Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids
Explore the best free & cheap things to do with kids options for kids and families in Tacoma
Wright Park
27-acre arboretum with many amenities. Greenspace with a vast collection of trees, plus a trail, playgrounds, sport courts & picnic areas.
W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory
Victorian greenhouse with exotic plants. Victorian conservatory in Wright Park with a big historical greenhouse housing 500+ plant species.
Children's Museum of Tacoma
Playscapes for fun & learning. Museum with 5 playscapes offering hands-on exploration designed to entertain & educate children.
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
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Tacoma Nature Center
Preserve featuring wetlands & forests. A 71-acre tract of wetlands & forest around Snake Lake, featuring trails & a visitors center.
Cummings Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
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.
Odyssey 1
Indoor play, arcade games & laser tag. Established indoor amusement center offers a jungle gym park, arcade games, laser tag & concessions.
Dash Point State Park
Sandy beaches, camping & hiking trails. Park offering 400 acres on Puget Sound for swimming, camping, hiking, biking & hand-launched boats.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Wildlife of the Pacific Rim. Zoo & aquarium with nearly 300 species, including tigers, meerkats & a landmark red wolf habitat.
Titlow Park
Beach access, tennis & kids' spray park. 75-acre park with extensive beach frontage, a kids' spray park, playgrounds, trails & tennis courts.
Point Defiance Park
Hiking, forests & a zoo/aquarium. Large park with the Point Defiance zoo & aquarium, hikes in an old-growth forest, gardens & beaches.
Dumas Bay Sanctuary
Waterfront oasis for wildlife viewing. Nature preserve on Puget Sound with a small beach & plentiful wildlife & bird watching.
Pacific Bonsai Museum
Outdoor display of miniature trees. This collection boasts over 100 bonsai trees from China, Japan, Canada, Korea, Taiwan & America.
Fort Steilacoom Park
Trails, sports courts & a playground. Large area with baseball, softball & soccer fields, plus hiking paths, play sets & a dog park.
Town Square Park
Modern, kid-friendly activity space. Recreation area with contemporary play equipment, including a splash pad & rope-climbing structure.
Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts
Educational culture & arts museum. Vibrant local museum promoting education, arts & culture through its events & displays.
Washington State Fair
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Waterfall Garden
Compact park with a large fountain. Secluded park with a 22-ft. artificial waterfall & a monument to UPS workers.
Beneath the Streets
Tours of Seattle's underground city. The historic underground passageways of Seattle’s original neighborhood, Pioneer Square.
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.
Seattle Aquarium
Bayside facility with hands-on exhibits. Popular waterfront aquarium with interactive exhibits, a cafe & virtual reality shows.
Museum of Illusions - Seattle
Visit this great place for kids and families!
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
Hands-on learning for kids 10 & under. Basement area of Seattle Center with hands-on cultural exhibits geared toward children 10 & under.
International Fountain
Large fountain with a splash area. This large fountain was built in 1995 & offers a large basin for children to splash in.
Valley of the Gnomes
Visit this great place for kids and families!
PlayDate SEA
Ocean-themed play area for kids & cafe. A large, elaborate kids' play area featuring a casual cafe offering Wi-Fi & light fare.
Bhy Kracke Park
Small park with city views & playground. Sloping residential-area green space offering scenic views from the top, with a playground below.
Volunteer Park Conservatory
Botanical garden in charming greenhouse. Historic Victorian-style greenhouse featuring unique plants, a gift shop & special events.
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
Rare trees & plants plus wildlife views. On the shores of Lake Washington, this 230-acre preserve features rare trees & a Japanese garden.
Garden Ravine Experience
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Bellevue Botanical Garden
53-acre sanctuary with year-round events. Gardens, woodlands & wetlands along with holiday light festivities, art exhibits & concerts.
KidsQuest Children's Museum
Modern place with hands-on activities. Interactive educational exhibits staged indoors & outdoors, plus workshops & summer camps.
Discovery Park
534-acres of wilderness. Seattle's largest green space features miles of rugged trails & beaches, plus views of the Sound.
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Museum with regional artifacts. University of Washington museum explores Northwest history from dinosaurs to Native American life.
Zoomazium
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Woodland Park Zoo
Conservation-focused 92-acre attraction. 92-acre zoo with nearly 300 species, a vintage carousel, summer concerts & an indoor play space.
Hauge Homestead Park
Park with a pier & waterfront access. Quaint lakeside park with children's play areas, picnic tables & a fishing pier.
Thornton A. Sullivan Park
Lakeside preserve with nature trails. This 35-acre lakeside park features swimming, limited boating, a playground & wooded trails.
Museum of Flight Restoration Center & Reserve Collection
Airfield museum with planes on display. Airfield learning center provides airplanes in various states of restoration for public display.
Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary
Nature preserve with walking trails. Wildlife refuge with a boardwalk & perimeter trail, plus restroom facilities & a parking lot.
Mukilteo Beach
Cozy beach with stunning sunset views. Tranquil beach known for its expansive views of the sound & neighboring islands.
Mukilteo Lighthouse
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Lighthouse Park
Area with fire pits & a small lighthouse. 14-acre waterside park containing the historic Mukilteo Light Station & 6 fire pits along the beach.
Harborview Park
Waterfront green space with scenic views. 8-acre recreation area with trails & picnic tables, plus tranquil views of Possession Sound.
Howarth Park
Beach park with an off-leash area & more. Secluded 28-acre beach park with an off-leash area for dogs, restrooms & a playground.
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