Author: Maggie Rose

Zion National Park is located in southwest Utah near the city of Springdale.  Because of its proximity to Springdale, Zion makes for an excellent National Park to visit as you have the best of both worlds.  Get your fill of nature from the beauty that is Zion National Park and also enjoy the city’s restaurants, shops, and markets.  Though the Park has a lodge and campgrounds, you’ll be able to find plenty of accommodations in Springdale. Plus, there is a free shuttle that drives through Springdale and takes you to and from the park.  

Here are eight things we enjoyed most on a recent visit in June of 2022 with a 4 and 7 year old. We spent 6 days but one can enjoy all of Zion in just a few days. June is not the most ideal time weather-wise as it was close to 100 every day, but you and the kids can stay cool and happy with my first recommendation.  

1. Take a Dip in the Virgin River

There are several spots along the river to dip your feet, swim, or relax on the shore. The cold water was a welcome relief to the sweltering heat. The water levels can change at any time, so it’s important to be aware of any posted notices or warnings from the Park Rangers.

2. Visit the Nature Center

The Nature Center has exhibits on the park’s plants, animals, and geology. During the busy season, there are wonderful programs scheduled daily that are geared towards kids ages 4-12.  The topics change and are led by Park Rangers. We really enjoyed these talks and the kids were very engaged as the Rangers made them interactive. An added bonus is that the Nature Center is air conditioned and has a water fountain with icy cold water. It’s a great place to learn, cool the body down, and have fun.

3. Become a Junior Ranger

The Junior Ranger program is a great way for kids to learn about the park and earn a badge. Ask for the book at the Visitor Center or the Nature Center. Based on age, once all activities are completed, your child can earn a really cool badge. In addition, there may be other programs such as the Night Explorer program which kids can complete to earn their Night Explorer badge. Zion National Park is a designated International Dark Sky Park which means you’ll be able to see some amazing constellations here.

4. Hike Emerald Pools

The Emerald Pools Trail Head leads you to Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools. Take your kids to the restroom and fill up on water at the lodge across the street, and then head over to the trailhead.  If you decide to do all three, it’s 3 miles out and back. My kids were able to do all three with no problems, but young children or those with strollers should easily be able to do Lower Pool.  All three include beautiful views, waterfalls, and glistening emerald colored pools. No swimming is allowed.

5. Explore the City of Springdale

You can easily explore Springdale with the free shuttle system. Hop on or off at any of the bus stops or walk between stops to explore the shops. Need more hiking or camping gear? Looking to grab a bite? Need some groceries? Springdale has it all. In addition, the beautiful red rocks surround the city, so it’s just as gorgeous as being in Zion itself. We liked stopping at the market for simple items as we camped for 6 days and needed to replenish. Added bonus is that the market makes to-order sandwiches, so it was an easy and affordable meal that was also packable for our hikes.

6. Take a Bike Ride

We really enjoyed biking the paths to and from our campsite at Watchman Campground. It was easy to go back and forth to the Nature Center or to the Park’s entrance where we’d lock our bikes and take the shuttle to Springdale. Because it was so hot, cooling towels really helped during these bike rides. Zion has many bike racks and some not as popular paths/streets so it wasn’t hard to avoid people. 

7. Attend Ranger Programs

Zion is one of the National Parks that hosts the most Ranger Programs, in my opinion. In addition to the Nature Center’s programs that are geared towards kids, there are also Ranger Programs held in the South Campground Amphitheater in the evenings twice a week. These programs are also designed for families.  We were also able to sign up for a private bus tour of Zion Canyon that stopped at places the normal shuttle did not.  The Ranger led tour informed us of areas that were affected by erosion, how the landscape has changed, and other history of the park. Depending on which Ranger leads the tour will affect what topics are discussed. Although our kids were not as engaged by our Ranger’s topic, they did enjoy riding the shuttle, looking for wildlife, and walking around areas that we wouldn’t otherwise been able to get to.

8. The Narrows

The Narrows is a slot canyon and one of the most popular hikes at Zion. Access to the Narrows is at the end of the Riverside Walk which is a flat one mile hike along the Virgin River. The Narrows is a truly unique hiking experience and I highly recommend it even with kids. It was our kids’ favorite hike (possibly ever) as they loved wading in the cold water and the challenge of making their way through the rocks. We wore water shoes and bathing suits to hike. I can see how a hiking stick would be useful as well.

It’s a fun hike but can also be a bit dangerous. Definitely be aware of any posted warning signs or closures as the water levels can change quickly or the current speeds and rocks can make you lose your footing. The Narrows hike from the bottom is about 10 miles round-trip. We did about 2 miles in, making for a 4 mile round-trip hike. We made some stops along the way to just take in the views and eat snacks. It’s really up to you how far you want to go before turning around.

Zion National Park is a beautiful place to visit, and with so many things to do, you’re sure to have a great time exploring the park with your family.  Make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen, wear cool clothing and comfortable shoes, and take note of any park rules or warnings from the Rangers. 

Seattle is a great place to visit with kids because there are a lot of family-friendly attractions and activities. The city has a number of kid-friendly museums as well as numerous parks and playgrounds. Before I get into the best things, I want to mention the Seattle CityPass which is a great way of seeing some of Seattle’s most popular attractions for a fraction of the cost. And when it comes to kids, any savings we can find, the better! Most of the attractions I will go into are included in this pass! 

The pass includes admission to 5 attractions, two of which are the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium.  Then choose three additional attractions from either Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo, or Chihuly Garden and Glass.

You don’t need to choose which attractions you want to go to at time of purchase which is great because you never quite know what your day will be like when traveling with kids. You can plan how and when you want to use your pass. However, reservations are recommended to ensure availability, so the further out you can plan, the better. You have 9 days from the first day you attend one of the attractions to use your pass.  

