Photo:
JiaYing Grygiel
Summer’s in full swing — heh — and so are the long open hours at the miniature golf course! If you’ve got early birds who are up at the crack of dawn (even when dawn is before 6 a.m.), mini golf is a winner of an outing. No worries if your crew sleeps late: Miniature golf offers an all-ages good time all day long.
One great thing about mini golf is that it’s fun for all ages, and there’s no prerequisite skill set. They’ve even got toddler-size putters. On a summer day, our family had a blast playing a round of putt-putt with rampant cheating and complete disregard for the rules. At times, I wasn’t sure if we were playing putt-putt or field hockey, but everyone was having so much fun, I went with it. When you’re flexible about the rules, the game is fun for everyone.
Here’s my list of terrific outdoor and indoor miniature golf courses around the Greater Seattle area so you and the kids can enjoy a round of putt-putt, with or without following the rules.
Kent Valley Miniature Golf, Kent
Location: 6015 S. 240th St., Kent
Cost: $9.09 per player, $1 per club rental
Info: Located next to the Kent Valley Ice Center, the whole family will love this challenging mini golf course. You’ll encounter water hazards, challenging jumps and even a 10-foot waterfall! The course is open every day, hours vary (check the website for details).
Rainbow Run Putting Course at Willows Run, Redmond
Location: 10402 Willows Rd. N.E., Redmond
Cost: $13–$14.50 for teens and adults; $9.50 for kids ages 12 and younger
Info: Rainbow Run is located at a separate clubhouse at the south end of the parking lot at the Willows Run Golf Complex. It is open seven days a week, and it’s first come, first served; they don’t take reservations.
Green Lake Pitch & Putt, Seattle
Location: 5701 East Green Lake Way N., Seattle
Cost: $12 for adults, or $10 for youths ages 17 and younger and seniors ages 65 and older
Info: This spot isn’t actually mini, it’s for when you’re ready to take your golf game to the next level! It is the little course you’ve seen on the south end of Green Lake and it’s a popular spot in summer. To miss the busiest times, avoid arriving between 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 5 and 6 p.m. on weekdays, and between noon and 4 p.m. on weekends.
Interbay Golf Center, Seattle
Location: 2501 15th Ave. W., Seattle
Cost: Adults play for $12; youths ages 17 and younger $8
Info: Interbay Golf Center is one of four public golf courses owned and maintained by Seattle Parks and Recreation. The mini golf course at Interbay is nicely landscaped, featuring mature trees, mini waterfalls and fountains. It’s peaceful and green and in the middle of the city. A round of 18 compact holes was just right for my kids’ attention span. Walk-ins are welcome all day, though we suggest going in the morning when it’s typically less crowded. They don’t take reservations, so just show up.
If you’ve still got energy after finishing the putt-putt course, the two-story driving range is also surprisingly affordable: $8 for a small bucket of 50 balls, up to $18 for a jumbo bucket of 150 balls. My kids love the view from the second level, but you might want to stay downstairs if you’re worried about runners getting too close to the edge.
Family Fun Center in Tukwila
Location: 7300 Fun Center Way, Tukwila
Cost: $12 per person
Info: There are two outdoor 18-hole mini golf courses to try out: Memory Lane and Arctic Adventure. Memory Lane is based on more traditional mini golf courses and has a school house, the Eiffel Tower and the Pixie House. Arctic Adventure has a Pacific Northwest theme and includes a bait house, bears and the beautiful landscape. Mini golf here is recommended for ages 5 and older.
King Family Fun Center (formerly Skate Tiffany’s), Puyallup
Location: 1113 N. Meridian, Puyallup
Cost: $10 for adults and kids ages 4 and older; kids 3 and younger are free
Info: This is a fun place for outdoor miniature golf! They do not take reservations, walk-in only. Unfortunately, skating, the arcade and the cafe are permanently closed because of a devastating fire in September 2020.
Snohomish Valley Golf Center, Snohomish
Location: 8511 Marsh Rd., Snohomish
Cost: $12 for adults; $10 for kids and seniors (ages 55 and older and 12 and younger)
Info: Open daily from 8 a.m.–10 p.m., this spot offers an 18-hole championship mini golf course. It’s first come, first served, so no reservations are needed.
Parkland Putters, Tacoma
Location: 10636 Sales Rd. S., Tacoma
Cost: $10 per person ages 16 and older; $8 for players 15 and younger
Info: Parkland Putters in Tacoma offers four levels of mini golf courses — ranging from easy to hard. Sand traps, trees, hills and hidden holes will give you extra challenges to conquer and a chance to win a ribbon. Check the Parkland Putters website for package deals that are available and check Facebook for updates.
Mike ‘N’ Terry’s Outdoor Fun Park, Puyallup
Location: 6326 114th Ave. Ct. E., Puyallup
Cost: $9.50 for one course, $14.25 for both; kids shorter than 48 inches in height are $4.75. Bring cash.
Info: Mini golf, go karts and batting cages are on offer at Mike ‘N’ Terry’s Outdoor Fun Park in Puyallup. Choose between two 18-hole mini golf courses. One course has a windmill, moving holes, super mounds and a rotating green. The water course has water hazards, and tube holes – the ball goes into a tube and comes out somewhere else!
High Trek Adventures, Everett
Location: 11928 Beverly Park Rd. Bldg. C, Everett
Cost: $8 for ages 8 and older, free for kids 7 and younger, or $6 with the purchase of a same-day ropes course ticket
Info: Known for its huge ropes course with zip lines (super fun!), High Trek Adventures also offers laser tag, axe throwing (!!) and, of course, mini golf. The mini golf course is very basic, no-frills 18-hole course set up around the ropes course. Book a tee time online to play. When you arrive, check in and you’ll get a golf ball, putter, scorecard and pencil.
Flatstick Pub, multiple locations
Location: Kirkland, South Lake Union (Seattle), Redmond, Bellingham. See the website for more information.
Cost: $10 per person
Info: Flatstick Pub offers mini golf for the whole family and local beer for the grown-ups. You’ll also discover Duffleboard, a tabletop golf game invented by Flatstick. (You can see the original game at the Kirkland location.) While families are welcome during the day, locations are open to the adult crowd only (21 and older) in the evenings. Check the location you are heading to for exact hours.
Monster Mini Golf, Bellevue
Location: 4080 Factoria Square Mall S.E., Bellevue
Cost: $12–$14. Bowling, laser maze and virtual reality are also available for an additional cost.
Info: For a unique mini golf experience, Monster Mini Golf in Bellevue should be on your short list of courses to try this summer. Just make sure your kids aren’t too afraid of monsters or clowns, as the glow-in-the-dark course is filled with the spookiest of creatures. There’s also a laser maze, arcade and bowling to keep the fun going.
Forum Social House, Bellevue
Location: North Tower, Lincoln Square, 700 Bellevue Way N.E. Ste. 300, Bellevue
Cost: $15 per person
Info: As the website says, this is “not your grandmother’s mini golf.” This fun 18-hole course offers a virtual koi pond, an oversized golf throne and even unicorn hole where you get to sit on an actual unicorn! Take the kids when all ages are welcome: Sunday–Thursday anytime, and on Friday and Saturday before 10 p.m.
More summer family fun:
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Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2020. Associate editor Kari Hanson updated the article in August 2024, adding in new indoor mini golf courses and fact-checking prices, times and features for outdoor miniature golf spots to verify information is current.
