Seattle Travel Guide: What To See Do & Eat

Seattle, Washington, travel, guide, tourist, attractions, restaurants

 

My parents recently bought a boat with a cabin that they dock in Seattle, Washington. So for Christmas, we decided to take a spontaneous trip to Seattle. We spent two days exploring the city and at night we relaxed on the boat. Seattle is a really fun city with a cool vibe! It’s a seaport city so you have the waterfront area to explore, great sea food, and tons of urban areas to discover. In this guide I will be sharing some of my favorite spots to explore and eat while in Seattle!

 

What To Do & See

 

Pike Place Market, market, farmers market, Seattle, Washington, city, public market, tourist, attractions, waterfront

 

Pike Place Market, market, farmers market, Seattle, Washington, city, public market, tourist, attractions, waterfront

 

 

Pike Place Market

 

Pike Place is one of those iconic places when you think of Seattle. Pike’s is a public market place that overlooks the waterfront, making for some gorgeous views. You can’t miss the neon signs that indicated you’ve arrived. You can find fresh flowers, fruit, vegetables, and fish all year round. The bottom level of the market is filled with cool shops and book stores. The market was decorated for Christmas when we visited which made it really special!

 

Tip: Take the stairs down to Ghost Alley. It will lead you straight to the popular gum wall for a photo op! Ghost Alley is located to the far left of the market at the main entrance.

 

Post Alley, Pike Place, Pike Place Market, market, farmers market, Seattle, Washington, city, public market, tourist, attractions, waterfront

 

Post Alley

 

Post Alley is an alleyway parallel to Pike Place. This alley is lined with restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. It’s a fun little alley to explore with colorful store fronts and lights. If you aren’t already full from the samples at the market, this is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat!

 

Starbucks, the original Starbucks, Pike Place Market, market, farmers market, Seattle, Washington, city, public market, tourist, attractions, waterfront

 

The Original Starbucks

 

If you walk far enough down Pike Place, you will find yourself at the Original Starbucks. This was the first Starbucks store ever opened! They now have locations all over the world but a lot of people don’t know that Starbucks actually originated in Seattle. I’ve never actually been inside because there has always been a long line when I’ve visited. One of these days I will order my favorite, a white chocolate mocha, from the first Starbucks! 😉

 

Moore Coffee, coffee, mocha, latte art, Seattle, Washington, Seattle coffee, chocolate croissanr

 

Moore Coffee

 

Moore Coffee is located a few blocks down from Pike Place. I love this spot because they are known for their cute latte art! My sister and I order mochas; she got a cat and I got a snowman. A chocolate croissant was the perfect treat to pair with our coffee. The coffee shop is ran by a hispanic family so when we visited, they were playing spanish music which my mom loved (she is from Colombia). It’s a cute coffee shop worth visiting!

 

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington, landmark, Seattle landmark, observation tower, tourist attraction

 

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington, landmark, Seattle landmark, observation tower, tourist attraction, Museum of Pop Culture, colorful, metal, structure

 

The Space Needle

 

What’s the first thing you picture when you think of Seattle? It’s the Space Needle, right?! It’s a huge Seattle landmark that you can see across every skyline shot of Seattle. It’s actually an observation tower with gorgeous views from the top. You can take an elevator to the top for $22. There’s also a restaurant at the top if you want to dine in the sky. There are also a lot of museums in the area to browse like the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum and the Museum of Pop Culture (pictured above).

 

Kerry Park, Seattle, Washington, viewing point, view point, park, Seattle views, Seattle skyline, city, views

 

Kerry Park

 

Kerry Park is a historic neighborhood in Queen Anne with a gorgeous view of the Seattle skyline. If you love city views as much as I do, then this spot is a must see! You can take some amazing photos here. We made it here in the evening when the sun was going down. We loved walking through the neighborhoods and admiring the beautiful old homes in this area.

 

Tip: It’s located on the corner of Second Avenue West and West Highland Drive.

 

The Fremont Troll

 

The Fremont Troll is another really unique spot in Seattle. It’s a public sculpture of a troll crushing a car that was carved by a builder and his University of Washington architecture students. The troll usually has a blue eye that was painted over in white. It’s fun spot for photos!

 

Tip: You can easily find parking on Troll Ave right in front of the sculpture.

 

Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, colorful, rainbow, sidewalks, diversity, neighborhood, shopping, dining

 

Capitol Hill

 

Capitol Hill is a diverse area full of trendy restaurants, indie shops, and coffee bars. You’ll know your in the area when you see the rainbow colored crosswalks. Some of my favorite shops are Retrofit Home, Rove Vintage, and Totokaelo.

 

Tip: At the top of the hill you’ll find a historic mansion district and the beautiful Volunteer Park Conservatory. We didn’t visit this time, but this greenhouse is worth seeing!

 

Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, Everyday Music, records, record store, music, bands, stores

 

Everyday Music Records

 

We actually have an Everyday Music record store in Portland so I was pleasantly surprised when I found one in Capitol Hill. If you love records like I do, then this is a fun spot to browse. They have a huge collection so you can definitely find a few gems to add to your collection.

