Top Summer Hangouts for Kids & Families

Summer days are still burning hot but the mornings are crisp and chill as a gala apple.

You know that means back to school. And you know it means that your kids are getting stir crazy. Netflix no longer works: time for plan B.

Ready for summer’s last hurrah? Get out there and enjoy the midday heat with these fun activities.

FOREST PARK

This place is so nice that parking can be hard to find on a scorching day. That’s because it’s the place for outdoor recreation when temps spike above 70.

Enjoy the large playground right next to a splash pad. Go swimming at the pool. Then visit the Animal Farm, a petting zoo photo op with all the down-home farm critters.

BOXCAR PARK

Boxcar Park, on the Everett Waterfront, offers the best of seaside recreation. It’s right next to Sunday’s Farmers Market, it has covered picnic tables, you can watch boats, and it’s dog-friendly.

I’ve seen plenty of harbor seals here. And if you get rained out for whatever reason (it happens in summer) you can always head to Scuttlebutt or Seas the Day Cafe.

IMAGINE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM: THE ROOFTOP EXPERIENCE

Some of this museum’s best assets are, as the Drifters song goes, up on the roof.

Summer is a good time to go up and enjoy dry sunny weather. Kids can excavate for dino bones, bang on oversized instruments, and clamber up just the largest play set you ever seen.

Fun!

YMCA/FRED MEYER

Get yourself a break, parents. Seriously. If you need some self care consider getting a membership at the YMCA for two hours of workout, thanks to their child watch program. Or visit the Fred Meyer in Silver Lake to drop the kids off at Freddy’s Playland for an hour.

Real parent talk: you’re telling me you don’t need sixty minutes to massage your feet in the Fred Meyer Deli with the benefits of air conditioning? This is your life now, lol.

THORNTON A. SULLIVAN PARK

This park is right next to Silver Lake and has a large playground. You can go swimming, watch the ducks, and on Friday evenings you can catch movies al fresco Cinema Under the Stars.