The Seattle area is rich with history and has a plethora of diverse activities, which is one of the reasons we love living here.
Fremont – Also known as the Center of the Universe, this is our home in Seattle. Fremont is known for its eclectic local art scene and its annual Solstice Parade. Courtney thinks of Fremont as the Berkeley of Seattle, which probably makes it clear why she loves living here. Several of the restaurants and bars in Our Seattle Guide are in Fremont, but feel free to explore on your own. Some things we highly recommend:
- Visit the troll.
- Say hi to Lenin.
- Dress the “Waiting for the Interurban” sculpture – maybe the sculpture needs to wear a wedding dress this weekend?
- Visit Theo Chocolate, the United States’ first fair trade and organic bean to bar chocolate maker. We highly recommend taking the factory tour, but reservations are required (in advance). If you can’t get on a tour, visit their tasting room which allows you to sample (for free!) most of their mouth-watering offerings.
- Visit William Beamish and Henry Miller, aka “the Cats,” at John & Courtney’s house. Reservations required.
Olympic Sculpture Garden (Downtown/Waterfront) – Run by the Seattle Art Museum, this outdoor park is a delight. With its waterfront location, the sweeping views of the Olympic mountains can be awe-inspiring as you wander your way about, discovering new sculptures at every turn. Be sure to find the onsite Neukom Vivarium, which houses a fascinating 60-foot nurse log – it’s like getting an up close and personal view of the forest floor in the middle of downtown Seattle. (Free)
Seattle Public Library, Central Branch (Downtown) – With glass and steel floating sections and a shape that’s reminiscent of a schizophrenic trapezoidal prism, the Central Library doesn’t evoke the dusty, quiet libraries of yesterday. Occupying an entire city block, the library is an architectural wonder, and the inside gets even better with highlighter yellow escalators and red hallways. (Free, but consider donating after your visit.)
Bookstores (Everywhere!) – Seattle has a remarkably vibrant bookstore scene (and a similarly vibrant record store scene, if you’re into that). Two of our favorites: the Elliott Bay Book Company (Capitol Hill): locally famous, generally fantastic, and not to be missed. Think of it as “The Strand” of the West Coast. Book Larder (Fremont): an entire bookstore devoted to cookbooks, complete with a small demonstration kitchen for classes and author talks. Also right around the corner from our house in Fremont. (Free, unless you can’t resist buying a book.)
Museum of History and Industry (South Lake Union) – Recently relocated into a historic building right on Lake Union, MOHAI is a must-see if you’re interested in Seattle history. It’s a well-thought out and fascinating museum. The surrounding Lake Union Park is a nice picnic spot where you can watch sea planes taking off; or if you turn around, you can look at the Amazon Campus (Courtney’s and John’s buildings are on Mercer between Terry and Boren).
Museum of Flight (South Seattle) – a 20-minute drive south of downtown Seattle, this huge museum covers all aspects of human flight from the Wright Brothers to the Space Shuttle. You can tour the Concorde, see a Blackbird M-21, and learn all about Boeing’s history in the famous Red Barn. Also available is the country’s only NASA Full Fuselage Trainer – every astronaut that went into space aboard a Space Shuttle trained in this life-size shuttle mockup (the FFT has an added fee and you must have reservations, but this is one of Courtney’s favorites).
Seattle Center – The location of the 1962 World’s Fair, this large campus holds several not-to-be-missed attractions, with our favorites listed below (it’s free to walk around the center, but fees are collected for the various sites):
- The Space Needle. Pricey but worth it when the weather is clear.
- The Chihuly Garden & Glass. A sparkling new temple to Seattle’s beloved glass-blowing icon and more than worth the price of admission.
- The International Fountain. A fantastic spot for a picnic or just a brief visit – it’s the Sputnik of fountains!
- The Pacific Science Center. Good with kids (also listed below).
- The Experience Music Project. A Gehry building that you can’t miss; the museum is ok (and a little pricey).
- The Armory. A great selection of local restaurants if you get hungry.
