As the summer winds down and the back-to-school season begins to creep closer, it’s the perfect time to embrace family connection. With busy schedules, work, and other commitments, it’s easy for quality time to slip through the cracks. Whether you’ve already had your fill of day camps or are looking for alternatives that allow your family to bond outside of screens, these next few weeks offer a great opportunity to make memories together. Family adventures can help strengthen relationships and create lasting moments, all while fostering a sense of togetherness. Whether you're exploring nature, having fun indoors, or trying something new, these 30 summer activities will help you connect with your loved ones and make the most of the final days before school starts.
Outdoor Adventures in Tacoma & South Puget Sound
Point Defiance Park – Explore Tacoma’s iconic park with hiking trails, beaches, and the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Don’t forget the giant slides between the ferry and the path to Pt. Ruston. Race your kids up and down until everyone is ready for a nap. It’s a great workout, and such great fun!
Ruston Way Waterfront – Enjoy a scenic walk along the water, with plenty of spots to stop for a picnic or ice cream. Make sure to rent a family size cycle and tour the area with a contest to see who can pedal the longest. This is one of my kids’ absolute favorite family adventures, and it’s nearly impossible to look at a phone when you’re doing it!
Titlow Beach – Perfect for a relaxed day with wildlife watching and low-tide exploring. The spray park and playground are always a win with the kids, there are many trails for leisurely strolling, and when you run out of energy, watch the sunset above the beach with a family picnic.
Dash Point State Park – Go on a nature hike, take in views of Puget Sound, or spend the day at the beach, digging and making sand castles. This is a great way to squeeze in family time, even when you only have a couple of hours to spare. It’s especially fun if you bring the family dog along to play!
Tacoma Nature Center – Walk through peaceful woods, check out the pond, and explore the trails with your kids. The playground is creative and unconventional, leaving lots of room for make-believe fun and games of hide-and-seek!
Lakewold Gardens – While non-service animals are not permitted here, it is a breathtaking environment to stroll and connect with each other. Bring along a deck of cards for a fun game of go-fish over a picnic, play tag through the hidden gardens, walk barefoot on the grass while you enjoy the lovely tranquil setting. Bonus: kids under 5 have free admission.
Family Bike Ride Around Tacoma – Try the scenic bike routes along the waterfront or explore neighborhoods with the kids. Cycling together gets your blood pumping, and gives you a chance to challenge each other to friendly competition in the fresh air.
Wright Park – Let the kids run around the playground, get soaked in the spray park, enjoy a family picnic, or explore the historic gardens. It's a beautiful place to snap candid photos of each other on the foot bridge overlooking the pond.
Volunteer Park – Perfect for a family Seattle outing with a playground, wading pool, community garden, conservatory, and open spaces for outdoor games. Bring along a frisbee and see who can throw it the farthest. Hit up Dick’s Drive-In before you head home, for some unforgettable burgers and shakes.
Hit some balls at Meadow Park Golf Course – Never golfed before? No experience necessary! You can get a bucket of balls for less than $10, borrow a club from the pro shop (they just need to hold your ID), and get some energy out at the driving range. They have clubs small enough for a 5 year old, a great family friendly cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, a putting green, and of course, a golf course if you're feeling confident, or already know what you're doing. No membership or special attire necessary.
Indoor Fun (For Hot Days or Rainy Afternoons)
LeMay Car Museum – Visit this iconic Tacoma museum to check out vintage cars and enjoy interactive exhibits. Check their schedule of events online and plan ahead. They have family STEAM days, drive-in movie nights, storytime, fashion shows, cruise-in events and even a police appreciation day that features multiple generations of police cars.
Hands On Children’s Museum – A hands-on space for little ones to explore, from water tables to art stations and building blocks. You can bring your own lunch to enjoy in the cafe area, or pick from the snacks they have available. They even have a vending machine packed full of whole foods options.
Museum of Glass – This is great if your kids are older than out of the toddler stages. Admire the glass art exhibits, participate in glassblowing demonstrations, or take part in a workshop. They have a coloring station where kids can enter their art into a contest for glassblowers to bring their creation to life.
Family Ice Cream Adventure – If you’re wanting to stay home, set up a sundae bar on the kitchen counter, and let the kids build their own creations or try an easy no-churn ice cream recipe. Embrace the mess and the memories that go with it, lol! Or if you need to get out of the house, head to local spots like Bliss or Ice Cream Social in Tacoma or Iscreamery in Gig Harbor for a sweet treat and quick family outing.
Go Bowling – Chalet Bowl in the Proctor District is quaint and cozy, and an ice cream parlor and the Blue Mouse theater are just around the corner, if you want to make a day of it. Tower lanes can be an all day affair if you want it to be. In addition to bowling, they have an arcade, mini golf and a restaurant. Enjoy some friendly family competition and connection at these Tacoma favorites.
