The Pacific Northwest is big and so are its National Parks. That means a lot of driving: two hours here, two hours there. Since leaving Teddy Roosevelt National Park, we’ve been going non-stop. Part of that is my “don’t-miss-a-thing” mindset, but honestly, there’s just so much to see out here! Seattle was no exception.
We stayed in an adorable Airbnb in West Seattle, complete with a loft that quickly became the Lego loft, a glimpse of the Puget Sound from the deck, and an easy walk to coffee or donuts in town. From there, we launched into exploring the city and beyond.
University of Washington Football Game
Husky Stadium was on Charlie’s bucket list—and it did not disappoint. The open-air U-shaped stadium overlooks Lake Washington and the Cascades, making it one of the most scenic college football venues in the country. The game itself was a blowout, but Ken and the older three boys had a blast soaking it all in.
Ballard Locks and Fish Ladder
As you probably know, Charlie is fascinated with all things freighters. As a shipping port, we saw lots of container ships in Seattle. Charlie’s love for freighters led us to the Ballard Locks, where boats pass between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington. While container ships don’t go through here, 50,000 boats a year do, making it the busiest lock system in the U.S. The highlight was the salmon ladder, where fish leap step by step toward fresh water to spawn without the dangers of boat propellers, the locking gates or predators. We watched seals linger and play near the entrance of the ladder, hoping for an easy catch. A few seals even snuck into the fish ladder which was quite a sight! We kept feeding the parking meter because none of us wanted to leave.
San Juan Island
Washington state has so many islands! One morning, we drove two hours to Anacortes to catch the ferry to San Juan Island. Kids ride free, and adult tickets are just $16.75 round trip—a bargain compared to Mackinac Island! The one-hour ferry ride alone was worth it.
I did not have much of a plan for the island other than to enjoy a ferry ride and stroll around Friday Harbor. Our first stop after docking was a shoe store! 10 minutes before arriving at the ferry dock, I asked the boys to put on their shoes and get ready to hop out of the van. Because of traffic in Seattle, we were cutting it a little close! After a brief moment of silence, Miles announced that he forgot to grab his shoes before leaving the house!
What now? We were two hours from home and in a bit of a rush. Charlie looked up if there would be a place to buy shoes before getting on the ferry. No Walmart. No Target. What now? I drove past Ace Hardware and decided it was worth a try! They had a small rack in the back of the store with a picked-over selection of flip flops and water shoes. Size 10 sparkly teal flip flops would have to do! I switched shoes with Miles, and we made it to the island! But size 10 sparkly flip flops were not going to cut if for the day, so thankfully they had a shoe store on the island.
As we wandered the charming shops downtown looking for a spot for lunch, we stumbled upon the Orca Research and Education Center. I asked the woman at the desk how often they see orcas from the island to which she launched into a long explanation of the different pods that they see from the island. She also mentioned that J Pod, one of the endangered Southern Resident orca pods, had been spotted off the island’s west coast that morning. And just like that lunch plans went out the window and we found ourselves hustling up a hill to a car rental shop! We rented an old-school Kia and raced off in search of whales!
The chase was a rollercoaster: hearing they’d just passed, heading south, waiting, missing them again. No orcas. And still no lunch! Eventually, I decided we needed to move along and explore the rest of the island before the rental was due back. We stopped at Lime Kiln Point State Park, scrambled over rocks, watched a seal and jellyfish, and strolled along the shore. Just as we were about to leave, we noticed people were pouring into the state park with binoculars and cameras. Could it be? And then a ranger walked by and mentioned that the orca pod was headed back north and would be coming around the bend any moment. For 45 unforgettable minutes, we watched 15–20 orcas swim by, along with two humpbacks, dolphins, and seals. There were spouts, tail slaps, and even breaching. It was breathtaking—and absolutely worth the mad dash back to the ferry, with just enough time for ice cream and stickers for our sticker wall. No surprise, we caught the last ferry back and enjoyed a beautiful sunset as we sailed away.
Downtown Seattle
We celebrated my birthday downtown, wandering the piers, exploring Pike Place Market (yes, we saw the famous fish toss), sipping coffee at the original Starbucks, enjoying dinner on the waterfront, and ending the day with sweeping views from Seattle’s Great Wheel.
Mount Rainier National Park
Because of the camper being in the shop and our new itinerary, we decided to do Rainier in a day. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, but it was a lot of driving! Two hours to the entrance of Rainier, a long wait in a line of cars to get into the park, another 45 minutes to the visitor center and then because of a detour a 3 hour drive to the other side of the park and 2 hours back home! Everyone was a trooper! We hiked to the edge of Nisqually Glacier, which is the headwaters of a river that runs to Puget Sound and watched the sun set over the 14,410-foot glaciated volcano. Exhausting, but unforgettable.
Seattle was a beautiful reminder that travel isn’t just about checking off destinations. It’s about the unexpected detours, the shared laughter, and the moments of wonder that stop us in our tracks. From the bustle of Pike Place to the quiet awe of orcas swimming past, this stop filled our hearts in ways we’ll never forget. Our time here reminded us that while the big sights are unforgettable, the unplanned moments often become the ones we treasure most.
Sounds like the lesson learned in the last blogpost came full circle🥰😘
BRAVO. Life has many exciting and exhilarating discoveries which sometimes get missed because we are so focused on our own goals. Sadly we grow up with have vision and fail to embrace what is happening around us. These are some of the great lessons you are wiser than an old grandfather. I wish I had taught my children this when I was younger – and am very proud you are teaching your children not to miss smelling the flowers on the way to the top of the hill. Of course I am MOST proud you never forget to get an ice cream after another exhausting day exploring the National Parks.