Best Family-Friendly Attractions
Explore the best best family-friendly attractions options for kids and families in Vancouver
Esther Short Park and Playground
Public square with art & activities. Historic square with playgrounds & public art featuring activities for all ages, including concerts.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Historic fort with self-guided tours. Park in a former trading post & fort with self-guided tours & 19th-century blacksmith demos.
Fort Vancouver Visitor Center
Pioneer life at a former trading center. Old trading post with cultural exhibits of 19th-century life, including a blacksmith & weapon demos.
Wintler Community Park
Beach park with scenic mountain views. 12.5-acre riverfront park providing beach access, benches, picnic tables & scenic mountain views.
Vancouver Lake Regional Park
Waterfront park with a beach & BBQs. Regional park with a sandy lakefront beach, BBQ grills, picnic tables & volleyball courts.
Wilshire Park
Park & picnic spot with a dog area. A 14.4-acre park open since 1940 with a playground, ball fields, dog-run & picnic areas.
The Wishing Tree
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Forest Park
Enormous wooded area with many trails. 5,000+-acre wooded area with trails for hiking, biking & bird-watching, including a 30-mile route.
The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum
Odd collection of exhibits, art & gifts. Museum featuring strange & creepy exhibits, artwork & merchandise (not recommended for children).
The Grotto
Peaceful Catholic shrine & garden. Cliffside Catholic sanctuary known for its Pieta sculpture in a grotto & serene botanical gardens.
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Serene botanical oasis with a tearoom. Tranquil botanical garden featuring rare plants native to China, decorative stonework & a tea shop.
Witch's Castle
Abandoned stone house in the forest. On the Lower Macleay Trail, this old stone building with no roof is surrounded by dense woodland.
Pittock Mansion
Historic 1914 home turned into a museum. 23-room mansion from 1914 now a museum, featuring gardens, period furnishings & scenic views.
Rocky Butte Natural Area
Remote grassy area with scenic views. Out-of-the-way option for relaxing on the grass amid sweeping views of the city, airport & river.
International Rose Test Garden
Landscaped park with 10,000+ plants. City-maintained rose test gardens founded in 1917, featuring 10,000+ plants in manicured displays.
Laurelhurst Park
Dog-friendly park with a duck pond. 32-acre park featuring an off-leash dog area & a duck pond, plus walking trails & picnic areas.
Portland Japanese Garden
Serene, landscaped greenery & waterfall. Many styles of gardens showcased in serene 5.5-acre space with waterfall, teahouse & mountain view.
Portland Art Museum
Asian, American & Native American art. Collection of Asian, American, Native American & European art, plus touring shows & film screenings.
The Famous U Tree
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Washington Park
400-acre park with zoo & rose garden. Huge park with varied attractions including zoo, rose garden, Japanese garden & 12 miles of trails.
Oregon Zoo
Elephants & other endangered animals. 64-acre zoo featuring elephants, polar bears & other animal exhibits emphasizing conservation.
Gateway Discovery Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Mt. Tabor Park
Sprawling park on an extinct volcano. Large forested park covering an extinct volcano with tennis courts, a playground & 360-degree views.
Pirate Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Blooming plants, trails & water features. Park with 2,500+ plants that bloom in spring & summer, plus year-round water features & trails.
Oaks Amusement Park
Nostalgic spot with skating rink & rides. Family-oriented, circa-1905 amusement park offering wooden skating rink, mini-golf & picnic grounds.
Mt. Scott Park
Scenic open space with a rec center. Neighborhood park featuring 11 acres of trees & recreational facilities, plus a community center.
Nadaka Nature Park
Wooded area with playground & garden. This wooded, 10-acre park offers a playground, community garden, covered picnic area & nature trail.
Leach Botanical Garden
Tranquil estate & 2,000+ plant species. Estate featuring a manor house, 2,000+ plant species, classes & trails for nature walks.
Happy Valley Park
Live music series & sport fields galore. Summer concerts lure locals to this green locale boasting multiple picnic shelters & sports spaces.
Gresham Historical Society
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Gresham Japanese Garden - Tsuru Island
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Hogan Butte Nature Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Willamette Mission State Park
Park with a lake in a historic setting. A nature preserve with a lake, camping, hiking & picnicking, on the site of a former settlement.
Powerland Heritage Park
62-acre, open-air farm machinery museum. Open-air exhibits featuring old farm machinery, a mini-train & the Pacific Northwest Truck Museum.
Weathers Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Other Things to See
Explore More Activities
Discover more events and activities happening in the city.