Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids

Explore the best free & cheap things to do with kids options for kids and families in Olympia

Fort Steilacoom Park

Fort Steilacoom Park

Trails, sports courts & a playground. Large area with baseball, softball & soccer fields, plus hiking paths, play sets & a dog park.

Titlow Park

Titlow Park

Beach access, tennis & kids' spray park. 75-acre park with extensive beach frontage, a kids' spray park, playgrounds, trails & tennis courts.

Odyssey 1

Odyssey 1

Indoor play, arcade games & laser tag. Established indoor amusement center offers a jungle gym park, arcade games, laser tag & concessions.

Tacoma Nature Center

Tacoma Nature Center

Preserve featuring wetlands & forests. A 71-acre tract of wetlands & forest around Snake Lake, featuring trails & a visitors center.

Point Defiance Park

Point Defiance Park

Hiking, forests & a zoo/aquarium. Large park with the Point Defiance zoo & aquarium, hikes in an old-growth forest, gardens & beaches.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Wildlife of the Pacific Rim. Zoo & aquarium with nearly 300 species, including tigers, meerkats & a landmark red wolf habitat.

Cummings Park

Cummings Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Job Carr Cabin Museum

Job Carr Cabin Museum

History exhibits in replica 1865 cabin. A to-scale replica of an 1865 frontier home, this museum offers history exhibits about the city.

Dickman Mill Park

Dickman Mill Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Wright Park

Wright Park

27-acre arboretum with many amenities. Greenspace with a vast collection of trees, plus a trail, playgrounds, sport courts & picnic areas.

Children's Museum of Tacoma

Children's Museum of Tacoma

Playscapes for fun & learning. Museum with 5 playscapes offering hands-on exploration designed to entertain & educate children.

W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory

Victorian greenhouse with exotic plants. Victorian conservatory in Wright Park with a big historical greenhouse housing 500+ plant species.

Browns Point Lighthouse Park

Browns Point Lighthouse Park

Scenic spot for tours, fishing & picnics. Waterfront park for picnics, with a storied lightkeeper's cottage open for tours or overnight stays.

Dash Point State Park

Dash Point State Park

Sandy beaches, camping & hiking trails. Park offering 400 acres on Puget Sound for swimming, camping, hiking, biking & hand-launched boats.

Washington State Fair

Washington State Fair

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts

Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts

Educational culture & arts museum. Vibrant local museum promoting education, arts & culture through its events & displays.

Dumas Bay Sanctuary

Dumas Bay Sanctuary

Waterfront oasis for wildlife viewing. Nature preserve on Puget Sound with a small beach & plentiful wildlife & bird watching.

Pacific Bonsai Museum

Pacific Bonsai Museum

Outdoor display of miniature trees. This collection boasts over 100 bonsai trees from China, Japan, Canada, Korea, Taiwan & America.

Town Square Park

Town Square Park

Modern, kid-friendly activity space. Recreation area with contemporary play equipment, including a splash pad & rope-climbing structure.

Waterfall Garden

Waterfall Garden

Compact park with a large fountain. Secluded park with a 22-ft. artificial waterfall & a monument to UPS workers.

Beneath the Streets

Beneath the Streets

Tours of Seattle's underground city. The historic underground passageways of Seattle’s original neighborhood, Pioneer Square.

Seattle Aquarium

Seattle Aquarium

Bayside facility with hands-on exhibits. Popular waterfront aquarium with interactive exhibits, a cafe & virtual reality shows.

Sky View Observatory - Columbia Center

Sky View Observatory - Columbia Center

Scenic views & a cafe on the 73rd floor. 73rd-floor observatory with sweeping city & mountain views, plus a cafe for light fare, beer & wine.

Museum of Illusions - Seattle

Museum of Illusions - Seattle

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Pacific Science Center

Pacific Science Center

Museum with immersive rotating exhibits. Rotating science exhibits plus laser light shows, a tropical butterfly house & IMAX movie theaters.

Seattle Children's Museum

Seattle Children's Museum

Hands-on learning for kids 10 & under. Basement area of Seattle Center with hands-on cultural exhibits geared toward children 10 & under.

International Fountain

International Fountain

Large fountain with a splash area. This large fountain was built in 1995 & offers a large basin for children to splash in.

Bhy Kracke Park

Bhy Kracke Park

Small park with city views & playground. Sloping residential-area green space offering scenic views from the top, with a playground below.

PlayDate SEA

PlayDate SEA

Ocean-themed play area for kids & cafe. A large, elaborate kids' play area featuring a casual cafe offering Wi-Fi & light fare.

Discovery Park

Discovery Park

534-acres of wilderness. Seattle's largest green space features miles of rugged trails & beaches, plus views of the Sound.

Valley of the Gnomes

Valley of the Gnomes

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Botanical garden in charming greenhouse. Historic Victorian-style greenhouse featuring unique plants, a gift shop & special events.

Seattle Japanese Garden

Seattle Japanese Garden

Formal garden with water features. 3.5-acre formal garden with a cherry orchard, water features & teahouse hosting seasonal ceremonies.

Washington Park Arboretum

Washington Park Arboretum

Rare trees & plants plus wildlife views. On the shores of Lake Washington, this 230-acre preserve features rare trees & a Japanese garden.

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