Seattle, WA. This was my first time in the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States, and I was blown away! I now understand why Seattle is dubbed the “Emerald City” – because the lush greenery in its’ forests and parks has the most beautiful and plentiful shades of green I’d ever seen! Seattle is a bursting city alive with trendy shops, beautiful coastal views, and interesting people. Me and my childhood friend decided to venture to Seattle after we graduated college to explore a city that neither of us had ever been to, but heard so much about! Keep reading for unique, inexpensive ideas on things to do, must-try restaurants, and areas to stay in this massive city.
Travel Tips
Stay in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. We stayed at an Airbnb on E. Pine Street in Capitol Hill, and though the Airbnb itself wasn’t too great, the area sure was! It was a short walking distance to tons of popular restaurants, thrift stores, shops, interior design stores, parks, and bars. If you are looking for a trendy area that is safe and has lots of things to do — stay there! I felt like it was a great representation of Seattle.
Pro Tip: Take the Link light rail from the Seattle airport to get to Capitol Hill (or any other popular area). It cost $3 instead of a $70 Uber, and it was SUPER easy. Follow these instructions and you’re all set.
Though we did Uber/Lyft at night, we mostly walked everywhere. It is a walkable city for sure!
Activity Tips
My recommendation for a lovely afternoon in Capitol Hill goes like this … First, get brunch at Oddfellows Cafe -the BELT was delicious! But beware, this place gets super duper crowded so try to get there early-ish if you don’t want to wait for a table. Then stroll over to the Elliott Bay Book Company and wander through this incredible, spacious bookstore for a while before hitting up the stunning Glossier Store across the street. Then venture to Boogey Boys Thrift Store – Macklemore’s eclectic golf themed shop on the top floor, and a beautiful collection of vintage clothing on the bottom floor. I know that concept sounds kinda nuts, but it’s definitely worth a look! The best part about this afternoon itinerary is that all of these places are within 50 feet of each other !! That is what’s so great about Capitol Hill, there are too many cool spots to name in one blog. You’ll need to wander the streets and check it out yourself!
Obviously, you have to go to the famous Pike Place Market. We walked here from Capitol Hill and it only took ~30 minutes. Pike Place Market was so much fun! It was very crowded but we got to wander through tons of food stalls and interesting collections of everything from vintage records to fresh flowers. A must-see for your time in Seattle.
I’d also recommend the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP). It cost $25 for a student ticket (a bit steep), but we spent hours in here and I think it’s worth the money. I was seriously impressed with the interactive instillations, everything was so meticulous and fascinating! My favorite instillations were the Fantasy exhibit and the exhibit about Jimi Hendrix.
You MUST walk up Broadway Street to Volunteer Park and its surrounding neighborhoods. Volunteer Park is a lush, mossy dreamland filled with gorgeous trees and beautiful ponds. Me and my friend thought of this place as magical, it had a bewitching, mysterious vibe to it, and we absolutely loved walking through the park and pretending we were in Twilight. The residential side streets near Volunteer Park are also drop dead gorgeous. The houses are absolutely STUNNING. I’ve decided that if I could live anywhere in the world it might be in one of these houses. The gardens in the front yards of these homes are insanely well-kept and SO GREEN!!!
Walk through 15th Avenue, ~20 a minute walk from Capitol Hill. So so so many cool shops, restaurants, bookstores, people-watching. Great vibes for more adventuring.
If you have an extra afternoon in Seattle I’d recommend taking the Washington State Ferry to Bainbridge Island. The ferry takes around 30 minutes and it cost $4 round trip. You can buy the ticket at the Washington State Ferry Terminal. It is fun to get on the water and the island itself has lots of cute restaurants and shops. There’s not tons to do but wander around because we were on foot, but it’s a fun afternoon if you want to see the city from the water and go for a mini-adventure. We stayed there around 2 hours and used the Bainbridge schedule on GoogleMaps to figure out when to head back.
Food Tips
Noi Thai restaurant near Pike Place Market has delicious Thai food with a great atmosphere. A lil pricey ~$20 / entree, but the portions were so big that we had our leftovers as lunch the next day! The staff at Noi Thai were incredibly kind and friendly, I give this experience a 10/10, would definitely return.
Liberty Sushi is an intimate sushi spot on 15th Avenue that me and my friend loved. The restaurant itself is a bar with a few tables and sofas, which gives off an intimate atmosphere that I found very unique. The bartenders were so friendly and talkative, and the sushi was delicious at ~$8-10 per roll. We had a fun time here and made new friends.
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Cafe in Pike Place Market is a famous spot for comfort food like mac n’ cheese and grilled cheese. I got the homemade mac n’ cheese for $8 and it was SO GOOD. Probably the best mac n’ cheese I’ve ever had in my life.
Salt and Straw Ice Cream is a chain out west that I’ve never had before. Their ice cream flavor selection is top tier, and the ice cream itself is so yummy. If you pass by one of these be sure to get a scoop. An ice cream treat is the perfect pick-me-up! And that’s a fact.
I know I mentioned this above but Oddfellows Cafe is a must-try in Seattle. It has a lively atmosphere with quality food. Everything me and my friend tried was above-average. Nothing is better than sipping a coffee eating a delicious brunch in a new city, just taking it all in.
Elleno’s Greek Yogurt in Pike Place. There are lots of toppings to choose from, and every ingredient is so fresh. Would recommend!
Go to Unicorn for a unique carnival- bar experience. Unicorn is decked out with carnival drinks, food, decor, and great vibes. We went on a Sunday (lol) and still had a fun time.
Go off now and explore Seattle! I just know you will have an amazing trip because it’s hard not to! I hope these tips helped, and I hope you explore on your own as well 🙂 There’s a cool coffee shop or restaurant in every corner of this city, and the lush greenery is sure to blow your socks off like it did mine.
xx Gracie
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