A family trip with city skylines, epic playgrounds, natural landscapes, suspension bridges, marine life, and acres of colorful tulips
Day 1
Being a native of Idaho, and a current resident of Connecticut, I often look for family vacations that allow our children the opportunity to explore the landscape of the Western United States. Spring break was the perfect time to plan a vacation to Seattle, Washington. We were fortunate to have my mom join us on our vacation. We arrived at Sea-Tac airport where we picked up our rental SUV to accommodate our 7 passengers. After picking my mom up from her flight, we headed to our HomeAway rental in a residential section of downtown Seattle. Our AirBnB (Urban Oasis by Green Lake) was perfect with close proximity to Seattle attractions, on-street accessible parking, accommodations for 7 people, and a bonus for the mild rainy season in the Pacific Northwest…a hot tub! The hot tub was the first stop on our Seattle vacation.
Day 2
We started our day with breakfast at Hi-Life in Ballard. Housed in the beautifully renovated Ballard Firehouse, Hi-Life had something on the menu for everyone. Next, for our first day in Seattle, we decided to visit the fish ladders to show the kids all about the salmon that make their way to the ocean every year from the rivers in Idaho. It was quite impressive to view the system of locks and ladders used and to observe all of the native birds and marine life that call Seattle home.
We then made our way to downtown Seattle to the Space Needle. A trip to Seattle in April made for no crowds and mild temperatures. A raincoat (and a hot tub) was all that was needed for the daily shower that passed through. The kids all loved the Space Needle (and gift shop), but they were completely in their element on the playscape at the base of the Space Needle. We ended up making a second trip back!
Our next stop was Pike Street Marketplace where we were took in the sites of the fish market, Gum Wall, lucky pig, and famous flying fish.
We stopped for lunch at Beecher’s to enjoy a cup of French onion soup and a grilled cheese made with fresh handmade cheese made right as you eat. We finished off our meal with a drink from the first Starbucks store originating in Seattle in 1971.
We finished up our Pike Street Marketplace experience with a trip on the Ferris wheel. To add to the harbor view and city skyline, there were two bald eagles in flight in the sky above the Ferris wheel. A beautiful day in Seattle!
Day 3
Known for the best breakfast in Seattle, the 5 Spot, in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood was our pick for our first meal of the day. We stayed in the neighborhood to take in the sites of the Seattle skyline and to visit another one of Seattle’s amazing playscapes.
After getting some energy out, we decided to pay a visit to the famous Fremont troll.
We finished up the afternoon with a trip to the Seattle Zoo. The kids had fun listening to a pack of howling wolves, connecting with a gorilla, and leaving with a full-sized (stuffed) snake.
A couple of days of sight seeing around Seattle meant we were ready for an adult beverage. We found the Fremont brewery with some local craft beers.
Day 4
When we visited the Space Needle on the first day of our trip we bought a City Pass. Today we decided to make use of all of the passes before moving on to Vancouver. Our first attraction was the Pacific Science Center. The kids enjoyed all of the exhibits, the butterfly pavilion, and the panda lover of the family got to see Pandas on the IMAX screen.
We moved on to the Seattle Aquarium and then boarded the boat for the harbor cruise for our last night in Seattle.
Day 5
When we started our drive to Vancouver we were all pleasantly surprised to learn that the timing of our trip was perfect for tulip season in Washington!
We drove up to our AirBnB (Beautiful 3bdr Suite with kitchen and 2 bathrooms) in Vancouver excited at the sight of the house. When we went to unlock the door we quickly realized our reservation was for the basement of the house. A little disappointed we wheeled our bags down the stairs and got settled in. The house, or should I say, suite ended up accommodating all 7 of us nicely, but I did learn to read the description a little better for future bookings.
We headed out on the town in search of a fun restaurant for dinner with the kids. We were lucky to find a fun Japenese BBQ restaurant, Gyu-Kaku with a grill for cooking right at the table. Overall it was a fun dining experience highly recommended for the kids and adults.
We ended the day of traveling with a drive through Stanley Park and a walk along the waterfront.
Day 6
Today we decided to explore the Canadian forests, by heading out of the city to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Capilano Suspension Bridge was originally built in 1889. It crosses 450 across and 230 feet above the Capilano River. The bridge offers incredible rainforest and river views along with the thrill of being suspended in the sky.
The Capliano Park also offers the Treetop Adventure and a new cliff walk. The cliff walk “follows a granite precipice along the Capilano River with a labyrinth-like series of narrow cantilevered bridges, stairs and platforms and only 16 anchor points in the cliff supporting the structure.” The breathtaking view helped me to briefly overcome my fear of heights to walk out along the narrow, suspended pathways.
The Treetop Adventure Park offered 7 suspended footbridges offering views 100 feet above the forest floor. The kids were excited to visit Raptors Ridge, an educational facility dedicated to public education of raptors and conservation of wildlife.
After our adventures in the Canadian wilderness, we decided to continue up the Sea to Sky Highway to visit Shannon Falls and the town of Squamish.
Day 7
Our weeklong adventure was coming to an end…we loaded in the car to head back to the United States. We had time for one last educational stop along the way home… to visit the Boeing Factory for a tour of their impressive facilities.
We had a wonderful time visiting the Pacific Northwest! Seattle was clean and progressive with environmentally friendly practices throughout the city. The temperature was mild with only passing showers of rain to keep the hills green and scenic. We were able to explore the city as well as the wildlife of the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver had an international and eclectic feel. We indulged in Asian and Indian cuisine while exploring the city of Vancouver and the mountain and ocean views the Pacific coastline had to offer.
Moving On 
Great blog
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