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Archives for August 2017

End Summer With A Ride On The Downtown To Defiance Trolley

August 30, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Have you tried the Downtown to Defiance trolley yet this summer? If you haven’t, plan a trip this weekend. Trolley service will run from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 2nd through September 3rd. Last day Sunday!  What a fun (and frugal) end of summer outing with the kiddos! 

Writer, Becca, has ideas for what to see and try at each stop. You may want to pick just a few depending on your schedule. Read on for all the details and a special invitation from me at the end! 

Pierce Transit is providing the Downtown to Defiance trolley service from June 2 to September 3. The route 15 trolley will run from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with a new trolley arriving every 30 minutes.

Although not exactly Daniel Tiger trolley cars, these buses are wrapped in a trolley design and provide accessible boarding, air conditioning, ORCA card readers, and front bicycle racks. They’re also stroller-friendly! Did I mention wifi?
When their from out-of-town grandmother came to visit, my kids took her for a trolley ride to see some of the best sights in Tacoma.

[Read more…]

Family Fun At Olympia Harbor Days!

August 29, 2017 by Maegen Blue

I want to remind our Lacey and Olympia area readers  that it’s almost time for Olympia Harbor Days!

Oh, and if you live somewhere else? This fun and free festival is super family friendly and well worth the trip! It’s a great option if you’re looking for a fun Labor Day weekend activity for the kids that’s more affordable than a trip out of town or other spendy options.

They’ve expanded the kids offerings by a bunch this year, too.

There will be the ever popular tugboat races plus crafts and hands on fun for kids, the Giant Purple Slide, and much more.

I would bring some money for vendors, but the event itself is free. Do check the schedule here to make sure you go on the day you want.

You can also find more information here at their site

or here at their Facebook page.

It runs Labor Day weekend, September 1st-3rd!

Last Rainiers Games This Week

August 29, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Are you working on your summer bucket list? If you haven’t been to a Rainiers Game, it’s a great addition, but hurry, because there are just three home games left this summer!

My kids love going to Rainiers games, and seeing as I’m SouthSoundforlife, I was super excited to get to go on a behind the scenes tour of everything new and awesome in Rainiers Land earlier this summer.

It truly is a beautiful ballpark, and for families especially, it’s a great venue, and it’s just so much easier doing a game here than trekking to Seattle where you’ll have to take out a loan just to park the darn car!

Here are our best tips for Rainiers going.  I know many of you are regulars and have been to lots this summer, so feel free to add yours, too!

  • Go a little early for your pick of parking. Parking in the lot is 10.00, and in my opinion, it’s well worth it. I do suggest going a bit early so you can have your pick of spots.
  • Play at the playground! Don’t forget to check out the playground. Did you know it’s open to the public during non game times, too? It’s true! We wrote a bit more about it in our post on toddler friendly playgrounds here.
  • Score a deal! We think the 4 for 44.00 package is the best deal going. The Chik Fil A deal is also solid. Note-There aren’t any more of these offers this year, but keep them on your radar (along with the fireworks nights!) for next year. You can still get tickets to the remaining games for as little as 7.00 each!

Know before you go

  • The bathrooms are reasonably clean.
  • There are a lot more food options, including gluten free choices and lighter menu items. It’s ballpark food, so you’re not getting a bargain, but if you choose wisely, you can fill up and feel like you’ve gotten your money’s worth. Can I tempt you with a little eye candy from the Red Hot? #Getinmybelly

Want to go to one of the remaining games?

I just checked, and there are still tickets to each of the remaining three games. The cheapest seats are on the grass. No seats here-you bring a blanket. It’s a great family atmosphere in this section, the view is good, and you’re right by the playground. You may even get a fly ball!

You can go here to purchase tickets, or quite a few of our readers have said they prefer to purchase by phone.

Here’s some more on your options:

Call 1-800-745-3000 to purchase by phone

3 & under free on lap/No refunds, no exchanges/No outside food or drink

Parking $10 (Cash or Card). To ensure a parking spot, please arrive at least 1 hour before game time.

BOX SEATS: Seat with armrest & chair back in 100 Level Sections. Available for purchase DAY OF GAME ONLY.
RESERVED: Seat with armrest & chair back in Sections A-P. Day of game discounts for Senior/Youth/Military only available at the Box Office.
ACCESSIBLE: A maximum of 3 companions per disabled individual are allowed. To purchase by phone, call 1-800-745-3000.
GRASS: This is a general admission seating area. This area does not include seats. Chairs are prohibited. Blankets and bleacher seats are allowed.
RYARD & LOUNGE: Ticket includes 1 beverage in the RYARD. This is a general admission seating area. This area does not include a guaranteed seat.

