It's been a while since my last Travel Guide post! Don't you worry, 2018 is going to be filled with travel around here so I will have tons of U.S. City Guides coming your way soon. For now, though, I want to share one of my favorite cities to visit, Seattle!
My aunt and uncle used to live in Seattle so I have visited multiple times throughout my life. It was fun as a kid, but it was even more fun experiencing it again as an adult! There is SO MUCH good food and coffee....C and I literally made ourselves physically ill from eating too much. Just looking back at these pictures makes me want to go back again. Of course I was saying all the 10 Things I Hate About You and Grey's Anatomy quotes, but C was singing Nirvana lyrics. It is fun to be in a city you can both appreciate for your own reasons!
Travel Tips
• Rent a car - the traffic is awful, the city is a bit spread out and the cost of an Uber can add up quick
• Budget for parking expenses - it is expensive to park in the waterfront/downtown area!
• Plan your trip by neighborhood area - like I said, Seattle is spread out and it due to traffic, it can take a while to get around.
• Visit in the Summer - when Oklahoma is 100 degrees +, Seattle is a cool 70 give or take. We went in June and it was such a refreshing trip! It only rained on us a little bit.
Favorite Eats
• Beecher's Handmade Cheese - they say their mac and cheese is the best in the world. I'm here to tell you that it is not an exaggeration! I tried it at Pike Place Market and then got it again at the airport. No shame in my mac game. I have to say that I wasn't the biggest fan of their crab grilled cheese, just sayin'.
• The Walrus & The Carpenter - hands down our favorite meal of the trip! You have to eat fresh seafood in SEA-town, and this is THE place to do it. The decor was phenomenal.....it was like eating in your friend's farmhouse kitchen! White subway tile, concrete countertops, fresh flowers - I was in love! I'd recommend getting there early for dinner (maybe 4ish?) because there is a line. It's worth it, though.
• Elliot's Oyster House - located right on the waterfront, Elliot's has amazing views of the sound! If you can (and if the weather is good) request to sit outside. You will be able to watch the ferries and cruise ships come in. I still think about their Oyster's Rockefeller.....my tastebuds have never been the same.
• Rock Creek - we actually stumbled upon this Fremont restaurant by mistake... que, "Best Mistake I Ever Made." We literally hiked up a hill for two miles in the rain but their brunch was top notch and their cocktails were on point. I recommend the fried oyster benedict.
• Pie - we stopped by Pie for an afternoon snack....I wish we could have gone back for a midnight snack, too! YUM! The Peanut Butter Pie gets an A++++. All the pies are hand crafted and made fresh daily. They offer sweet and savory pies as well as craft beer, ice cream and more. Yes, please.
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| Beecher's World Famous Mac & Cheese |
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| The Walrus & The Carpenter |
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| Elliot's Oyster House |
• Pike Place Market - you just have to see it to believe it! This place is MASSIVE. You can spend hours sampling, meandering, shopping, drinking and exploring. Be careful on the free samples, though, you can get full really fast. Be sure to swing by the gum wall while you're there! My favorite eats at the market include: Elleno's Greek Yogurt, Rachel's Ginger Beer and of course, Beecher's World's Best Mac & Cheese
• Snoqualmie Falls - this waterfall is a bit of a drive but it is a beautiful destination! It is about a mile "hike" from the top to the bottom, but it is easy and so worth it. I went here as a kid and have great memories of seeing chipmunks in the forrest. It was just as much fun as an adult - I felt like I was walking in a Twilight movie. If you have a rental car, be sure to plan a visit. It only takes a few hours total. Note that it would probably be too far to Uber, though.
• The Space Needle - I'm not gonna say this was our favorite activity by any means, but its a beautiful view and a fun experience. It is cliche and touristy, but if you haven't done it before, it is worth the experience IMO. Heads up, though, it is pricy and there will be a bit of a wait. If you can, I'd recommend buying your tickets in advance.
• The Aquarium - this was always my favorite part of visiting Seattle as a kid! They have cool exhibits where you can touch the ooey, gooey, prickly sea life plus there are the most adorable otters you've ever seen. If you have kids, this is a great activity. Or if you're a kid at heart. Same thing!
• The Fremont Troll - if you find yourself in Fremont, swing by and pay your dues to the Fremont Troll. It makes for a great photo op!
• Starbucks Tasting Room - in lieu of standing in line at the original Starbucks, head to their roastery and tasting room. It is a really neat experience and they offer unique drinks that you can't find elsewhere.
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| Pike Place Market |
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| The Gum Wall |
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| Snoqualmie Falls |
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| Space Needle Views |
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| The Fremont Troll |
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| Starbucks Tasting Room |
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| OG Starbucks |
• OG Nordstrom - if you're a basic white girl like your's truly, swing by the original Nordstrom and the gigantic Nordstrom Rack next door.
• Pike Place Market - there are tons of crafts and vendors around the market.... buy yourself a bouquet of flowers while you're there!
Where to Stay
We stayed at my family's condo in West Seattle. Though we appreciated the quaint, quiet neighborhood feel (and the views!), it was a little out of the way. We did get to take a commuter ferry into downtown several times, though, which was a really fun experience. Next time I would like to stay in Fremont; its cute, eclectic, and a bit closer to everything.
Have you been to Seattle? If so, are there any places I missed that you'd recommend? It is definitely a place I could go back to time and time again, so I'd love to have new recommendations for next time. We did several other things I didn't include like visiting the EMP Museum and taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island for a wine tasting...and drinking all the local coffee! Seattle is a great city to visit because it offers something for everyone.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!
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