91. Luna Park Cafe
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 935-7250
Address: 2918 SW Avalon Way (South)
Description: The 1950s jukebox decor and menu lend nostalgia to this West Seattle diner. Luna Park was once the Coney Island of the west, built on pilings over the water and home to an amusement park in the early 20th century. A great collection of bygone memorabilia gives diners plenty to look at, and the outdoor patio is nice. Small children will be kept occupied by the vintage Batmobile ride, clown vending machine, and temporary tattoos. Breakfast is served all day, and lunch and dinner menus are heavy on down-home comfort food. All the locals know about Luna’s thick, rich malts. Portions are very large, and there is a decent selection of healthy and vegetarian options. This is a popular breakfast spot, and weekend waits can get long.
92. Montlake Ale House
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 726-5968
Address: 2307 24th Ave. East (Central)
Description: This family-friendly spot gets that delicate balance between family restaurant and adult-satisfying pub just right. Children are welcomed, service is upbeat, and the sunken, carpeted play pit is a hit with the young customers. Stocked with toys and books, the play area is encircled by a wide railing, so parents can drink, eat, and watch their kids. The only thing to be aware of is that parking is not always easy on the residential zoned streets.
93. Theo Chocolate Factory
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 632-5100
Address: 3400 Phinney Ave. North (North)
Description: Theo is the only organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the United States. The delicious award-winning chocolates are made daily in the Seattle factory, which offers tours to the public seven days a week. The staff entertain visitors with the story of cacao and explain its extraordinary transformation from a fruit into chocolate. Best of all, at the end of the tour you get to sample the goods. Tours are held every day, but the factory is usually only open Mon through Fri—meaning that on weekend tours, you won’t get to see the machines actually in operation.
94. Vios Café & Marketplace
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 329-3236
Address: 903 19th Ave. East (Central)
Description: This Greek taverna is a great place for families, with its long rustic pine tables that are ideal for communal dining—and best of all, its kids’ play area, fully stocked with books and toys. Food is celebrated at Vios, with authentic Greek dishes served in an atmosphere with the comforts of home. In addition to the Capitol Hill restaurant, a second location is in the Ravenna neighborhood of North Seattle, at 6504 20th Ave. NE.
95. Book-It Repertory Theatre
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 216-0833
Address: 305 Harrison St. (Central)
Description: Book-It is a nonprofit theater that adapts classic and contemporary literature for the stage, where the characters from the adapted works narrate the text. On Target Family Fun Days throughout the year, both the performance and an all-ages book fair and craft workshop are offered free of charge. Family performances have included Johnny Appleseed and Catching the Moon. Book-It is located in the Center House Theatre at Seattle Center.
96. Broadway Bound Children’S Theatre
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 5031 University Way NE (North)
Description: This performing arts school and theater provides classes for active participation in theater arts for children 5–18, as well as great productions for the public. For over 14 years the Broadway Bound young performers have put on productions such as Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan, CATS, Little Shop of Horrors, and many others. Broadway Bound productions are held at the Broadway Performance Hall at 1625 Broadway in Seattle.
97. Imax At Pacific Science Center
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (800) 664-8775
Address: 200 Second Ave. North (Central)
Description: Seattle’s biggest screen always has a list of several movies that are showing, from science and nature to some of Hollywood’s biggest hits. The IMAX is a cinematic experience like no other, and films for all ages are shown. Many of the films come with companion PDF guides that can be downloaded from the Web site. The 405-seat theater is plush and comfortable, with a concession stand. Combine it with a visit to the Pacific Science Center or other Seattle Center attractions for a great day.
98. Nesholm Family Lecture Hall At Marion Oliver Mccaw Hall
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 733-9725
Address: 321 Mercer St. (Central)
Description: Located at Seattle Center, the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall is the region’s premier performance venue. Numerous performances and events of all kinds are held here every week, so it’s always worth checking the calendar during your visit. Particularly of interest are the Saturday family film screenings and the ongoing series of animated and short films.
99. Seattle Children’S Theatre
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 443-0807
Address: 201 Thomas St. (Central)
Description: During the academic year of Sept through June, the Seattle Children’s Theatre develops and presents a variety of plays for children of all ages. It is the second-largest resident theater for young audiences in North America, and allows young people to make new discoveries about themselves and the world while building a lifelong interest in the arts. This is one of the most well-respected children’s theater programs in the country. The theater also offers a wide variety of classes and workshops for ages 3–21.
100. Second Story Repertory Children’S Theatre
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (425) 881-6777
Address: 16587 NE 74th St. (Redmond)
Description: Redmond’s first full-time theater group has been around since 1999, offering a variety of plays and musicals for adults and children. Second Story’s Children’s Theatre Series is specially produced for grade school–age children, and some all-ages performances are appropriate for even younger kids. Many of the performances are adaptations of beloved children’s books. Performances take place on Fri nights, and Sat and Sun afternoons.
101. Thistle Theatre
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 524-3388
Address: 6344 NE 74th St., Suite 103 (North)
Description: This puppet theater offers one of the most affordable performance experiences in Seattle. Using a traditional style of Japanese puppetry called Bunraku, the puppeteers bring the handcrafted puppets to life, for the delight of the audience. Good storytelling, realistic movement, and excellent manipulation are the hallmarks of Thistle Theatre productions. Each 45-minute play is appropriate for ages three and older. Performances are held at the Magnuson Park Theatre (7110 62nd Ave. NE) and Sunset Hill Community Club (3003 NW 66th St.) in Seattle, and the Bellevue Youth Theater (16661 Northup Way) in Bellevue.
102. Vera Project
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (206) 956-8372
Description: This Seattle Center venue is a music-arts center run by and for youth. Its mission is to fuel personal and community transformation through popular music shows, produced in partnership with young people in Seattle. Vera offers music shows for all ages every week, as well as an art gallery and a variety of classes including art, breakdancing, silk-screening, and sound engineering. Most concerts are around $10, and all classes are $25.
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 305 Harrison St. (Central)
104. Kidsquest Children’S Museum
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (425) 637-8100
Address: 4091 Factoria Mall SE (Bellevue)
Description: Although KidsQuest is located in Bellevue, it is very close to Seattle and a great destination for those with young children. The interactive, hands-on museum encourages a love of learning through play, with an emphasis on science, art, and technology. The exhibits encourage whole-family learning, and are geared toward children from birth through age 10. Throughout the day various activities are going on, such as science experiments, story times, and art projects. The museum is generally closed Mon (although occasionally open on school holidays), and open Tues through Sun. KidsQuest is free of charge for everyone on Fri from 5 to 8 p.m.
105. Rosalie Whyel Museum Of Doll Art
City: Seattle, WA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (425) 455-0363
Address: 221 106th Ave. NE (Bellevue)
Description: Just fifteen minutes east of downtown Seattle is this doll museum, which is sure to delight children. Throughout human history, dolls have reflected our images and been the most popular children’s toys. The Rosalie Whyel museum is one of the world’s foremost collections of dolls, housed in an exquisite setting. More than 1,200 dolls are on permanent display, from antique to modern, as well as dollhouses, teddy bears, and other memorabilia. A nice English garden provides a nice place to stroll or rest. A couple of blocks from the museum is Rosie’s Too, a companion store that carries a wide assortment of dolls, toys, stuffed animals, clothes, and accessories. The Museum of Doll Art is open daily.