Zoë & Brian
Things To Do
Alki Beach Park
An unusual West Coast beach, it's interrupted by massive driftwood trees, stripes of seaweed, and kelp pushed in at high tide. Most people who visit Seattle are surprised to learn there’s a beach at all, much less one within a water-taxi ride from downtown. Take in some local flavors at one of our favorite taco stops Marination Ma Kai which serves Hawaiian and Pacific-inspired dishes in an informal dining area. Then walk off your food coma on the pier and enjoy the view of Seattle from the West side.
Argosy Cruises - Lake Union
Weather permitting, this is a great activity! You get to learn a bit about Seattle and have a lil boat ride right in town while going past some iconic landmarks!
Bill Speidel's Underground Tour
For some nighttime spookiness head down to Pioneer Square to get the inside scoop of how Seattle city life began over 100 years ago!
Capitol Cider
This is one of our favorite spots in Seattle! It has a 100% Gluten Free kitchen and so many tasty treats the glutenally challenged people usually aren't able to enjoy! Our favorites are the fried chicken and fried cheese curds, and they also have sticky buns! It's also fun if you consider yourself a cider fan, they usually have around 200 different options on tap:)
Edith Macefield House
Ballard's Edith Macefield House is undoubtedly the world's most famous nail house. Long-time Ballard resident Edith Macefield defied the odds by refusing to be forced off her land & out of her home by the ebbs & flows of development in Seattle. She was a 'Hold Out' long before the Ballard Blocks development came along. It stood alone surrounded by Seattle's garbage truck lot for years after neighboring houses on the block were torn down. Despite the noise, dust and stench, Edith Macefield always kept her yard neat and tidy with green lawn and white picket fence. It was only later, in 2006, when developers of the Ballard Blocks shopping mall went so far as to pressure the elderly Edith Macefield with a $1 million carrot and massive publicity to give up and leave her home. Unwavering, Edith Macefield stayed in that house until her last days, as she had helped her own mother do before.
Everett Silvertips
If scheduling permits, we recommend checking out the local hockey team! They have a home game in Everett on Saturday November 20th, if you feel like checking it out! If you don't like loud noises though, there are plenty of loud bells and lights, so be prepared for a raucous time!
Flatstick Pub - Pioneer Square
This place is fun and right by our venue in Pioneer Square! Their main attraction is the mini golf, but they also have a few other games, it's a great place to hang out and be competitive!
FlintCreek Cattle Co
Another fancier option is FlintCreek. We have had some amazing cocktails and steak here, though nothing we tried on the menu was anything less than amazing. The mission at FlintCreek Cattle Co. is to serve premium meats sourced from well managed small-scale farms and ranches that produce responsibly raised, pastured, grass fed animals without added hormones and antibiotics. Worth checking out, especially if you consider yourself a steak connoisseur.
Fremont
Go and visit the Giant Troll, try to spot the Neon Rapunzel on Fremont Bridge, Find the Center of the Universe Sign or go on a tour of Theo Chocolate Factory! https://www.theochocolate.com/
Funko Headquarters
If you are familiar with the Funko craze, this could be a fun spot to check out! Funko is headquartered right here in Everett, and the shop is a great place to check out, especially if you have your kiddos with you! Of course, we like the Harry Potter section, but there are plenty of options for all the fandoms to enjoy! There's even a section where you can build your own!
Golden Gardens Park
This is a great place to stretch your legs! Golden Gardens is one of Seattle’s most popular parks and one of the Northwest’s most beautiful beaches. The 87-acre park in Ballard is situated on Puget Sound, overlooking the Olympic mountain. You can even have a fire in the designated pits around the beach. Visitors can enjoy a few trails around the park including a short loop on the northern end through a wetland area.
Island Adventures
If you have the time, and weather permitting, these whale watching tours are a great afternoon out! When we went they had trouble locating any pods, so they just kept moving north! Eventually we found a whole bunch- it was a truly magical experience! They also have wildlife information on the boat for you to read and snacks and drinks- though you are allowed to bring your own snakcs too if you'd like!
