Washington State road trip with kids: Seattle, Mount Rainier & Olympic National Park
- Apr 7
- 17 min read
Updated: Apr 9
A trip to the Pacific Northwest is a powerful and diverse experience, filled with dramatic landscapes and ever-changing scenery. Washington State is incredibly beautiful - green, rich with water, and home to two of the most stunning national parks in the United States. Alongside them sits Seattle, a vibrant and colorful city.
Visiting all three together creates a unique and memorable journey, and we highly recommend including Washington in any U.S. road trip.
We would absolutely consider coming here just for this region - whether for a full two-week trip, or as part of a larger Pacific Northwest route that also includes Oregon.
One possible itinerary could start in Seattle, continue to Mount Rainier, head south into Oregon to explore Mount Hood and Crater Lake, pass through the Redwood forests of Northern California, and then return north along Oregon’s dramatic coastline to Olympic National Park and back to Seattle.
It’s an incredibly powerful route - and an unforgettable experience.
Our Washington State Road Trip with Kids:
Seattle
Seattle is a fascinating city, and we really enjoyed exploring it. It’s beautiful, easy to walk around, and each neighborhood has its own unique character.
Along the waterfront, you’ll find Pike Place Market - a lively market filled with countless food spots, small shops, and local vendors. The whole area is full of cafés and restaurants, and especially on weekends, it gets busy in the best way. It’s a great experience and a fun place to wander.
Just below the market is the Seattle Waterfront - a beautiful stretch of piers and walkways that are perfect for strolling.
On one of the piers, you’ll also find the Seattle Aquarium. We spent about half a day here and enjoyed it, but it’s quite expensive, and we’ve visited better aquariums before. Overall, it’s nice - but not a must in our opinion.
Seattle Center & Downtown
In the Seattle Center area, you’ll find the iconic Space Needle - the symbol of the city. You can go up to the top if you want.
This area also includes several popular attractions like the Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Seattle Children’s Museum, and the Museum of Pop Culture - all with great reviews and very suitable for children. That said, even without entering any of the paid sites, it’s a really nice area to walk around. There’s a great park and playground for kids, and overall it’s a fun and lively place to spend time.
There’s also the Seattle Monorail that runs to this area - and our kids absolutely loved riding it. Highly recommended if you’re traveling with kids like ours who are crazy about vehicles and trains, for them, it was probably the highlight of the day.
Capitol Hill & Fremont – Two Sides of Seattle’s Character
The next day, we continued exploring the city through two very different neighborhoods - each with its own unique vibe.
Capitol Hill felt young, lively, and full of energy. We walked through quiet residential streets mixed with cafés, small shops, and green corners. It’s a great area to just wander without a strict plan, stop for coffee, and feel a bit of the local rhythm of the city.
Not far from there, we visited Fremont - and this one felt completely different. More quirky, more playful, almost like a small creative bubble inside Seattle. Street art, unexpected sculptures, and a relaxed atmosphere made it a really fun stop, especially with kids.
We didn’t follow a checklist here - just walked, explored, and let the city surprise us a bit. Sometimes those unplanned moments end up being the most memorable parts of the day.
Kerry Park – The Classic Seattle View (Quick Stop)
If you have a bit of extra time, one quick stop that’s worth considering is Kerry Park. It’s a small viewpoint with one of the most iconic views of Seattle - the skyline, the Space Needle, and on clear days even Mount Rainier in the background.
It’s not a long visit, just a short stop, but can be a nice way to see the city from a different angle and take a memorable photo.
Putting it all together
Exploring Seattle Waterfront, Center, Capitol Hill, and Fremont together - mostly on foot and with a bit of public transportation - makes for a great two days introduction to the city. We highly recommend walking as much as you can. Seattle is a cool, beautiful city, and a big part of the experience is simply moving through it.
We stayed outside the city and used public transportation to get in every day. It was easy, efficient, and relatively affordable and it helped us significantly reduce accommodation costs. If you’re planning a visit with kids, this is definitely something worth considering.
