Summer Family Activity Guide | Northwest Washington
Summer is in full swing! The kids are home and the balance of keeping them entertained, making family memories and not letting the summer pass too quickly is a fine one. We have a tradition of sitting down at the beginning of summer and making a list of the adventures we want to take over the next few weeks of life sans-school. Putting them on the calendar makes sure they happen before the dog days of summer have somehow slipped past. I love easy day trips with the kids and wanted to share a list of some of our favorite summer (or any season) outings in Northwest Washington. If you are looking for some ideas of where to head this summer with your family, look no further! I’d love to hear your favorite spots to adventure to as well!
Drive in movie at the Blue Fox Drive In
Pack the kids up and make it a night of fun at the Blue Fox Drive-In in Oak Harbor! Open for movies every night except Wednesdays, this is a super fun and easy option for a summer night. Tickets are a fraction of the cost of going to an actual movie ($6.50 for ages 10-adult and $1.00 for ages 5-10) and the experience is way more fun!
Waterpark fun at Birch Bay Waterslides
Waterpark fun is what childhood dreams are made of! I can clearly remember the feeling of excited anticipation and joy that accompanied a trip to the waterslides. Birch Bay Waterslides are a favorite and just a hop skip up I-5 and full of family fun!
Support local farmers and artists at the farmer’s market
The farmers market is so much fun! It is the perfect opportunity to grab fresh produce to stock your fridge full of healthy, locally grown, seasonal bounty, while supporting local farmers and small businesses. Not only an opportunity for food, but the markets boast a plethora of local artisans selling their hand crafted goods. My kids love wandering the market and something about allowing them to pick out their own fresh veggies makes convincing them to choose them for healthy snacks a much easier sell! Some favorite farmers markets of ours are:
Go kayaking at Lake Padden
Our family has fallen in love with kayaking over the past few years. There is something so freeing and special about getting out on the water together. We found some great used kayaks so we each have one and the girls love the opportunity they have captain their own ship, while we are all out on the water together! Lake Padden is a perfect spot to put the boats in where it is nice and shallow. Paddle around as long as your hearts desire and then hop in for a swim afterward.
Walk the boardwalk from Boulevard Park to Fairhaven
One of the best walks in Bellingham is the boardwalk running from Boulevard Park to Fairhaven. Grab a cup of coffee at Woods Coffee and stroll along the walk over the water to Fairhaven. Each time we walk this trail, I pinch myself and can’t believe how lucky we are to live in a place like this. End with a picnic lunch at Fairhaven Village Green or back at Boulevard Park. It is such a great walk if you have an hour or the whole day for exploring at each end of the trail.
Visit the farm stand and u-pick berries At Homefarm
One of our absolute favorite places to visit is Homefarm in Birch Bay. This sweet, family owned farm has the most amazing farm stand and opportunities for picking your own berries, flowers and produce. Spend time gathering your own fresh berries to bake in a pie together later on or create a bouquet of blooms for someone special. End your day purchasing some local, artisan goods from their farmstand. Gourmet marshmallows anyone?! Pack the kids up and make the trip, you will be so glad you did!
Take the ferry out for a day trip to Friday Harbor
One of our favorite day trips is to walk on the ferry and head out to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Driving on the ferry is really costly, but walking on is a lot more reasonable. Friday Harbor is an excellent option for walking on because everything is right there, immediately off the ferry dock. The town has lots of fun shops for browsing and our favorite ice cream spot right along the water at Friday Harbor Ice Cream Co. Being able to ride the ferry is such a luxury that is unique to our area and is an excellent option for a day trip with the family.
Playing at Birch Bay and visiting The C Shop
Not much creates a better equation for fun then the beach + a candy shop + ice cream. Birch Bay has all of this in one place. Play on the water and finish with a trip to The C Shop, the area’s iconic candy store. It’s a day the kids will love for certain and will likely spend the ride home sleeping peacefully in the back seat.
Picnic on the riverbank of the Skagit River
Picnics are just special. Something magical happens when you gather with loved ones and dine, directly on the earth. We found one of our favorite picnic spots this past spring on the bank of the Skagit River. When the tide is low, it is completely sandy and lovely. It feels like you are enjoying time together on a white sandy beach. The bank is easily accessible from the entrance of North Edgewater Park, located just on the west side of the bridge in Mt. Vernon.
