We're thinking of taking a 4 day family trip to Seattle end of April(Have some air plane ticket vouchers we want to use up). This will be our 4th trip. We've done EMP, Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Children's museum...most of the tourist stuff. We have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. We're into the outdoors. We are thinking of spending the time around the islands of Pudget Sound. Will 4 days be too much? Any suggestions of other things to do? Thank.

Unfortunately, with the current weather, you could consider skiing .

Hilarity aside, you could put an interesting four days together doing some touring of the Puget Sound area.

Start with a visit to the tulip fields around Mount Vernon and La Conner (Skagit Valley, around an hour north of Seattle) -http://www.tulipfestival.org. From there you could go to Anacortes and take a ferry to the San Juan islands. I'd visit San Juan Island - some fun parks, a good chance of shore-based whale watching from Lime Kiln Point, good shopping and touring - see Roche Harbor, learn about the Pig War, etc.

Or if the San Juans seem a bit ambitious, head from La Conner/Anacortes south down Whidbey Island to the Keystone - Port Townsend ferry and cross over to the Olympic Peninsula. Port Townsend is an attractive Victorian town, then head over to Port Angeles and up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. It's early but you may see some wildlife (elk, deer) in the Park, and the views from Hurricane Ridge are magical.

Two or three overnights in these places will make for a fine spring outing.

We have a great zoo and our aquarium has been recently improved.

The locks that connect Lake Washington and Puget Sound are fascinating to children.

Snoqualmie Falls is a short drive from Seattle.

Pike Place Market and the waterfront are always worth a visit.

The current offering at our excellent Children's Theater may not be right for your five-year-old:



http://www.sct.org/browse/Production.aspx?prod=2677

Re: gardyloo's post; just a note to let you know that Hurricane Ridge will surely still be snow-covered by the end of this month -- which is not to say it won't be beautiful , and the road up to the Visitor Center is almost always kept plowed. I can see the Olympics from my living room window and they are still absolutely white -- and they are talking about lowland snow this weekend. This seems to be the endless winter in the Pacific Northwest.

Hurricane Ridge is especially exciting in the winter. On February 16, 2008, we drove through ten miles of clouds to find glorious sunshine and hoards of winter sports enthusiasts at the top. A very memorable experience.

Definitely go out to San Juan island-- maybe overnight there.

I have a 5 year old and a 1 year old and they both love the ferries. We went to Bainbridge Island this weekend on the ferry (no car) and we saw seals, played in the park in Winslow, ate at a nice bakery and visited the tiny but apparently very preoccupying children's museum there-- a very pleasant day trip. The Bainbridge ferry leaves from right next to the water fire station, which has always been a favourite sight for my son.

If you get a sunny day, the beach at Deception Pass at the top end of Whidbey Island is also a favourite. There is a nice beachside trail, a beautiful view, lots of logs to climb on, stones to collect.

I like the idea of going to Bainbridge Island by ferry without a car.

You will get great views of the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, spectacular views of the Cascades, the Olympic Mountains, Mt. Rainier, and even Mount Baker near the Canadian border.

You can walk to the quiet town of Winslow, and the return trip is free.

Depending on where you live, your children may enjoy riding on the new streetcar that goes from downtown to Lake Union.