Garth & Kerin
Things To Do
Seattle Parks
There are several wonderful parks throughout Seattle. We live near and love Seward Park, eloped in Kubota Gardens, and we'll be in Lincoln Park. We highly recommend a drive along Lake Washington Boulevard with views of Lake Washington, starting in Washington Park Arboretum and ending at Seward Park, (though may not be able to access during Seafair). Here's a list of our other recommendations: Japanese Garden (Washington Park Arboretum) Discovery Park Volunteer Park Alki Beach The many "micro" beaches along Lake Washington, including the kids beach.
Places we like to eat and where to food shop.
Seattle has about anything you could want for restaurants! Check out Yelp or go online to various "The Stranger Guides to Places to eat in Seattle". Here are some of our favorite places, which are veggie oriented: Geraldine’s Counter -- great breakfast and lunch in Columbia City Both Ways Cafe -- one of our favorite breakfast places, near Seward Park Cafe Flora -- farm to table vegetarian, Madison Valley Loving Hut -- an interesting Asian inspired vegan place in the International District (ID) Pho Bac -- great pho (a few locations) Olympic Pizza (III) -- our favorite pizza in Seattle! (Capitol Hill) Sunset Cafe and Amy's Merkato -- great Ethiopian food on Rainier Ave. Sunlight Cafe -- fun vegetarian hippie food, Roosevelt area Full Tilt -- ice cream!! (Columbia City) For food shopping: PCC, (spendy), in Columbia City and Safeway on S. Rainier, (the one by Ross is the best for organic). We prefer the Central Coop, Trader Joe’s, and the Grocery Outlet in the Central District.
Pike Place Market
Lots of great vendors! Worth it just for all the flowers to buy, amazing food vendors, and wonderful shops in the market.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Often referred to as the Willy Wonka experience for coffee lovers. Much better experience than visiting the "original Starbucks" at Pike Market, (long lines).
Theo Chocolate
Chocolate factory tour!
Sky View Observatory - Columbia Center
Excellent views of Seattle, and on a clear day, Mt. Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, Mt. Baker, ...
Seattle Center and the Space Needle
Space Needle, MoPop Museum, Chihuly Gardens
Seattle Art Fair
An annual event going on this weekend.
Nordic Museum
A great mix of Scandinavian immigrant heritage and history and Seattle/Pacific Northwest settlement and industry (e.g., logging) history. Haven't seen the new location, but it's supposedly fabulous.
Seattle Underground
Worth going once to understand some of the history of Seattle.
The Museum of Flight
If you are in to planes, check it out.
Live Music
The Royal Room (Columbia City) -- Mostly jazz, with food service: http://theroyalroomseattle.com The Triple Door (downtown) -- Mixed styles, a really cozy scene. Like the nightclub scenes in movies: http://www.thetripledoor.net/thetripledoor.html
Day or Regional Trips from Seattle
Snoqualmie Falls (45 min drive) Mt. Rainier National Park (~90 min drive) North Cascades National Park (2h 30min -- take food) Olympic Peninsula and National Park (3h+, multiple areas)
Overnight trip to Victoria and/or Vancouver, BC
We love visiting! For short trips, we recommend taking the Victoria Clipper, a 3 hour passenger ferry landing at the harbor in town. See the BC Parliament building, have high tea, walk through the second oldest Chinatown in North America, visit the great Royal BC Museum for natural and cultural history, Miniature World, Butchart Gardens (a bit outside town), and good shopping. For longer trips, take a car ferry from Anacortes or Port Angeles and explore Vancouver Island. Vancouver (~2h 45min + border crossing) from Seattle, past Bellingham, is a fantastic city with great restaurants, an incredible China Town, and the amazing Jerico beach. Do internet search to learn more about his complex city.
Portland, Oregon
PDX has tons to offer. Beautiful city and great foodie town. A 3h drive from Seattle. Recommended places to visit: Powells Book Store Columbia Gorge- waterfalls galore Forest Park Pearl District Alberta Street Mt. Hood and the nearby WAAAM Museum (http://www.waaamuseum.org)
Seattle Ferry Terminal
There are multiple ferries that go to local islands, such as Vashon and Banbridge Islands. They can be short day trips that give you the ferry experience while seeing small little tourist towns.