Yakima Valley: Spring Break with Kids Activity Roundup

Spring break is here and you may be panicking. All the kids home for a week can easily turn into a pain (and lots of Netflix) , but it doesn’t have to be!

Here is a round-up of a few activities that I will write about in more detail later. If you are looking for something fun to do, I hope this can help!

Hike:

Cowiche Canyon Conservatory really highlights the beauty of the Yakima valley. Most of their trails have been closed because of snowmelt, but they announced on facebook they are all open now!

• Saturday, March 30 at 9am there is a guided hike to look for birds at the Snow Mountain Ranch trail (apparently there are tons out right now). If you can’t make it Saturday, you could always buy a PNW bird book at Inklings Bookshop and hike the trail looking and identifying birds yourself! Birdwatching isn’t just for senior citizens, kids LOVE trying to figure out nature species!

• My other favorite Cowiche Canyon trails are Uplands (which gives a gorgeous and non-strenuous view of the valley) and Rocky Top (which has a green and orange harvester you can easily hike to with kids). Directions to both can be found on the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory website HERE.

Visit:

If the weather is crummy there are some obvious places to go, but if you weren’t aware, here are some of our favorites:

• Head to the movies! The new Dumbo film is out and showing at the Majestic theater.
• Get your wiggles out at Kids Castle or Get Air (there are coupons on the Get Air website that lowers the cost). Tip: Go right when it opens, that is when it will be the least crowded (Get Air opens at 10am and Kids Castle opens at 1pm)
• Meadowbrook Family Fun Center! All outdoor activities are now open so you don’t have to be stuck in the arcade with tons of flashing lights, instead you can mini golf to your hearts content.
• Yakima Valley Museum actually contains a TON of unique Yakima history. Take the time to check out all the old wagons or the amazing gem and rock collection as you make your way down to the Children’s Underground Area. The underground area is a fun play space that invites imaginative play.

Small Day Trips:

Choose a day this coming week to travel a little further outside of the Yakima Valley for some new adventures.

Ellensburg Rotary Park

• Head to Ellensburg with your bikes and helmets and check out this awesome track for kids to practice their bike skills. There are super fun balance beams and jumps (big and small) and more for kids to try out. It’s meant for beginner and intermediate riders so expect to see other parents with their kids.

• Directions to the park: Heading to Ellensburg, take the Canyon Rd. exit, taking a right after the exit. Head straight up Main Street, taking a left on W 5th ave. 5th Ave will end with you driving straight into the park, the bike skills area will be on your left.

• Don’t forget food! Afterwards you can head to Cornerstone Pie for some delicious fire-roasted pizza. It’s super yummy.

Roslyn

This is my mom’s favorite town and she has shared with me all of the amazing small shops and activities that make this quaint town a fun destination. (Fun fact: Roslyn is where the show Northern Exposure was filmed as well as scenes from season 1 of Man in the High Castle which can be found on Amazon Prime)

• Hikes close to town include Coal Mine Trail (you can hike or bike this one) and the Roslyn Urban Forest.
• After you finish hiking, there are some amazing food joints you can go to. My favorite is the famous Roslyn Cafe (which gained notoriety from Northern Exposure). It has a Tater Tot Bowl of the Month. Yes, you read that right. Each month they create a new way to glorify tater tots. I had a fancy vegetable one once that was AMAZING. It’s creative, rustic, delicious food.
• If you aren’t feeling up for a bowl of tater tots, Basecamp Books and Bites is quite possibly the coolest small shop I have ever been in. It has a simple, small menu that packs tons of flavor, games like Jenga in the back for families and friends to play while waiting for their food, and a small, curated book collection to browse and purchase that has everything from children’s lit to adult non-fiction. There are also other outdoorsy items like apparel, water bottles, and art. I love this place.

I hope your spring break is full of adventure and magic moments.