Fresh Air Family Time: Seattle

At happyly, it is our goal to support your family's innate desire to remain healthy and happy, while still having fun. In this period of social distancing, there are ways to safely supplement your creative time at home with fresh air activities. They should be deliberate outdoor plans that respect and honor our community initiative to eliminate the threat of this virus through our united efforts.

Every family has to make their own choice when it comes to entering public spaces, so following an honest assessment of previous personal exposure and potential signs of questionable health, we feel that hiking in nature is an ideal way to keep an active family moving.

Obviously, taking precautions and paying careful attention to maintaining a respectful distance has never been more important. We have put together a list of some of our favorite hikes, and we highly suggest using alltrails.com as your secondary source for additional walks off the beaten path.

Please explore some of our recent blogs COVID-19 daily schedule for pre-school and grade school and Keeping kids active while protecting them, yourself and the community from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for more information and creative ways to stay positive during this very anxious time. There will be much more to come, so keep an eye out for new content, stay healthy and honor our elders through respectful caution.

Granite Falls (Fish Ladder) Trail

If you’re looking for a quick, yet scenic walk this is a great stop outside of Seattle. The drive itself is beautiful, and parking is simple along the side of the road. Pay attention to the GPS on your way or it will be easily missed. The scenery begins immediately as you descend the stairs that lead to the falls. Take the time to walk up towards the top of the falls to see the beautiful granite carved by forever falling water. In certain seasons you might even see Salmon swimming about, which you can learn about on the signs posted at the top lookout. The rest of the trail you’ll walk through berry bushes and see birds. This portion is fairly flat and easy for any age or capability. The only thing is to consider is the staircase at the beginning, making it inaccessible by stroller or wheelchair.

Cama Beach State Park

Cama Beach State Park is a great weekend getaway for the entire family or a beautiful escape for a day. Located on Camano Island north of Seattle, this is a perfect place to spot wildlife. Most days you’ll see a friendly Seal or a Bald Eagle in the trees (spot them by their white tails amongst all the green). If you do choose to spend the night, check out one of their many waterfront cabins.

Accessible bathrooms are located near the parking lot, in each cabin, and at the Café. The Café and a BBQ area with fire pits, allow you to spend your time as you wish. On the other side of the cabins are trails to meet any skill level. The 1.4-mile roundtrip hike to Cranberry Lake is beautiful and can be enjoyed by any age. If you plan on parking just for the day, Cama Park does charge $10, or if you have other state park destinations, you’ll want to check out the Discovery Pass for only $35 a year. You can purchase this pass when you first check in to Cama Beach State Park, or at many other retailers in the area including grocery stores. 

Wallace Falls State Park

This state park is a short ride from downtown Seattle. This 4.4-mile trail will lead you to breathtaking Wallace Falls from three different viewpoints. This trail is not recommended for children under 4 years old. Most groups with small children hike to the first viewpoint where you can feel the spray from the falls and stop for a picnic at the covered tables. Passing the first viewpoint gets more challenging with a 1,404 ft rise in elevation, although I would say the second point has the best views of all.

This trail is wonderful for differing skill levels as you can easily gauge where the difficulty increases, with clearly marked signage, and an easy to follow path. Wildlife is abundant in the Wallace Falls area.  What seems like a thousand birds will sing to you as you climb, and signage at the trailhead will educate you on what types of animals you might see, and how to keep their home safe and clean. Parking does require a Discover Pass ($35 at local retailers) or a $10 daily parking charge.

There are accessible bathrooms at the trailhead, but the trail itself is not accessible for strollers, or wheelchairs. You’ll see plenty of folks up to the first or second viewpoint with children in carriers, and leashed dogs. This is a great way to spend an active day with family and friends, one not to be missed.

Al Borlin Park

Al Borlin Park covers 90 acres of Monroe, Washington. Although it’s in the middle of a populated area, you’d be surprised by the number of birds you’ll see and hear on your way. This easily accessible Park has scenic trails perfect for photography and family photos. It winds along abandoned railroad tracks, and over old footbridges.

Parking and bathrooms can be found at the Lewis Street Park, and down the gravel road, you will reach both trail and beach access. While walking along the water you’ll see powerboats, kayaks, and jet skis. This trail isn’t challenging and would be great for any skill level, or with a stroller. Al Borlin Park also offers BBQ spots with picnic tables if you decide to make a day out of it. During the winter you’ll want to check both trail and weather reports as this area is prone to flooding at that time of year.

Ravenna Park

Seattle is very special because of its peaceful parks tucked into the metropolitan city. Ravenna Park is one of those small escapes from city life. Located in the Ravenna district in north Seattle, this park contains a 1.7-mile loop trail that is very popular all year round. On your short hike you’ll be able to spot different types of wildflowers, and birds, you might even forget that you are surrounded by the city.

With a partially paved path, and very low difficulty this trail is for every family member. Although the path is not accessible for strollers, leashed dogs are welcome, and you might want to bring along your camera as the bridges you’ll pass under or over make for a great photo opportunity.

Deception Pass Bridge and Beach Trail

Deception pass is absolutely worth the drive from downtown Seattle if you’ve got the time. This park includes the pass built from Anacortes to Whidbey Island and has got something for everyone. Simply pulling off to the side of the road offers stunning views of The Puget Sound, with kayaks, and boats in warm weather. You might even see a Grey or Orca Whale if you’re lucky!

