Field Trip - Sunset Ferry Ride

Summer is full of lots of field trips - so it seems that's what most of my posts are lately :)

This is the ferry from Fauntleroy (West Seattle) to SouthWorth (across the Pudget Sound), it sometimes has a stop on Vashon Island. Something about taking a ferry is magical (maybe because I don't commute on one).  Sunset sort of amps up the magic. Here are some shots from our trip.

Field Trip - Clyde Beach

Isn't there something amazingly summery about swimming in a lake?  Maybe it's the Rocky Mountain Canada girl in me.  If you were going to swim in a lake where I grew up it better be smokin' hot on shore, or you would be in danger of hypothermia!  

Luckily the lakes around here are refreshingly cool and Lake Washington itself has some great family beaches.  This is a favourite in Bellevue, Clyde Beach. Great grassy hill, fun "pirate" playground, a dock, roped off swimming area for the little ones and even a lifeguard!!!

Clyde Beach Park

Address: 2-92nd Avenue NE

Contact: Picnic Reservations: 425-452-6914

Hours: Dawn to dusk
Beach Lifeguard Schedule

Amenities: Swimming, lifeguard on duty late June through Labor Day. Rediscover Clyde Beach Park- this expanded beach park features an enchanting boathouse that will evoke memories from the past. Restrooms, picnic and a play area. 2.23 acres.

Directions: From I-405, take the NE 8th Street exit going west. Turn left onto 92nd Avenue NE. Park is at the end of the street.(The only downside is parking spots are limited)

Just Like a Kid Again

Even grown-ups need to be reminded it can be tough to be a kid. This table is just outside the IMAX at Pacific Science Center. It was made this giant size for a reason - so adults can experience what it is like for a child to be seated at a grown-up table. It was pretty hilarious. I thought it looked like Luke, Travis and Amber all shrunk!

Fall Seattle

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." - John Ruskin

The Beach at Golden Gardens

This is the west side of Golden Gardens. It is a fun beach with lots of sand and digging spots. There is beach volleyball too and even fires are permitted on this side. The after dark scene is a party beach so when the families start leaving take note.

Field Trip - Low Tide

Today's tide in Seattle was the lowest of the year at -3.4  We ventured out with some friends to Lincoln Park beach in West Seattle.  There is a pretty ferry dock right there and it was very pretty. 

We had lots of fun exploring, finding all kinds of things from crabs and pretty sea stars to beached jellyfish. Oh, and a rusty piece of metal determined to be from a pirate ship...hmm, a little imagination never hurts :)

 
If you're in the area - tomorrow's tide is also really low -3.0 at 12:38 PM, head out and let me know what you see!  You can also look at this tide table for other areas (even Olympia and Tacoma are different) 

Field Trip - Walk the Pier

You never know who you might meet on a walk on the pier.  There are also a lot of beautiful jellyfish and sea stars in the water when you peer over the dock.  This is Pier 66. You can walk around the boats moored there. Right before you walk down there is a port office that loans life jackets for little ones that might be too tipsy looking into the water. 

 

"My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me..." ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

Field Trip (literally) - Tulip Fields Forever

Something I love about spring is the flowers,  Growing up in a cold part of Canada, little crocuses bursting up, even through snow was a sure sign the deep freeze would soon thaw.  Just north of Seattle are some beautiful tulip farms.  It is fun to drive around the fields seeing such colour after a gray winter. 

For driving directions and info check out the website for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival  lots of the farms have diversions and fun and fresh cut flowers for sale.  The area is beautiful.  bring gum boots if you plan to get out of the car, there are some great photo opportunities.  You never know what you might see a crazy tourist fall in the mud or a crazy flock of snow geese take off in a panic as a bald eagle swoops up one for lunch, (I know the Eagle or tourist would've been a better picture, but I didn't get a good one).

Oh and last tip, if you go be sure to stop for good food and a good cause at the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue 11am-7pm everyday 1717 S. 13th St, Mount Vernon, WA 98274. Alder grilled salmon with baked potato, coleslaw, garlic bread, beverages and ice cream. Adult plate $12, child/senior plate $10. Visa/MC. I-5 Exit 226, head east, turn R on 13th St., 4 blocks to Hillcrest Park.

Field Trip - Wing Luke Asian Museum

Instantly I thought the Wing Luke Asian Museum was beautiful (Look at this conference room). It took a bit more time to convince my children that they enjoyed it, but then they didn't want to leave. The main floor had a pretty heavy content exhibit called "Yellow Fever", although it is in a comic-style it really is not for children.  A lot of the racial images are hard to explain, especially where my children have no context for it.   One display had vintage "Jap hunting licenses" from the World War II era.  Honestly it was heart breaking and rather sickening to think about it.  We quickly moved on.  

