Pike Place Market, Seattle

Address 1501 Pike Pl # 510, Seattle, WA Map, Hours Vary, most vendors open by 8am Website

Pike Place is a destination on any tourist map. Luckily, kids love it too. When it's sunny, I bring my toddler almost every week. It's fun to choose fruit from the colorful displays, there are a few bakeries and restaurants to pick up a snack or lunch and lots of music and activity. On summer weekends there is almost always something special going on. Best of all, it's open early, giving you an activity when the kids wake up at the crack of dawn (and a way to beat the crowds).

There are lots of stands and shops selling takeaway food, try the mini doughnuts from Daily Dozen. For a picnic, walk to the northernmost end of the market and enjoy a water view at Victor Steinbrueck park.

My son's top activities in at Pike Place Market are:

• Watch cheese being made at Beechers
• Look at the big tanks of live crabs
• Enjoy the street performers
• Watch the "flying fish" being thrown at the fish market
• Touch and sit on the pig

There's even a great children's book about Pike Place Market that you can buy to remember your day A Day at the Market by Sarah Anderson .

Thanks to commenter "Seattle Dad" for submitting corrections to this article.