water.

Every year, for over 30 years now, the volunteers from the Puget Sound Dahlia Association dutifully tend to this space planting the tubers in the spring, and then digging them up in early November. I’m used to getting to enjoy the blooms well into September, sometimes even in October, but this year I have a feeling it’s going to be quite different. What seems like constant sunshine and warm temperatures are making for early opening and growth for all the foliage around Seattle.

While this particular garden is not at its peak yet, it will be in next few weeks, so we’ll need to return sooner than later to really view the garden in its full glory.

July 15, 2015

Naptime Road Trips: Camano Island, WA

With this 2nd little adventurer on board, we’re back to the phase of needing to schedule all of our activities around the kids’ sleep requirements. This means that we are back to “naptime road trips”. Our kids sleep best in their own beds (or cribs) of course, but the next best thing is often the car, preferably on the highway with uninterrupted cruising. Consequently, given our frequently restless or itchy travel feet, instead of heading home after a morning outing like a responsible parent would do, sometimes we just start driving, and see where the wind takes us. Praying that heavy traffic will not stand in our way.

Over Independence Day weekend, after wrapping up parade activities in Bothell, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Seattle, we knew that we didn’t want our 4th of July fun to end. I should mention that this was also coupled with the fact that temperatures were climbing toward 90 degrees. And for a family living in a home without air conditioning, nap time back at the house was becoming less and less appealing.

So after a bathroom break and refueling for all, we hopped in the car and headed north just as we had done for our Naptime Road Trip to La Conner Washington several years back when Bergen (now nearly 4) was a baby. Slaed and I started rattling off ideas of where our ultimate destination should be:

Bellingham? Deception Pass? Back to La Conner? All the way to Birch Bay?

We decided on Camano Island for a few reasons: I’d never been. It was a good distance away. Not too far, not too close. Beach…inside a state park. Being on the water would provide us with the cooler temperatures we were craving. Win-win. Win-win.

As soon as we crossed over the bridge from Stanwood over to Camano Island, I felt that tingle of excitement (knowing we were about to experience something new) as well as a little relief. I caught glimpses of the water, with the kids still snoozing away, and knew…we had made the right decision. And I also wondered, “Why have I never been here?”

Plenty of other folks were creating their own 4th of July memories at Camano Island State Park when we pulled up, but it wasn’t overly crowded. Brave children were swimming while others waded, beachcombed, fished, crabbed, and kayaked. After exploring a bit, we opted to set-up right along Lowell Point closer to where the campsites are located.

Not knowing that this adventure was in store for us at the beginning of the day, we weren’t exactly prepared for an afternoon at the beach. We made do though, with a blanket that we house in the car and a couple of (rain) umbrellas that Slaed rigged to shade us from the sun.

While Slaed hung back with Georgia, Bergen and I went on a treasure hunt. The quest started off rocky, but once the boy realized that he didn’t need to gain my attention by splashing and throwing seaweed, we got to enjoy each other’s company and do some fun exploring, just the two of us.

We turned over rocks in search of interesting creatures. We walked in and out of the water, which was quite pleasant and more than appreciated, considering I felt close to passing out earlier in day. We talked about the volcano (Mount Rainier) in the distance, watched a lady try to catch a crab with a fishing pole, and collected shells. That small moment filled me up.

After awhile tummies were grumbling, and it was time to move on. Slaed recalled an inn with a restaurant that he’d passed by and dreamed about going to while on the island for work nearly 15 years previous. Not knowing what to expect on a Saturday evening and a holiday, we were cautiously optimistic that we might be able to get a bite to eat and have our children tolerated.

We were welcomed at the Camano Island Inn’s restaurant. And as it turns out, we were actually the only people dining on the outdoor patio. This allowed us to sip our glasses of rosé, and nosh on the best bread I’ve ever tasted (truly) and mussels sourced just across the way from Whidbey Island’s Penn Cove without too much worry of the racket coming from our little party of 4. The view and a peak inside had us drawing up plans to return for a kid-less getaway.

Our Camano Island Picks:

Play: Camano Island State Park (bring along sturdy shoes for walking along the beach–it’s rocky!)

