Set Sail to Downtown Seattle!
I recently spent some time in Seattle, Washington. For anyone who has never been to Seattle, I 10/10 recommend it. My very first impression of downtown was CLEAN. We arrived at 8am and the streets were immaculate! We did however mostly stay right near Pike Place Market, so I can't speak for the cleanliness of anywhere else. We used the train everywhere we went. It's super easy to use, goes almost everywhere, and has security at every station. (Because of the security it is much more clean and safe than any other city's public transportation)
1. BREAKFAST (and coffee)
First, we went straight to breakfast. Pikes Place Market technically does not open until 10am. Although, if you get there at 8am, you can have a nice and peaceful breakfast before the swarm of crowds appears. We went to The Athenian Seafood Restaurant. It has a lovely view as well as located within the Pike Place Market. It is considered one of the oldest establishments in Seattle.
2. PIKES PLACE MARKET
I cannot stress enough how much getting to the market before they open will benefit your trip, your time and your sanity. The market doesn't open until 10am, but before that everyone is setting up. It's such a fun and personal experience when strangers AREN'T there with you. When we were there, more than half the shops opened before 10am. This included the famous "Fish Throwing" boys at the center fish booth. (I think you have to buy a fish for them to throw it) Pikes Place Market is also huge. In some areas, it is four levels deep! I definitely got my steps in for the day at Pikes Place Market.
3. THE GUM WALL
As nasty as it sounds, I promise it's even worse in real life. BUT if you are already at Pikes Place Market, it's for sure a must! Located directly under the fish throwing boys, The Gum Wall hangs out on Post Alley. If you think you're lost, just follow the gum stuck to the ground. It's perfect for all ages. There is a real estate company that actually has a gumball machine if you forgot a pack. The machine is just a little down the hill on Post Alley heading South.
4. Seattle Aquarium
Located just below the Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium is located on Pier 59. (About a 5-minute walk) This Aquarium is known for being quite large. Which for such a steep price of $30 a person, you'd hope it would be. My favorite part about the Aquarium is how easy is it to find and get to. It's in a giant building with big letters AQUARIUM painted right on it. Plus having it right on the water is an added bonus. They have everything from otters, to birds, to all the sea creatures! (Including my personal favorite the Giant Pacific Octopus) This place is a perfect place to keep the kids busy for a few hours or shelter from the rainy weather.
5. Pier 57
I personally have mixed feelings about Pier 57. This pier features three complete tourist traps. We decided to go on The Great Wheel which is the giant Ferris wheel everyone loves to take pictures of in the surrounding area. We regretted The Great Wheel. There was nothing terrible about it... just nothing overly amazing either. They take your picture, and then you ride around three times and then they send you on your way. It does have some killer views though if you hadn't already checked them out over at Pike Place.
We did get there earlier in the day which I'm sure was a lifesaver. The queue looked as if it could easily be a very long wait. (There is even a bar in the line to drink while you wait) I have no idea how long the wait gets, but from the looks of it... it doesn't look good. They also have a Wings Over Washington (a flying ride), games, shops and two restaurants on the Pier. I wasn't able to do Wings Over Washington, but I kinda wish I would have done that over The Great Wheel.
6. Boat Tours
We didn't personally do a boat tour, (Only because we went during the offseason) but I still recommend them. Especially if you are already around Pier 57 or the Aquarium. Only because most of the boat tour's pick up right there. My favorite thing about vacations is when everything is all clumped together and you can just enjoy your vacation instead of deal with Taxis and Uber's all day. What are your favorite Seattle boat tours? Tag them in the comments and I'll make sure to do the next time I visit Seattle.
7. Blossom Trees
I found a random street that had a lot of blossom trees, but really they are everywhere. At least when we were there in March. I'm not sure what they look like for the rest of the year, but they were truly pretty while we were there. Someone, there actually approached us while we were hanging around the trees and said, "Due to their short bloom time, blossoms are a metaphor for life itself: beautiful yet fleeting. You’ll realize when you’re as old as me to hang on to the good times because they won’t last forever." Just check them out, they are pretty.
8. Sporting Event
We are major Baseball fans so we went to a Mariners game. The tickets were cheap and the stadium is very nice. It's also right next to the Seattle Seahawk Stadium. If you are here during football season, that wouldn't be a bad idea either. (Probably more money though) The public train can take you directly the both of these stadiums from downtown in about 10 minutes. It's also only a 10-minute drive. (I personally enjoy saving money and time out of city traffic, hence the public transportation)
9. Woodland Park Zoo
The Zoo is about a 30-minute bus right from downtown. It's also a fun way to see more of real Seattle living because you drive right into neighborhoods. I liked this Zoo mostly because it was cheap. It was only $12 (and $2 off with a bus ticket). A lot of city zoo's cost a major chunk of change, but this one did not! Plus surprisingly it was a very big zoo. It still took up more than half our day to see everything. The zoo has a nice format. You never feel like you are lost or going the wrong way, but also experience the intimacy of smaller, less crowded paths.
10. Dinner (and drinks)
Before our flight, we had to kill some extra time downtown. Where we went easily became my favorite part of the entire trip. The Pike Brewing Company surely exceeded my very low expectations. From the looks of it on the outside, it looks tiny and empty, yet inside is this giant and groovy restaurant. Really you just have to see it to understand it. (If you go in from the back entrance on Post Alley by the gum wall, you'll get the full effect) Delicious food, friendly waiters, and a really big liquor selection. The beer was great. Not everywhere always has a Sour beer. But Pikes has one that changes daily. They also make whiskey and wine. Also seeing where they actually brew the beer is also fun and adds to the effect.
And there you have it! These are just some of the things you should check out for your next visit to downtown Seattle. All of these things are close together or within walking distance. Although beware! It may seem like a short walk from place to place, but after all the fun you will be tired! This city has HILLS. I walked over 40,000 steps in two days and 95% of those were up and downhills. Just wear the proper shoes and you will have a great time in Seattle!
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