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!

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July 20, 2016

Travel Vlog: Sea to Sky Gondola with Kids

Before settling into our rental condo in Vancouver, BC over the 4th of July weekend, we bypassed the city and continued north to the Sea to Sky Gondola. We worked in Georgia’s (our 18-month old) afternoon nap to occur right after crossing the US-Canada border (luckily she cooperated!) so we needed to continue driving to fill her sleep tank before a big afternoon and evening of exploring.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is located in Squamish, BC, about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler. The gondola opened in 2014, and takes visitors from “sea level” at the Howe Sound to “sky level” at their Summit House in the mountains above.

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July 18, 2016

When Your 18-month old Doesn’t Walk +Celebrating Milestones with The Patchery

As active as our family is, I must admit that it came to a surprise, and of course was concerning, that our little girl was not reaching gross motor milestones (sitting up, crawling, standing) at the same rate as her average peers. We were especially worried when at her 18-month check up with the pediatrician, we had to report that she wasn’t yet walking.

“You must be carrying her too much” was what many bystanders would reason. Since she is our second child, some thought we held her more, and thus impeded her development We were moving at Bergen’s (now 4.5 years) pace rather than allowing Georgia the chance to move on her own.

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July 14, 2016

How to Set-up Guava Family’s Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib

We first learned about the Guava Family company when I was pregnant with Bergen, he’s almost 5 years old now. Slaed and I were shopping at REI and noticed the Go-Crib (one of their original travel cribs) set-up and on display. We knew immediately that it was the crib for our future travels and outdoor adventures, and purchased it right away.

The Go-Crib served us well for many years (5 years!) of frequent use including travel and in-home childcare. We roughly calculated, and it’s likely that the crib was set-up and taken down approximately 500 times! Unfortunately all that use took it’s toll on one of the valves where the pump is inserted, and consequently the small piece tore, not allowing us to keep one of the legs inflated. Such a bummer! We absolutely adored that crib, and are so grateful for all the years of wonderful, comfortable sleep for our two little travelers.

The bad news is, the Guava Family couldn’t replace our Go-Crib (since the product has been discontinued), but the good news is, they now make an even easier (and faster) to assemble travel crib called the Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib. Guava Family generously sent us the Lotus in exchange for our honest review here on the blog.

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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!

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July 12, 2016

Vancouver, BC with Kids: Long Weekend Itinerary

While most Americans stick closer to home for the fourth of July to celebrate with parades, barbecues, and fireworks, this year we fled the country and traveled to Vancouver, BC with our kids. I’ve never been out of the United States for the holiday, but my mom’s Alaska cruise return point was in our neighboring Cascadian city so we decided to meet up with her and make a long weekend trip out of it.

Vancouver, BC is just about 3.5 hours driving distance (depending on border crossing waits) from our home in Seattle, but while we’ve traveled to other destinations in BC, we hadn’t visited with the kids yet! And when I stopped to think about it, I realized that I hadn’t visited since the 2010 winter Olympics.

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Looking for more?

Grab our Seattle Area Kid Friendly Hiking Guide

with 25 Adventures you and your kids will love!

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