Today my family took advantage of a Living Social deal and went on the Queen of Seattle Paddle Wheel Cruise.

From the beginning- the park from which the paddle wheeler leaves is under construction, so right now (8/10), parking is a little tricky to find. You can park in any of several paid lots nearby, or if you go on Sunday, like we did, there's free street parking within a short walk.

After parking we walked to the ship, enjoying the views of the Center for Wooden Boats and the older ships parked near the Old Navy Reserve building (which will be the location of Seattle's MOHAI in 2012).

The Queen of Seattle is the largest steam-powered paddle wheeler west of the Mississippi. It's been recently renovated and is very nicely done and comfortable.

Boarding was easy and everyone was very friendly. We originally found seats outside, near the railing. I was happy to see that the railing was child-proofed with only small spaces between the parts of the railing. Not much chance that a kid could slip through, and the railing was high enough that I didn't worry about anyone falling over either.

We moved around quite a bit during the trip, going from outside to inside and switching decks a few times as well. On the main deck there is a snack bar/beverage area where drinks and snacks (including soft drinks and beer/wine) can be purchased for reason able prices.

The cruise itself is 2 hours long and goes around the Lake Union area. We enjoyed seeing lots of boats, the houseboat community, Gasworks Park, the Aurora Bridge, Fremont, and Ballard before turning around to head back. On the way back we saw lots more boats and the houseboat from Sleepless in Seattle. During the trip there is occasional narration and important sites are pointed out. There's also some information on Seattle's history given. On the last part of the trip, there's even a little singing/dancing time, with the tour guides singing (in costume) some songs from the time of the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush.

My kids are 3 and 1, and they had a great time on this trip. There's plenty to see outside, and space to move around inside too. This would be a fun family outing, and a great way for visitors to see Seattle's water community!

Tickets for adults are normally $29 per person, kids 5-12 are $15 and under 5 years old are free.

We live very very close to the Queen Anne Seattle Sushi Land and generally eat in or takeout from this sushi restaurant at least once per week. Sometimes more!

Marinepolis Sushi Land is a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. There is a great deal of seating at the sushi bar surrounding the conveyor belt, as well as several large booths. We've been going there with our kids since they were each infants- when they were little we'd just pull the stroller up to the sushi bar or set the baby in the carseat at our feet while we ate. Now the kids have graduated to a booster seat and a highchair, and they sit right up with us, pointing out the sushi that they want!

Sushi Land is incredibly family-friendly. The wait staff is always cheerful and friendly to the kids, there are plenty of high chairs and booster seats, and there's enough noise going on that no one will notice if your child is acting up a bit.

We also love that the majority of the food is just $1-$3 per plate, so you have the chance to try lots of little plates and experience new things. If you don't see something you like going around in front of you, just wave your arm and one of the sushi chefs will come over and take your request and make you a plate of the sushi of your dreams.

Sushi Land has a lot of rolls, but also nigiri and udon soup and fried tofu and desserts and occasionally a chicken finger will even go by on the belt. My family has never left Sushi Land hungry, and it rarely costs us more than $20 to feed two adults, a preschooler and a toddler.

I've loved Sushi Land for years, and was pleased recently to visit Sushi Land with a Japanese friend, who pronounced the sushi to be excellent and who is planning a return trip with her daughter.

Parking can be challenging, especially on weekend evenings, as Sushi Land does not have a dedicated lot. But when you do find street parking, it's free for 1-2 hours (longer in some areas) depending on which block you've found a space on.

So, if you're a sushi fan, but are also watching your expenses, give Sushi Land a try!

We recently discovered the Country Village and absolutely love it! It's even worth the 30 minute drive that it takes us to get there from downtown Seattle!
Country Village is made up of a bunch of buildings that house stores, restaurants and cafes. Those are all great, but what surrounds the shops and eateries is what makes Country Village great. There's a large pond with ducks to feed, chickens running around, beautiful trees and flowers, a large playground and even a train that you can ride on for a short tour of the grounds.
There's lots of parking and plenty to do and see here- it's worth the trip!

When my mom walked in the front door of Soaring Eagle Lodge on our first day, she actually got teary-eyed because of how gorgeous the lodge and the setting was. This is an amazing vacation home in a gorgeous setting.
The lodge is a 3-bedroom luxury home that can house up to 8 people. My family group consisted of 6 adults and an almost 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, so we were at maximum capacity for the lodge, but we were very comfortable.
Everything that you could need is available right here- the lodge has 3 bedrooms, a sitting room, a great room (with pool table), 5 TVs, 4 DVD players, pool table, games, multiple fireplaces and a kitchen with every amazing feature that you could ever want.
The owners of the lodge live in a separate apartment on the other side of the building- far enough away that you never see them, but close enough to answer questions, if needed. The owners are incredibly friendly and helpful, and they come give a tour and fill you in on the lodge amenities on the first day. They also provide breakfast for the first morning (we actually ate the "1st day" fixings for 3 days) along with coffee, snacks and a bunch of other great things.
The lodge has a nesting pair of bald eagles right outside the grand room window, and we enjoyed watching the pair and their newly hatched eaglet all week.
There's also a hot tub, grill, fire pit, large yard, lots of seating and gorgeous views. And the location is great for day trips to the Olympic peninsula, Bellingham, Seattle, or any of the other towns on Whidbey Island. Grocery stores, pharmacies, Walmart, cute little shops and so much more are within a 15 minute drive.
The lodge is affordably priced, especially if you have more than one family or more than one couple traveling together, especially when you factor in all that the lodge offers that a traditional hotel does not. This place is amazing!
Here's the website: http://www.soaringeaglelodgewhidbey.com/

My son is almost 3, and he loves trains. So, when we heard about the Bellingham Railway Museum, we knew we needed to drop by. My husband claimed it was all on behalf of our son, but I think my husband ended up having just as much fun!
The Railway Museum is centrally located in downtown Bellingham. Parking is easy (and cheap at 75 cents/hour on the street).
Admission to the museum is $4/adult and $1 for those 2-16, but the maximum for a family of 4 is $6. So definitely a bargain museum!
The museum is mostly made up of several large model train displays, with multiple trains running around. Kids 7 and up can operate most of the trains themselves. There are lots of places for shorter kids to go and stand to be right at train-level, which I really appreciated.
There's also a train-driving simulation game on the computer, several helpful volunteers to answer lots of questions, and a fun play area for the kids when they run out of energy for staring at trains. My son had fun playing with the toddler train tracks, and both of my kids loved riding on the ride-on Thomas train.
This is a great, inexpensive, casual museum to visit with the train lover in your life. My dad, my husband and my son all had a wonderful time!