Seattle Guide
Last updated: 7/27/2023
Welcome to my guide of my FAV city in this whole wide world — but actually, I am the biggest PNW fan girl because some of the best years of my life were the four years I spent living here.
🚗 First things first, do you need a car? No if it’s just city stuff, but yes if you plan on visiting Rainier. Having a car makes it easier to get around, but street parking can be a pain (but you sure will get good at parallel parking if you do decide to drive!)
City Things
🌧️ Year round
Pike Place Market - walk around and eat lots of yummy food, pro-tip: get something small at each spot and share so you can try more things
See the gum wall
Walk down to the pier (where the ferris wheel is)
Rachel’s Ginger Beer - hands down the BEST ginger beer ever, my favorite is the blood orange. Their alcoholic mules are amazing as well.
Ellenos’s Greek Yogurt - it’s more dessert-y, super rich and yummy
Pike Place Chowder - they do a sampler which is fun! But my fav is always the classic New England clam chowder, it’s really good. If the line is too long in the summer, you can order for pickup online or check out their other location on the top floor of Pacific Place mall
Beecher’s Cheese - you can see them making the cheese fresh, try the classic mac & cheese here
Piroshky Piroshky - the smoked salmon, beef & cheese, potato & cheese piroshkis are my recommendations
The “first” Starbucks - I actually didn’t go here until right before I moved out of Seattle, they do have two exclusive drinks, but it’s mainly just hype. I would recommend checking out any other local coffee shop instead
Exploring the neighborhoods - each neighborhood has its own walkable area, local shops, and food! I think it’s kind of a unique city setup with each area having its own “center.” Here are some neighborhoods you don’t want to miss:
Capitol Hill
Ballard
Fremont
UW/The Ave - if you’re into visiting colleges? I think UW is probably one of the most fun places to be a student
Museums - overall, Seattle does not a huge museum culture
MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) - this one is really unique!
Chihuly Glass - if you are into the famous pieces by Chihuly, I actually haven’t been here myself
Space Needle - classic? I also have not been here lol
Pinball Museum - you basically pay a flat fee and just play pinball on all these retro machines! You’ll notice some bars around the city have pinball machines too, people love them here
Boeing Museum of Flight - not technically in the city of Seattle, but my plane friends LOVE this place
Bookstores - the independent bookstores in Seattle are elite
Elliot Bay Bookstore in Capitol Hill - my FAV, also just a nice area to walk around and browse the boutiques in the area
Ada’s Technical Book Cafe in North Capitol Hill - the nerdiest book store you’ll ever go too
Book Larder in Fremont - a bookstore dedicated to COOKBOOKS and all things food, they even have a kitchen set up in the middle where they do cooking demos, something yummy is often simmering as you’re browsing
☀️ Summer/nice weather
Farmer’s Markets!! You can go to these year round, but it’s best enjoyed in nice weather.
Pretty much every neighborhood has their own, but my favorite hands down is the Ballard Sunday Market. My favorite market snacks are the veggie quesadillas (surprisingly delicious), the fresh mini apple cider donuts, and the fancy corn dog from Falling River Meats.
Parks & views
[MUST GO] Gas Works Park - must visit, great city views, bundle this with hanging out in Fremont
[MUST GO] Kerry Park - this is a tiny spot, but it’s where you go from the nice skyline photos. A must for every first time visitor.
Local parks I go to but maybe not a touristy thing to do
Golden Gardens Park - kinda far out on the edge of Ballard, but this is where we go in the summers to bonfire, beach volleyball, and watch people sail
Volunteer Park when in Cap Hill, lots of nice homes in the area to walk around in too
Washington Arboretum - pretty fall colors!
Discovery Park - nice little lighthouse walk, hard to believe it’s in the city sometimes
Activities
Kayaking or paddle boarding on Lake Union - I usually rent from Moss Bay. Highly recommended nice weather activity
Bike the Burke Gilman trail - you can rent bikes from EVO Seattle. Suggested bike routes:
Bike over the 520 bridge to Bellevue
Nature things 🌲
Mount Rainier National Park (obvi) - maybe consider buying the National Park Pass if you think you’ll use it like 3 times throughout the year since single day entrance is already $30 vs. $80 for annual
You can do a driving tour around the park
Fav hikes at Rainier
Fremont Fire Lookout (popular sunrise hike) - in the Sunrise area
Naches Peak Loop - short one, but very nice
Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout - amazing views of Rainier and lake, this one is in the vicinity and not technically in the park. Also annoying that you have to drive up unpaved forest road, but it’s one of my fav hikes ever for the views
Hiking! The one I take my out of town friends on all the time is Lake 22. Lake Serene is another option.
