Anyone from Washington State or know the area? Need vacation suggestions.

stacymills99

We booked a house for two weeks in May in Olympia right on the sound.  I have started looking for things the kids might enjoy and trying to plan a few day trips.  My kids are 2 and 4.  Right now we will go to the Children's Museum in Olympia and I found a petting farm groupon that might be fun to try.  

We would also like to do a day trip to the ocean, any suggestions on good beaches?  And a day trip into the Portland/Oregan area, but not sure what to do there either.  Any other suggestions for two toddlers in Seattle other than the Space Needle and Fish Market?

Thanks for any suggestions

honkytonk_kid

We just spent a week on the OR coast and a couple days in Seattle. We really liked walking around the Washington Park Arboretum and taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Have fun!

Arnegard

Is there a zoo?

I grew up in Salem, OR and my Aunt/Uncle lived there for a bit.  Of course, we only traveled to visit them at their house.

nonoemily

I live in portland.

If you come for the day and want to do kid things try the zoo or omsi. Personally I think omsi is cooler and way less work, I take my two year old there at least once a week. The zoo can be more of an all day thing and the food there is expensive/terrible. If I was in town for the day id get breakfast, take kids to omsi, then throw the kids in the stroller and walk along the esplanade. My kid def needs a nap after an omsi visit.

There's a farmers market Saturday mornings that is fun for food and people watching/shopping. Not to be confused with the Saturday market in old town. That's more crafts and stuff in a sketchier part of town.

Japanese garden is cool, but expensive. Rose gardens are cool and free. They are next to each other, so you can do both.

If you want to shop, chose a neighborhood like Mississippi, Hawthorne, Pearl or Sellwood. All those are fun for grown ups and kids.

Check out food carts. They are cheap and good, mostly.

I've spent some time in the puget sound area recently, DH and I had an anniversary weekend on harstene island. It was nice, pretty mellow, we drove around a lot. There aren't a million attractions vying for your attention, it's pretty laid back.

I wished we'd had time to ride a ferry for a day and check out some of the other islands. I also wish we'd had more time to spend in the Olympic national forest. Check out the national park website and see if anything there appeals to you enough to make the drive from Olympia.

LyndseylovesHugh

Lurker here jumping in...I live near Olympia and I highly recommend the Hands on Children's Museum, it is great!  We have a membership there and love it! 

www.hocm.org

There is an awesome Farmer's Market in Olympia and there is a splash pad right next to it, it is a big hit with kids when the weather is nice, which hopefully it will be in May.  There are also a ton of restaurants, parks and the capital right there. 

https://www.olympiafarmersmarket.com/
https://m.olympiawa.gov/community/parks/parks-and-trails/heritage-park-fountain
https://m.olympiawa.gov/community/parks/percival-landing

I also recommend the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, it is a really nice zoo, better than the one in Seattle IMO.

www.pdza.org

As for Seattle, the fish market is fun, but it can get crazy and overwhelming, it is not somewhere I love to bring my toddler personally.  It can take a long time to get to Seattle if there is any traffic or big events.  Last time we went into the city it took us 1.5 hours to get there (which is normal) but over 3 hours to get home.  It is easier to get to Portland most of the time.  We have not been to Portland since DD was born, so no kid friendly advice, but it is a fun town and I really love the rose garden there.

HBirdie

I love Woodland Park Zoo. Also the Pacific Science Center. I wasn't super impressed with Seattle's aquarium last time I went.

There's a kangaroo farm in Arlington that people RAVE about. I haven't been there yet, but I haven't heard of anyone going there and leaving disappointed! https://www.outbackkangaroofarm.com/

Cheekers2010

Also a Portlander here. Totally agree on the OMSI recommendation. One of my fav places to take my 3 year old. The playground by the zoo, Rose Garden, etc., is amazing, but I'm not a huge zoo fan. My DS also loves to ride to aerial tram between the South Waterfront and OHSU. The children's museum in Seattle is fun.

stacymills99

Thanks for all the great recomendations!  It sounds like there is lots to do to keep us busy.