Public Library – Don’t overlook this amazing community resource! They offer so much more than just books and summer reading programs. Check out your local library’s calendar of events and you’ll find a multitude of family-friendly events and crafts, almost every day of the week. You can even check out free passes for some local museums! Maybe make a family library trip a weekly event, and see how many books your family can read before summer ends. Set a family goal, and maybe use an ice cream adventure as a reward!
Visit the Washington State History Museum – Learn about Washington’s history through exhibits and activities for kids. The current exhibit is Dressing the Gilded Age - fashion from the 1870s to 1910s. They also have Anthem Coffee on site for light refreshments.
Host a Crafting Day at Home – Gather a variety of small rocks and some acrylic paint and brushes. Wash the rocks first, then lay out some newspaper or cardboard from the recycle bin and spend some time channeling your inner Picasso! Painted rocks are especially fun to take on a family walk through a local park and hide them for others to find.
Indoor Rock Climbing at Stone Gardens – Challenge each other at Bellevue’s indoor climbing gym. They offer private lessons, day passes, and other programs. This is great for children who are school age and older.
Create a DIY Family Photo Booth – Set up a fun background, grab props, and snap family photos indoors. Let the kids take the lead on the backdrop design, and prop acquisition from their own stash of dress-up and toys. You can get really creative, using materials from the recycle bin to create fun masks, and decorate an old sheet using a cold glue gun to make a truly one of a kind backdrop. Cold glue guns and glue sticks are available online for less than $10, and are a fun way to safely let kids as young as 3 to participate. Don’t want to deal with glue? Have the kids use some finger paint, large sheets of paper, regular glue and tape instead, and then tape or pin several pages of paintings up on the wall creating a backdrop collage to pose in front of. If you pick a wall adjacent to a big window, you’ll have some great natural light. Or use your on camera flash for a more classic photo booth look.
Local Exploration in the South Puget Sound Area
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge – With 40+ recreational activities available, you can spend several days taking it all in. Explore over 4,000 acres of wetlands, perfect for a summer wildlife walk or nature hike, or a longer family camping trip, with fishing, horseback riding, boating and beyond. Fill your days with as much–or as little–activity as you want, taking in the beautiful scenery, fresh air, and time together as a family.
Boehm’s Chocolate Factory – Visit the iconic Austrian chocolate factory in Issaquah, watch the chocolate-making process, and enjoy a treat. Guided tours are available with a reservation. For adults and kids age 10+ chocolate making classes are available as well!
Go for a Swim – Check out the Fircrest Pool, The Star Center pool or American Lake for a family day of sunshine and water play. Don’t forget to pack a lunch and some sunscreen!
Wild Waves Theme Park – Swim, ride, play, eat–they have it all! They even offer cabana rentals with meals included, for some shade and a home base for family to check in and stash your stuff.
Pioneer Farm and Ohop Indian Villiage – Take a tour back in time through the daily lives of Washington pioneers in Eatonville. Call ahead to schedule your adventure so you don’t miss out of 100+ family-friendly activities and events.
Outdoor Adventures in Western Washington
Mount Rainier National Park – Head up to the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise for a variety of Ranger-led adventures. From Jr. Ranger programs, to guided hikes, to the night-skies program, and many more, you can plan a great adventure on Washington's biggest volcano. Spend a weekend hiking, camping or simply enjoying the view of this stunning mountain while you play cards inside a cabin. The Paradise area offers all kinds of family fun.
Deception Pass State Park – Explore the breathtaking views, beaches, and trails of this iconic Washington park. Enjoy a day trip, or make it a weekend getaway for camping, boating, beach-combing, fishing, etc. You could even plan an extended family “summer camp” with parties of 20+ at one of their many retreat centers.
San Juan Islands – Take a ferry to the San Juans for a family adventure with whale watching, hiking, or kayaking around the islands, among many other activities. Visit visitsanjuans.com to plan your family adventure.
Whidbey Island – Head to Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve for a family hike with incredible views, join the Junior Ranger Program, and don’t forget to visit Coupeville – one of Washington’s oldest towns. Grab an ice cream cone and stroll along the wharf, watch for whales (and ring the bell if you see one), check out the farmer’s market, try some Penn Cove mussels, and visit the Alexander Blockhouse. It’s a great way to spend a day or two!
Visit a U-Pick Farm – Spend an afternoon (or morning) picking berries as a family, and then head home to make homemade fruit popsicles, berry shortcake, or a delicious pie. You don’t need to be skilled in the kitchen, just have fun experimenting and learning together! Visit https://stateofwatourism.com/u-pick-farms-washington to plan your farm to table adventure!
From the heart of Tacoma to the far reaches of Western Washington, there’s no shortage of ways to make the most of the last few weeks of summer with your family. Whether you’re exploring local parks, visiting museums, taking a trip to the mountains, or simply creating something magical at home, these activities will help create memories that last long after the school bell rings.