Hit the spray park to cool off
Spray parks or splash pads have become all the rage over the past few years and our kids can’t get enough. Supersized sprinkler fun is the gist of these fun-for-all cool off spots. A popular attraction if you’ve got younger kids and want an easy way to cool off without having to fully immerse in a pool with them. We have a few splash parks in the area that we love!
Ice cream at Snowgoose Produce
Nothing says summer quite like supersized ice cream and Snowgoose Produce is the place for it! We’ve been visiting this spot since I was a kid and now I love taking our own kiddos out for a massive scoop of their favorite flavor. Fun story…. my dad was the track coach at LaConner High School, my alma mater. I loved track all four years of high school and my favorite day of each season was when would take a team bike ride, relay style, from the school out to Snowgoose where he would treat all of us to ice cream. Such great memories!
Take a hike at Whatcom Falls Park
Easy hikes with kids are my favorite part of living in Bellingham and Whatcom Falls Park is probably our very favorite spot for an easy day hike/walk. With so much to enjoy from the waterfall, the pond, the fish hatchery, swimming holes and easily accessible trails for all, Whatcom Falls is a must do! I love that the park is well shaded, providing a great option for a beautiful hike on a hot day.
A scenic drive down Chuckanut
Want to take a drive on a sunny day down one of the most picturesque roads ever seen? Headed from Burlington to Bellingham or vice a versa, Chuckanut Drive is a must. Where evergreens and native foliage frame the deep blue of the sea and you can stop for fresh oysters along the way. Cross over picturesque farmland, sun kissed and sprawling to the ocean. Stop along the way at the many lookout options to take in the majestic views of this scenic byway and visit the sweet little town of Edison at the south end of it. Head to Chuckanut and take your time. The whole experience is truly remarkable.
Fly a kite at Zuanich Point Park
Zuanich Point Park is the perfect spot for a killer kite flying day! Let your kiddos get creative at home with hand made creations or hit the dollar store for something on the fly (no pun intended! ha!) and head to Zuanich. Located just across from Hotel Bellwether, this park is beautiful. It has a fantastic loop around for a walk or bike ride, lots of grass for a picnic and plenty of air space for kite flying with the best of them!
Do a nature scavenger hunt through the Sehome Hill Arboretum
A little hidden education in your summer agenda is just what I like to slip in when the kids won’t notice! The girls and I had so much fun a couple of years ago doing a scavenger hunt up the Sehome Hill Arboretum. This easy hike allows for a more meandering pace with scavenger hunt maps in hand. There are a million printable scavenger hunts easily found online. Print one out, pack a picnic and hike up the hill. At the top, enjoy the lookout tower and make a stop for lunch!
Explore the sea at the Marine Life Center
A perfect opportunity to discover sealife is right at our fingertips at the Marine Life Center. Located at the Port of Bellingham on Roeder Avenue, this free attraction is a highlight for kids and grownups alike who are fascinated by the sea and the life that lays beneath the water. With observation and touch tanks, this is a favorite spot to learn and discover. There is even an observation tank where you can fully immerse your head with a 180 degree view of an octopus and other sea creatures. If you are looking for something that will entertain, educate and has free admission, this is a favorite of ours!
Discover gems, minerals, fossils and more at Rare Earth Gallery
Our kids call it the geode store and it is their favorite store in the world. We discovered Rare Earth Gallery a few years ago and our kids just can’t get enough. Chalk full of precious gems and minerals from around the world, it is a collection of earth’s most organic wonders. Whenever they have a little pocket money, this is their favorite spot to come. Whether you have $5 in your pocket or $50,000, you will surely find a treasure to take home. There are so many incredible pieces that leave you marveling at the fact that nature produced something so remarkable.
Get excited to read at Village Books
There is something magical about a bookstore. The smell, the myriad of stories waiting to be discovered, the tangible pages to flip through as you stumble upon a book you can’t wait to read. Village Books is a staple in Bellingham and our favorite book store of all time. In my endless pursuit of trying to get our children excited about reading, it has become a saving grace. They find such excitement inside its historic walls as they thumb through books on the hunt for the perfect one. Once found and purchased, nothing is better then heading out to Fairhaven Village Green, just outside the store, sprawling out on a blanket and reading in the sunshine.
Get your chocolate fix at Sweet Art
Chocolate and truffles and sweets oh, my! We discovered Sweet Art, a tiny, hole in the wall candy shop in downtown Bellingham a couple of weeks back and it is now on our list of favorite sweet spots! Family owned and stocked with hand made confections galore, it is a treat for all of your senses! We stepped in and a gentleman next to us raved about all of the truffles. He declared that no one anywhere else does them as well as they do. We made our purchases, favorite flavors in hand and dove into chocolatey heaven and can happily say, he was 100% correct!
