Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The kids are back in the routine of school, a crispness creeps back into the air, the colors outside start to change to that earthy, warm ambiance I love so much. Oh yeah, did I mention pumpkin lattes, pumpkin breads, hearty soups and comfy sweaters? In addition to all of those things, I love that Fall in the Northwest offers so many great family friendly activities, many of which can be done without much cost. One more thing I love about Fall: it’s a great time to reconnect as a family. Summers can often be full of activities that pull a family in different directions and the Winter brings in the busy Christmas season. Fall is that time between school shopping and the holiday sprint, that offers many activities that are slower paced, allowing you to relax and enjoy your family. Things like long drives to look at autumn leaves, apple picking and corn mazes to get lost in together. It’s also the perfect time to make a big pot of soup and invite the neighbors over for an affordable and delicious meal!
Here are some of our favorite family friendly Fall activity picks for the Puget Sound area:
Free Activities:
Plan a day looking at the beauty of fall in the Northwest! Pack a picnic basket and you can enjoy this activity for the cost of gas. You can find the Best Places to View the Fall Colors in the Northwest here. With the warm Fall weather we are having this year, a NW Hike with the family would be great! Here is a list of some of the best NW hiking locations for this time of the year. Watching the Salmon spawn is one of my family’s Fall traditions. We love to head up to Leavenworth for Oktoberfest and stop at the river along the way to watch them spawn. You can find more great spots to watch the Salmon spawn here. Take a FREE Boat Ride on Lake Union and Explore the Docks at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. Still trying to figure out what to do? Check out this list of 15 Free Fall Activities for the Whole Family.
Low Cost Family Fun:
Pumpkin Patches and Fall Festivals are on many family’s to do lists this time of the year. Many of the pumpkin patches offer free entrance and then charge for activities and pumpkin purchases. The Fall Festivals are also often free to get into and then offer various low cost activities. Find a big list of Pacific Northwest Fall Festivals & Pumpkin Patches here. Apple picking and cider pressing is a fun Fall activity for the family. Not only is it fun to get out and pick apples together, but you get to take them home and make delicious fall favorite recipes afterwards with the apples! Here are two great resources for where to pick apples in the Northwest here and here. Visit Snoqualmie Falls & Visit the Historic Train Depot! It’s beautiful in the Fall at Snoqualmie Falls and the town of Snoqualmie has a great community park you can stop at (plus many restaurants to pick from too)! There is also a historic train museum in the town of Snoqualmie. It will cost a little more if you choose to ride the train, but checking out the depot is free! They do have a Halloween train coming up on October 25 & 26. Sip cider and take a fall oriented historic train ride. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for children. Be sure to head over to the Snoqualmie Falls Candy Factory and Cafefor a good old fashioned treat before leaving town!
Other Fall Festivities to consider:
Wild Waves opens its Fright Fest this month. They offer a scare free zone for younger kids and kids get in for $9.99.
