Things to do with kids in Issaquah
Issaquah is the Eastside's gateway to the mountains: the beach and giant playground at Lake Sammamish on one side, the forest trails of Tiger and Cougar Mountain on the other, and in the old town a hatchery that fills with salmon every fall.
The playground at Lake Sammamish State Park is worth it in any season, with the beach added in summer; the Bus Trail at Tradition Lake is the easiest way into the woods. Cougar Mountain Zoo takes an hour, with reindeer in December, and Fox Hollow has pony rides on weekends. From September to November, see the salmon run at the hatchery, then walk to Front Street for ice cream, and if it rains, duck into the Issaquah Library.
- 9 places
- 5 free
- 8 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
9 places
Drive times from Issaquah
Issaquah Library kids' area
4.0Issaquah · 5 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Issaquah Salmon Hatchery
4.0Issaquah · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free street parking at the hatchery and in old town (except Salmon Days weekend)
Lake Sammamish State Park
5.0Issaquah · 10 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: State park lot, Discover Pass required
Fox Hollow Farm
5.0Issaquah · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free lot
Tradition Lake Loop (Tiger Mountain)
4.0Issaquah · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: High Point trailhead; Discover Pass required ($10/day or $30/year)
Cougar Mountain Zoo
4.0Issaquah · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free lot
Sammamish Commons spray park
5.0Sammamish · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free at the City Hall lot
Sammamish Library kids' area
5.0Sammamish · 15 min drive
1 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot
Coal Creek Falls (Cougar Mountain)
3.0Newcastle · 15 min drive
2 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Free at the Red Town trailhead, tight after 9am on weekends
💡 Good to know
- Lake Sammamish and Tradition Lake both need a Discover Pass ($30 a year); one pass covers every state park.
- Salmon Days, the first weekend of October, closes streets and makes parking very hard; for a quiet look at the fish, choose another weekend.