Staycation – Fun in Seattle, WA (and Puget Sound)

You don’t have to fly across the country to enjoy a vacation – consider a staycation right here in the Pacific Northwest. For those of us who live in the Puget Sound area, we are blessed to have the water, the mountains, the city, the country – all within driving distance, so there is a lot to do without using a lot of dough.

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Activities are sorted by interest:

• Beaches, boats and maritime fun
• Tree huggers and nature nuts
• Parks and recreation
• Music lovers
• Museums and movies
• Sports fans
• Festivals and events

BEACHES, BOATS & MARITIME FUN
Love the water? Do you go bonkers over boats? There are a ton of opportunities to appreciate the ocean and our maritime heritage in the Northwest.

Head to the beach
Our northwest beaches are FREE – so pack your lunch, your sand toys, and your shorts and head to any of our many beaches. Now you’re probably not going to be swimming in the frigid waters, but you can play in the sand, look for shells and enjoy the little communities along the water. Or checkout some of the maritime fairs and festivals. Some good beaches to check out are Pacific Beach and Ocean Shores. Get your beach toys at the Dollar Store.

We took a trip to the Ocean Shores in February of this year.
We built sand castles, found sticks and played in the water – we had a blast and most all of our fun was FREE.

Ferry rides
We have an extensive ferry system here in the Northwest. Although not FREE, fares are minimum and you an enjoy a boat ride (breathtaking views) and maybe check out a new community on the other end! Get ferry fare information.

Ballard Locks
Watch as sailboats, motorboats, tugs, barges and yachts pass through the Ballard locks from the salt water of Puget Sound to/from the fresh water of the Ship Canal. Make sure and check out the fish ladder, built to allow salmon to pass between fresh and salt water, and to navigate the locks. Glass panels below the water line make it possible to watch the fish as they swim through the ladder.

June 11 – Salty Dock Day (Foss Harbor Marina, Tacoma)
FREE admission. Celebrate the recreational opportunities marinas provide on the nation’s waterways by offering: live music, food, boater education classes, a Salty Dog Contest for canine First Mates, speakers, games, safety demonstrations, a Saturday Night outdoor movie (weather permitting) and visiting historic vessels.

July 2 – Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival (Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle)
FREE admission, donations accepted. Festival includes visiting vessels, free public boat rides on Lake Union, activities for kids including toy boat building and a scavenger hunt, craft and skill demonstrations, family boat building, food vendors, live music, and a 24 hour boat building race called the Quick and Daring.

August 27-28 – Maritime Fest (Tacoma)
Celebrate the working waterfront. FREE Port Harbor Tours, Hydro Planes, Entertainment, Tacoma Rail Train Rides.

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TREE HUGGERS & NATURE NUTS
Wanna get outside? If you love all that nature has to offer, there are countless activities here in the Pacific Northwest. Take a hike, pack a picnic, bird watch or just enjoy the scenery.

FREE National Park Days
National park entrance fees are waived on FREE National Park Days – June 21, September 24, November 11-13.

Mount Rainier National Park
Mt. Rainier entrance fee is $15 for private, noncommercial vehicle. Annual passes are $30. Lots of hiking trails and scenic view points.

You’ll find great hiking trails, snow, sun, flowers, animals and more.
This photo was taken when we went in late June.

Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Park entrance fee is $15 per vehicle or $5 per individual (on foot, bicycle or motorcycle), kids under 15 are FREE. Annual pass $30.

Snoqualmie Falls
The Snoqualmie park and free viewing area are open from dawn until dusk. Unfortunately the hiking trail is closed until 2013 due to some construction, but the observation platform is open.

Pick your own berries
There are a TON of U-pick berry fields here in the Northwest. Check out the Pick Your Own website to find a berry picking place near you!

Geocaching
A real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online. Learn more about geocaching and search for geocaches in your area.

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PARKS & RECREATION
Many local cities offer extensive parks and recreation activities. Public parks, swimming pools, free movie and concert series. Check your local parks department for FREE summer events.

Parks and recreation movie series
A lot of cities offer FREE movies in the park during the summer months. Check your local parks and recreation events.

Point Defiance park (Tacoma)
Point Defiance park is FREE (the zoo is not FREE) and offers all sorts of attractions including hiking/running trails, kayak rentals, Fort Nisqually, a rose garden, a five-mile loop that overlooks the water (you can walk or drive),  You can play in the sand at Owen’s Beach which offers waterfront picnic shelters with grills, tables, a restroom and ample free parking. A large picnic shelter is available for group reservations.

Seattle-area parks
There are a ton of Seattle-based parks, to get a complete list and find out what transactions are available at each park, visit the Seattle Parks Website.

Tacoma-area parks
Metro Parks Tacoma has a ton of summer events and activities. Look for spray parks (parks with water features) to beat the summer heat. The Nature Center has a new play ground and has summer camps.

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MUSIC LOVERS
If you love a good concert, we have some great concert series and musical festivals in the Northwest

May 27-30 – Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle Center, Seattle)
FREE but there is a suggested donation of $10 per person per day (or $20 for family/groups). Live music, food.