 

Elliot Bay Book Company, Seattle, Washington, Elliot Bay, Capitol Hill, book store, books, store, Little Oddfellows

 

Elliot Bay Book Company

 

There is something so comforting about a book store and Elliot Bay Book Company is no different. There are numerous aisles to explore and goods to shop. Elliot Bay Book Company has something for everyone. We took a pit stop in Little Oddfellows at the back of the book store to rest our feet and charge our phones. We also fueled up with coffee and pastries. The banana bread was amazing!

 

What To Eat

 

Oddfellows, Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, cafe, restaurant, dining, American dining

 

Oddfellows Cafe

 

The popular Oddfellows Cafe (also in Capitol Hill) is a great spot for some brunch! It’s always full, but the wait usually isn’t too bad and they’re food is delicious! This charming cafe has an American history vibe with an old American flag hanging at the doorway and old paintings hung on the walls. There are plenty of tables to sit at and a cute bar where you can order coffee and pastries. I like to sit by the large windows and people watch.

 

Poquitos, Seattle, Washington, Capitol Hill, restaurants, dining

 

Poquitos, Seattle, Washington, Capitol Hill, restaurants, dining, tortilla soup

 

Poquitos

 

My family had lunch at Poquitos, a mexican restaurant in Capitol Hill. The interiors of this restaurant are gorgeous! They have an indoor area and an outdoor area. We ate in the outdoor area where we sat next to a table top fire pit to keep us warm. I had the tortilla soup which was amazing and warmed me right up!

 

General Porpoise, doughnuts, Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, coffee, coffee shop

 

General Porpoise, doughnuts, Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, coffee, coffee shop, chocolate marshmallow

 

General Porpoise, doughnuts, Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, coffee, coffee shop, chocolate marshmallow

 

General Porpoise Doughnuts

 

These are my absolute favorite doughnuts in Seattle! Seriously, when I’m home in Portland, I dream of these doughnuts! They’re round cream filled doughnuts that are too die for; my favorite kind is the Chocolate Marshmallow. It’s even more delicious paired with a warm coffee drink. General Porpoise is located in Capitol Hill near the very chic, Bar Melusine (another favorite spot but it was closed unfortunately).

 

Another great way to see Seattle is by boat! You can find boat rentals in Seattle through GetMyBoat! Here is a link to their Seattle boat rentals page

 

There are so many things to do in Seattle, it’s hard to fit everything in one weekend! If you are planning a trip to Seattle, I really hope you add some of these spots to your list. I put together a Seattle Travel Diary from our visit that you can reference too. Check out the video below!

 

 

 

XOXO

  1. I knew of Starbuck’s Pike Place coffee. But honestly didn’t know it was named after the location of the first Starbucks. And I used to work for Starbucks so I should know. My husband would love that book store!

  2. I haven’t been to Seattle since 1996! I’m loving your photographs and descriptions so much I need to plan a trip back!

  3. I have never been to Seattle but it looks such a cool place to visit with all the cosy cafes around! If I ever go I would check the Oddfellows Cafe, looks really good, X

  4. Is post alley where the gum ball wall is? Pikes place is amazing and I just love all the yummy restaurants in the Capitol Hill area. Great roundup here!

  5. I’d love to visit Seattle. It looks great. There’s so much to see and do. It’s definitely on my bucket list. I’ve heard all about the delicious restaurants.

  6. This is awesome! We’re kind of planning a quick trip to Vancouver this year and are on the fence about crossing over to Seattle. I think we’ll definitely consider after this!

  7. My husband’s nephew moved to Seattle three years ago and he absolutely loves it there. He says he doesn’t see himself living anywhere else. We might take on his offer this year and pay him a visit!

  8. what you’ve got here is the perfect trip – fun places, coffee, yum food AND doughnuts! what more can you want! I’d love to visit Seattle and when I do I will definitely be going to Oddfellows Cafe 🙂

  9. A great guide for anyone planning to travel to Seattle. Plus, your photographs are brilliant. Poquitos look like a cute place and I had no idea Starbucks originated in Seattle, that’s a good piece of information. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  10. I know Seattle has many great places. It’s been years since I have been up there though. This really reminds me I need to take a trip up there sometime in the near suture and visit some relatives.

  11. My parents went to Seattle last year for a conference and couldn’t stop talking about how cool it was. A coffee lovers mecca and I didn’t realize the original Starbucks was there. My mom talked too about all of the quaint little bookstores, which made my husband want to buy a plane ticket on the spot. Although I fear I’d lose him for days and we’d lugging home a suitcase full of books. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that!) x

  12. Wow Seattle is a really cool place! I would love to visit. I didn’t know the original Starbucks originated there either, good to know. I like the Moore Cafe – very artistic in their presentation of coffee. The space needle looked like fun too. Thanks for sharing!

  13. Seattle is one of the states my hubby and I are visiting this year. Thanks for all the recommendations and I appreciate the heads up regarding the line at the original Starbucks and no, I didn’t know it originated in Seattle.

  14. Pinning this for next time I head to Seattle! I especially want to check out Ghost Alley – I’m a sucker for anything a bit off the beaten path. 🙂

  15. Seattle looks fantastic there are so many places in that area that I want to visit, I really want to do a big USA travel trip! And I’m now craving doughnuts 🍩😂

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