If you’re tight on time, another great way to save money is with the Seattle C3 pass. This pass allows you to visit 3 attractions in the same 9 day timeframe.  However, MoPOP is not included in this package but The Museum of Flight, Sky View Observatory, and the Seattle Art Museum are included as choices.

Both are great options to save money especially when admission prices can definitely add up when traveling with kids.  Do some research though, as some of these attractions allow kids in for free if they are below a certain age, usually age 4 or 3 and below.

Now, you’re probably wondering what are the best attractions. You really can’t go wrong, but here are my top 10 picks for exploring Seattle with your kids.  And some are completely free!

1. Chew some Gum and visit the Gum Wall

Located in Post Alley below Pike Place Market, the Gum Wall is a colorful yet kind of gross (in my opinion) alleyway filled with years of chewed gum stuck to the brick walls. The kids will love it! When else is it OK to spit your chewing gum out in public? Bring your own gum or buy some from the nearby vendors in the market and add to the art that is the Gum Wall. Stretch it, make a pattern, be creative, and have fun with it! 

2. Explore Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is iconic and one of the oldest public markets in the US. Take a stroll around the many vendors selling fresh fish, food, flowers, and other goods. My kids especially liked seeing the bouquets of colorful flowers, sipping on hot apple cider, and eating bowls of chowder. Stop by Beecher’s to see the cheese making process, visit the very first Starbucks, or grab a beef and onion from Piroshky Piroshky.

3. Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass

Located in Seattle Center, Dale Chihuly’s amazing glass blown pieces are on display at Chihuly Garden and Glass. There are eight galleries, a glasshouse, and garden to wander through and be amazed. The vibrant colors of the sculptures and how they’re displayed makes this one of my top places to visit in Seattle. It’s just beautiful and my kids enjoyed exploring each room and picking their favorite pieces.

4. Learn something at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

This National Park is a free Historical Park located in the Pioneer Square District of Seattle. Throw in some learning on your vacation and have the kids grab a Junior Ranger Booklet so they can earn Junior Ranger Badges. We were on a bit of a time crunch and only spent about 30 minutes here, but you can easily spend an hour or more here. Follow the journey of five people’s experiences during the Klondike Gold Rush and learn what life was like during this period of excitement and hardship as people strived to strike it rich!

5. Rock out at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

This museum was a pleasant surprise as I wasn’t sure if the kids would enjoy a museum about the history and culture of popular music, film, and art. But I was wrong! It was very kid-friendly and interactive. We headed to the Sound Lab first which was a hit. The Sound Lab allows you to learn and play many different instruments and even play together as if your family is a rock star band! My kids especially enjoyed trying their hand at being a DJ and mixing sounds. Other favorite exhibits included the Fantasy room where the entrance was a wide-wooden castle-like door that swung open at the press of a button, the Science Fiction area that contained a lot of movie props and interactive displays, and the special exhibition at the time, which was all about stop-motion animation. Apparently, there is a cool Horror section, but we skipped it as the kids would have been “scared to death” as the exhibit’s name implies.

6. Play at the Playgrounds

I don’t know about your family, but playgrounds are an easy please-all when traveling with kids. A good playground includes anything where the kids can climb, slide, or spin. Mix those elements and we could literally spend a few hours at a playground. 

Located right next to MoPOP is Artists at Play. This is a climbing gem of a playground! A giant cargo net connects to a platform where kids can choose from two different slides to make their way down, only to start their adventure all over again. For smaller kids, there is an easier tube-like way to climb up and kids patiently wait in line for this route. In addition, there is a merry-go round that kids don’t seem to mind rolling off of when the spin gets a bit fast, some musical posts, and a walking labyrinth. Other noteworthy playgrounds include Roxhill Park, Wallingford Playfield, and West Woodland Park Playground.

7. Take a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel 

Part of the iconic Seattle skyline is the Seattle Great Wheel, a 175-foot tall ferris wheel. Each gondola fits up to eight people and is equipped with an emergency button if you so need. Once boarded, you’ll get to ride the wheel for three full revolutions and enjoy spectacular views of Elliott Bay, downtown Seattle, and the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. If you’re there during the weekend nights, you can catch an awesome light show, too. 

8. Spend the day at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Woodland Park Zoo (@woodlandparkzoo)

The Woodland Park Zoo is a 92-acre zoological park located in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood. It is one of the oldest zoos in the country and has a wide variety of animals, educational programs, and exciting exhibits. There are also seasonal activities, a petting zoo, and a carousel. If you’re not using the CityPass, you can save 10% by purchasing tickets online at least 4 days in advance and you can also purchase tickets for the Carousel where they have a Buy 5, get 1 Free option or single rides which are $3 each. You can easily spend a few hours here. Some of our favorites were the bear exhibits in the Living Northwest Trail section, watching the penguins waddle and swim around, and the gorillas and birds in the Tropical Rain Forest area.

9. Visit the Olympic Sculpture Park 

Olympic Sculpture Park is located along the Elliott Bay waterfront and features an impressive collection of contemporary sculptures. The park also offers stunning views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and the Seattle skyline. This is a great place to take a walk, grab some cool pictures, and let the kids run around while you try and take in the scenes.

10. Take in the views from Kerry Park

We stayed in Queen Anne which was conveniently located just north of Seattle Center and provided a fairly easy walk there (there were a couple steep hills). Kerry Park is located in Queen Anne and provides an amazing view of downtown Seattle and the Space Needle. The nearby streets are also lined with cherry blossom trees (if you’re there at the right time) which makes for some pretty pictures as well. Just below the viewing area is a small playground that the kids can enjoy which is can be used as a reward if you make them walk through the hills of Queen Anne to get there.