When you think of Seattle, you probably think of rain…or the movie Sleepless in Seattle? With numerous things to do and so many wonderful things to eat, you almost have to get no sleep in order to see and do everything!
Quick Link to:
Transportation
- The Sound Transit: This is the best way to get around Seattle. Besides taking Lyft or Uber on occasion, this is all we used! You can purchase a day pass for $6 per person. There is a stop at the airport, so you can take it from there to the hotel.
Accommodations
- The Loyal Inn: Located in the heart of the city, it is less than a mile away from Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and the Pacific Science Center.
The Waterfront, where the Seattle Aquarium is located, is just over a mile away. The staff was very friendly and the room was quite clean and comfortable. At $170 per night, this is a great deal for the location! Wifi is complimentary and breakfast is included as well.
To-Do
- The City Pass: If you are planning on visiting the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, and Pacific Science Center, we recommend purchasing the city pass. It includes all these things, plus a Argosy Cruise, if the weather is nice! The pass is $89 per person.
- The Space Needle: If it’s your first time in Seattle, you will want to check out the Space Needle. This icon of Seattle, built in 1971, is an observation deck 520 feet off the ground with great views of the city.
If you are purchasing tickets separate from the city pass, it is $30 per person. Hours vary based on the day. Monday-Thursday it is open from 10am-9pm, Friday-Saturday it is open from 9am-10pm and Sunday the hours are 10am-8pm.
- Woodland Park Zoo: This zoo is one of the best we have been to and we definitely recommend taking the time to visit it. The beautiful 92 acres are separated into several different habitats to support a variety of animals.
You can easily spend a few hours here checking everything out. During the peak season (April 1st-September 30th) tickets are $21 per person (included with the city pass) and during the off season (October 1-March 30) tickets are $15 per person. The park is open from 9:30am-4pm Daily.
- The Pacific Science Center: There are many things to see at the Pacific Science Center, many things being geared towards children. What was really cool for us to see was the Tropical Butterfly House.
It is 4,000 square feet of free flying butterflies with a variety of flowers. Admission is $24 per person (included with the city pass) and they are open Monday-Friday from 10am-5pm with weekends from 10am-6pm.
- The Seattle Aquarium: Located on Pier 59, on the Waterfront, this was definitely worth stopping by. Opened in 1977, the Seattle Aquarium believes in conservation and sustainability.
It has many different species of animals in 6 major exhibits: Window on Washington Waters, Life on the Edge, Pacific Coral Reef, Birds & Shores, the Underwater Dome and Marine Mammals. It is open from 9:30am-5pm Daily and admission is $30 per person (included with the city pass).
- Pike Place Market: Established in 1907, this 9-acre market has many things to offer. With more than 200 shops and 80+ restaurants, you can spend hours wandering throughout, admiring all of the local crafts and enjoying the tastes of the market (see where to eat further down). It is free to enter the market so the only thing you’ll be spending money on are things you want to purchase.
The Market hours are below:
- Breakfast: 6 a.m.
- Fresh Produce & Seafood: 7 a.m.
- Official Market Bell: 9 a.m.
- Crafts Market: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Farm Tables: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Merchant Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Restaurants: 6 a.m.-1:30 a.m.; varies
Food
- Anchorhead Coffe Co: Since we are always in the mood for some really good coffee, we wanted to find a good spot. The vanilla latte was delicious and priced at $5.40. Located in downtown Seattle, it is only half a mile from Pike Place. It is open every day from 6:30am-7pm. We stopped for coffee and then headed to the market to explore.
- Starbucks: Now there are quite a few Starbucks…sometimes multiple in the span of just a few miles. But this is not just any Starbucks, it is the original one, built in 1971. Even if Starbucks is not your favorite coffee shop, it is all about the experience at this store. It is open from 6am-9pm every day so make sure not to miss out!
- Piroshky, Piroshky: Since 1992, this Russian bakery has been serving these delicious pastries called Piroshkies. They are made from scratch and filled with a variety of tasty fillings.
