Looking for free things to do in Seattle?  Enjoy an afternoon boating on Seattle’s Lake Union, filled with fun historical facts and an inside peek at the infamous Lake Union house boats – including the one used in “Sleepless in Seattle.”  And yep, it’s FREE!

Located on Seattle’s South Lake Union, on the pier near the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) you will find the unassuming Center for Wooden Boats.  Step inside to find books, photos and small exhibits chronicling the history of wooden boats in the Puget Sound region in an intimate setting.  The staff and volunteers are very friendly and a wealth of knowledge concerning Seattle’s maritime history.

Kid-friendly activities are available inside the Center, but the real experience you and your kids will love is taking a cruise in one of the historic wooden boats docked outside.  The boat tours are free, so you might not expect much, but the rides are in general 45 minutes long, some special tours are up to 2 hours in length.  The Center for Wooden Boats is all about educating and preserving that history, so during that tour you will learn all sort of interesting facts and stories that will engage both you and your children.  On our cruise, my nephew was even invited to skipper the boat – he took his job very seriously.  There was plenty to see as we passed neighborhoods of houseboats, Gas Works Park, and marinas.  A seaplane even flew right over us on its take off from the bay.

The infamous houseboat from “Sleepless in Seattle”

Know before you go:

• Boat rides are first come, first served, so get on the list for a sail time right when you get there.  Or book a time for later in the afternoon and explore MOHAI for a while first.
• The volunteers are very comfortable working with special needs children and will accommodate your family as much as possible, but there are limitations with the boats.  We were helped making the transfer from my daughter’s wheelchair on the dock to the boat, my daughter sat on my lap throughout the tour.  There’s not a way to get a wheelchair on the boat.
• They have life jackets, my child has severe scoliosis and has a hard time fitting standard life jackets.  Next time I would bring her life jackets with us.
• MOHAI has a nice little café inside to grab some lunch or freshly-made snacks, make a stop there a part of your day.

Have fun!