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This weekend, I was reminded of when I moved to Seattle seven years ago, on Labor Day weekend, from my hometown of Spokane. I was seventeen and so excited to be embarking on an adventure, living in my own apartment for the first time, and starting college in the "big city." My friends Amy, Angie, and I all moved together and got a cheap apartment near the UW. Our apartment manager had never gotten our unit cleaned after the last tenants, so it was pretty gross. I remember our parents took us to the nearest Safeway, where we stocked up on pantry essentials and cleaning supplies. We spent the whole first day cleaning and moving in, and that night (with no furniture in the living room) we made spaghetti and had our first dinner on the floor with cardboard boxes as tables, and a teeny tiny glimpse of the Space Needle out the window. It was a time in my life that I look back on fondly. Just a few short months later, Ben and I started dating and fell in love (which made Seattle even more magical to me) and I haven't moved away since, except for one year at a Bible school in California! There have been a lot of times that I've hated Seattle (like in the middle of January, when it's rained for two months straight) but there have also been a lot of times that I've loved Seattle. So to celebrate seven years in this city, I thought I'd share 10 of my favorite things to do here. If you live in the area, I would love to hear your suggestions as well! I know I haven't even explored the half of it.
1. The Space Needle. It's an obvious one--probably every tourist has it on their list anyways--but it's also special to me because this is where Ben and I had our first date! He grew up here, and I was shocked to find out that he had never been to the Space Needle (I guess locals don't care as much about going there as tourists do?) Anyways, when we started talking, I told him it was weird that he had never been there, and he said, why don't we go together? So we did! We went up to the observation deck, had coffee, and talked for hours. A year later on our first anniversary, we went to the restaurant for dinner. It's a really fun experience--it rotates one full turn every 45 minutes, so you get an amazing view. And here's a tip for cheapskates like me: if you sign up for their celebration club, you can get a meal for free on your birthday or anniversary!
2. Greenlake. After my first apartment in the U-district, I lived in a house in Greenlake with some other friends. One of the things I love about this neighborhood is it really motivates you to be active and get outside, because there are always people running and biking around here. I've run around this lake more times than I can count (once, while training for a half-marathon, I did it 4 times in a row...basically 12 miles!) It's a flat and easy trail, so you see a lot of unique things like unicyclers and people on stilts. Ben and I walked around on Sunday and we saw a couple on these things that look like roller blades that bounce. Have you ever seen that? With all the entertaining people watching, your walk/run will fly by. You can also rent kayaks and paddleboards there, and there are a lot of cute restaurants and coffee shops nearby.
3. West Seattle. You have to cross a bridge to get there, but it's worth it. West Seattle is one of my favorite areas of Seattle to go on a date and spend the day. Alki Beach has a really beautiful view of the downtown skyline and is nice and sandy compared to most of the beaches in the Seattle area. And Bakery Nouveau makes the most delicious twice-baked almond croissants (they are to diiiie for) as well as other French pastries. If you're more of a cupcake person, Cupcake Royale has really good ones with unique flavors that they're always switching up (I got maple bacon the last time I was there).
4. Pike Place. Honestly, Ben and I don't go to Pike Place very often, because it can be a pain to find parking and it's really crowded on the weekends. But it's pretty fun if you've never been, and it's a classic part of Seattle. For my bachelorette party, we did a scavenger hunt all over it, and we got to go back behind the counter with the guys that throw the fish. The flowers are my favorite part--you can get a huge bouquet for $5-10, and they have a ton of selection. There's also the gum wall (it's pretty disgusting but a great photo op) and the original Starbucks. Plus lots of restaurants, bakeries, and stalls selling fresh fruit and veggies.
5. Edmonds. I live in Edmonds, so it has a special place in my heart. It's about 30 minutes north of Seattle so it probably won't make a lot of Seattle must-see lists...but I definitely think it's worth visiting! It's right on the water, and there's the ferry that you take to get to the peninsula. The downtown has a small-town feel and a cute old one-screen theatre--you can sit in the balcony if you like, and movies are only $8. It has a pretty big farmer's market on Saturdays that has beautiful, cheap flowers (similar to Pike Place) and locally grown food. I really like the Waterfront Antique Mall, where I've found a lot of great deals including our $90 armchair. Ben and I walk down to the beach a lot...it's where he asked me to marry him! We also like to go for walks or drives through nearby Woodway. It has some of the most amazing houses I've ever seen.
6. The peninsula. Speaking of the peninsula, it's fun to go there for the day (or the weekend). For starters, if you've never been on a Washington state ferry, that's a fun experience in itself. Once across, there are lots of quaint and charming little towns. In Sequim, there are a ton of lavender fields that are really beautiful, and you can get lavender ice cream, lavender lattes, and other delicious treats (they have an entire lavender festival in July). There's also the Olympic Game Farm, which has several grizzly bears, wildcats, and other animals that have been in movies. A lot of them, like the buffalo, zebras, and llamas, come right up to your car and you can feed them bread. And there are some really gorgeous hikes too, like Hurricane Ridge.
