Things To Do
The Pine Tavern Ballard
Hailey’s favorite no-frills local Ballard dive.
Hazelwood
A favorite for boozy cocktails and late night, low-light conversation. We don’t recommend getting shots of Malört, (thanks for that one, Sara.)
Brimmer & Heeltap
A favorite nearby small-plates restaurant. Every single plate on the menu is delicious. Our tip: skip the cocktails and head straight for the attached wine store to grab a bottle to share over the meal. Fun fact: this is where Hailey asked Allie to be our officiant.
Take a stroll on Ballard Avenue
Spend a few hours browsing adorable boutiques and brunch spots on Ballard Avenue. Bonus: Every Sunday morning find the street filled with fresh goods with the Ballard Farmers Market. Fun fact: Our wedding venue is on this street.
Ballard Locks
A short walk from our wedding venue, Ballard Locks are a cute destination to spend an hour watching the boats come in and out from Puget Sound, and watch the salmon climb the fish-ladder, and the occasional seal or jellyfish bobbing in the water.
Museum of Pop Culture
Easily spend an afternoon at MoPop, a favorite of ours, with exhibits on film, fantasy, sci-fi, and music! Located at the Seattle Center with lots nearby, including the Space Needle.
Catch a Mariner’s game at T-Mobile Park
Kyle’s a long time Mariners fan, Hailey was recently convinced when we took visiting family to two Mariners games in 2021 - at both, the Mariners were losing by several runs, but ended up hitting grand slams at the last minute to come back and win. It was exhilarating! Now we go fairly often and enjoy an afternoon at the stadium. Fried crickets and garlic fries anyone?
Bainbridge Island Ferry
Our favorite way to take in the scenery: walk on the Bainbridge Ferry in Downtown Seattle. Tickets are cheap, and the views of the Sound, the mountains, and the city can’t be beat! Check out the little town of Bainbridge when you arrive, or simply jump right back on the return ferry to come back.
Snoqualmie Falls
Gorgeous falls located less than an hour drive from Seattle. The view from the top is wheelchair accessible and is also good for children and dogs. There’s also a path down to the bottom for a second view, which is just as beautiful, though as a flatlander Kansan, Hailey isn’t a fan of the uphill trek back to the top.
Deception Pass
For those looking to explore outside the city, Take in stunning views at Deception Pass and visit the adjacent state park. If you’re planning a visit to Whidbey Island, we recommend coming through Deception Pass at least on your way in or out!
Get away from the city on Whidbey Island
Whidbey island is perfect for visitors who don’t want to do “city stuff”. A quick drive over the ferry, (or a longer route through Deception Pass- worth it for the views), you can be on the quaint island which has many wineries, scenic beaches, trails, and botanical gardens to explore. We recommend you check out Greenbank Farm for local cheese, fresh pie, and dog & children friendly walking paths. Also recommend Hierophant Meadery for an eclectic variety of meads.
Explore the Olympic Peninsula
For explorers and adventurers with time on your hands, we wholly recommended you take a mini vacation on the Olympic peninsula. There is a huge variety of landscapes and activities, and it’s all beautiful. Climb mountains, explore a rainforest, visit a lavender farm, check out the pacific coast, be a vampire in Forks, learn about local native cultures, or spend a lazy afternoon going from winery to winery.