Seattle, Washington…Emerald City…Jewel of the Pacific Northwest. We moved from Indianapolis, IN to Seattle in December 2015 and have loved our time here. A big city on the water just 30 minutes from the mountains. Home to a rich history in the music industry that has transitioned to a hub for fortune 500 companies. Whether you’re looking for a new home base or just a place to visit, Seattle probably has something for you.
How to Get Here
There are many ways to get to Seattle. Major interstates from the south, east and north will lead you straight into the heart of the city. Prefer a more classic mode of transportation? Hop on an Amtrak train to King Street Station where you’ll depart to views of Seattle’s major sports arenas. Most likely you’ll book a ticket and hop on a plane headed for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as it is very accessible from pretty much anywhere in the world. Flying to Seattle will take a bit of time, especially if you’re coming from the east coast or an international location so be sure to factor that into your trip planning. For example, we can fly to Iceland in almost the same amount of time we can fly to Miami, FL. Taxis, Uber and Lyft are readily available so finding transportation if you decide not to rent a car should not be an issue. Public transportation is also available. We often use Sound Transit as it is much cheaper than rideshare options.
Trip Length
This is difficult for us to estimate since we’ve spread out our ‘tourist’ days across months and years. If you’re looking to explore Seattle and one of the surrounding areas like Mount Rainier NP, Olympic NP, or North Cascades NP give yourself at least 7-10 days. If you’re looking for an intro to the area and plan on staying in the Seattle Metro area a 3-4 day trip would probably be a good start.
Where to Stay
There are tons of options for lodging in the Seattle area. You’ll find bed & breakfasts, Airbnb’s, boutique hotels and the standard national/global chains. With all these options, you’ll likely find somewhere to rest your head that fits your travel style, the question is, will it fit into your budget? Staying downtown will easily run $200+/night even during the off season. If you’re looking for something more reasonable there are many options around the airport or in one of the neighboring cities like Renton, Redmond, Issaquah, etc. These locations will be an approximate 10-20 miles from downtown. Traffic is always a variable so it could take you anywhere from 15 -90 minutes to get to/from downtown. If you are staying in a hotel, keep in mind that parking is not typically part of the nightly rate and can be very expensive.
What to Do
Seattle is a pretty diverse place, so we’ll try to break this up into a few areas.
Seattle Classics
Pike Place Market – one of the most iconic places in Seattle. A long running farmers market where you’ll find not only fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish (famously being thrown around behind Rachel the Pig) but also fresh flowers and handmade crafts. It’s a good place to grab a snack from a local producer or a souvenir for someone special back home. Be forewarned. It gets busy! If crowds aren’t your thing you may not enjoy your trip to the market. Go early in the morning or on a rainy day for less crowds. You’ll find all kinds of restaurants, breweries, and retail stores in the area surrounding the market. If visiting the first Starbucks or grabbing some yummy piroshky plan on waiting in line, especially in the summer months or when a cruise ship is in port.
The Space Needle – one of the most well-known shapes in the Seattle skyline. There have been recent updates that we haven’t been able to check out yet but if you’re in town on a clear day this is a great way of seeing a 360 view of the surrounding mountains. Check out Seattle Center while you’re here. Popular places include Chihuly Garden & Glass, the Museum of Popular Culture (MoPOP) and Pacific Science Center. An alternative viewing option would be the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory. The price is around the same as the Space Needle but since Columbia Tower is taller, you can actually see the Space Needle which is pretty neat.
Other Seattle Sights
The Amazon Spheres – a new addition to the South Lake Union neighborhood. Amazon’s presence is not as visible as you may imagine. Buildings are sprinkled throughout SLU but you won’t see the Amazon logo plastered all over the place. One structure that stands out is the new Spheres. A greenspace for employees to relax, recharge and meet. Meeting ‘rooms’ are booked months/years into the future. Open to the public for tours on the weekends this is a fun rainy day activity.
The Piers – home to working businesses, a lot of tourist shops and some fun spots, the piers along Elliott Bay can be a fun addition to your trip. The Seattle Great Wheel and Seattle Aquarium are great for kids and adults alike. This is also the meeting spot for many of the Argosy Cruises that depart from Seattle. Nearby Pioneer Square is ‘old town’. Check out the Underground Tour for something different. We learned a lot about the history of Seattle on this tour.
If you plan on checking out a few of these we recommend buying the Seattle CityPass. It’s valid for 9 consecutive days and is priced at $99/adult and $79/child (5-12 years). As of 2024, the price has increased to $127/adult and $97/child (5-12 years). Given that all of the attractions have also raised their prices, it’s still likely a good deal but only if you plan on visiting multiple spots.
Gas Works Park – the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant has been turned into a popular park at the north end of Lake Union. A popular spot for picnics, kite flying and fireworks watching this park has a great view of the SLU neighborhood and Seattle Center.
Surrounding Areas
Whale Watching in the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands – one of our favorite activities. If you have never had the chance to see these beauties up close and personal, we highly recommend scheduling your trip around whale season. Obviously there is no guarantee when wildlife is involved. We’ve had trips where we barely see an Orca and then there are those trips when you really luck out. One such trip was so special we knew we had to buy the professional photos. Here are a few of our favorites. We have gone on tours with San Juan Excursions and Puget Sound Express. We would recommend either one as they are both quality businesses.
Aviation experiences – The Boeing Factory Tour and Museum of Flight are a sight to see for anyone who likes airplanes. The Boeing factory is huge and watching their manufacturing process at work is really interesting. The Museum of Flight provides a history of aviation with real planes hanging from the ceiling and actual planes that you can walk through outside.
Woodinville Wineries – Washington may not be as popular as California for it’s wine but there are a lot of great wineries. We have only visited a few of the 100+ wineries. There are also breweries and distilleries in the area which is located about 40 minutes north of Seattle. One of the most popular wineries, Chateau Ste. Michelle, has a summer concert series from June – September which is really fun if you’re of drinking age.
Neighborhoods – Seattle proper has a lot of little neighborhoods, each with their own personality. Here are a few highlights: South Lake Union is home to Amazon’s campus as well as newcomers Google and Facebook. Belltown home to the former Key Arena (now Climate Pledge Arena – home of the Seattle Kraken NHL team) you’ll find lots of restaurants and boutique shops. Capitol Hill has a bit more night life than some of the other neighborhoods with a mix of bars and restaurants. It’s also home to Bruce Lee’s gravesite. Fremont likes to own it’s ‘weirdness’. “Center of the Universe” it is home to a sixteen foot statue of Lenin, a rocket and the Fremont Troll. Ballard is rich in Nordic and Maritime culture. It’s home to the Hiram M. Chittenden-Ballard Locks and lots of breweries. Queen Anne boasts the best views of the city with Mt Rainier in the background from Kerry Park. Chinatown – International District is home to many cultural festivals as well as a variety of Asian restaurants and the Pinball Museum. SODO is home to a mix of sports stadiums and businesses with an industrial feel softened by 51 murals commissioned by local artists.
We have a lot more exploring to do in Seattle and will continue to update this page. Check back regularly for new things to do and see.