Exploring Salish Sea Tide Pools With Kids

Tide pools are home to a fertile array of maritime creatures. They’re an opportunity to find and observe biodiversities such as anemones, crabs, mussels, starfish, and urchins. Beachcombing the coasts of Seattle NorthCountry during low tide can strike wonder into the hearts of young and old. Pick a beach that fits the fancy of your family, and the fun is provided by the Salish Sea.

Mukilteo Beach is crawling with crabs under every rock. Bring a magnifying glass and a bucket for treasures like seashells or smooth beach glass. Maybe build a sandcastle or a fort out of driftwood. If low tide time runs into lunchtime there are family-friendly dining options like Ivars’s and Diamond Knot just blocks away.

Kayak Point is a county park located north of Marysville with over 3,000 feet of shoreline. It’s a place where you can walk freely along the waves--no shortage of sand to explore. If the kiddos start looking for something a little different, there is a nearby park set to enjoy.

Brackett’s Landing Park is located on the north side of the ferry terminal in Edmonds. It is considered an underwater park, visited by about 25,000 scuba divers every year. Comb the park with your kids and odds are you may be surprised by a diver emerging out of the water. The park provides free parking, restroom facilities with a dry changing area, a shower, and a foot-wash station, so you don’t have to bring the beach home with you.

And that is the respectful rule of thumb when it comes to the local ecosystem: marine organisms are not to be removed from the parks. This keeps the magic at its home to be revisited by your family time and time again.