Smaller crowds and sunny days make Kent a terrific weekend getaway or day trip in the fall. Enjoy updated parks, outdoor dining, scenic trails and hotel availability in Kent — your basecamp for PNW fun.
Here are a few reasons why you’ll want to play outside in Kent this fall:
Playgrounds you won’t see anywhere else
Climb a replica of Mount Rainier. Talk like an astronaut. Follow the spaces on a life-size board game. Hit a home run. They’re all possible at Kent Parks facilities.
Unique features make the following Kent city parks worthy of your play list:
- Van Doren’s Landing Park reopened this summer with a Mount Rainier-shaped climbing structure.
- Kherson Park is a new downtown park that celebrates Kent’s connections to space. Visitors can take the wheel of a replica moon rover or communicate through a control panel.
- West Fenwick Park’s playground features Slides and Climbers, a life-size version of a vintage board game for kids.
- WIFFCO Field welcomes you to the plate for a Wiffle ball game that’s more realistic than any backyard.
Comfortable outdoor dining
Bring a light jacket (just in case) and soak in the last bits of warm weather with patio dining or happy hour. For a full slate of plates and pours, check out the Kent Food Trails. Outdoor dining suggestions include:
- Airways Bistro & Beer Garden opened an expanded patio this fall. New restrooms, food options, portable heaters and covered seating make this a comfortable year-round outdoor dining experience.
- The Harp Bar & Restaurant dishes up authentic Guiness beef stew, fish and chips, a Reuben sandwich and much more. Surround yourself with more Irish green and opt for the patio that overlooks Riverbend Golf Course.
- Kent Station is home to several restaurants with outdoor seating. Weather dependent, check out the patio options at Agave Cocina & Cantina, Duke’s, Mama Stortini’s, The Ram or Reds Wine Bar.
Colorful ways to celebrate the season
Fall in the Pacific Northwest is the place to be for pumpkin farms, nature’s color changes and day trips with smaller crowds. Prepare for an overload of photo opps!
- Carpinito Brothers is one of the region’s favorite spots for u-pick pumpkins, hay rides, games and more. Visit on a weekday and you’ll have shorter wait times. Or check out Kent’s 140-year-old landmark, Briscot Farm. Feed and pet animals, play in the bouncy house and explore the haunted house on Saturdays and Sundays through October 29.
- Take in the beautiful fall colors along Kent’s vast trail system or at the hidden gem Clark Lake Park.
- Surround yourself with more scenery on a day trip to Mount Rainier National Park. Or ride a ferry from Seattle for a different perspective of the Puget Sound.
With Kent as your basecamp, outdoor time extends beyond the first day of fall. Book a hotel stay and plan activities for a fun, relaxing fall getaway.