Located just 30 minutes north of our home in Seattle, Washington, the small waterfront city of Edmonds, Washington is a place our family ventures to frequently.  A quick glance at these quick facts about Edmonds, and I bet you’ll realize why we are so drawn to visiting this special destination.

• Edmonds is situated on the Puget Sound with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains, and several beaches to explore.
• Edmonds has a true main street design with a walkable central business district full of inviting shops, cafes, and restaurants.
• Edmonds is a ferry city! The Washington State ferry travels across the Puget Sound between Edmonds and Kingston, Washington (located on the Kitsap Peninsula).
• Edmonds has 48 parks and over 450 acres of green space!
• Edmonds is an art and cultural hub.  In fact, the city is Washington’s first designated Creative District!

Edmonds, Washington with Kids

Now that you have a general picture of what Edmonds, Washington is all about, let’s get into some specifics on how we actually spent a recent weekend.  What a treat to actually get to spend the night rather than just our usual day trips!  And if you are more of a visual person, scroll down to the end to watch the our YouTube video vlog.

Day 1

• Coffee and Treats at Red Twig Bakery & Cafe.  We had a hard time deciding which baked goods to go with, but ultimately the balance of cookie, cinnamon roll, and morning glory muffin was the perfect combination. What do you think?   As we glanced at their actual breakfast menu, we wished we’d hadn’t eaten right before heading up from home in Seattle!  I also got to try my first “Chagaccino” (a coffee-like drink made with chaga mushrooms) here at Red Twig, and it was delicious!
• Waterfront Exploration. In order to walk off those treats, and take in the natural beauty of Edmonds, we hit several spots all along the city’s waterfront:
  • Edmonds Marsh (ideal spot for bird watching).
  • Edmonds Marina Beach (excellent playground, off-leash dog park, lovely to walk & explore at low tide).
  • Olympic Beach (watch the ferry travel across the Puget Sound between Edmonds & Kingston, meander along the boardwalk in search of sea life, and spy on folks fishing)

• Downtown Edmonds Shopping.  With a few minutes to spare before lunch, Georgia and I walked along Main Street stopping in the Art Spot (wide variety of art supplies for kids and adults), and the Papery (lovely stationary & gift shop where Georgia found an Edmonds sticker for her water bottle).

• Lunch at Salish Sea Brewing.  We visited this family friendly brewery a couple of years ago for Father’s Day, and knew we had to come back during this visit.  Delicious food, tasty beers (I didn’t know how much I loved sours until I tried their Blueberry Lemon), and friendly staff.

• Cascadia Art Museum. Visiting the art museum was the highlight of the weekend for our 6-year old, Georgia! She loved learning about abstract art in this northwest focused space, and I appreciate their mission to support and feature women and minorities.  Since the Cascadia Art Museum is on the smaller side, it’s perfect for introducing this type of experience to kids; just the right amount of beautiful, interesting works in their collection not to overwhelm short attention spans!

• HOTEL: Best Western Plus Edmonds Harbor Inn.  After a busy morning, it was finally time to check-in to our digs for the night! The staff at the Edmonds Harbor Inn made us feel so welcome.  After quickly dropping our bags, we made a beeline for the pool to get refreshed for the rest of afternoon and evening in Edmonds.  You cannot beat the location of the hotel, and with suites, and a complimentary breakfast, it’s a lovely spot for families.

• Edmonds City Park.  If you visit during the summer, swim suits are a must! The splash pad at Edmonds City Park is a blast for kids.  We could not stop watching the big, towering bucket fill up, and then splash down on everyone below.  Bergen and Georgia also couldn’t get enough of the large playground with plenty to climb on, and “fast, tall” slides to zip down.

• DINNER: Demetris Woodstone Taverna.  Gorgeous view of the waterfront, and tasty food choices for both kids (ice cream included) and adults, we were very happy with Demetris! We recommend getting a reservation (especially if you want to sit outside on their lovely patio).

Day 2

• Hotel Breakfast! The kids were so excited to head to breakfast in the morning, and the offerings at Edmonds Harbor Inn did not disappoint.  Both were eager to try to the waffles, and Slaed and I were happy to see hot items such a eggs and sausage available.  I was also impressed to see alternative items like almond milk, and quality yogurt (without artificial ingredients).  Before breakfast, I was also able to get in a quick workout in the fitness center–so nice to have a quiet, dedicated space to start the day off right!
• COFFEE: Walnut Street. Walnut Street Coffee is another spot that we love to visit whenever we spend time in Edmonds. We can always count on the quality of their drinks, and I really enjoy the bright, lively atmosphere of this busy space.
• More Beach Exploring! Brackett’s Landing Beach. The last part of the Edmonds Waterfront that we had yet to explore during the weekend.  Brackett’s Landing Beach is very unique in that below the water, there is actually a “city” laid out for scuba divers! Some of the features of the underwater park include a dock, various vessels, and many man-made reef structures.  The kids of course, enjoyed investigating the shore, searching for crabs under rocks, and creating seafood snacks for their imaginary friends! Another fun feature of this park? The Train!

• LUNCH: Rory’s of Edmonds.  We could not miss our beloved Seattle Sounders soccer team playing in a rare 11am match (1pm central time), so we coordinated watching the game at an excellent bar & grill recommended by our local friends.  The awesome staff at Rory’s even put the sound on (another rare treat) for us!
• More Downtown Edmonds shopping!  Before calling it a weekend, at the kids’ request, we visited two more shops in Downtown Edmonds that we highly recommend: Teri’s Toybox + Wishing Stone Crystal Shop.  Along the way, we really enjoyed experiencing the “walkable main street” with music, games, vendors, and more!

Join us on our adventure in Edmonds, WA by playing the video below!

Have you been to Edmonds, WA? Let us know your recommendations! Also, share your favorite small waterfront city.  Our trip has me dreaming about another one of our favorites: Victoria, BC.

Are you subscribed to our YouTube channel? We’d love to see you over there, and would also appreciate your support! 

Special thanks to Best Western Plus Edmonds Harbor Inn for hosting us during our 1-night stay, and to Visit Edmonds for covering some of our meal expenses, and complimentary tickets to the Cascadia Art Museum.  As always, all opinions expressed here are my own.