Top Seattle Field Trips
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One of the great things about moving to a new town is the opportunity to explore. I created a list of Seattle field trips for my family to check out.
Two years ago, we moved from the East Coast to the West Coast. We traded in a home located in the Washington, D.C suburbs for a home in the other Washington. Now we live in a small town outside of Seattle. One of the perks of uprooting and moving across the country is that there are plenty of new field trip opportunities!
We are slowly working our way through as many Seattle field trips as possible.
Tip: Many Washington libraries allow you to check out admission tickets to popular museums and venues. This is a great way to save money while still exploring all of the field trips in the Seattle area.
Top Seattle Field Trips
Seattle Chocolate Factory
The Seattle Chocolate Company offers tours of its factory every day except Sunday. Tours cost $10 per person, but I thought it was worth it.
We went on a tour after reading Chocolate Fever and loved every minute of it. The tour started in a classroom, learning about the history and farming of chocolate. This is also when we got our first chocolate sample.
Next, we walked along a second-story platform that runs the length of the factory. We actually saw the employees making and packaging the candy.
The tour included more chocolate samples. Finally, we ended the field trip with a chocolate tasting. This was my favorite part!
Reservations are recommended, but be aware that children under the age of 6 are not allowed on the tour. This was our favorite Seattle field trip! Years later, we still talk about it.
Related: A Sweet Field Trip at the Seattle Chocolate Factory
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a ‘must-see’ for anyone in love with airplanes. The museum includes real aircraft as well as reproductions.
The museum is very child-friendly. There is an entire area dedicated to teaching children about the physics of flying. We even pretended to work at a flight control tower.
If you have ever wanted to sit in a fighter jet without the military commitment, this is the place to do it. My son and I enjoyed this Seattle field trip while my daughter was in a class.
Related: Museum of Flight Field Trip Review
Woodland Park Zoo
The Woodland Park Zoo is a pleasant zoo to explore. They have penguins, giraffes, zebras, and more, of course. We enjoyed seeing animals that are not in the National Zoo in D.C.
There were several volunteers roaming the park with educational carts. We definitely want to go back once the weather is nice again.
Related: Woodland Park Zoo Tips
Related: Take a Fun Virtual Zoo Field Trip
Pacific Science Center
The Pacific Science Center takes up 7 acres in downtown Seattle, right near the Space Needle. Its location downtown makes it one of the Seattle field trips you don’t want to miss.
It is full of hands-on and kid-friendly experiences. In addition to all of the standard exhibits, traveling shows, and IMAX theater, there is also a planetarium, butterfly room, and touch pool.
Bellevue Art Museum
The Bellevue Art Museum houses an eclectic collection of art. The exhibits tend to be unconventional and designed to encourage conversation about art.
Nordic Heritage Museum
The exhibits in the Nordic Heritage Museum include a multi-century-old Viking ship, Nordic Christmas traditions, and an area dedicated to Nordic immigration to the US.
The Nordic Heritage Museum will loan out themed educational boxes to homeschoolers and school groups so you can bring the museum right to your kids. This was one of our first Seattle field trips. I loved being able to pick up a box of educational items to extend the learning.
Cougar Mountain Zoo
The Cougar Mountain Zoo is much smaller than the Woodland Park Zoo. Everything can be seen in just a few hours.
We enjoyed checking out the reindeer exhibit, seeing the cougars and tigers up close, and watching the beautiful birds.
The Museum of Pop Culture
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly known as the Experience Music Project) is located next to the Space Needle.
This is one of the Seattle field trips that may not fit traditional school subjects, but there is always something cultural to explore. I suppose in a way that provides a little modern history education?
The exhibits change regularly, but include things such as Hello Kitty, Star Trek, Jim Henderson, and Marvel Comics.
Seattle Children’s Theater
The Seattle Children’s Theater is known for their family friendly theater productions. These plays are often based on children’s books, such as Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Homeschool field trips are available!
Seattle Shakespeare Company
The Seattle Shakespeare Company offers two options specifically for homeschoolers. Homeschool groups can sign up for an intensive workshop, designed to immerse students in the world of Shakespeare.
Families can also take advantage of the student rate for the matinee performances. We saw a live performance of Romeo and Juliet here in our first year in Washington and were very impressed.
Bellevue College Planetarium
Bellevue College offers a FREE monthly planetarium experience. Be sure to register well in advance so you can get tickets.
Frye Art Museum
The Frye Art Museum is an art museum in downtown Seattle that offers FREE admission. Students are encouraged to study the artwork and sketch their own rendition.
Story time with art is offered weekly.
Issaquah Salmon Hatchery
The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery is the best place to go to observe salmon.
We visited the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery one fall and were amazed at all of the salmon fighting their way up the creek.
This is one of the Seattle field trips that is not right downtown, but it is an easy drive from Seattle to Issaquah.
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is located in downtown Seattle, near the Pike Place Market.
Teaching kids to care about the oceans and aquatic animals is easy once they have a chance to see the animals up close. Kids can explore the Puget Sound tide pool.
Related Free Virtual Aquarium Tours
Kelsey Creek Farm
Kelsey Creek Farm is a surprisingly rural park, hidden away in downtown Bellevue! This park is full of farm animals. We enjoyed just walking around observing the cows and goats, but tours are available.
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