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is vast and incredibly diverse, with a wide range of landscapes - from mountains and forests to lakes and a wild coastline.
We spent four days here, but if you want to explore all of its different regions, 5–6 days is a more realistic timeframe - especially considering that the first and last days also include fairly long drives to and from the Seattle area.
How Olympic National Park Is Divided
Olympic National Park is huge, and one of the things that makes it special is how different each area feels.
During our visit, we explored several main regions:
Hurricane Ridge.
Lake Crescent & Marymere Falls.
The Pacific Coast.
Hoh Rain Forest.
Quinault Rain Forest & Lake Quinault.
The distances between these areas can be quite long, so planning your days around regions, rather than trying to see everything at once, makes the experience much easier, especially with kids.
We explored the park by regions, each day focused on a different area, it really helps to look at a map before diving into each area.
Hurricane Ridge:
The first area we explored was near the town of Port Angeles, where we stayed. From there, it’s just a short drive to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, where we picked up a Junior Ranger booklet, got some basic information and maps before heading out and drove up to the Hurricane Ridge Road. Along the way, there are several beautiful viewpoints where you can stop and take in the scenery.
At the top, there’s a large parking area with great views and space to walk around.
If you’re up for a hike, we recommend heading out on the Hurricane Hill Trail (about 5.4 km round trip). The trail is beautiful and the views are impressive, but toward the end there’s a steep climb. We did this with our kids ( 3 and 5 years old), taking it slowly, and it was definitely challenging.
You can absolutely go all the way to the top, but if you’re tired or unsure, the views before the climb are already excellent and in our opinion, even better than what you see at the very top. So while it’s not a must to reach the summit, we do recommend walking at least part of the trail.
Lake Crescent & Marymere Falls:
The next day, we drove about 20 minutes west from Port Angeles to Lake Crescent. The lake is beautiful, and we were lucky to arrive on a warm, sunny day, which even allowed us to get into the water.
Before reaching the lake, we started with the trail to Marymere Falls (around 2.5–3 km round trip). The waterfalls themselves are nice, but what stood out more to us was the forest you walk through to get there.
We created a kind of loop route, starting near the ranger station, walking to the falls, and then returning via a different path that led us directly to the lakeshore.
After a few hours by the lake, toward the evening, we made our way back to the ranger station along a lovely trail called Moments in Time Trail. This trail feels almost magical, especially toward sunset, when the light filters gently through the trees and creates a really special atmosphere.
The Pacific Coast
From here, we continued west toward the Pacific coast -one of the most unique and wild parts of Olympic National Park.
This area, located further west all the way to the edge of the continent, is the coastal region. On the day we planned to visit, it was raining, so we ended up skipping it entirely.
There are several well-known beaches in this area. The northernmost is Cape Flattery, followed by Shi Shi Beach, which we heard great things about.
Then comes Rialto Beach - the one we originally planned to visit and, according to the rangers, one of the most impressive in the park.
Further south, you’ll find Second Beach and Third Beach, and finally Ruby Beach, one of the most famous beaches in Olympic, which we also planned to stop at.
Between Shi Shi Beach and Rialto Beach, there’s also Ozette Lake - an interesting stop if you have the time and want to explore more of the area.
Hoh Rain Forest
A bit further south from the town of Forks, which serves as the starting point for Rialto Beach and the nearby coastal areas, there’s a turnoff that takes you east up into one of the most famous and beautiful parts of Olympic National Park - the Hoh Rain Forest.
The drive here is long, but definitely worth it.
The Hall of Mosses Trail (around 0.8km) is stunning and offers an easy, enjoyable walk through the dense rainforest. The atmosphere here feels almost unreal - thick green vegetation, moss-covered trees, and a deep sense of quiet all around.
For us, this was one of the highlights of the park - absolutely beautiful and not to be missed.
For more experienced hikers, this is also where you’ll find the Hoh River Trail. It’s a very long out-and-back trail (around 50 km / 30 miles round trip), but you don’t have to commit to the entire route. We didn’t hike it ourselves, but it’s worth knowing about if you’re looking for a longer adventure.
