I have to admit Seattle was not exactly at the top of my list of places to go. I’m not a fan of being wet or cold. But, I have a good friend who, for as long as I’ve known him ( at least ten years) – has sworn that I must see it. You know how everyone has that one place where they say they would go and be if they could? For him, that’s Seattle Washington. So since he is leaving for an overseas job for the next year, as a going away thing we went to Seattle.

In a matter of days, my opinion changed. Seattle has a beautiful balance of outdoor and city life. Don’t believe me? Read on.

You can take a day trip and hike along Mount Rainier.

We chose to hike to Panorama Point via Skyline Trail so we could get as close to the top as possible. I won’t lie- it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. But it was totally worth it. The views were fantastic!

 

You can go downtown and shop at Pike Place Market.

You can find magic shops, spice store, and more in Pikes Place Market!

I’m pretty sure that no matter what you are looking for, you can find it at Pike Place Market. Here you will find anything from fresh flowers and fruit to souvenirs, local artists, bookstores, and random shops. We walked up and down two packed floors full of vendors. They even had one vendor dedicated to only pasta noodles. Did you know there is such a thing as chocolate pasta noodles?

The very first Starbucks ever built.

If you’re a caffeine junkie like me, make sure to stop and have a latte at the first Starbucks. The lines can be a bit long though so be prepared to wait.It was around ten in the morning when we were there, and it was out the door and down the building.  I think there might be one on every city block in Seattle.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can go down to the famous gum wall.

You really do have to see it to believe it. I’m  told that it was recently cleaned due to so much gum on it. But as you can see the wall still looked very much packed. Make sure to bring some hand sanitizer. I’m a complete germaphobe over stuff like this, but you can’t go to Seattle and not leave your mark.

Are you as obsessed with all things travel as I am?

 

 

 

 

My absolute favorite shop finds along the way was a store called Metsker Maps. Inside the store maps and flags were hung from the walls and ceilings, different globes of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. Travel books, journals, and anything else you can think of travel related was inside this place. I probably could’ve stayed for hours. This store is a travel addict’s dream.

Head down Pike Place Hill Climb

Head down Pike Place hill climb, and you will find the Seattle Aquarium, Miners Landing, and the Seattle Great Wheel Don’t forget while you’re on that side of town to ride the Seattle Great Wheel.

Take a stroll down Post Alley

Take a walk through Post Alley to take in the colors and fantastic food. Check out The Pink Door if you are looking for a romantic setting. Or, for more of a laid back atmosphere, you can see live music at Kells Irish Resturant.

 

 

If you’re feeling touristy, you can also ride a Duck.

No, not the quacking kind. This craft was used by the US Army during WW2 and has been repurposed as a unique way to see the highlights of Seattle by land and water.The guides are super funny and have no problems getting people on the streets involved in the fun as you pass them on the street. Be ready for a lot of laughs and a lot of sights on this one hour tour.

No visit would be complete without the Space Needle.

Buy your ticket and ride to the top for a breath taking view of the city. While you’re there, you can add your name and hometown on the digital wall to see what number visitor you are, and your name will be added to their extensive and ongoing list. Right next door to it you will find the EMP museum. If you like pop culture, the EMP brings you a hands on experience from movies to music. Worth checking out!

Are you the artsy type?

If art is more your thing, you’re  in the right place. Not only are there plenty of attractions to see art wise, but you will also find artwork of some kind on almost every street corner there. For every building built in Seattle, they are required to take a small percentage of the taxes on the building and add an art piece of some sort.( at least, that’s what the guide on the duck said)

Visit China Town’s International District.

While there, we found this unbelievably delicious pizza place called World Pizza. Yes I know, not very China Town type place but I can’t tell you how excited I was that there were pizza and dragons in the same location! (yes I love dragons). The warm chocolate chip cookies were awesome! I think I gained 10 pounds on this trip from all the wonderful food.

 

 

 

 

 

The mini trip was enough to convince me I will have to go back to Seattle. We did a little of everything and barely touched the surface of all there is to do and see there. Seattle seems to meet and exceed expectations for the something for everyone mentality. I already have a list of things I want to go back and see.

Have you been to Seattle Washington? Leave your favorite place or thing to do in the comments!

Happy Wandering!