When our family moved to north King County nearly a decade ago, one of the first things I noticed was the abundance of wine tasting rooms in the region. As a mom who also enjoys a great glass of wine now and then, I was excited to discover how family-friendly “wine country” actually is. Read on for tips on how to spend the perfect day of food, wine, and fun in Woodinville, King County’s very own wine capital.
Head out in the morning
Begin with a visit to the delectable and Instagram-worthy She Chill Patisserie with its freshly baked French-Asian pastries, specialty lattes, and artisan breads. Another plus, the patisserie will validate three hours of parking in the underground retail parking garage with any purchase.
Move on to the Woodinville Farmer’s Market, which is right outside the bakery doors and continues down the stairs into Festival Street (Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May through September). Walk past adjoining sports fields and across the street to Wilmot Gateway Park to enjoy a beautiful playground and grassy fields. Be sure to bring bikes or scooters to explore the paved Sammamish River Trail that bisects the park and continues for more than ten miles before connecting to the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Lunch
All that will get you to lunchtime. My family recommends a stop at The Pizza Coop for Detroit-style pizza, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. While you wait for your order, check out the restaurant’s arcade games and foosball table.
If it’s a nice day, consider ordering lunch to go and enjoy a picnic in one of Woodinville’s parks. DeYoung Park is just up the road, and kids might get a kick out of dining in the “treehouse” elevated picnic shelter or swinging in the giant bench swings.
Responsible visiting and tasting
Most of Woodinville’s wine tasting rooms open in the early afternoon, so right after lunch is a good time to visit. Keep in mind that while wine tasting with kids in tow, it’s important to be a responsible participant. To do this, we:
- choose a designated driver before the day begins,
- limit the number of wineries we visit to one or two, or
- spread our tastings out with plenty of time to recoup before driving.
Wineries
There are several family-friendly options to choose among; Woodinville has 130 (and counting!) wineries and tasting rooms. For the smoothest visit, confirm operating hours and make reservations if required. Most tasting rooms charge a tasting fee of $20–$30 per tasting flight, but this fee is usually waived with a minimum bottle purchase. We’ve enjoyed these:
Novelty Hill-Januik Winery has a beautiful outdoor space complete with bocce ball, firepits, and a full food menu on weekends featuring chef-prepared fare.
Matthew’s Winery is in a park-like setting where kids can toss a frisbee or explore the gardens and creek while adults enjoy an al fresco wine tasting.
Patterson Cellars (with tasting rooms in both the Hollywood Hill and Warehouse districts of Woodinville) offers kids complimentary juice boxes, goldfish crackers, and coloring materials.
Two Vintners has a cozy play corner stocked with a foosball table, toys, and games so kids can play while adults supervise from nearby tables.
Barrage Cellars is a family-run winery that has shuffleboard and its own winery dog who is known to visit.
Plan on spending about an hour at each wine tasting. This will allow enough time to enjoy the tasting without testing the patience of the younger set.
Bring along a “boredom buster” toolkit for kids, and include age-appropriate items such as playing cards, board games, coloring materials, and snacks to help keep everyone happy and entertained.
Many tasting rooms also offer light bites or charcuterie boards and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase, in case extra goodies are needed to fuel the afternoon’s activities.
Dinner and done
If the kids are game, finish your day with a memorable dinner in Woodinville. With delicious food and seasonal outdoor dining, Von’s 1000 Spirits is a great option for families.
Von’s kids’ menu features childhood classics such as “I’m not hungry” (cheeseburger), “Can I eat later?” (fish and chips), “I don’t know” (cheese pizza), and a special sparkling mocktail. Not to be outdone, the full menu offers housemade sourdough pizzas and pasta, burgers, salads, and seafood. Request a table outside and enjoy the firepits and comfy garden-like atmosphere. Reservations are recommended.
With so much to see and do (and eat and drink) there is no shortage of fun in King County’s wine country. Stay for the day and experience all that this region has to offer!
