Almost a Week in Seattle ! Things to Do?

The Pacific Science Center and the Aquarium!!

Yes, Pike Place Market is wonderful ~ but if it's cold you'll need to bundle up!!

I think Riley covered just about every damn thing you can do here! Geesh! lol If you go to the Seattle Center you can check out the Seattle Children's Museum too. If you want to come up north a bit, Everett, there is the Everett Children's Museum as well...my boys love that place.
I have heard of people riding the Duck. Sounds cold to me, but I guess you could.
Over in Bellevue (across Lake Washington) there is a Christmas "holiday lane" that is every night at 7pm (I think). Piped in music and high school kids dressed up like toy soldiers and drummer boys. They drum along to the music and then if it's not snowing, fake snow falls from above. In Bellevue there is also the Bellevue Botanical Garden (http://www.bellevuebotanical.org/fmvisitor.htm) that does some pretty great lights throughout the whole garden.
I highly recommend the Science Center and IMAX theater...it's really fun for kids and adults alike.
Bring warm clothes! It's been cold here lately (about 30ish at night)
L.

(ahem) Pike Place Market http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/

Okay... here's a month's worth of things to do:

Space Needle (if you're here for new years eve... this is where our 'ball drops' aka our new years fireworks. A lot of people go to gasworks park and the center (seattle center) -see below for both- to watch the display. There are other -warmer- options).

Seattle Children's Theatre http://www.sct.org/Index.aspx

Science Center - IMAX THEATRE (great fun, it's a sphere) http://pacificsciencecenter.org/

EMP (experience music project) - http://www.empmuseum.org/index.asp

The Fountain at the Center http://www.seattlecenter.com/locations/detail.aspx?id=8

Ice Skating at the Center (and other schtuff)
http://www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/

>>>> The above are all in the same place; the Seattle Center <<<

Seattle Aquarium http://www.seattleaquarium.org/

The "ID" (international district) http://www.cidbia.org/ This is where to go for DimSum - unless you're in the southend, if so... pm me... and I'll give you the name of 'our' dimsum place. It's just a little in the middle of nowhere as far as other attractions go)

Underground Tours (lotsa walking if you've got active kiddos... it's the city under our city that burned and our city was built on top of)

Ballard Locks (the boat 'elevator' from the lake to the sound, also has a cool 'fish ladder'. Right next door is 'Stone Gardens' which is a climbing gym... the kids can stay low and just have a blast, or you can sign them up for a lesson where they'll get rigged up and the instructor holding the rope will get them high up and then 'rappel' / lower them down). http://www.stonegardens.com/seattle/default.aspx
http://www.seattle.gov/tour/locks.htm

Ride a Ferry http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ (hint: if you're a grey's anatomy fan... no one calls them Ferry-Boats. You ride the ferry. Have to go catch the Ferry. Are stuck in line for the ferry. Missed the ferry. Heading to Bremerton on the Ferry. What kind of boat is it? Well, it's a ferry boat. But you don't go ride the ferry boats, you go ride the ferry. Okay. Now that word sounds funny in my HEAD.)

Seaplane Tours (not cheap for a large group, but the best way to see the city)

The PNB Nutcracker http://www.pnb.org/Season/11-12/Nutcracker/

A Christmas Carol (act theatre) http://www.acttheatre.org/carol

Gasworks Park (sunny day ONLY!) for kiteflying and watching the boats and seaplanes http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293

Christmas Ships http://www.argosycruises.com/themecruises/xmasSchedule.cfm

Snow! (I'm not sure if you're from the part of Tx that has snow or not) it only snows in Seattle about 3 days a year typically (and we're talking an inch). So we go up to Stevens Pass (if you're up north) or Snoqualmie (Snow-Qual-ah-mee) Pass (where kiddo and I go since we're central....if you're central or south) for innertubing, skiing, snowboarding. About a 2 hour drive in bad weather (30 minute drive in the summer). PRETTY drive, in either event. http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/ http://www.stevenspass.com/ Whistler (where the olympics are held) is about a 5 hour drive (or 1 hour flight)... but I'm guessing that this isn't the trip for that. If you and your friend DO want to spend a weekend at Whistler... I'd actually suggest SunPeaks instead (the #1 family ski resort in N America about half the time... skiing/snowboarding/dogsledding/swimming/marshmallow roasts/ etc.) But stevens and snoqualamie is where we (seattlites) go locally for kids. There are a few other mountains, but those are mostly back diamonds as far as the eye can see. Stevens and Snoqualmie

For the kids we like to hit the market for a treat and then walk down a couple blocks to an elevator to the waterfront (new to Seattle, don't know the street) and then walk along the waterfront to the Olympic Sculpture Park. Most of the park is sort of "above you" from that vantage point but you'll see trains and boats go by. If you keep walking onto the little running path there is a tiny "beach" that we head to so my son can throw rocks into the sound. (Maybe that doesn't sound interesting but to any and all boys I've met around here it's a pretty common passtime and my son LOVES it) rainboots are a plus for this activity. anyway, simple, no frills but beautiful mountain views on a clear day - lots to look at. A place for any kid who has been riding to stretch their legs. Have a great trip!

tripadvisor.com.
Plug in Seattle and it will open a world of everything from restaurants to entertainment! Items are rated by regular people, you can read their reviews and see if it's a fit for your family! Have fun!

Hopefully the weather will be like it is this week, really cold but sunny all day! It's Pike place market and it is fun. Try to ride a ferry, to bainbridge or Kingston. Alki beach is nice and has cute restaurants, the pacific science center, experience music project, seattle childrens theater, and space needle/Seattle center can all be done in 1-2 days. Smith tower has great views of Seattle if the space needle is too expensive. The aquarium and waterfront is fun, love the little shops! pacific place has the best shopping, so does Bellevue square. Snowflake lane is fun this time of year! There's an American girl store at Alderwood mall, always fun for the girls! Look up the christmas ships sailing schedule, that's always fun. And make sure you stay downtown or close to it, the airport is too far from anything you'll want to do. The Seattle library is an architectural wonder. I'm sure I'll think of more later, lived here since I was three!

Don't miss Pikes Peak Market : )

http://www.redtri.com/seattle/top-ten-free-or-cheap-thing...
http://www.seattleattractions.com/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/539/52132/Fun+thi...

Definitely Pike's Peak Market - They throw the fish - the kids will love it! I would love it!

http://www.pikeplacefish.com/