Seattle
 

Would like to go visit Seattle with my family. I have a 6 yr old daughter. I m looking for places to see..hotel to stay in ..budget around $150 night...
I would like to get feedback on Tillicum, San Juan Islands , and places in downtown Seattle where we go can go..thanks!!

Thanks,
Sharon

Tillicum Village on Blake Island is a must-do. Even a six-year-old will enjoy the native Indian dances, and she might even develop a taste for salmon. Pacific Science Center is another good place for kids...lots of hands-on exhibits. The canal locks are fascinating for little ones...watch the salmon swim past the viewing window and what I call boat-mamas wrestling with mooring lines.

To get the best coverage of the islands you need a car or a bike. With the exception of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island there isn't a whole lot close to the ferry docks.

Would she appreciate seeing Mt. St. Helens? Six might be a little young, but I'm in no position to judge. You can see Mt. Rainier from downtown...maybe it will lure you into a visit.

Can't help with hotels.

Favorite place to stay in Seattle is Silver Cloud Inn or Residence Inn by Marriott right next door on East Lake Union. Fun to watch the seaplanes take off for San Juans (you might check into this if $$$ can afford), look a the houseboats and sailboats. Restaurants across the stret walkable and nice selection for family.

Not too far from downtown Pikes PLace MArket where you can have a grreat breakfast and watch flying fish and BIGGEST Flowers, Gasworks park (go fly a kite you bought at Pike PLace Market) have a picnic (buy at Pike Place).
Other fun things to do is go to the LAke Union Hiram Chitten Locks..watch the boats and salmon swim up and down..great picnic place too...go on out to Shilshoal park and walk the beach...

Other great tour is Boeing Everett Airplane Museum..fabulous history of planes in a gigantic hangar... I think they have the next plane model on display..??? 788

Summerfield Suites is in between Queen Anne and Belltown, and is affordable and a great location. But the Silvercloud down by Lake Union has shuttles to downtown areas.

The Future of Flight Museum is Boeing new tour center starting point. There's a terrific interactive "build your own plane" aspect that kids will love. And the tour is fabulous. I really enjoyed it when I went on the first time at age 29. Make reservations if you know when you'll be able to make it up there.

The Spirit of Washington train is a 1/2 day event. Lunch or dinner. Argosy offers tours around the lake, but if you visit Tillicum you'll get a boat tour anyway.

The Pacific Science Center is fun and the Imax plays a variety of movies (current/popular to educational).

If the weather is nice, go to UW and rent a canoe and go around the Arboretum. Lots of wildlife.

Enjoy!

I bet a 6 year old (and adults, too) would think both a trip to Mt. St. Helens and whale watching in the San Juan Islands would be pretty cool.

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas..I think I will look into Silver Cloud Inn..

Sharon, Seattle Center is a quick bus ride from downtown and has a number of activities/attractions for children. The FunForest has rides, the aforementioned Pacific Science Center is good, and if there is a play on at the Seattle Children's Theatre while you're there, the plays are of a very high quality. Kids LOVE playing in the International Fountain (a fountain with music and moving water - I'm not describing it well, perhaps someone else can!).