Things To Do
Near the Venue
Gasworks Brewing, Gasworks Park, Sea Wolf Bakery, Stone Way Cafe, and Fremont Brewing are all super close to the MV Skansonia, so if you only have an hour or two beforehand and want to drop in somewhere, we recommend these spots!
Pike Place Market
We love it here! Fresh produce, bright colors, Seattle history, great views of Elliott Bay and the Olympics... it has everything. It's top of the list for most tourists in Seattle, but it's not a tourist trap. We recommend Michou, Maiz, Le Panier, or DeLaurenti's for lunch. Pike St. Coffee and Anchorhead are good coffee alternatives to Starbucks (skip the line!). Old Stove Brewing for a beer and a view! Don't miss the fish throwing, the secret garden, and ALL the flowers. Plus there is a new overhead walkway down to the waterfront - it just opened!
Ballard
Our second date was at a brewery that doesn't exist anymore and a delicious Mexican spot called La Carta de Oaxaca. On Sunday's the main street in Ballard (Ballard Ave.) turns into an epic farmers market. If you want great food, we recommend Walrus & the Carpenter (a Renee Erickson spot - get there early), La Carta de Oaxaca, or San Fermo. There are a bunch of great craft breweries in Ballard just a little east of Ballard Ave. Sarah loves Reubens, Stoup, and Bale Breaker/Yonder while Will likes those and Urban Family. Also in Ballard are the Locks - a very cool spot to watch boats and enjoy nature - and the Nordic Museum.
Take a ferry ride!
Hop on the Bainbridge ferry from Colman Dock! We love living on Bainbridge, and downtown Winslow has all kinds of shops and eateries and art galleries to entertain for an afternoon. We recommend using the Vessel Watch realtime map to know when the boats are landing and departing (shocker: they're not always on time), and we really recommend walking on (instead of driving). Once you're there, we recommend Blackbird and a walk around Winslow (our first date!). Bruciato, Basa, Eleven, and Bainbridge Brewing are also great for food and/or drink.
Seattle Center
Cafe Vitta & KEXP's gathering space is a great place to start at Seattle Center. Great coffee, and you can see the DJs at our favorite station spinning great tunes. Walk through the Center under the shadow of the Space Needle. Both the Museum of Pop Culture and the Chihuly Garden & Glass Museum is right there - pricier entry tickets, but both are great!
Olympic Sculpture Park
One of our favorite places for a spontaneous date night and wander. The park starts near Pier 70 with outdoor sculptures, and it extends north along a pathway through Myrtle Edwards Park towards the Expedia campus. Expect expansive views of Elliott Bay and the Olympics. If it's the right time of year, you may be able to spot an orca or two off the coast here.
Seward Park
One of our favorite places to go for a walk in the city. The paved loop around the peninsula is ~3 miles, with a few beach spots for dipping your toes in the water if you're brave enough for the cold. Not far from here is Chuck's Hop Shop - Seward Park and Third Place Books.