Perfect Seattle Mother’s Day: Brunch and a Hike

Take a Hike, Mom!

Breakfast in bed and an activity-free day isn’t always the Mother’s Day plan of choice, especially for on-the-go Red Tricycle moms. We know you’re a lot more likely to want to Get Out and Play with your brood, so we’ve cooked up a better plan: brunch and a hike! Here are some suggestions for fab brunch spots, followed by some of our favorite local hiking spots…

Where to Eat:

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for a restaurant, and it’s never too early to make reservations at your favorite brunch spot. If you need some suggestions, OpenTable has a roundup of some area restaurants that are offering a special menu. We suggest checking out Urbane Restaurant, which will offer a $42 brunch buffet menu ($22 for children) that includes an egg station, carving station (roast beef and lamb), and a waffle station with fruits and syrups. There will also be salads, French toast, and homemade baked goods. Urbane uses fresh, local ingredients.

For a good downtown Seattle option that offers a casual brunch on a budget, go to Sweet Iron Waffles (pictured). You can get a classic Belgian waffle, or do it up with bacon, strawberries and whipped cream, or brie and basil. And since it’s downtown, you just might want to do a little shopping after brunch.

Bastille Café is a good pick if you’d like a taste of Paris. Bastille offers a regular Sunday brunch that includes at least half a dozen egg preparations, brioche French toast, croque monsieur, and crepes. Bastille is located on Ballard Avenue N.W., where the Sunday Ballard Farmers Market is held, so you can step outside to continue a fun morning with mom.

Eastside fams are fans of Artisanal, the brasserie that serves traditional French bistro food with a Northwestern twist. Order some beignets or baked eggs en cocotte, made with local, seasonal ingredients. One word of warning: they have high chairs, but they don’t have many four tops, so squeezing into a two-top or the communal bar tables might be your best bet.

Where to Hike:

Whether you’re an outdoors enthusiast or just hoping for a pretty photo op with the family, a hike might be the perfect post-brunch activity for your Mother’s Day. You won’t have to head into the wilderness to find great hiking trails, either. Here are some great hikes in and around Seattle:

With nearly 12 miles of paths and 534 acres to explore, Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest city park and offers stunning views of Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Take the 3-mile loop trail for a nice overview of the park and sights of open meadow, beautiful forest groves, impressive sea cliffs, and active sand dunes. Don’t miss a detour onto the South Beach Trail for a look at the lighthouse and a jaunt on the beach for sights of wildlife. Hint: Serendipity Cafe in Magnolia is a casual, kid-friendly restaurant .

If you’d like a lovely floral backdrop to your Mother’s Day pictures and a casual stroll in place of a rigorous hike, then visit the Washington Park Arboretum. Azalea Way is a spectacular .75-mile walk through flower paradise. Also be sure to walk the half-mile Waterfront Trail through a wetland area to Foster Island. Let the kids master their legs on the floating walkways while you take in the view of Union Bay, Lake Washington, the University of Washington and Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Hint: Cafe Flora is walkable in nearby Madison Valley and a popular Mother’s Day spot (and completely vegetarian).

Located in north Seattle, Carkeek Park is another favorite Seattle hiking destination. It offers about six miles of trail hiking, and you can even bring the stroller – plus, a number of the trails are wheelchair accessible. Check out the great viewpoints of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains along the North Bluff Trail; cross the railroad tracks by way of the overpass to visit the beach; and make a stop at the playground so the kids can slide through the belly of a Salmon, a 19-foot slide in the shape of the Northwest’s favorite fish. Hint: Bick’s Broadview Grill is nearby and offers a cozy retreat (think ski lodge) if the weather is chilly.

Twin Falls State Park: About 35 miles outside of Seattle, this eastside park makes good on the wow factor of the falls. Families can take advantage of the flat first mile of the trail, which takes you through forest along the South Fork Snoqualmie River. Hint: After your hike, the Salish Lodge is about 10 minutes away as you head back down I90 – stop in for brunch.

—Erin Sirianni and Hsiao-Ching Chou