Spring flowers with kids around Seattle: tulips, cherry blossoms and blossom walks

Spring arrives slowly in Seattle, but the few weeks from late March through April are worth planning around: century-old cherry trees on the UW campus, a whole avenue of cherries and azaleas at the Arboretum, and hundreds of acres of tulips in the Skagit Valley, a little over an hour away.

Start with what's free and close. The UW Quad blossoms last only a week or two; go before 9am. Azalea Way at the Washington Park Arboretum is Seattle's prettiest stroller walk, with azaleas and cherries blooming into May, and Bellevue Botanical Garden's azalea garden and suspension bridge are a hit with little kids in any season. Then pick a sunny April day for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival: Tulip Town and RoozenGaarde both have tractor rides and snack stands, and it's a full day out.

• 4 places
• 3 free
• 3 stroller-friendly
• closest is 7 min away