Quinault Rain Forest & Lake
Further south, you reached the Quinault area. Here you’ll find another stunning rainforest. Quinault feels rich and alive, with layers of vegetation, soft light filtering through the trees, mushrooms everywhere and small details that make you slow down and look closer. It’s a quiet, immersive place that we really enjoyed.
Compared to Hoh, there are fewer people here, which gives the whole experience a more natural, untouched feel. In some ways, that made it even more special for us - a place where you can truly connect with nature without distractions.
The Quinault Rain Forest Trail (around 1.5km) is highly recommended. It is easy and pleasant and about halfway through, you’ll reach a split where you can choose to continue on the longer Quinault Loop Trail (6 km) if you want to extend the walk. We chose the shorter option and it was more than enough for us.
From there, we continued to Lake Quinault. The lake is nice and worth a stop if you’re already in the area, although we personally found it less impressive than Lake Crescent.
We entered through the lodge area and ended up sitting by the lodge shoreline. It felt quiet and relaxed, and no one seemed to mind - a simple, peaceful stop to end the day.
More Places to Explore in Olympic National Park Area
There are also several additional places in Olympic National Park that we didn’t get to explore but are often recommended.
Sol Duc is known for its waterfalls and hot springs, and is considered one of the more accessible rainforest areas.
Another area that comes up often is the Staircase region on the southeastern side of the park. It’s known for its forest trails and river views, and is considered a quieter, less visited part of Olympic.
Just outside the park, especially around Port Angeles and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, whale watching tours are a popular activity. Depending on the season, you may be able to see orcas, humpback whales, and other marine life. Most tours depart from Port Angeles or nearby towns, and can be a great addition if you have extra time in the area.
Olympic National Park is one of those rare places that can stand completely on its own, but also fits perfectly into a larger road trip.
Whether you’re coming here just for a few days or combining it with a longer journey through Washington or the Pacific Northwest, it offers an incredible variety of landscapes - mountains, lakes, rainforest, and wild coastline - all within one park.
It’s also a fantastic destination for families with young kids. Many of the trails are short, accessible, and easy to enjoy at your own pace, making it possible to experience wild nature without needing long or demanding hikes.
It’s a place that rewards slow travel, curiosity, and flexibility, and no matter how you choose to experience it, Olympic is truly a special and beautiful destination.
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is, in our opinion, one of the most beautiful and surprising places in the Pacific Northwest. We would even rank it among the top five national parks in the United States.
Unlike some of the more famous parks in the northern U.S., like the Rockies, Yellowstone, and Glacier, which can feel very crowded, Rainier - while still popular - felt less touristy and more manageable, even during peak season, which made the experience in nature much more powerful.
For us, this National Park was the main highlight of the region. The mountain is breathtaking, the park is vast, and it offers a wide variety of landscapes and experiences.
The park is divided into three main areas (Sunrise, Ohanapecosh and Paradise) each with its own unique character, and we highly recommend visiting all of them.
We spent a week in the park, and we’re really glad we did. It’s definitely a place worth slowing down and giving the time it deserves.
Sunrise - The Higher Side of the Park
Located on the northeastern side of the park, Sunrise is often skipped due to its location and the longer drive required to get there - but that would be a mistake.
This is a beautiful area with wide-open alpine landscapes and breathtaking viewpoints that feel very different from what you’ll see in other parts of Mount Rainier. The experience here feels more exposed, more dramatic, and closer to the mountain itself.
Getting here usually requires a drive of about 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on where you’re staying, and most visitors come from the southern or western side of the park. If you’re arriving from Seattle, however, Sunrise is actually more accessible.
We recommend dedicating a full day to this area.
🥾What to Do in Sunrise:
Sunrise Point Lookout - On your way up to the visitor center, stop here for one of the most impressive views in the entire park. It’s an easy stop and absolutely worth it.
Sunrise Visitor Center - A good place to start your visit - learn about the area, check trail conditions, and pick up a Junior Ranger booklet if this is your first day in the park.
Sunrise Rim Trail - if conditions allow, this is a fantastic loop trail that exposes you to some of the best alpine scenery in the area.