Eat (Happy Hour): Camano Island Inn

Have you ever planned a road trip around nap time? How about a spur of the moment mini road trip? We’d love to hear about it!

Need more even more info on Camano Island? Check out our full Family Travel Guide to Camano Island including more dining, activities, and lodging!

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email.

June 9, 2015

Pacific Northwest Cabins and Yurts: 5 Family Favorites

Here in the Pacific Northwest, our little clan is lucky to have so many family friendly cabin and yurt rental options available to us!

We’re fans of renting cabins and yurts as our accommodations when traveling for two reasons:

Cabin and yurt rentals in state parks and other campgrounds are often inexpensive.
Cabins and yurts provide what we love about camping–being close to nature–but allow for some creature comforts like heat, beds & electricity.

We’ve compiled a list of 5 of our favorite cabins and yurts from over the past few years of traveling in the Pacific Northwest as a family. You’ll see that our choices range in their geographical location to include coastal escapes, mountain retreats, and lake front getaways. The common thread between them though is their coziness, comfort, and ability to allow us to unwind & enjoy the natural beauty of our surroundings. That and a good campfire too!

Cape Disappointment State Park, WA

May 29, 2015

Washington State Travel: 5 Destinations for Families

Seattle area aside (since we live here and all), Washington State has so many amazing destinations for families to enjoy a getaway together. Here I’m featuring just 5 of our favorite areas to explore. So many more places await us though (and I’ll have another batch of 5 next month), from spots that we’ve mearly passed through to areas we haven’t even touched.

Of course not everyone lives in the Seattle area, but I also wanted to note that each of these destinations is within a 3 hour drive from the city, so if you’re based here or in one of our surrounding communities, these road trips are very family friendly!

Port Townsend

March 4, 2015

Treasure Walks and Early Spring in Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum

What is it with 3 and 1/2 year-olds and treasures? Is this a thing? Maybe its just our little guy, but lately all he can talk about is treasures, from finding treasures to receiving them as a reward. The good news? Anything can be a treasure. So as long as we call it such, anything can have the potential of being special to him. The bad news? Since everything has the potential to be a treasure, we can spend a lot of time waiting around for a lollygagging preschooler investigating every nook and cranny along our way.

Sometimes it all works out though, like during our visit to the arboretum this past weekend. As soon as Bergen was “released” from the jogging stroller to walk on his own, he requested the use of one of the bags we’d brought along for the dog’s (ahem) deposits. I credited him for his smart thinking! He declared that he was going to search for treasures, and then for the next mile or so, he picked up anything that happened to catch his eye. Rocks, sticks, leaves, blades of grass…they all went in the bag.

If you’re looking for a way to focus walks and hikes with your young children, you might just think about bringing a bag along for collecting! It’s easy, doesn’t require a whole lot of pre-planning, and Bergen was more than willing to toss the treasures back when our walk was complete.

While Bergen was focused on finding treasures, I had the chance to admire early spring in the arboretum. Yes, while the east coast is suffering through snow, ice, and bitter cold, we are experiencing abundant sunshine, flowers in bloom, warmer temperatures, and even (it seems to me) more active wildlife.

Have any more tips on holding kids’ interest while walking and hiking? We’d love more ideas!

You can also check out our other tips for hiking with a preschooler.

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email.

February 25, 2015

Preschool Hikes: Discovering More in Seattle’s Discovery Park

Places often remain wonderful in mind because I haven’t quite discovered all they have to offer. The mystery and unknown give me reason to come back and explore. Magic remains.

Seattle’s Discovery Park is one example. Maybe its because we usually fall into the same routine: Parking in the same area, hiking down the same stairs toward the beach, walking along the same stretch of shore. Still beautiful, but I always knew there was more.

For this visit, I switched it up and we saw several aspects of the park that I’ve never seen. And because of that I have an even greater appreciation for the place. Even better, as you might expect my two little adventurers were also along for the ride, and for one of them (Georgia, 2 months) this was her very first visit.

Environmental Learning Center

I’d heard that there was an indoor learning space here, but never visited myself. So to make sure we had a chance check it out, I made it our starting point. The center proved to be a great spot to get our nature juices flowing. The space is filled with books, puppets, and tons of other hands on materials for little ones to investigate before or after heading off on an outdoor adventure.