Free Fair Tickets With 5.00 Purchase From Area Merchants

August 29, 2017 by Maegen Blue

We’re working on fully updating our guide to the Washington State Fair, or as we’re still stubbornly calling it….The Puyallup.

In the meantime, we did want to share one easy, peasy way for locals to score free tickets. There are quite a few options for kids to get free fair tickets, but free entry coupons for grown ups are harder to come by, so we’re excited to share this one.

WA State Fair

What’s the deal? Simply spend 5.00 at a downtown area merchant (see map below) and take your receipt to the Puyallup Main Street Association booth at the Farmer’s Market. They’ll give you your free ticket!

Here’s the scoop straight from their fb page:

FREE FAIR TICKETS ARE BACK!

Show your receipt from a DOWNTOWN MERCHANT (located within the area on map below) totaling $5 or more and receive a free ticket to the fair! One ticket per person, per receipt.

Bring your receipt to the Main Street booth at the Farmer’s Market the first four Saturdays in September.

Tickets will be available Sept. 2, 9, 16, & 23 or while they last. First come / first serve. Ticket availability will be limited on each weekend.

This is sort of a spend money to save money type thing, but if you were needing or planning to do some shopping downtown anyway, it’s sort of a no-brainer! And if you haven’t been to the Puyallup Farmer’s Market yet this summer, it really is a great one.

Stay tuned for more on the fair-including what’s new this year, what’s FREE, and as always, how to get the most out of your fair going. You can read more about this offer here. Make sure you’ve, “Liked,” our page, too while you’re at it. 

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things to Do August 25th, 26th, and 27th

August 25, 2017 by Maegen Blue

The weather is beautiful, and we’re down to just a few precious summer weekends! Let’s make fun the priority today, shall we? We’ve got a great list this weekend, with free events for kids in Tacoma, Graham,  Kent, Edgewood…..and just about everywhere else in the South Sound you might be looking for something fun to do.

South Sound Kid's Calendar

There are more than 60 family events this weekend (not kidding!) so if you’re reading this from the home page, you’ll need to do one more click. I promise it’s worth it!

[Read more…]

Kids Can Try Diving For Free With Dive Seattle in Federal Way!

August 23, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Do you have a child who is interested in learning to dive?
Or maybe you just know your kiddo is a strong athlete who needs a new challenge?
Have I got a deal for you!
Our new sponsor, DiveSeattle, is currently offering Complimentary (That’s FREE) diving training classes in Federal Way.
I just love finding out about new-to-me programs in our area, and this sounds like such a special opportunity for your kids. Imagine how proud your kiddo will be at becoming a diver!
DiveSeattle’s Learn To Dive Diving Program is for kids ages 6-12 who want to explore diving in a fun, safe, and recreational learning environment. Kids will learn basic diving skills including proper body positions, entries and form, while developing controlled entries and somersaulting.
Training will include trampoline and gymnastics training as well as dive training, and as you’d imagine, swimmers must be able to swim safely to participate. You can read more detail about the program and what to expect on the event sign up page.
Did I mention the FREE part already? What a great opportunity!

This program is available for FREE for new students only during the month of September.  The program is in Federal Way and there are two September sessions to choose from-either one will be complimentary for your new student (it’s a 50.00 value)!  Please register for just ONE of them.

You can get more detail and sign up here.

Or check out the DiveSeattle site or fb page

You’ll find lots of information about their training and programs as well as info. on the unique benefits of diving instruction and contact details.

The free sessions will only be available during the month of September, so get ready to dive into the new school year! Sorry-couldn’t resist!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with a combination of my opinion and text provided by the client. We would Love for you to mention Sounds Fun Mom when you get in touch or sign up. As always, You are responsible for making the best decisions for your family. If you give this program a try, we’d love hear about it and see your pics!

Mom Reviewed: Gridiron Glory at the Washington State History Museum

August 22, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Are you ready for football?

If anyone at your house is a fan, you should definitely make a point of going to the Gridiron Glory exhibit while it’s at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma.

It’s a 6,000 sq. ft. exhibit of items from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. If this is a, “Some day,” destination for you, guess what? You can see the best of it right now, right in Tacoma!