If you choose to walk along the road you’ll come to the beginning for the bridge, and a trail leading underneath it. This path runs underneath the bridge with the most popular spot for photos. There is also a kid and pet-friendly short 1-mile trail down to the beach, which can get fairly crowded on weekends in nice weather. Be careful once down at the beaches because the currents through Deception Pass can be particularly strong, don't forget to bring your Discover parking pass, and wear appropriate shoes for climbing around Canoe Island. 

Burke Gilman Trail

The Burke-Gilman trail is a 27 mile stretch in King County that follows an abandoned railway. This trail passes through both beautiful nature settings as well as populated towns. The joy of this diverse landscape is that you can “choose your adventure” depending on where you’d like to join it. Without much elevation gain any portion of this is fully accessible, and stroller friendly.

Exciting things to see can be found through every part of this trail. In Ballard (during certain times of the year) you can wander from the path to the Locks and see hundreds of salmon jumping and sparkling. Through Fremont, you might even spot a dinosaur or two! It might take a second to recognize these Apatosaurus topiaries so keep your eyes peeled on your way. The trail is partially paved, but all of it is an easy walk for folks of any age, and as it passes through populated areas there are plenty of places to sit or to take a bathroom break. 

Snoqualmie Falls and Trail

Found only a short drive from downtown Seattle, is what seems like an entirely different world. Snoqualmie Falls is a popular viewpoint, and easy trail, friendly for any accessibility needs. The ride there itself is scenic through the outer edges of the Cascade Mountains. With parking only feet away from the entrance to the first viewpoint, you see the falls almost immediately (and hear them sooner than that). This view is the same one made famous by the mystery television show Twin Peaks.

Further down the path you will see signs for the trail, which is a 1.3 mile hike accessible for walkers, and wheelchairs. Dogs are all allowed if they are leashed and on the trail. The trail ends at the bottom of the falls which is also a great spot for a picnic, and wildlife watching. 

Kayak Point County Park

Kayak Point Park is about an hour's drive north of downtown Seattle. This makes it an easy day trip for the whole family. Kayak Point is accessible for old fashioned tent camping, as well as RV space. Kayak Point is a favorite place to watch sea life swim by as well.

You’ll want to bring binoculars to see the harbor seals, (who can be curious and might give you a show) and sometimes even whales off the end of the fishing pier. During low tide, remember to look down at your feet where you can see, and even hear anemones splashing water from under the sand. Besides fishing, you’ll often see folks with buckets digging up shellfish such as clams. This is a very active beach during nice weather on weekends, and a calm peaceful escape otherwise.

Alki Beach

Easily spend all day at this West Seattle hot spot made for each member of your family. The views begin before you reach Alki's Point with a lookout area marked by a totem pole, where you can pull your car or bike over for the best view of the Seattle Skyline. Wheels are not the only way to reach West Seattle anymore. The Water Taxi leaving from the Downtown Waterfront to Seacrest Dock is a stress-free scenic way to enjoy not only the destination but the journey.

Once you arrive you’ll find a paved path winding along the 7.6 miles of beach, which is bustling when the sun is out with skateboards, bikes, and strollers. The paved path is fully accessible and equipped with benches along the way, restrooms, shaded areas, and of course, beach picnic spots. Don't worry if you didn't pack a meal for the day. There are plenty of delicious, family-friendly options feet away from the walking path including burgers, tacos, and seafood. 

Land activities are not the only thing that brings crowds to Alki Beach. In warmer weather, you can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards to enjoy a closer look at the Seattle skyline on one side of you and the mountains of the Olympic Peninsula on the other. But don’t forget to look down! The Puget Sound is part of the “Whale Trail” where, if you’re lucky, you might catch an Orca or Seal during the height of the salmon run from May to October. 

For more information about coping with the necessary school closures and maintaining a spirit of community during this period of social distancing, we encourage you to check out the following articles.

Yes, You Actually Can Do Something About the Coronavirus

By Anne Helen Petersen

This Can Be Our Finest Hour -- But We Need All Of You.

By Gretchen Schmelzer

Schools Are Closing for Coronavirus. Now What?

By Marisa Porges

Please check out the blog for more inspiration from a list of March Weeknight Meals, or join us as we Disconnect to Reconnect with more time at home as a result of necessary social distancing. If you are looking for family team-building at home, we recommend 100 Things: A Rewarding and Fun Family Activity.

Take a moment to explore suggestions from the happyly team aboutKeeping Kids Active while Protecting Them, Yourself and the Community from the Coronavirus as well as our Daily Schedule For Pre-School and Grade School. As always, we welcome your family's highlights! Tag us on Instagram @gethappyly!

If you are enjoying our active lifestyle content, please take a moment to download the happyly app for fast access to all of our weekend roundups, frequent blog content, and favorite activities, both locally and in many communities and travel destinations across the country. 

Parents can now get more time back in their days with the country’s only mobile-first family activity planning app. Happyly provides scores of carefully-reviewed activities for parents, grandparents, and caregivers who are looking to spend less time planning and more time happily exploring with their kiddos.