You walk up a spectacular staircase, into a hallway filled with light.  Hanging from the ceiling are beautiful papers which have written on them stories of immigrants. It is called the "Letter Cloud." 

A great art room with hands-on stations.  They have after school classes and a student gallery there too.  How beautiful is this display of handmade frames picturing toys.

The children's section has a exhibit right now on New Year's Traditions in various Asian countries.  There are fun games to play and the entrance to the exhibit is a beautiful wall full of tags with New Year's wishes. (you can add your own too).

The Wing Luke Asian Museum is at 719 South King Street, Seattle; (206) 623-5124

The NY Times reviewed this museum HERE

Oh and right across the street -A fortune cookie factory!!! Talk about good fortune.

Plan for Free First Thursdays

For all my Seattle area readers I thought I'd post some links to various museums that honour Free First Thursdays.  A lot of galleries and museums in other cities have special free events and times so check out their websites, or call to find out.

So far we've visited:
Seattle Art Museum. open late 1st Thursday 10am - 9pm Our visit
MOHAI Museum of History and Industry 10am - 8pm Our visit
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture  10am - 8pm Our visit

Still to come...
Experience Music Project 5pm - 8pm 
Henry Art Gallery 11am - 8pm  
Museum of Flight 5pm - 9pm 
Northwest African American Museum 11am - 7pm 
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame 5pm - 8pm
Seattle Asian Art Museum 10am - 9pm Near Volunteer Park
Wing Luke  10am - 8pm
Other free days and places nearby -
Free Everyday
Olympic Sculpture Park
Yukon Gold Rush National Park

Free Other Days 
Bellevue 
The Bellevue Arts Museum is free the first Friday of each month from 10am - 9pm
Tacoma
The Museum of Glass has free admission on the third Thursday of each month from 5pm - 8pm
Tacoma Art Museum also does the free third Thursday as well from 10am - 8pm
Other local Art resources 
Art Guide NW
First Thursday Info
Seattle Art Blog

There might be more, so if you know...let me know!  I'll keep this list updated....

Field Trip - The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture

The only reason to bother bringing your camera to the Burke Museum is to take pictures of the cool totem poles on the building grounds.

And this time of year the cherry trees are in full bloom and the "quad" on the University of Washington campus is spectacularly beautiful.

There is actually some amazing stuff inside the museum but no photos are allowed flash or no flash.  For me that's really frustrating, not only because I like to share on my blog but I like to talk about them with my kids, they can use them to tell their dad things they learned and what highlights they saw. Since I'm on the subject of frustrating things there, parking is a problem. I would highly recommend the bus.  Not only is it hard to find a spot on campus but the pay structure is weird.  You pay $15 up front and they refund a portion of that when you leave, did I mention at least 15mins is required circling to find a parking spot? Lastly, I wouldn't take children to the bottom floor, besides being very formal there are some scary masks and things that could be the things nightmares are made of.

OK, now my frustrations with the place are out there, it does have merit.  Especially if you've got a dino lover.  My favourite exhibit for kids is permanent one - The Life and Times of Washington State. A lot of full-size dinosaur skeletons (stegosaurus, triceratops and more) and prehistoric skeletons (Woolly Mammoth/Mastodon, giant ground sloth, saber toothed tiger and more). There are also some real fossils that you can be hands on with and in the same room puzzles and activities related to dinosaurs.  Several years ago our playgroup organized a tour there and that was definitely the best way to see the museum and a docent helps the children stay interested in things.  There is a little section on volcanoes that has interesting back-lit pictures of lava, volcanic structure and world volcano locations.  My boys also loved a climb in replica of a cave, caused by a rhino being trapped in lava (found in Eastern WA).

A current fun traveling exhibit is called "Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway."  The kids liked the bright colours and style of the artist, they actually stood and looked at some paintings for several minutes.  Not just because of the cheeseburger hunt (count the number of hidden cheeseburgers in the exhibit). It did keep them occupied in an otherwise hand-off exhibit (something my boys always struggle with) and allowed me to really check out the art.

The museum has GREAT online resources! Field Guides, and a kids learning center with games and info.

Field Trip - Carkeek Park, Seattle

The park has much more to offer, Beautiful forests, with tall, old trees, beautiful scenery of the ocean and the Olympic Mountains behind, a fun beach which is also a marine reserve. Great hiking trails, picnic spots, lots of open ground for kite flying. Honestly, it's a favourite, so when the sun was out today we couldn't get there fast enough.

The most notible landmark for kids at Carkeek Park is the Salmon slide.  Still at age 6 it is a big hit with mine. And really, who doesn't want to slide through a salmon.  Maybe you'll get a little glimpse of what it was like for Jonah in the whale.

Oh and I think the Barnacles are in bloom.  Is that a sign of spring?

Any field trips you blogged about lately? leave your link in the comments or email me and I'll post links next week!