Places to see and things do!
1) Pikes market
3) Pier 66
4) Lazer show in Pacific Science Center, where they have laser show in the dome to the music by some popular artists.
5) In summer/fall, take a stroll in one of the parks in Seattle.
6) Seattle skyline, There are various areas from where you can see the skyline
- Alki beach near Marination restaurant and Alki kayak tours have a beautiful view of the skyline and if you walk a little ahead on Alki beach you will see lots of restaurants, bars and ice cream parlours on the opposite side.
- Kerry Park in Queen Anne has another gorgeous view of the skyline. Get some ice-cream from Mollymoons and enjoy while overlooking the Seattle Skyline.
- Gasworks park located near the Southlake Union has a magnificent view of the skyline and SLU. The best time would be to go at night. We once picked up some food from Burger hut near the University of Washington and decided to eat at Gasworks park late at night. The view of the colourful skyline and its reflection in the lake was unbelievable.
- As you might know, Seattle is surrounded by many small islands, Bainbridge island being one of them. If you take a ferry from the island to Seattle or vice versa, the view of the skyline is something you cannot miss. It was on my to-do list and it was one of the first things I did while going to the Olympic national park.
- Hamilton viewpoint park is another recommendation for a gorgeous sunset and the view of the skyline.
- Last but not the least and my most favourite is the view while driving from Redmond to Seattle (I-5). You are driving on a highway and see nothing but water and trees on the side and soon enough you see twinkling lights on your right which is the beautiful skyline. Although you can’t stop the car in the middle of a highway and admire its beauty, the drive is worth it.
7) Check out the Fremont Troll.
8) Do not forget The Pioneer square and explore the history of the Seattle fire and underground Seattle. Tours are available here. You will also find restaurants, bars, art galleries here ( Altstadt, Nirmals, Cherry street coffee, Halal guy are some favs).
9) You should also try dragon boarding in south lake union. For beginners, it’s a free event and all you have to do is RSVP online and get there by 6:00 PM.
10) If you are visiting Seattle during the cherry blossom festival, you are right in time to see the University of Washington campus which flaunts the beautiful cherry blossoms in its quad and it’s a must-see.
11) If you are here in fall, do not forget to attend the “Welcoming Autumn Equinox light festival” in Greenlake.
12) How can one forget the Snoqualmie falls in Snoqualmie. It’s an accessible park and has a small downhill hike (2 miles) if you wish to go check out the river access area. The hike up is steep :p. If you are here in winter, visit Snow-lake trail in Snoqualmie Pass to have some fun in the Winter-wonderland.
13) Hike to the little Mount Si (you can also see little si from three forks park)
14) Very close to the three fork park is the Rattlesnake Lake. It’s about 2 miles of a hike one way but the view is breathtaking (view of lake, mountains, and trees)
15) Drive to the Bavarian Town Leavenworth, after you are done Skiing in Steven Pass. And if you are here in October you can enjoy the Leavenworth Oktoberfest.
16) Visit San Juan County (The the San Juan Islands and Orcas Islands)
17) Take Victoria Clipper to the Vancouver Islands or drive to Vancouver which is just about 2 hrs drive away 🙂
18) If you are here in April, I would definitely suggest going to Palouse on the southeastern side of Washington. It’s one of the wonders of Washington state. Here, you will see rolling hills covered with wheat fields. Spring is the time when you will see these fields adorning different shades of green and summer is when these fields are dry and brown. While you are there, don’t forget to check out Palouse Falls state park!
19) The Garage is the cheapest place for bowling, pool, and some drinks.
20) Shop at Westlake Center. Enjoy a hot dog in Occidental Park and play Table Tennis or chess in the park :p
Where to Eat!
1) Capitol Hill would be my next suggestion to explore restaurants, pubs, clubs, tapas bars. Tango is one of my favourite tapas bars. Jai Thai on Broadway street has really good Thai food with entertainment. Every Tuesdays, they have stand-up comedy shows and every Wednesdays, live music. Good food and great entertainment. Unicorn is one of the essential bars on capitol hill. Their gourmet jello shots are my favourite. Knee high stocking is one of the must-try speakeasy bar in the area with a variety of cocktails on their menu. Nue is one of the must try restaurant for some great food.
Capitol Hill is a great place for partying and clubbing- Q club, Cha cha lounge, Havanas are few favs with good dance floors.
2) Belltown is another area that has lots of restaurants and bars, pubs, lounges etc. (2nd avenue is where you will find great stuff)
- Rabbit hole, Neon boots, The upstairs, Bathtub gin & co, The crocodile, Rocco’s are some of my favourites
3) Try Moore coffeehouse it has one of the best coffees in Seattle.
4) Try Molly Moon’s ice cream/ Hot cakes in Seattle/Ballard. Barnacle, Biscuit & Bean, Cupcake Royale, Mighty-o-donuts, Ocho are some other recommendations.
5) Fremont is another place to go for good food and drinks. I usually refer this blog to check out some good places to eat in Fremont.
6) If you are craving good Indian food, Redmond and Bellvue are the places for you.
Check out my other articles for more of Seattle 🙂