The Weekender: Family Fun Ideas for Seattle, the Eastside and South Sound

We are a few weeks into fall, and I am realizing there are still so many things I want to do before winter arrives. So, like any millennial mom, I decided I needed a list. Enter: our incredible compilation of fall outings. It’s filled with the season’s best, from pumpkin patches to colorful hikes and indoor play spots. 

Meeting the traveling Dambo trolls topped my fall bucket list, and I got to check that off this week. I’m sharing everything you need to know for planning a visit of your own to Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to meet them too. Consider it a field guide for a wild adventure. 

You’ll find more troll details in my top 10 weekend events along with other can’t-miss activities, from a haunted escape room to an inauguration for pet mayors. 

Hamlin Halloween Haunt

Date: Friday, Oct. 16
Cost: Free
Location: Hamlin Park, 16006 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle 

Speaking of quintessential fall activities, this community haunt will have you singing songs around the campfire, taking a hayride and playing Halloween-themed games. Wear your costumes for the photo booth!

‘Trolls: A Field Study’ at Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Date: Friday–Sunday, Oct. 16–18
Cost: Included with admission ($17–$32; ages 2 and younger are free) or membership 
Location: Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium 

It’s opening weekend for “Trolls: A Field Study,” and it’s the perfect weekend for a zoo day. Meet eight trolls at Northwest Trek and four at Point Defiance Zoo (and tell them I said hi!). The whimsy, creativity and thoughtful details of each troll will wow the whole family. There are even more reasons to visit both zoos this weekend: Hoot ‘n’ Howl is on Friday and Saturday at Northwest Trek and Zoo Boo is happening Saturday and Sunday at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. 

Fracture! 

Date: Friday–Sunday, Oct. 16–18
Cost: Pay-what-you-want admission, starting at $10 per person
Location: Pacific Science Center, 200 Sue Bird Court N., Seattle 

As if math wasn’t scary enough on its own! This experience has elements of an escape room, a haunted house and live theater, all rolled into one. Solve problems and save the day. (Come 1–4 p.m. for the family-friendly version, or 7–10 p.m. for after-dark scares.)

Diwali Family Festival at SAAM 

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free; reserve tickets for timed activities
Location: Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St., Seattle 

Celebrate Diwali at this fantastic cultural festival. The Seattle Asian Art Museum will have a youth art exhibition, live performances and special activities throughout the day. Make art with artist Deepti Agrawal, get a custom henna design and indulge in flavorful dishes from the Spice Waala food truck. 

AutumnFest Family Fun at Evergreen Arboretum and Gardens

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free
Location: Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens, 145 Alverson Blvd., Everett 

The votes are in! Three honorary pet mayors will be inaugurated this weekend at the arboretum: a dog mayor, a cat mayor and a stuffie mayor. Celebrate the occasion, meet puppies from the Everett Animal Shelter and make sure you’re registered to vote in the real election. Plus, kids can help plant spring-flowering bulbs (and even take some home).  

Zap: A Day of Electric Discovery

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free
Location: Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts, 309 Fourth St. N.E., Puyallup

I love hands-on activities, and this free event is jam-packed with them. Build your own electrical circuit, learn about wind turbines and renewable energy, and encourage a love of science. (And let someone else answer your kids’ endless questions about how things work for a change.) 

Issaquah Goes Apples

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free
Location: Historic Shell Station and Downtown Issaquah, 232 Front St. N., Issaquah 

This is the place to be if you haven’t had fresh-pressed apple cider yet this fall (it’s on my bucket list!). Play apple-themed games, build a scarecrow and snap photos as you go. Plan to shop the markets, with both farm and artisan goods. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Burke Museum

Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
Cost: Free
Location: Burke Museum, 4303 Memorial Way N.E., Seattle 

The Burke Museum is an incredible museum to visit anytime, but this is a special opportunity to go for free! In celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, enjoy a special performance from the WestShore Canoe Family. Then see artist Siobhan Amelia at work in the Artist Studio and explore the museum’s exhibits. 

Benaroya Hall Open House

Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
Cost: Free
Location: Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle

Check out the newly renovated Benaroya Hall with a full day of free festivities. Musicians, storytellers and more artists take to the stage. The day ends with a free performance from the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and The Head and the Heart (but you’ll have to get there early to snag tickets for that!). 

Pumpkin Painting Social

Date: Sunday, Oct. 18
Cost: Free
Location: Copperworks Distilling, 7324 N.E. 175th St., Suite A, Kenmore

Having watched our carved pumpkins disintegrate on our front steps over the last two weeks, I am thinking painted pumpkins are the way to go. This fun annual bash includes free pumpkins for little ones, with plenty of paint pens and craft supplies to bring their pumpkin to life. If cookies are more your speed, there will be sugar cookie decorating too. Costumes encouraged! 

Editor’s note: Each week ParentMap’s family fun editor, Meredith Charaba, updates The Weekender with her favorite weekend activities around Seattle, the Eastside and South Sound. It was originally published years ago and was most recently updated on Oct. 14, 2026. Event dates, times and locations were verified by our editor.