I think Seattle, WA is my favorite big, small city. What I mean is that it’s a big city, but has a small-town feel. You have your skyscrapers, big company headquarters, and museums, mixed with the local friendliness, countless outdoor recreation, and charm of a small town.
WHERE TO STAY
During my most recent stay, my friends and I got an Airbnb that was a 15-minute drive away from downtown, just south of the Japanese Gardens and Arboretum. Somehow we managed to fit 10 people into the place and we all shared 1 bathroom for 4 nights. The Airbnb was super cute and because there were so many of us, it was cost effective too.
During my first trip with my mom, we got an Airbnb that was a private room also about 15 minutes away from downtown. The private room was the master bedroom so it had an en suite bathroom and a little kitchenette area and we loved it.
PLACES TO GO
Downtown Seattle
for the first time Seattle goers or those nostalgic for some tourist attractions
Pike Place Market Where you’ll find many local vendors and delicious food.
You can wait in a long line to step inside the original Starbucks, or simply walk by and save your time to visit the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. Eat your way through the local vendors and pick up some bites from notable Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (flagship sandwich or original mac & cheese), Rachel’s Ginger Beer (sample flavors before you decide!), and warm chowder from Pike’s Place Chowder.
p i k e p l a c e m a r k e t | 85 Pike St.
o r i g i n a l s t a r b u c k s | 1912 Pike Place
City Center The heart of the 1962 World Fair
Built especially for the Fair is the Space Needle and the Seattle monorail. For $2.50 you can ride the monorail around downtown and back to the city center. Next door to the Space Needle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, a popular destination, but we opted to go to the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) instead. With sci-fi, fantasy, and horror sections, to Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and Pearl Jam areas, the museum is sure to have something for everyone. For a nice stroll along the water, head to Olympic Sculpture Park, about a 10 minute walk from the Space Needle.
s p a c e n e e d l e | 400 Broad St.
Seattle Neighborhoods
Branch out into other neighborhoods to get the ~real~ Seattle experience
Fremont, Ballard, and Capitol Hill all offer their own charm. Walk, rent a bike, or take a ride-share around all the neighborhoods to find your own favorite area of Seattle. Here are my favorite places out of downtown:
General Porpoise | Seattle has a large collection of doughnut shops, but this is my favorite one. Delicious custard filled donuts that aren’t too sweet and just the right amount of fluffiness. And their vanilla chai latte is my absolute favorite.
Biscuit Bitch | If you like biscuits and gravy, this is your place. There’s 3 locations, but head out to a location outside of Pike Place as an attempt to avoid crowds.
Lost Lake Diner | Open 24 hours and breakfast all day, this is a Seattle treasure. Perfect for a mid-day brunch or late night munchies. Just good food.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery | Watch the coffee beans roast, order from 3 different bars, it’s a great experience whether you’re a Starbucks person or not. Yes there’s the usual coffee and pastries and food (elevated in deliciousness), but the real treat (if you’re 21+) is the mixology bar. Open a tab and make sure you get your orders in before the 10:30pm last call and you can taste their delicious concoctions from matcha gin to spiced chai rum.
Molly Moon’s Ice Cream | Probably on every Seattle “must do” list, but for a good reason. Just some good, delicious ice cream.
Underground Tour | Seattle has a very interesting history that has led its original city ground level to be almost 2 floors beneath today’s ground level. Learn about how Seattle got started and if they’re offering it, take the paranormal version or the red light district version. I was so bummed the additional tours were either sold out or not offered the night we were free, but the original tour is still fun all the same.
g e n e r a l p o r p o i s e d o u g h n u t s | 98109, 1020 E Union St.
s t a r b u c k s r e s e r v e r o a s t e r y | 1124 Pike St.
m o l l y m o o n ' s i c e c r e a m | 917 E. Pine St.
s e a t t l e u n d e r g r o u n d | 614 1st Ave.
Outdoor Activities are the lifestyle of Washington state. Shop your outdoor wear and gear at REI, North Face, Patagonia, or any other outdoor store you stumble upon. And if you’re down, rent a car like we did and drive into Mt. Rainier National Park to Crystal Mountain. There are countless trails, lakes, and rivers throughout Washington state to get your outdoor fix.
c r y s t a l m o u n t a i n
HELPFUL TIPS
If you’re interested in hitting all the city sites, consider purchasing a Seattle City Pass. It includes free admission to 5 attractions, for only $99.
Look into “early bird” or “late night” viewing tickets for the Space Needle. If you go during off hours, the pricing is a little cheaper. There’s also several different attraction packages that are offered to save you a few bucks.
For views of the city or skyline that include the Space Needle, head out to Kerry Park or Gas Works Park. Gas Works Park sits on the other side of Lake Union and it’s the perfect place to have a picnic and watch the sun set, weather permitting.
As far as getting around, Uber/Lyft are pretty common and fairly inexpensive. You can also try using the public transportation or city bikes. If you plan to hit a lot of different places in the state outside of downtown, it may be a good idea to invest in renting a car. Go through the traditional rental car services or try out the “Airbnb of car rental,” called Turo, like we did!
If you’re bringing sporting equipment, check the airline policies. We flew Southwest, which already allows 2 free checked bags + 1 free carry on bag + 1 free personal bag. And with sporting equipment, our combination of snowboards and boots, even if they were in 2 separate bags, could count as 1 checked bag. Confused? So were we. Just make sure you read the policies carefully or call directly to understand.
g a s w o r k s p a r k | 2101 N Northlake Way
Overall, Seattle, and Washington state for that matter, is an amazing place to visit. Rain, snow, or sun, it’s always beautiful to see. Each time I visited Seattle was for 4 days, and I think that’s just right. Can’t wait to go visit it again.
Watch my first time in Seattle on YouTube here
Em Truong
Comments