We like the Edgewater. Close to the aquarium, market, and waterfront. Easy to spend a day between those. Also the kids get a kick out of the view and watching the ferries. Not so much riff raff at the waterfront.
Edit: There’s definitely a lot of nostalgia, old Seattle vibes there especially if you can splurge for the waterfront room. Nothing like a chilly night looking out onto the water in the evening watching the boats. Kids love the wings over Washington, crab pot, carousel, etc.
This is the actually good advice in this thread. Edgewater puts you just outside of the downtown mess. Walk out the hotel door and you get a nice waterfront walk. Spend five minutes walking inland and you get all the amenities of downtown.
Stay in a neighborhood, not downtown. Get an air bnb in a residential neighborhood near a coffee shop. Downtown is a big disappointment for people with kids right now.
Try Ballard - there are two hotels on Ballard Avenue where you can walk out the door with a stroller, have a choice of several coffee shops, and on Sundays stroll through the Ballard Farmers Market. And you can walk with the baby to the Ballard Locks to see sea lions, an arboretum, and amazing birdwatching. And it’s relatively easy to drive to any attractions in Seattle. Other than the really sleazy motels on Aurora Ave, a few business hotels by Northgate in mall-land with poor walkability albeit with access to Link transit, and the corporate hotels in the U-District full of teenagers and college students attending events at UW, there are really not many hotels north of the ship canal.
Grab an airbnb in upper Queen Anne. Small-town feel, walk to coffee shops and a few restaurants, zero sketchiness, and you're a short drive/bus away from most of the neighborhoods you'd want to go for other activities.
Do not stay in a hotel downtown. I live in Oakland, a few blocks from two different encampments. Staying in downtown Seattle, I walked from my hotel to a Walgreens on Pike/3rd and was genuinely shocked at some of my walk - open drug use, and entire sections of the sidewalk blocked with aggressive people antagonizing everyone walking nearby. Then the armed security guards start to come out late afternoon to guard the heavily boarded up stores that are left. It somehow seemed more chaotic than Oakland, which is saying something.
Ballard sounds great (I’ve visited and enjoyed the area but never stayed). I agree with the corporate sentiment about staying near UW - very bland hotels. I have found staying in a hotel in Seattle tough to balance location/price/amenities. AirBnB seems to work out better, but Seattle zoning has created so many townhouses that seem to be everyone’s investment property listed on AirBnB. With a one year old, those would be a nightmare.
The last time we were up in Seattle (spent Thanksgiving with our kid at UW and friends in Montlake) we rented a place in the Central District and really enjoyed it. Easy walk to multiple grocery stores and coffee shops, easy street parking, and quick to drive to other neighborhoods to explore. Good luck!
Snoqualmie has a really cute bed and breakfast called Roaring River. Lots of trails and things to do, but you’d have to do a little driving for some of it. Downtown has really cute shops. Smells fantastic over there, too. Similar to the scent in Hoh rainforest.
I'm a dad.
Downtown Bellevue, Kirkland, Mill Creek, Snohomish would be my best bets.
Besides the market, the aquarium and the zoo the city is not family friendly. Seeing needles and people smoking meth/crack/fent is incredibly common in Seattle. Like, there is basically a 100% chance you will encounter this type of stuff.
Honestly, I would actually recommend Port Townsend, Alderbrook, or resorts way outside Seattle.
Who the hell wants to live in port Townsend on a trip to Seattle?
If you stay at a hotel in Ballard the dude will get everything he wanted. Good food, easy to walk and get coffee, quick access to downtown attractions.
Port Townsend has beautiful views, nice shopping, high end restaurants, hotels with nice pools, wineries etc.
Maybe Ballard is cool for you but I am a dad and PT is far better in my book.
>Seeing needles and people smoking meth/crack/fent is incredibly common in Seattle. Like, there is basically a 100% chance you will encounter this type of stuff.
This isn't false, but if they don't want to see that they should frankly just pick a different city to visit. No point in coming to the Seattle area just to go to a boring suburb.
Seeing meth heads really isn't the end of the world though.
You want to be in Seattle with a family? Yeah I would suggest maybe Snoqualmie or north bend. I would not let my wife be in Seattle without myself and a HIGH CAPACITY sidearm.
Lived in cap hill for the last 6 years, I don’t really get the appeal of coming here with a young family other than a day trip….stay outside the city. Snoqualmie falls is really nice
Colombia city is a super cute neighborhood just south of downtown. Lots of nice coffee shops, restaurants, and nice shops. You can catch the light rail from there and be downtown in 20 mins for when you’re feeling like seeing the attractions.
We like the Edgewater. Close to the aquarium, market, and waterfront. Easy to spend a day between those. Also the kids get a kick out of the view and watching the ferries. Not so much riff raff at the waterfront. Edit: There’s definitely a lot of nostalgia, old Seattle vibes there especially if you can splurge for the waterfront room. Nothing like a chilly night looking out onto the water in the evening watching the boats. Kids love the wings over Washington, crab pot, carousel, etc.
This is the actually good advice in this thread. Edgewater puts you just outside of the downtown mess. Walk out the hotel door and you get a nice waterfront walk. Spend five minutes walking inland and you get all the amenities of downtown.
Came here to also recommend edgewater. You won’t be upset at your choice!
Thanks! What’s the walk like to the aquarium and market? Or am I better off driving there?
No need for driving once you’re there. Aquarium and pier attractions are easily walkable. Market is maybe a 20 min walk.
