Golden leaves rustle on tree tops while the scarlet ones carpet sidewalks. The air is crisp, sun is tender and the aroma of cinnamon espresso lingers in this coffee capital.  Squirrels are busy burying nuts with little paws and branches of apple trees are bent with crimson fruits. There are plenty of free fall activities in Seattle. Remember – you have only 18 autumns with your kids. Make them count 🙂 !

When it comes to traveling as a family, Three Tickets Please has you covered. So grandparents, moms & dads grab your kids, cameras and picnic baskets. Its time to head out and make some sweet memories ! Fall is even better when you realize there is a ton of free things to do in Seattle with kids!

FREE Fall Activities in Seattle – Best Fall Things to do

1. Prance Among Stunning Fall Foliage :

Washington Park Arboretum is a dreamy botanical garden in Seattle located on the shores of lake Washington. Its a hidden gem that only seasoned locals know.

This is the perfect place to capture beautiful fall colors of Seattle. The garden offers some amazing fall photography spots, making it the top place to enjoy fall in Seattle. Open everyday from dawn to dusk, this woody wonderland is open to visitors completely free of charge.

In fall, the garden shimmers in the amber glow of yellow and saffron. Quiet benches are scattered across the vast garden where you can enjoy your favorite book. Plenty of earthy tables to enjoy a picnic lunch, while adorable woodland animals scamper around you.

This secret spot in Seattle is fast becoming popular with families. Like us, they love having a self planned Fall photo shoot here and take home playful memories from this garden without spending a single buck.

More than 230 acres of flowers, lush garden and wetlands make this our seasonal must-do. Enjoy this now because later you will be busy with awesome snow adventures near Seattle.

This is one of the best fall activities near Seattle for free. It’s an ideal place to click those instagram worthy pictures and spend an entire morning.

2. Go Apple Picking :

Scarlet red apples or green ones blushing with pink. With over 175,000 acres of local orchards, Washington produces the country’s crunchiest apples and exports around the globe.

Dewdrop laden crisp and juicy apples line the groves. For one of the top fall things to do in Seattle – pick your own fruits. There is something magical about picking these apples yourself – a sense of accomplishment and respect for the food in your plate.

Around Seattle, this is a fantastic thing to do with kids in Fall. Spend a fun afternoon picnicking among crunchy apples that dangle from trees.

Roam in beautiful apple orchards that surround emerald city. Apple Creek Orchard is a fun day trip from Seattle. Just be sure to call and confirm your arrival. On our list, these gorgeous apple farms rightfully feature as one of the best things to do in Seattle with kids.

With a pound of freshly picked apples going at $0.75, its almost FREE. If you don’t mind spending a bit more then you should head to Lattin’s Country Cider Mill Farm .This delightful little farm whips up fresh homemade apple fritters which taste superb with a drizzle of maple syrup.

3.Hike the Popular Trails :

While summer is everybody’s favorite time to explore the rugged scenery around Seattle, we love fall just as much ! Snoqualmie falls is a free day trip from Seattle and looks gorgeous in fall. You can hike to the bottom of this misty waterfall and dip your toes in the cool pond.

Its a very popular and easy fall hike and can be done with kids. Stunning Fall colors enchant you all along. Parking and entry at Snoqualmie falls is free.There is a fantastic lodge perched precariously at the edge of this waterfall.

Since we got ourselves the national parks pass, we just drive into these national parks that surround Seattle, on a whim. Not having to pay each time feels like free!

The crowds are remarkably lesser and so are the bugs. It’s quiet, it’s peaceful and you pretty much have the surreal earthscape all for yourself. Fiery colors spray the mountain trails and the cozy log cabins are perfect to enjoy a cinnamon roll before heading home.

Mount Rainier is our ultimate favorite and we get restless without our annual pilgrimage to this gorgeous volcano. Sunrise trail is our pick for the best fall hikes, but be sure to check if the trail is open before you head out, since it closes in early October.

4.Watch the fish Migrate at Ballard Locks :

Ballard Locks receives a million visitors each year.There is something for everyone here, making it a great place to spend a laid back afternoon.

Sandeep cannot stop raving about the civil engineering marvel of the Locks and N can spend all day watching young Salmon pass safely downstream. As for me, I adore their sprawling gardens with seasonal flowers. Undoubtedly one of the free fall activities in Seattle.

