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Are you looking for a fun Seattle playdate idea? Check out how to ride the Sounder Train with kids!

This post about riding the Sounder Train was written by Seattle travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

Every summer, my mom friends create a Summer Play Date Bucket List. We each contribute ideas of epic adventures that we’d like to do for our weekly Friday play dates. One year, we did the Link Light Rail, and it was a huge hit! This year, we decided to take the Sounder train to the International District for lunch.

Kent Station

The main attraction of our Seattle train play date was the train ride itself. So, we chose to meet at Kent Station. That way, the kids would get about a 30-minute ride each way.

Plus, we figured we’d find parking there easier than at the other stops where more commuters park.

I’d recommend parking on level 5 of the parking garage because that’s the level with the skybridge over to the station.

Walk all the way to the end of the skybrige to take either the stairs or elevator down to the tracks. We didn’t see any signage where to go. But, we talked with a security officer who said usually there’s a station master who announces which trains are on which tracks.

When you get down to the tracks, you’ll find some machines to purchase your tickets. Kids ages 5 and under are free, so I had to buy myself a round-trip ticket to downtown Seattle, which was $8 total.

Please note that the fare may have increased, so it’s best to check the current fares on the Sound Transit website here.

So, a quirky thing we discovered is that if you pay cash, the machines at Kent Station will give you $1 Presidential coins as change! But, we’d suggest paying with a $10 rather than a $20, to avoid lugging around such heavy money!

Insider Tip: Kent Station is a shopping center. If you wanted to extend your outing, you could always catch a movie or enjoy some ice cream there.

Riding the Sounder Train

We took the 11:05 a.m. train from Kent Station to avoid commuters. It was perfect timing!

The kids found window seats easily. We had five kids with us, and they sat in one section while the parents sat across the aisle for the trip to the International District.

The train was really quiet, the ride was smooth, and it was really clean! The kids sipped their water bottles and eagerly looked out the window to see the sights.

The ride from Kent Station to King Street Station took about 30 minutes. During that time, few people got on board, so we had a lot of room to spread out. And there was plenty of space for my stroller and tote bag.

Insider Tip: Sit on the left side of the train to get views of Boeing Field and the Museum of Flight on your way to Seattle.

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International District (Seattle Chinatown)

We chose to get off at the International District because it’s right at King Street Station.

One of my friends and I are pretty familiar with the area and know where to go. Our two other friends hadn’t explored this area, so we thought it would be a fun stop.

Uwajimaya

Since there were 4 families with varying taste buds, we decided to head straight for Uwajimaya. It’s a large Japanese grocery store that has a food court.

The food court options include Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Hawaiian, grilled cheese sandwiches, and more. Plus, Uwajimaya has a grab-and-go section of its store near the food court.

I grabbed BBQ pork musubi, shrimp tempura musubi, and potstickers from the grab-and-go area. Then, I let the kids pick out rice crackers, cookies, and rainbow mochi that we could share with our friends.

It’s also a great place to find all kinds of Asian candy and baked goods.

The food court gets really crowded at lunchtime, and it would have been near impossible to find a table for all 10 of us. We happened to go on a beautifully sunny Seattle day, so we took our food to eat outside.

Courtyard with Bamboo Forest

Between King Street Station and Uwajimaya, there’s a courtyard with tables, chairs, benches, etc. When we were there, a woman was stretched out on one of the rocks, soaking up the Seattle sunshine.

It’s an awesome spot to sit and enjoy your food. Oh, and Starbucks is right there!

When the kids were done eating, they had fun running around and exploring this little bamboo forest area. This was awesome because it gave us enough time to eat the rest of our lunch and plot out our next move.

Donnie Chin International Children’s Park

Our next stop was to go play at a park. The Donnie Chin International Children’s Park is on Lane Street, just a few blocks from Uwajimaya. It was renovated in 2012 and has some cool play equipment.

When I was in 3rd grade, our teacher took us on a field trip to Uwajimaya, and I remember we went to a park with a dragon sculpture.

I hadn’t been there since, so when we arrived, I was flooded with lots of fun memories!

Not only that; but there are also rows of giant rocks that form tiers where kids can climb up to the top. My 4-year-old had no problem climbing up and down, but my toddler was too short.

As the rocks were secured in the dirt, our kids got super dirty, climbing up and down in the dust!

But the piece that really stands out is a dragon sculpture that kids can climb on. After seeing the older boys posing for photos on it, my 21-month-old begged me to let him “ride” the dragon so he could pose for photos, too!