Pike Place Market (Downtown) – Wander the stalls, peruse the produce, buy a bouquet of Skagit Valley-grown flowers. Don’t miss Beecher’s Cheese (where you can watch as the delicious delicacy is made) and stand amongst the hordes trying to snap a photo in front of the original Starbucks. Our favorite shop in the Market is actually just outside on 1st Ave: Metsker Maps is a locally-owned store and fun to wander through even if you don’t need a map. (Free)
REI Flagship (South Lake Union) – It’s the Disneyland of outdoor gear stores: a waterfall, a mountain bike test track, and a 65-foot rock climbing “Pinnacle”, the store has two enormous floors of gear to get you ready for any adventure in the great outdoors. (Free, unless you can’t resist that new Arcteryx jacket…)
Gasworks Park (Wallingford) – Located on the site of a former gas production facility, this local park mixes a Steampunk aesthetic with gorgeous views of the Seattle skyline. Sitting on the northern shores of Lake Union, you can have a bird’s eye view of the lake’s houseboats, watch a regatta, or fly a kite. One of our favorite ways to spend a Sunday is to relax at Gasworks, followed by a brief walk to Fremont Brewing to enjoy their outdoor beer garden, and then a treasure hunt at the Fremont Farmer’s Market. (Free)
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard) – Listed on the National Register of Historic places, these beautiful locks connect Lake Washington and Lake Union with Puget Sound and beyond. If you walk across the pedestrian path over the water, you’ll find the aquarium-like fish ladder which is fascinating if the salmon are running. The attached botanical gardens make a lovely spot for a quiet respite. (Free)
Bainbridge Island – What’s a vacation without a boat ride? Just across Elliott Bay from downtown Seattle is the sleepy community of Bainbridge Island. The 30-minute ferry ride offers sweeping views of the Sound, Seattle, and Mt. Rainier (weather permitting). If you’re lucky, a pod of orcas might be passing by or a bald eagle could be flying overhead. Once on the island, you can walk to the tiny hamlet for lunch or to shop the local stores. If you bring a car, explore the island, including the beautiful and historic Bloedel Reserve. Ferry schedule here.
Woodinville Wine District (Woodinville) – About a 30-minute drive from Seattle is the “Napa Valley” of Washington – with one notable difference: you won’t see any vineyards. The grapes are grown several hours east of Seattle in the dry, hot AVAs on the other side of the Cascade Mountains. Tour the beautiful grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle (although we’d recommend skipping their wine), discover one of the small vintners, or visit our favorite Washington winery, Hollywood Hill. (Free, unless you can’t resist picking up a bottle of HH’s “Dist 38” blend.)
The Underground Tour (Pioneer Square) – By far the most touristy thing we’re recommending, but fascinating nonetheless. Seattle has a long and intricate history, one aspect of which is that “street level” in Pioneer Square used to be the 2nd story of buildings. The Underground Tour takes you through the literal dark underbelly of Seattle’s original quarter. The city’s history is doled out along the tour, which is led by affable (and occasionally humorous) guides. There are two versions of the tour, one for all ages and one that is 21+. The 21+ version focuses on the more sordid parts of Seattle’s early history and includes adult beverages. Reservations recommended.
Sea Fair (Lake Washington) – We’re not so much recommending Seafair as mentioning it for awareness. It’ll be happening August 1-3, 2014. Seafair is an annual event on Lake Washington that is part motorboat festival, part “Nascar on water,” and part air show. When funded, the Blue Angels perform. High-speed boats race around the lake. Anyone and everyone who has a motorboat is out on the water. If you want to try and attend, bring a huge dose of patience because traffic in any of the areas around Lake Washington will be awful (as in an hour to go one mile sort of awful). Also be aware that there will be fighter jets and other huge planes flying all about Seattle at very low altitudes (and they’re usually pretty noisy).
With Kids
We (obviously) don’t have any kids, and we haven’t hosted any children in Seattle. However, we’ve heard that many of the above and also the below places are perfect for small humans and their parents.
Universe of Beaches 