Frozen Lake Trail - if parts of the Rim Trail are closed due to snow, this is a great alternative. It follows the first section of the Rim Trail toward Frozen Lake and then returns the same way. The lake itself isn’t particularly impressive - but the views along the way are what make this walk special.
Shadow Lake Trail - If you still have energy, this out-and-back trail takes you to Shadow Lake and gives you a chance to experience the other side of the Rim Trail.
Together, Frozen Lake Trail & Shadow Lake Trail form the Sunrise Rim Trail, but some seasons the connecting between the two lakes may be closed due to snow.
There are several additional trails in the area worth exploring. It’s best to check with the rangers at the visitor center for current conditions, especially since this is a high-elevation area and some trails can remain closed even into July.
🚗 On the Way to Sunrise
If you’re arriving from the south, there are a couple of nice stops along the way:
Tipsoo Lake - A small and simple lake, but if you walk around it, you’ll find a spot where Mount Rainier reflects beautifully in the water. We stopped here for a relaxed breakfast with the kids - a great way to break up the drive.
Naches Peak Loop Trail - We didn’t hike this trail due to snow, but it’s considered one of the more popular and scenic loops in the area, and the trailhead is right next to Tipsoo Lake.
Ohanapecosh -The Forest Side of the park:
Located on the southeastern side of the park, Ohanapecosh feels completely different from Sunrise and Paradise.There are no big mountain views here, instead, this area is all about dense forest, powerful rivers, and a deeper, quieter connection to nature. It’s lush, green, and full of life.
🚶♂️What to Do in Ohanapecosh:
Silver Falls Loop – One of our favorite walks in the park. An easy loop through beautiful forest that leads to a strong, impressive waterfall. The waterfall is beautiful, but for us, the forest was the real highlight - it almost feels like stepping into a fairytale.
Ohanapecosh River Access – Near the trailhead you’ll find several spots where you can get close to the river. Great place to sit, rest, or let the kids explore (just be careful, the current here is strong).
Visitor Center Area – A good stop for orientation, restrooms, and Junior Ranger booklets if you haven’t picked one up yet.
Good to Know - The famous Grove of the Patriarchs Trail is currently closed due to flood damage (and may remain closed for a while), but don’t let that change your plans - this area is still absolutely worth visiting.
Paradise - The Heart of the Park
Paradise is the most famous and most visited area in Mount Rainier and for good reason. It’s the central and largest part of the park, and it’s worth spending at least two days here.
🏔️ What to Do in Paradise:
Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center – A great visitor center, located in a beautiful spot. The parking lot here is very large, but it fills up quickly, so it’s important to arrive early.
Keep in mind that no matter where you’re staying, getting here usually involves a long drive and often also waiting at the park entrance so “early” really means early.
Skyline Trail – This is probably the highlight of the Paradise area and one of the most impressive hikes of our entire trip. The trail climbs up toward Mount Rainier and offers outstanding views along the way.
That said, this is not an easy hike. There’s a significant elevation gain, and the difficulty is high, with or without the snow patches that often remain on the trail.
We chose not to hike it with the kids. Instead, we came back on separate days - one day for each of us - and did the hike individually. It took about 4–5 hours and was absolutely worth it. Highly recommended - but with small kids, we would think twice.
When we visited the area with the kids, we chose two shorter trails that start near the visitor center:
Myrtle Falls –This is essentially the final section of the Skyline Trail. The waterfall is nice, and you get a closer view of the mountain, but you won’t experience the full scenery that makes Skyline so special.
Nisqually Vista Trail - Another short loop with some views toward the mountain, but again it’s not the same experience.
Looking back, we probably wouldn’t prioritize these trails. If you’re visiting with kids, we would still recommend stopping at the visitor center, walk a littile around and then heading down toward the lower areas unless you’re planning to take on the Skyline Trail with them, which is possible, but something to consider carefully.
Narada Falls - Powerful and very impressive waterfalls that you shouldn’t miss when visiting this area. You can park right near the top, see the falls from above, and then walk down a short set of stairs (about two minutes) to get a much better angle and even get a bit wet, which is always fun.