7. The Cascades. If you're in Seattle in the summer, definitely go for a hike! The Cascades are really beautiful and there are hikes of every difficulty level. The hardest one I've done is Mailbox Peak: 4100 ft of elevation gain in 2.5 miles--so basically, straight up. The view at the top is spectacular though, and you can sign your name in a book held inside an old metal mailbox (can you imagine carrying that thing up??). Some easier hikes that are also gorgeous (but very popular) are Rattlesnake Ledge and Mount Si. One of Ben's favorites (I haven't done it) is Rampart Ridge. Apparently there are lakes, waterfalls, and alpine meadows everywhere, not to mention beautiful mountain views. Ben and his friend Ken have recapped many of their recent hikes here.
8. Fremont. Seattle has a lot of cute neighborhoods, and they're all worth a visit. Fremont is one of my favorites, mostly because it has the Theo chocolate factory, where you can get a tour and eat lots of free samples, and the Sunday market, which is the closest thing Seattle has to a flea market. There's also the Fremont troll--a huge sculpture of a troll clutching an actual VW beetle, under the bridge. There's not much to do there besides climb on it and get a picture, but it's pretty unique and another classic Seattle landmark.
9. Gasworks Park. When I lived in the U-district, I used to run to Gasworks Park all the time. It's one of the strangest and most unique parks you'll ever see, and has been in numerous movies including 10 Things I Hate About You. The most noticeable thing is the structures left from the old gasification plant that was there, some of which have been painted and turned into a play area. It also has a great hill for flying kites and some amazing views...a great spot for a picnic!
10. UVillage. It's a mall, yes, but it's a good one. I used to work at the Pottery Barn there when I was in college (it's just down the hill from UW). It's all outdoors, so they have big yellow umbrellas for when it rains (which get a lot of use), and it has almost all my favorite stores: Anthropologie, Madewell, J.Crew, Free People, H&M...and for furniture and home goods, there's Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and most recently, Room & Board. It just needs West Elm and Urban Outfitters! Whenever I go, I almost always try to stop at Specialty Bakery. I am obsessed with their cranberry cream cheese croissants, and their sandwiches are super yummy too.
And because this list is clearly not exhaustive, here are some places that deserve an honorable mention: Toulouse Petit on Queen Anne: yummy New Orleans style restaurant. / The cherry trees at UW during the spring. / Taste of India in the U-District. it's not much from the outside, but the food & service are fantastic--we always get free appetizers and dessert, and if you get the unlimited chai you will drink more than your money's worth. / Molly Moon's in Wallingford (I've mentioned it here): honey lavender, earl grey, and salted caramel are just a few of their yummy flavors. / The Cinebarre at Mountlake Terrace: They play new releases which are only $5 on Tuesdays, and you can get food or drinks with the movie (21+). / Card Kingdom in Ballard. Our friends Peter & Hannah took us here and we really liked it. You can borrow from their huge assortment of board games and play right there in the store to see if you want to buy (or just for fun). They have lots of tables and rooms set up, and there's also a restaurant next door that you can take your game to. / Kerry Park in Queen Anne. The classic Seattle view. / The Original Pancake House in Ballard is our favorite breakfast spot. The apple pancake is delish! / Snohomish. Head up north a bit and you'll find beautiful farmland where you can pick your own berries in the summer and get u-pick apples and pumpkins in the fall.
What are some other great Seattle places that I missed? I would love to find new places to try!
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this makes me miss seattle so much! ):
kw ladies in navy
So many great places! So glad you have gotten to explore so many.
I've never been to Seattle, but I'd love to get there someday -- these places seem like a great starting point for a trip itinerary!
ahhh so many good ones you hit on! I love, love gas works & UW in the spring (swoon) and Greenlake. UW campus for me is just a fave-- I LOVE Suzzallo's reading room. :)
And this is so terribly sad, but I never get over to West Seattle or Queen Anne and I need to go.
But my favorites are in Greenwood-- where I live-- The Yard, which is my favorite bar & Carkeek Park-- where I love to run to the water.
Other faves: Whidbey Island (!!!) and just Ballard Ave in general-- all the adorable shops + bars.
p.s. I was born in Edmonds. :)
Yes, Suzzallo's reading room always made me feel like I was at Hogwarts or something. I've never been to The Yard and I think I've only been to Carkeek Park once--I need to go! That's so cool, you were born in Edmonds!
Love this post! My husband and I decided that our trip next year will be to Seattle for a week, so this list will be very handy! Thank you!!!
Oh yay! I hope you love it.
I been wanting to try out that bakery! Looks delish. I also love Pike's place market, it's been a long time since we've gone down there.
If you have kids I would suggest going to Woodland Zoo. It is right in downtown Seattle and is the best zoo in North America, it allows you to get up and personal with the animals.
Great list! We've been planning to visit the PNW this year and just booked our flight to Seattle last night. Now comes the fun part of figuring out what to do and where to go - thank you for the great ideas!
Awesome!!! You will have an amazing time, I’m sure of it :) Feel free to email me if you want more suggestions.
Hi there! I am planning a birthday trip Jan 30-Feb 3 and was considering visiting Seattle. Weather-wise, do you think it would be a good time to go and enjoy the cities best?
If you don't mind the possibility of rain! There are lots of things to do indoors around here, but if you're wanting to do things outdoors, there's a good chance that it might rain during that time. But then again, it might not! Seattle is very unpredictable weather-wise during the winter.
I'm getting ready to head to Seattle in a couple of weeks and this is a great list of things to do! Thanks for all of the great suggestions.