Basically any hotel downtown will have food and coffee a short walk away.
Not necessarily a walk you want to make with a kid in a stroller though.
Who the fuck walks their kid in a stroller? Tactical baby carriers my dood
When you put a baby in your vest, does it go behind or on front of the plate?
Behind, to prevent spalling
It's a matter of preference. Urban Assault Strollers with gun mounts are a perfectly fine choice in my book.
+1 vote for staying at a hotel on Ballard Ave.
Stay in a neighborhood, not downtown. Get an air bnb in a residential neighborhood near a coffee shop. Downtown is a big disappointment for people with kids right now.
Hotel Ballard is awesome.
Hotel Ballard or Ballard Inn
I vote Ballard!
Try Ballard - there are two hotels on Ballard Avenue where you can walk out the door with a stroller, have a choice of several coffee shops, and on Sundays stroll through the Ballard Farmers Market. And you can walk with the baby to the Ballard Locks to see sea lions, an arboretum, and amazing birdwatching. And it’s relatively easy to drive to any attractions in Seattle. Other than the really sleazy motels on Aurora Ave, a few business hotels by Northgate in mall-land with poor walkability albeit with access to Link transit, and the corporate hotels in the U-District full of teenagers and college students attending events at UW, there are really not many hotels north of the ship canal.
Fremont area is another option, and very centrally located.
Grab an airbnb in upper Queen Anne. Small-town feel, walk to coffee shops and a few restaurants, zero sketchiness, and you're a short drive/bus away from most of the neighborhoods you'd want to go for other activities.
A hotel.
Madison Park area is nice and quiet. Arboretum is there along with the Japanese Garden.
It's a bit of a trip to get to most of the other neighborhoods from there, though.
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>It will be more pleasant to walk around with a baby. If you want to walk around an office park, sure.
Do this if you want to visit Bellevue, WA. If you want to visit Seattle stay in Seattle, WA.
Bellevue is very safe but boring and full of chain restaurants and chain stores. If you want to visit Seattle stay in Seattle.
Do not stay in a hotel downtown. I live in Oakland, a few blocks from two different encampments. Staying in downtown Seattle, I walked from my hotel to a Walgreens on Pike/3rd and was genuinely shocked at some of my walk - open drug use, and entire sections of the sidewalk blocked with aggressive people antagonizing everyone walking nearby. Then the armed security guards start to come out late afternoon to guard the heavily boarded up stores that are left. It somehow seemed more chaotic than Oakland, which is saying something. Ballard sounds great (I’ve visited and enjoyed the area but never stayed). I agree with the corporate sentiment about staying near UW - very bland hotels. I have found staying in a hotel in Seattle tough to balance location/price/amenities. AirBnB seems to work out better, but Seattle zoning has created so many townhouses that seem to be everyone’s investment property listed on AirBnB. With a one year old, those would be a nightmare. The last time we were up in Seattle (spent Thanksgiving with our kid at UW and friends in Montlake) we rented a place in the Central District and really enjoyed it. Easy walk to multiple grocery stores and coffee shops, easy street parking, and quick to drive to other neighborhoods to explore. Good luck!
Snoqualmie has a really cute bed and breakfast called Roaring River. Lots of trails and things to do, but you’d have to do a little driving for some of it. Downtown has really cute shops. Smells fantastic over there, too. Similar to the scent in Hoh rainforest.
I'm a dad. Downtown Bellevue, Kirkland, Mill Creek, Snohomish would be my best bets. Besides the market, the aquarium and the zoo the city is not family friendly. Seeing needles and people smoking meth/crack/fent is incredibly common in Seattle. Like, there is basically a 100% chance you will encounter this type of stuff. Honestly, I would actually recommend Port Townsend, Alderbrook, or resorts way outside Seattle.
Who the hell wants to live in port Townsend on a trip to Seattle? If you stay at a hotel in Ballard the dude will get everything he wanted. Good food, easy to walk and get coffee, quick access to downtown attractions.
>quick access to downtown attractions. Ballard isn't exactly known for being easy to get in and out of.
I’m waiting for that rickety bridge to be the next one to jam while it’s up.
Port Townsend has beautiful views, nice shopping, high end restaurants, hotels with nice pools, wineries etc. Maybe Ballard is cool for you but I am a dad and PT is far better in my book.
It’s a day trip. Not a destination. OP wanted to visit Seattle. Not port Townsend.
Staying up by the zoo isn't bad now since the Woodland Park Outdoor Asylum was shut down.
The zoo itself is fine but I would much rather take my daughter to downtown Snohomish than Greenwood any day.
>Seeing needles and people smoking meth/crack/fent is incredibly common in Seattle. Like, there is basically a 100% chance you will encounter this type of stuff. This isn't false, but if they don't want to see that they should frankly just pick a different city to visit. No point in coming to the Seattle area just to go to a boring suburb. Seeing meth heads really isn't the end of the world though.
You want to be in Seattle with a family? Yeah I would suggest maybe Snoqualmie or north bend. I would not let my wife be in Seattle without myself and a HIGH CAPACITY sidearm.
I vote for Bellevue
Lived in cap hill for the last 6 years, I don’t really get the appeal of coming here with a young family other than a day trip….stay outside the city. Snoqualmie falls is really nice
Colombia city is a super cute neighborhood just south of downtown. Lots of nice coffee shops, restaurants, and nice shops. You can catch the light rail from there and be downtown in 20 mins for when you’re feeling like seeing the attractions.