If you have the energy, we highly recommend getting here on foot. You can either take the shorter trail that crosses the road, or the longer trail starting from Reflection Lake.
If you’re traveling with friends, a great option is to park one car at the lake and one at the falls, and walk downhill from the lake toward the waterfall. Otherwise, doing it as an out-and-back can feel quite long and less enjoyable.
At the very least, try to start from the point where the road meets the trail for the last time (Google Maps: 46.77821, -121.7390). This gives you a really nice walk and lets you experience the power of the river and the smaller cascades leading up to Narada Falls - which many people skip.
Snow Lake Trail - A beautiful lake and a hike that is definitely worth doing. The trail isn’t easy - there are ups and downs along the way but reaching the lake makes it worth it. The lake is stunning, with clear water and a great place to sit and spend some time. For us, it was definitely worth the challenging hike with the kids. You can access the water from both sides, and it’s a great place to sit and even go in, although the water is very cold.
On the way, you’ll also pass Bench Lake, which we didn’t find particularly impressive, and it’s not very accessible for sitting or getting into the water.
Additional Stops:
If you’re arriving to Paradise from the west, many people also stop at Christine Falls, which is right by the road.
We also heard good things about a trail in that area called Trail of the Shadows, although we didn’t get to do it ourselves.
💡 Good to Know:
Paradise gets very busy, especially in peak season. Parking fills up early, and there can be lines at the entrance, so it’s worth starting your day as early as possible.
Mount Rainier is one of those places that feels bigger than you expect -not just in size, but in experience.
Each area offers something completely different: high alpine landscapes in Sunrise, deep forests in Ohanapecosh, and dramatic mountain scenery in Paradise. Together, they create a park that feels rich, varied, and constantly changing.
It also takes time to explore properly. Distances are long, drives are not short, and every area deserves its own space. We spent a week here, including two separate days just to hike Skyline. and it still felt like there was more to see.
For us, Rainier was not just another stop along the way.It was one of the highlights of the trip - a place that easily stands on its own and is absolutely worth building a visit around.
🛏️ Where to Stay in Mount Rainier National Park
We split our stay in the area between two different campgrounds, spending four nights in each.
Cascade Peaks (south of Paradise) – A large, forested campground in a good location for exploring different areas of the park. It’s not the most organized or comfortable place we stayed at, but it’s big enough that you can often find a spot even last minute, and it does offer hookups.
When we were here (over the Fourth of July weekend), it was extremely crowded. That said, it’s still a solid option in terms of location and cost - especially if you’re planning to explore more than just Paradise.
We used it as a base and drove to a different area each day: one day to Sunrise, one day to Ohanapecosh, and two days in Paradise.
Alder Lake Main Campground –This was a great campground and a big step up in terms of overall experience. It’s located just a minute’s walk from Alder Lake, and we spent four really enjoyable days here.
From here, each of us went back separately to Paradise on two different days to hike the Skyline Trail, while the other stayed with the kids by the lake.
If you’re arriving in Washington from the east (like we did ), we highly recommend stopping for a night at Iron Horse Brewery – Worldwide HQ through Harvest Hosts. It’s a great place to break up the drive, with good food and excellent beer.
On the way south toward Oregon, we stopped at another Harvest Hosts location - Columbia Gorge Vintners - another great stop, and we highly recommend spending a night here. Beyond the stay itself and the wine, there was also seasonal berry picking, which turned out to be an amazing experience for us and the kids, and we ended up with a huge amount of tasty berries.
Mount Rainier is one of the five parks we featured in our post “Not the Usual Suspects: 5 Best National Parks to Visit with Kids on RV Trips”. These are some of the most beautiful, unique, and surprising places we discovered during our year on the road - you can read all about them here.
All the places we mentioned are marked on the map below:
Also we’ve gathered all our favorite trails in one place:
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions - we’d be happy to help you plan your Washington State road trip with kids, including Seattle, Mount Rainier, and Olympic National Park.
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