Good ‘ol fashioned arcade fun at the Ruckus Room
If you need a break from the sun and are up for some good old fashioned arcade fun, head to The Ruckus Room. Located in downtown Bellingham, there’s a game for everyone. I have to admit that there is something that automatically fills you with childlike wonder at the sights and sounds of the arcade. My husband and I aren’t afraid to admit that we enjoy the arcade just as much as the kids do. Its a great time for everyone in the family and for an hour or two, it is totally okay to pretend you are a kid again.
Ride the zipline and walk the trails at Squallicum Creek Park
Hit the zipline with the kids at Squallicum Creek Park for an afternoon of fun! This park is a favorite of ours with plenty of room to run and paved trails to walk, bike or skate. Perfect for younger kids, the zipline is an extra special thrill alongside a mini sized skate park.
Nourish yourself at Widnor Farms
The Widen Family believes in wholesome food and living and they strive to share this lifestyle with our community. They traded suburban sidewalks for real ranch life and have created Widnor Farms - build on integrity, hard work and nature in its purest form. I grew up with Brianna and love what their sweet family has created. Their farm store launches this month and it will be a sure-stop along our list of summer activities. Swing in for pasture raised beef, chicken, lamb, pork, eggs, milk and more on Saturdays from 10-2. The farm store is located right on their family farm and so catching a glimpse of their animals living their best life is a built in benefit.
Go for a mini staycation at Semiahmoo Resort
Semiahmoo Resort is our favorite spot for a staycation. Just 30 minutes north of Bellingham, this casual beach resort provides a breath of fresh air and a chance to stay right on the oceanside. The kids love the pool, we love the sunsets and we all love exploring the beach. The restaurant is really good and we all can get behind s’mores on the beach at night and waking up to waves crashing in the morning.
Hike for the views at little mountain park
The hike up Little Mountain, located in Mt. Vernon, is a beautiful forested hike through a canopy of trees and totally kid friendly. At 4.8 miles, you can do it in a couple of hours. If you want to skip the hike all together, you can drive to the top to the observation tower just to take in the views of the magic Skagit Valley. This is a must do if you are on the hunt for kid friendly hikes for the whole fam.
Explore the magic of Padilla Bay
Padilla Bay and Bayview State Park are full of nature’s wonder and beauty. From the walking trails along the estuary to the aquarium and tide pools at the Padilla Bay Reserve, there is something to learn around every bend. Make a day trip of it and take the kids to explore miles of trails and then explore the tide pools and learn all about the sealife surrounding this magical place. The trails are all flat and extremely easily accessible for walkers, bikers, stroller pushers or wheel chairs. If you are a bird lover, take your binoculars as this is not only a haven for sea creatures but birds as well. End your day in Edison stocking up on baked goodies at Breadfarm on your way home.
Walk the circle at Washington Park
Washington Park in Anacortes is one of the most majestic places around. Surrounded by Rosario Straight, the views are breathtaking. We love to walk the 2.3 mile loop around the park, which is paved and easily accessible with a stroller in tow. At the top of the loop, stopping to take the view is a reward for the hike up. There is not a shortage of activities for the day there including plenty beach play, trees to climb and picnic opportunities. If you want to make a longer trip of it, there are camp sites at the park as well.
Visit Deception Pass and take in the views
Deception Pass is a popular tourist destination and with good reason. Offering an assortment of the best of the PNW, the parks in this area are bursting with nature’s beauty. We love spending time here! If you are looking for a quick day trip, head to Rosario Head and hike up the trails to the top where you will experience a panoramic view of the San Juans. Pack a picnic and have a bite to eat in the sunshine and take in the views. We also love camping at Deception Pass State Park but keep in mind that state park reservations fill extremely quickly. If you are looking to camp, book your spot when reservations open, about 9 months in advance. Make sure to take a walk over the famous bridge and snap a selfie with the rest of the tourists.
I hope that wherever your summer plans take you, you enjoy the slower moments with your families. These are some of our favorite spots in the near vicinity and I hope you get to explore and enjoy them just as we will be doing. Perhaps our paths will cross in the midst of slow summer days and long summer nights. Wishing you well in the sunshine! Let me know which places are your favorite to spend a day with your family!