My top tip for playing at this Seattle Chinatown park is to bring baby wipes or a towel. Your kids will get dirty with all the sand and dirt. I had to dust mine off a bit. But there is a drinking fountain at the park that we used to wash our hands.

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What Else to Do in Chinatown?

Even though Seattle’s Chinatown is pretty small, there’s a lot to do here. You could easily spend the whole day exploring. And if you have older kids, there are some interesting museums.

WING LUKE MUSEUM

The Wing Luke Museum has lots of new exhibits, so it’s somewhere you can revisit from time to time. They’ve been doing a whole Bruce Lee series that looks cool. Plus, it’s a great place to learn about the history of Seattle’s Chinatown.

It’s a small museum, so it doesn’t take much time to walk through.

CAKEHOUSE

This is one of our favorite places to pick up yummy treats. Personally, I like to get a sponge cake (or two) and several fruit tarts. And they also have pork buns that are easy snacks/lunches for kids.

They only take cash, so be prepared!

KAU KAU

If you like BBQ pork, this is the BEST spot to pick some up. They chop it up right in front of you. We always get it to go and then eat it for dinner (and then lunch) at home.

It’s also a tasty spot for takeout. My 4-year-old says it’s “the best dinner ever!”

Train back to Kent Station

The train ride from King Street Station was much more crowded. We took the 2:35 pm train on a sunny Friday afternoon in Seattle. Anytime we have good weather in Seattle, people tend to leave work early!

We had a bit of trouble finding our friends on the right platform. Thankfully, they are clearly numbered, and we found them before getting on the train.

The Sounder is a double-decker train (cool, right?) My friend headed upstairs immediately, but the upper deck was already full. I should note that the King Street Station is South of the Downtown stops, so it makes sense that it would be full.

I folded up my stroller and stashed it behind my seat. But there were enough seats for all the kids and adults. The train ride back was still fun for the kids, and they were all asking when we could do it again!

Oh, and most of them fell asleep minutes after getting into the car. That’s a successful play date in my book!

Top Tips for a Sound Transit Play Date

KIDS UNDER 5 ARE FREE

Take full advantage of this! When you think about parking costs in Seattle, it’s much cheaper to buy a Sounder ticket for $8, which is good all day.

And if you’re just looking for an easy train ride to do with kids, this one is pretty affordable and is a good length for little ones.

ORCA CARD

Consider using an ORCA card for fare payment, as it offers convenience and may have fare discounts.

STROLLERS ARE OK

There are elevators located at the train stations. The tricky part is getting your stroller up onto the train itself (if your child is sitting in it) since there are 2 steps.

If you go with friends, ask one to help you carry the stroller up. Once you are on the train, you can park your stroller in one of the handicap seats. Remember to lock your breaks!

If you are bringing a folded-up stroller to use once you get to Chinatown, you can also stash the stroller in available handicapped spots, or there’s an area for bikes.

PARK ON LEVEL 5 OF THE GARAGE

If you are parking in the Kent Station Garage, note that level 5 is where the skybridge is. I found it so much easier with a stroller and little kids to park on the same level.

GO DURING THE WEEK

Unfortunately, the Sounder is a weekday commuter train. That means it usually doesn’t run on weekends. And when it does, it’s usually for sporting events.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Take the 11:05 a.m. train from Kent Station to King Station. Then, take the 2:35 p.m. train back from King Station. The upper deck fills up quickly. At this time, you should avoid most commuters, so the train will be more vacant.

Sounder Train Play Date Wrap-Up

Our Sounder train play date to downtown Seattle and the International District was a fantastic adventure! The kids enjoyed the smooth ride on the Sounder trains, and the ease of using the ORCA card made the trip even more convenient.

For anyone planning a similar trip, checking the Sound Transit website for updated train schedules and fares is a must.

Consider attending select major weekend events like Seahawks games when the Sounder runs on weekends. Don’t forget to use a mobile ticket or paper ticket for easy fare payment.

Whether you’re looking for a quick outing or a full day of fun, the Sounder Train provides a unique and enjoyable experience for families. Our adventure was a success, and we can’t wait for our next light rail journey!

 Other Seattle Play Date Ideas

Take a Seattle Argosy Cruise to a Kid-Friendly Tillicum Excursion
Spend the Day at Pier 57 in Seattle with Kids
Funko HQ Tips for a Fun Seattle Family Activity
Local Mom’s Guide to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo
6 Tips for Enjoying the Pacific Science Center with Toddlers