Zoo Tunes
Although not FREE, Zoo Tunes tickets are not as expensive as most major concerts. They are sooo family friendly and can be frugal if you plan ahead. The concerts are on a big lawn at the Woodland Park Zoo. You can pack your own food and drinks (picnic style) and bring your kids. Very casual. Walking into the concert is fun as you get to see the zoo animals on your way in. Zoo admission is NOT included with your concert ticket, but you could go early and combine a trip to the zoo with the concert.

I took this photo a couple years ago when we went to ZooTunes. We brought our one-year-old. As you can see, it’s really casual and kid-friendly. We try to go to at least one a year, if not more.

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MUSEUMS & MOVIES
Need some ideas for rainy days? From museums to movies – there is plenty to do indoors.

Museums – Many museums offer FREE admission on certain days
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture – FREE first Thursday of the month
Center for Wooden Boats – Always FREE
Center on Contemporary Art – Always FREE
Experience Music Project & Science Fiction Museum – FREE first Thursday of the month  5 -8 p.m.
Frye Art Museum – Always FREE
Henry Art Gallery – FREE first Thursday of the month, always FREE for students.
Klondike Gold Rush Museum – Always FREE
Museum of Flight – FREE first Thursday of the month 5 – 9 p.m.
Olympic Sculpture Park – Always FREE
Museum of History and Industry – FREE first Thursday of the month
Seattle Art Museum Downtown – FREE first Thursday of the month, first Friday ages 62 and over, second Friday 5-9 p.m. teens with ID.
Seattle Asian Art Museum – FREE first Thursday and Saturday and second Thursday 5-9 p.m. of every month, first Friday ages 62 and over.
Volunteer Park Conservatory – Always FREE
Wing Luke Asian Museum – FREE first Thursday and third Saturday of the month.

Children’s Museums
Imagine Children’s Museum (Everett) – FREE third Friday of every month 5:30-9 p.m., half price admission every Thursday 3 – 5 p.m.
Tacoma Children’s Museum – FREE First Friday of every month or every Thursday in June, July and August.
Hands On Children’s Museum (Olympia) – FREE every first Friday of the month from  5-9 p.m.

Regal Summer Movies – $1 admission to popular kid’s movies, open weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting June 28. Learn more about Regal Summer Movie Series.

Parks & Recreation movie series – A lot of cities offer FREE movies in the park during the summer months.

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SPORTS FANS
Take me out to the ball game! Whether it’s the baseball diamond or the soccer stadium, there are lots of local sporting events!

Nothing better than the sights, smells and sounds of a summer baseball game.

Mariners baseball
Get a ticket, hot dog and Pepsi as low as $14 per person for families of 4 to 12. Check out Mariners ticket specials.

Rainiers baseball
I personally LOVE Rainiers games. They have a small-town feel with reasonable prices, but they still seem to capture that big stadium feel, as if you’re at a major league game. Thursdays are a good time to go because they have $1 hot dogs, ice cream, and coffee all over the park. After some games they let the kids run the bases for FREE. Check out the Rainiers promotion calendar for special events and discounts.

Everett Aquasox baseball
Tasty Thursdays offer $2 sodas, hot dogs and peanuts. After some games they let the kids run the bases for FREE. Check out the Everett Aquasox promotion calendar for special events and discounts.

Sounders soccer
We recently scored some great prices on Sounders tickets through Living Social (no longer available), but watch Living Social and Seattle Groupon for discount tickets. If you get the all-inclusive tickets they include all you can eat concessions – soda, nachos, hot dogs, etc. This can be a huge money saver if you are bringing those hungry kids! Check out the Sounders website for promotional information.

Seattle Storm basketball
Watch women’s basketball, get information at the Seattle Storm website.

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Check your May 22 Tacoma News Tribune – on page E3 there was an extensive list of Festivals and events going from Memorial Day to Labor Day!

My son enjoys some corn on the cob at a local festival.

June 17 – Puyallup Meeker Days Festive (Downtown Puyallup)
FREE admission, open noon to 9 p.m., downtown Puyallup. Four live entertainment stages; two food courts; almost 200 craft, commercial and non-profit vendors; antique tractor displays; classic car shows featuring Buicks and Pontiacs; inflatable rides and more.

July 4 – Tacoma’s Freedom Fest (Ruston Way waterfront, Tacoma)
FREE admission. Family activities, music and fireworks. Located on Ruston Way, Tacoma

July 13 – Capital Lakefair (Downtown Olympia)
FREE admission. Car show, food concessions, kids activities, fireworks, music, parade and more.

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STAYCATION TIPS
Here are some final tips for saving the most on your staycation.

• Pack your own food – Eating out, can eat up your budget fast. Whenever it’s allowed, consider packing your own meals and snacks.
• Search for coupons or discounts – Before I visit any new place or attraction, I’ll do a quick google or search to see what kinds of discounts I can find. 
• Watch Seattle Groupon and Living Social for discount tickets and events.
• Check out Jetsetter! Jetsetter gives you a $25 credit just for creating an account. A lot of times local hotels will be available for about $100. After your credit you can get them for about $75 (or less) – pack up the kids and play all night in the hotel swimming pool!

This post could go for pages and pages – there are TONS of opportunities here in the Pacific Northwest. I’d love your ideas for other staycation activities, so please leave a comment if you have one! The more frugal, the better.

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