[Read more…]

Hike Report: The Interurban Trail in Milton

August 21, 2017 by Tiffany Guerzon

If you are looking for a paved, stroller-friendly and mostly flat walk in the Milton/Fife area, then this hike is for you! The trail head is actually located in Fife at  1705 70th Ave E, Fife, WA 98424. Here you will find a small parking lot, bench and trash can–but no bathrooms. This is the south end of the 2.5-mile trail and the first quarter mile is close to busy 70th Ave so there is quite a bit of traffic noise.

70th St trail head

After about a quarter mile, you will enter a quiet, forested area that is really pretty. The trail runs next to Sweetwater Creek, but I wasn’t able to see the water.

Helpful signs in the path itself let you know you are on the right trail

About 3/4 of a mile in, there is a Port-O-Potty on the left, as well as a picnic table and benches. This was the only facility that I saw, so take note!

Soon after you pass the Port-O-Potty you will cross two streets fairly close together to continue on the trail. These are well marked and you can push a button to turn on a flashing light and cross safely.

Kids will love this, and if yours are anything like mine, each one will want a chance to push the button! There are two of these crossings on the way in, and you will come back the same way so there are two more chances for button pushing on the way back.

We saw some pretty scenery-lots of huge trees with hanging moss and ivy. We met a few dog walkers, joggers and bikers but it wasn’t super crowded on a weekday. I imagine there will be more traffic on weekends.

There was also a nice mix of coniferous and deciduous trees and some leaves were already dropping during my August walk. I’ll bet this makes a fabulous autumn walk. It is dog friendly too!

This out-and-back trail is 2.5 miles long, so be sure and turn around early if you don’t feel like a 5-mile hike. I went twice and both times I turned around at the 2-mile mark. This path is great because if you or the kiddos get tired, just make a U-turn!

Check photos and a trail map here.

 

 

 

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun And Things To Do August 18th, 19th, and 20th

August 18, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Do you need something great to do with the kids this weekend? If you happen to live in Tacoma, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, or Milton, it’s a particularly great weekend for family fun near you. Don’t worry if you live elsewhere-we have dozens of ideas all around the South Sound. It’s probably the best weekend of the summer if you like FREE fun things to do around the 253!

South Sound Kid's Calendar

There are more than 60 family events this weekend (not kidding!) so if you’re reading this from the home page, you’ll need to do one more click. I promise it’s worth it!

[Read more…]

Get Ready For Hounds On The Hill

August 15, 2017 by Maegen Blue

My CCO (that’s Chief Canine Officer), and I are so excited to tell you about Hounds on the Hill, a great event coming up in Puyallup for the whole family.

He’s in charge of morale around here. Also schedules the breaks.

It’s a charity dog walk and community street fair, and it’s all happening right at Bradley Lake. The event starts with a two mile dog walk for charity and continues with fun activities all day. The walk is a benefit for the great work of the South Hill Rotary, and it would be awesome to have lots of readers there!

But, if you can’t swing it, the rest of the event is open to the public and totally free and awesome-you’ll find lots to do and enjoy even if you don’t have a dog in your house right now! Although there will be folks on hand if you want to fix that…..!

Blitz will be there! Be sure to check the schedule for his appearance time. Other awesome guests and entertainers will also be there!

Plan on meeting special guests including Blitz, The Reptile Man, Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, McGruff the Crime Dog, and many more!

There will be events for dogs and their humans!

Good Neighbor Vet Clinic will have a mobile clinic on hand with low cost vaccinations and 15.00 micro chipping. There will also be groups on hand offering pet adoptions, agility demonstrations, as well as all kinds of other information for the whole family.

If that’s not enough, there will also be food vendors, inflatables, and strolling princesses and super heroes. Seriously-this is one full day of tail wagging fun you won’t want to miss.

And, oh, yeah-we’ll be there! Please do come say, “Hi!” It’s all happening Saturday, August 19th, at Bradley Lake Park in Puyallup. You can get more information here or on their Facebook page. 

Here is the complete event schedule. Note-no dock diving because of water quality, but plenty of other fun! Go here if you want to register for the charity dog walk!  Do be sure to check the rules tab, so you don’t accidentally end up in the dog house (Sorry couldn’t resist).

Don’t forget to say, “Hi!” to us!

Disclosure: We agreed to do this post in exchange for media sponsor recognition because we love dogs and rescue dogs in particular, and we also love the work of the South Hill Rotary and the City of Puyallup. I know-it’s a lot to love! Top photo is mine. Others were provided and used with the permission of the Hounds on the Hill event organizers. Photo credit: Eric Welch Photography

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