Food things
Coffee - the coffee/especially espresso in Seattle is so so good
Starbucks Reserve Roastery - crowded in tourist season, but always worth a visit. You can bundle this from when you go to Pike Place, do the walk to Cap Hill from there.
Victrola - my fav! It’s right across the street from the Starbucks Reserve. I still order my beans from them. There are a few locations.
Espresso Vivace - my other fav! There are a few locations.
Sushi & Poke & Seafood - the seafood here is bomb
Seattle Fish Guys - it’s a little out of the way for the typical tourist location-wise, but they have really great poke, sashimi, and overall Hawaiian fish market vibes
FOB Poke - two locations, Belltown and Cap Hill, and my favorite poke spot hands down
Fremont Bowl - get the chirashi bowl!
Umi Sake House or Momiji - great sushi happy hour, same owners
Taylor Shellfish House is a MUST visit, lots of raw oyster options, small menu, mainly seafood… so so good. Amazing HH if you can make the timing.
BOBA
Don’t Yell at Me - the University District on “The Ave,” aka where UW students hang out. My order is the rose milk tea with golden honey pearls, 25% sugar, less ice
They now also have a Capitol Hill location!
Chicha San Chen in Bellevue
Ramen - if you are in Cap Hill (especially on a cold and rainy day), you should probably eat ramen, so many good options
Ramen Danbo
Kizuki
Ooink
Drinking - ok so I don’t really drink, but the PNW is known for ciders and IPAs! I am a big cider fan
Locust Cider has multiple taprooms, but there’s one near Pike Place. Their cider is on the sweet side generally.
Schilling Cider in Fremont
Capitol Cider in Cap Hill - basically all they have are ciders on tap!!
Fremont Brewery - nice outdoor space and close to Gas Works Park
Thai - the Thai food in Seattle is bomb.com, most places are pretty good but these are my go-tos
Kin Len Thai Night Bites in Fremont
Bangrak Market in Belltown
Thai Tom in University District
Ice cream - low key the ice cream scene here is hype, especially for a city that is overcast and gloomy 75% of the year
Salt & Straw - SO GOOD, I looooove their Beecher’s cheese (sadly they don’t do regional flavors anymore post-COVID) and the olive oil flavor
Molly Moon’s - people like to debate if they prefer Molly Moon’s (local to Seattle) or Salt & Straw (started in Portland), but I personally prefer Salt & Straw
Frankie & Jo’s - the best vegan ice cream, or so I’m told :P
Nana’s Green Tea - matcha dessert/ice cream/parfaits!! This is my fav matcha soft serve I’ve ever had, it’s more of a creamy soft serve texture vs. lots of places that are kind of “fluffy” tasting. The parfaits are a must get for your first time, definitely share one.
Other notable food spots that don’t fall into the broad categories above but I still used to go to all the time
Chain restaurants: Din Tai Fung for soup dumplings (Dough Zone is the local version of DTF) & Hai Di Lao Hot Pot
Xi’an Noodles in University District is always a solid option for hand-pulled spicy noodz
Pho Bac Sup Shop - the best pho spot ever, this one is in International District
Mike’s Noodle House - best shrimp & pork wonton noodle soup, cash only!
A+ Hong Kong Kitchen - comfort HK cafe food
Boiling Point is always good!
Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cake - lava cakes!!! Super decadent but def recommend if you are into intense chocolate dessert.
Fuji Bakery - A Japanese/French fusion bakery with amazing viennoiseries, caneles, and malasadas. The more accessible location is their small storefront in International District.
Serious Pie - local fav for fancy flatbreads (try the clam or mushroom one)
New food spots since my summer 2023 visit to add:
Happy Lamb AYCE Hot Pot in International District and Bellevue
Hong Kong Bistro in International District
💡 If you have a few extra days, I highly recommend tacking these onto your trip
Olympic National Park - a park with mountains, rainforest, AND PNW beaches?!
North Cascades National Park (Lake Diablo is the coolest, drive up lake ever, but it’s far from the city)
Vancouver, BC, Canada!!!!! My favorite day trip from Seattle.
Portland