Enjoyable Concepts for a Family-Oriented Labor Day Weekend Celebration
Seattle and Surrounding Areas Offer a Plethora of Family-Friendly Activities for Labor Day Weekend 2024
Seattle and its surroundings are brimming with activities for families looking to make the most of their Labor Day weekend. From interactive playgrounds and museums to outdoor parks and festivals, there's something for everyone.
One of the standout destinations for families is the Seattle Center’s Artists at Play playground. This artistic and motion-filled playground features a 30-foot climbing tower, sound swings, and a human-powered carousel, designed to engage kids creatively and physically. Another popular spot is the Children’s Museum, Seattle, which offers interactive exhibits such as a Global Village and Discovery Bay that foster hands-on learning and play for kids and families.
For those seeking a dose of nature, Discovery Park, Seattle’s largest park, offers children’s play areas, picnic spots, and scenic trails, making it a great place for families to explore together. Woodland Park Zoo and Chihuly Garden and Glass are also family-friendly destinations that combine education with fun outdoor environments, ideal for all ages.
In addition to these attractions, families can enjoy family-oriented festivals around Labor Day weekend. While many listed festivals focus on August, such as Chomp! at Marymoor Park and Big Day of Play (mid-August), the nearby Evergreen State Fair (ending Sept 1) provides classic fair attractions like rides, games, and live entertainment suitable for families.
The Evergreen State Fair and Washington State Fair both offer a variety of activities over Labor Day weekend. The Evergreen State Fair is in its last weekend, while the Washington State Fair is opening for the first weekend. Both fairs feature lumberjacks, goats, carnival rides, Demolition Derby (extra fee), farm animals, arena competitions, and new exhibits. Kids enter the Washington State Fair for free all weekend.
For those seeking a more relaxed outdoor experience, Gasworks Park, Troll’s Knoll Park with the famous Troll statue, and the Center for Wooden Boats offer engaging outdoor activities such as climbing, boating, and interactive art, all family-appropriate and accessible.
As Labor Day weekend is a popular holiday time, it's recommended to check updated local event calendars close to September 2024 for special Labor Day-specific happenings or family programs. For example, Seattle Southside events or Seattle Refined’s PNW events guide may reveal additional events.
Beyond Seattle, there are numerous attractions to explore. The Great Northern & Cascade Railway, Kitsap Live Steamers' mini trains, Northwest Railway Museum, Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, and Chehalis-Centralia Railroad offer train rides over Labor Day weekend. Waterslides at Wild Waves and Birch Bay Waterslides are nearing the end of their summer season.
Olympia Harbor Days offers tours of vintage tugboats and tall ships, tugs races, sand carving, makers markets, and more. It spans the Olympia waterfront and is free to attend. The Ellensburg Rodeo and Kittitas County Fair offer pro rodeo action, county fair fun, a pancake breakfast, parade, and historic Frontier Village. Entry is free on Labor Day.
Sunflower farms across the region offer u-pick fields, festivals, games, mazes, rides, animals, and photo opportunities through Labor Day weekend and into September. The Bremerton Blackberry Festival offers blackberry desserts, live music, family activities, and a chance to ride the foot ferry over to Port Orchard. Entry is free.
The Summit at Snoqualmie offers a scenic chairlift ride over Labor Day weekend. The last day to ride is Sept. 1. Bumbershoot, held at the Seattle Center, offers kid-friendly music, dance performances, visual spectacles, art, and a free entry for children aged 12 and younger.
Labor Day weekend is the last open weekend for many outdoor swimming pools, including Seattle’s Colman Pool, Kirkland’s Peter Kirk Pool, Henry Moses in Renton, and Tacoma’s Stewart Heights and Kandle pools. Check individual pool schedules for closing dates.
Jetty Island, a man-made summer paradise of sand and water, is open daily through Sunday, Aug. 31. The ferry to Jetty Island departs from the 10th Street Boat Launch in Everett. The cost is $5 per person, with ages 2 and younger free.
Lastly, the reopened historic Tenino Quarry pool south of Olympia is worth a drive for a swim. The new Waterfront Park and Pier 58 playground in Seattle offers a 25-foot jellyfish climbing structure and other features. It's free to visit. At the Ballard Locks, visitors can see salmon swimming through the fish ladder with a trained naturalist, and enjoy free outdoor concerts, including a Van Morrison tribute band on Labor Day.
In summary, families visiting Seattle and its surroundings over Labor Day weekend can enjoy a mix of engaging museums, creative playgrounds, scenic parks, and ongoing summer festivals/fairs that offer entertainment for all ages. Advanced planning to confirm exact event dates and registration requirements is recommended.
- The Seattle Center’s Artists at Play playground, with its 30-foot climbing tower, sound swings, and human-powered carousel, is an artistic and motion-filled playground that engages kids creatively and physically.
- The Children’s Museum, Seattle, offers interactive exhibits such as a Global Village and Discovery Bay, fostering hands-on learning and play for kids and families.
- For a relaxed outdoor experience, families can visit Gasworks Park, Troll’s Knoll Park, and the Center for Wooden Boats, offering engaging outdoor activities such as climbing, boating, and interactive art, all family-appropriate and accessible.
- In addition to these attractions, families attending the Evergreen State Fair can enjoy classic fair attractions, such as rides, games, and live entertainment, suitable for all ages, during Labor Day weekend.