We tried both the cream cheese Vatrushka and the Cranberry Apple Roll which was absolutely delicious! It came out to around $11 for both. They are open Monday-Friday from 8am-7pm, Saturday and Sunday from 7:30am-8pm.
- Biscuit B*tch: With some of the BEST biscuits we have ever eaten, we will definitely make it a point to visit it again. There are 3 locations in Seattle and they are all centrally located. They are open Monday-Friday from 7am-2pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am-3pm.
Jonah got the Smokin’ Hot B*tch, which is a biscuit and gravy topped with cheese, a hot link and jalapenos. Sierra had the Buttered Up B*tch, which was just a simple biscuit with butter and jam. You can add extras to the biscuits, such as eggs and bacon. We also had orange juice and the most amazing orange infused mocha (you have to try it). It came out to $40 for both of us.
- La Creperie Voila: This is another great place for breakfast or even a light lunch! Located in downtown Seattle by the Washington State Convention Center, it is a really cute crepe stand offering both sweet and savory crepes.
We have been there a few times and have tried the nutella chocolate with whipped cream and bananas. Also, we tried and the smoked wild salmon lox, which includes creme fraiche, fresh spinach, lemon, herb butter, and an egg.
The crepes are large enough to split for a great snack or you can have one each, if you don’t feel like sharing. The prices range from $6-$10. They also have coffees and teas. Their hours vary: Monday-Thursday they are open from 8am-8:30pm, Friday from 8am-9:30pm, Saturday from 9am-9:30pm, and Sunday from 9am-8:30pm.
- Mee Sum Pastry: This food stand is located in Pike Place Market and they have really good BBQ Pork Buns. If you are looking for a snack to eat while in Pike Place, this is a must! The pork is sweet, with a hint of spice and the buns are very soft and delicious. The total for 4 buns came out to $15. You can get delicious food from 7am-7pm every day.
- Beecher’s Cheese: Visiting Beecher’s Cheese in Pike Place Market is as much about the experience as it is the delicious food! There is a display where we were able to watch them making the cheese, while sampling some of their signature Flagship cheese and cheese curds. For a more substantial dish, we tried the World’s Best Mac and Cheese and it is absolutely delicious!! For 8 oz it is $5.99 and for 16 oz it is $10.99. They also have sandwiches and soup. They are open every day from 9am-6pm.
- The Crab Pot: If you are a fan of good seafood, this restaurant should definitely be one of your stops while in Seattle! They are open on Sunday-Thursday from 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday from 11am-9:30pm. They have delicious Seafeasts for 2 or more people so you’ll want to bring a friend.
They are different variations of the Seafeasts and the price varies as well, depending on the quantity of seafood. We have tried both the Cove and the Westport. The Cove ($22 per person) consists of: steamed clams, mussels, shrimp, andouille sausage, corn on the cob & red potatoes. The Westport ($40 per person) includes: Dungeness crab, snow crab, shrimp, steamed clams & mussels, andouille sausage, corn on the cob & red potatoes.
One of their specialty drinks, the Tsunami is very tasty. It is a mix of rum, blue curaçao, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and whipped cream on top.
For dessert we had the Banana Split for $9. It is a classic banana split with vanilla ice cream with strawberry and chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.
- Capital Cider: Weekdays they are open from 11am-2am and weekends from 10am-2am. Lunch is served Monday-Friday from 11am-3pm and they have dinner service from 4pm-11pm daily. They also have Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-3pm.
We haven’t tried any of their food, only the cider. We wanted to try local ciders to the area so we tried the PNW flight, which had 3 oz pours of the Alpenfire Organic Spark, Sea Cider Wild English, and Carlton Citizen. In addition to the flight, we tried the Finnriver Black Currant and the Locust Winter Warmer. All of the ciders were very good.
Whether it’s a rainy or sunny day, as you can see from all the recommendations we have above, there is so much that Seattle has to offer. Take a least a few days to explore and breathe in the fresh Washington air!
