Reviews and Recommendations for Fun Family Outings
By Amy Hatch
Seattle has a stunning mix of beaches, mountain views and wooded parks all incorporated into an urban landscape. In City Walks Seattle: 50 Adventures on Foot (Chronicle Books, 2009, $14.95), Ingrid Emerick, a local writer and mother of two, lays out treks that will take you and your family through well-known parts of town and also introduce you to some well-kept secrets. Inspired, I decided to try out a few of the treks in this handy boxed set of cards.
I recently headed out with my good friend, Melissa McCann, and her two sons, Rowan, 3, and Mason, 6. We started off the day at the Kubota Garden (card No. 42) in South Seattle. At every turn, there were two to six more paths to choose from, each leading to a different adventure. The boys had a blast getting to pick which path to take on our journey. The numerous bridges throughout the park were also a big hit. Rowan and Mason crossed over seven bridges in the two hours we were at the park and they loved finding large rock croppings – which were all over the park grounds – and climbing each one. If we go back, we’ll be sure to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on one of the many sunny grass lawns.
Since we didn’t plan for a picnic on this trip, we stopped off at Luna Park Café (2918 S.W. Avalon Way, Seattle) in West Seattle on our way to Schmitz Preserve Park (card No. 47) for an afternoon hike. Luna Park has a great kids’ menu that doubles as a coloring project while they wait for their lunch. After a quick bite, we headed up Southwest Admiral Way to our destination. Just as the card for this walk mentioned, minutes after you enter the park, the city sounds fade away. Schmitz Preserve has the feel of a mountain pass and reminded me of the weekend camping trips and hikes I took with my family when I was young.
Several small streams ran along either side or underneath the various paths we took through the park. One of the boys’ favorite parts of this walk was finding a large, shallow stream bed to splash in and jump across using logs and rocks. While we were there we ran into another family that had been smart enough to bring water shoes and wading boots so their kids could play in the stream without a wet ride home. Schmitz Preserve is also a great dog-friendly walk with its multiple trails and fresh water streams for quick puppy drinks.
Best Places for Summer Outings
Here’s a list of some of the author’s favorite family-friendly walks for the warm summer months:
• Lincoln Park (card No. 46) off Fauntleroy Way Southwest in West Seattle. You can walk along the beachfront at this park, and your kids can play in Coleman Pool, a public saltwater pool, open June through September.
• Alki (card No. 48) is a relatively long walk Emerick and her family take after hopping the Elliott Bay Water Taxi. The taxi ($3 per person each way) runs April through October from Seattle’s Pier 55 to Seacrest Park in West Seattle. Be sure to visit the lighthouse at Alki Point and the Log House Museum. Pack a picnic or plan to lunch at local favorite Alki Bakery (2738 Alki Ave. S.W.).
• Seward Park (card No. 41) juts out into Lake Washington on the south end of Seattle. It’s the perfect place for year-round hiking, but in the summer months, take advantage of its swimming beaches. Seward Park offers a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats for birds. The summer bring ospreys, hummingbirds, western tanagers, swallows and the occasional bald eagle. To learn more, visit www.sewardpark.org.
• Chittenden Locks to Discovery Park (card No. 18) is sandwiched between the city’s Ballard and Magnolia waterfronts. Emerick recommends the Chittenden Locks, also known as the Ballard locks, for boat watching in the warm-weather months. The occasional sea lion may be spotted near the fish ladder, which Emerick says has the most activity from late spring to early fall. Early summer is also a great time to enjoy the beautiful Carl S. English, Jr. Botanical Garden on the park grounds.
Amy Hatch is a Seattle freelance writer, devoted Godmother and mom-in-training.