Pacific Northwest is endowed with a thriving ecosystem and Salmon is an instrumental species. The complex network of life that surrounds Seattle’s wilderness can collapse without this seemingly trivial pink fish. Enjoy underwater views of  Coho and Chinook Salmon from large windows in September and October, as they return to the Puget Sound.

5.Try the Classics or be adventurous in the kitchen:

No conversation about fall is complete without the mention of Pumpkin. We have a tradition of baking pumpkin cakes with warm spices every fall and the cakes are polished off to the last crumb!

With scores of free farmers market held every weekend around Seattle, this has to be a must do. While it’s customary to slurp on creamy pumpkin soups, this season try a different twist on this adorable squash.

Let me spotlight some lesser known yet delectable dishes. Toast its olive green seeds in brown butter or fry pumpkin blossoms to a crisp perfection. Both taste simply divine!

6. Want one of the best fall activities near Seattle for free ?  Watch a story enactment by piglets!

Farmer Ben at Swan’s Trail farm and his three little adorable pigs enact the much loved story of the big bad wolf. The show is extremely popular, replete with three houses of straw, sticks and bricks and seats fill up fast. The show is followed by a real duck race (not rubber ducks!) and it’s terribly popular too. Both the activities are absolutely free. After the performance you can purchase their in-house specialties like caramel apples and picnic in the lovely farm.

7. Rose Garden near Woodland Zoo:

Shhh..Secret but surely one of the best fall activities near Seattle for free. One glorious morning, we stumbled upon this perfumed garden. Its completely overshadowed by Seattle’s most popular kiddie attraction -The Woodland Zoo.

Before driving to Portland’s Rose garden have a look in your backyard. Not many people know about this lovely escape and those who know it, can’t have enough of it. An elegant gazebo, gushing fountain and a reflection pond make it a perfect family spot to spend an autumn afternoon.

This Rose garden is totally free of charge and the heady fragrance from vivid roses will charm you to no end. While May is my favorite month to visit this garden, it’s very impressive in fall as well.

8. Play in a Pumpkin field :

Of all the best fall activities near Seattle for free, this one was Neev’s favorite. We visited the Swan’s Trail Farm and loved every minute of it. So much fun for the whole family!

This delightful farm is set against the painted canvas of Cascade mountains and the gentle bend of Snohomish River. Swan’s Trail Farm is located right next to this meandering river which is perhaps why there are lush green pastures in the region.

Frolicking among tangerine pumpkins is my ultimate fall favorite. The farm is a fantastic place to enjoy these rotund beauties and their delicate tendrils. Viewing, photographing and playing around in the patch is completely free and the pumpkins are available for purchase. This certainly is one of the best fall things near Seattle for free!

9. Watch the birds fly South – Gas Works Park

As the temperatures dip, birds migrate to warmer countries. At Gas Works Park hundreds of Canadian geese begin their migration. Its a sight to behold.  Rolling hills of the park, idyllic sailboats and calm waters of Lake Union all look even more magnificent with the flight of these seasonal birds. Kids adore this spectacle and it is an absolutely free thing to do at Fall in Seattle.

10. Vintage Train Rides and Friendly Ghosts

As Seattle descends into Halloween mood, every Fall there is a fun train ride at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie.

While the train ride itself is not free, there is no admission fee for the lovely grounds and museum itself. Free and fabulous, a visit to this vintage station is a great activity for grown ups and kids alike.

11. Kubota Garden – A Hidden Gem

Without flying half way across the globe to visit the orient, you can enjoy Asian accents right here in Seattle! Escape the everyday in this tranquil Japanese garden. This zen paradise is one of the true hidden gems of Seattle. Most people overlook this sprawling oasis of calm. Kubota Garden is unbelievably beautiful and surprisingly free of charge. Seeing such remarkable beauty at no cost is almost unfair. Donations are a great way to show our appreciation.With its gurgling waterfalls, dainty bridges and quaint stone pathways in water, this place is perfect to unwind and let your hair down .

As we discover more hidden gems dotting Seattle, the one’s truly deserving will be featured here. So watch this space for updates. All the photographs are our own and all the opinions are totally ours and not sponsored. I cherish my readers way too much to recommend anything thats less than extraordinary. Hope you enjoyed reading this piece and feel free to share your top picks in the comments. I would love to hear from you ! Till then happy travels ! Enjoy this beautiful planet we call home.