Best Independent Outings for Tweens and Teens Around Seattle

When my sons were younger, I remember being shocked that I had to start thinking about summer camp in February. Now that they are teenagers, the summer camp hustle is (thankfully) in the rearview mirror, but a new challenge roles around each June. What are they supposed to do all summer?

My sons are currently in one of those tricky in between phases — too old for most summer camps, but too young to get a summer job. And while I have always been a fan of a relaxed schedule and have no problem with unstructured time, these last few weeks of summer can drag on. By August we are all ready for an infusion of some new, fun ideas. 

So here are my ideas for independent outing teens and tweens can take around Seattle to keep busy during these last few weeks of summer. I ran these ideas past my sample size of two at home and was met with head nods and vague positive remarks — a wildly positive endorsement from 14- and 15-year-old boys.   

Click the arrow above the image or the link at the bottom of each page to see all my recommendations. Or, simply click the link below that you think will get your teens out of bed before noon and out the door:

• Gaming, IRL
• Get them moving (skating, golf and more)
• Live events
• Awesome arcades

First up: Gaming, IRL

Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2023 and was updated with a new introduction, entertainment ideas and photography in 2024 by ParentMap’s associate editor.