Seattle used to be a routine trip when I lived in Kelowna. My parents would drive us down at least once a year and we would go to all the outlets and shop until we dropped. It wasn’t until I moved to Vancouver that I actually started to visit Seattle as a tourist and not strictly as a consumer. Seattle has become one of my favorite spots to visit for a weekend getaway. I do enjoy hitting all the tourist attractions, but Seattle also caters to Instagram enthusiasts, as well as craft beer and coffee lovers.
Pike Place
I will just get this knocked off the list. The Pike Place market is an iconic tourist attraction. The fish throwing is the main attraction. The public market has lots of food options and local artisans. The first Starbucks is located across from the market and you can always stop by for a pint at The Pike Brewing Company. It is a fun place and a complete tourist trap, but when in Seattle, might as well check it out. The backdrop of the ocean is beautiful, this is a good place to start if it is your first trip to Seattle, you won’t be disappointed. If you are going during the week it shouldn’t be too crowded but usually on the weekends it gets crazy. Parking is also very expensive in this area if you are driving.
If you are already at the market, the gum alley is the perfect background for an Instagram photo shoot. Other than a wall completely covered in gum, there is not much else to do here, so don’t make a special trip.
I have suggested every typical tourist destination in Seattle, but this one is a fun one. When you get to the market make sure you put your name down at the Crab Pot before your browse around and then come back to eat dinner here. The Crab Pot is not the best seafood I have ever tasted, and it sure isn’t anything fancy, but people go here for the experience. If you are going to Seattle do this once to say you have done it. It is a little bit pricey for what it is.They basically dump a huge bucket of seafood on your table and let you go at it. A nice added bonus, you get to wear this cool bid.
Fremont Area
Downtown is interesting, but Fremont is more my vibe. It is laid back, there is little to no homeless people in comparison to downtown Seattle. It is more of a residential area.I would not bike around downtown Seattle but I would bike in the Fremont area, and there is quite a few bike paths available.
I have been to Seattle a few times and I always try to visit the Fremont area and explore more of it. If the weather is nice, I highly recommend calling Paseo Caribbean and ordering their famous sandwich, and then heading to Gas Works Park for a picnic. The first time I went to Paseo it was on a long weekend, the line up was around the block. Only the locals knew that the best way to order is over the phone in advance and then come and pick it up when it is ready.
Another highlight of the Fremont area, is that there is quite a few breweries, new restaurants and independent coffee shops opening up in that area. They also have a farmers market on the weekends. It is a nice place to walk around, and if you have time, you can stop by the Fremont Troll and snap a picture.
Last year, my boyfriend and I went to Seattle for Valentine’s day weekend and we ended up not finding anywhere to eat on Valentine’s day until 10:00 PM. It become this huge search, we finally just stopped at Elysian Brewing. I have no regrets with my decision. The atmosphere was nice, we got some tasting flights and ordered dinner. Both were delicious. I would highly recommend checking it out if you are into craft beer.
Attractions in Seattle cater to both the tacky tourist and the sophisticated traveler. Traveling is very personal, the top ten things to do on Tripadvisor may not cater to my interests. Whenever I plan I trip, I consider all the activities I enjoy doing and what interests me. I am interested to hear more local favorites in Seattle. Seattle is Vancouver’s neighbor, so I would love for this list to continue to grow.