Kelnero
One of our favorite bars! Just a few blocks away from Salt & Iron, this cozy spot has wonderful libations, tasty bites and a great atmosphere!
Kerry Park
This is one of Seattle's favorite viewpoints, presenting as it does unobstructed views of two icons - the Space Needle, and Mount Rainier on a clear day. You are likely to bump into other sightseers, perhaps a tour bus or two, and even local news crews updating their stock footage. Located on a quiet street (apart from visitors to the park), away from traffic noise, and in an affluent neighborhood of gracious homes, the viewpoint is an inviting picnic spot. Another vista of the water and mountains can be found down the road, at the intersection of Seventh Avenue West, Eighth Place West, and West Highland Drive.
Lady Yum
Self described as "a place where you can go to escape, to be whoever you want to be, to sip champagne at noon on a Wednesday, eat fancy cookies, and pretend you are in Paris." We LOVE these macarons, and this location is right around the corner from our wedding venue! Every flavor is amazing and they are changing constantly so be sure to try some while you're in town!
Leavenworth Reindeer Farm
If you're in town for longer than our nuptuals, we highly recommend heading out to Leavenworth! This lil Bavarian mountain town is a great spot to escape the city and enjoy some fluffy snow and gorgeous views! We have been there together every winter since we met, and love finding new things to do there, our current favorite was stopping by Leavenworth Reindeer Farm! After a fireside chat about these gentle giants, you get to go meet them and give them a snack! A wonderful unique experience, and just minutes from downtown Leavenworth!
Lighthouse Park
Mukilteo Lighthouse Park is a lovely little waterfront spot near out house! You can walk around and watch the ferries, check out the lighthouse (when open) or just enjoy the smell of the water! Great place to stretch your legs and take in a local historical site! The Fresnel Lens in the Mukilteo Lighthouse was built in France in 1852. This ingenious device causes its 150 watt bulb to be visible from 10 miles away! In November of that same year, a group of 44 pioneers convened in what was then the town of Monticello, near present day Longview, Washington. They prepared a petition to the Oregon Governor and Legislature to separate the area north of the Columbia River into its own U.S. Territory to be called Columbia Territory. In 1853, one year after the Mukilteo Fresnel lens was made, Congress created the Territory but named it Washington. Thus the Mukilteo Fresnel lens, one year older than the Washington Territory, is thirty seven years older than the State of Washington.
Paramount Theatre
If you have some extra non wedding event days in the area, we highly recommend checking out what's going on over at The Paramount Theater. This place is gorgeous! It's nearly 100 years old, and hosts wonderful events, over the years we've gone to see RENT, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, Pete Souza, The Nutcracker and probably some others... Definitely worth checking out if you have a night free :)
Seattle Center
The heart of Seattle for any visitor! Here you can hop on the Monorail, originally created for the World's Fair which takes you to Westlake Center (and back); Go up into the newly "space-lifted" Space Needle for scenic views of the city; tour the EMP and learn about some of Seattle's musical legends; Marvel at some of Dan Chihuly's masterpieces at Chihuly Garden & Glass; or check out the Tropical Butterfly House among other exhibits at The Pacific Science Center. All of these are within walking distance of each other!
Smith Tower
In 1914, Smith Tower became the first skyscraper in Seattle and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Today it features a unique visitor experience including a ground-floor gathering place with historic exhibits then upstairs an open-air observation deck, 360-degree views of Seattle and a speakeasy-style bar. They also often have a Groupon offer, so be sure to pick one up before you go for discounted admission!
Snoqualmie Falls
A 268ft waterfall and another great stop for any sight-see-ers. These falls are insane to see in person, and very loud, but there's free parking and you can easily walk to a number of viewing spots. It's also been made famous in several TV shows and movies, including Twin Peaks. It's a bit of a drive out of the way of things, but worth it for a nice day out in nature, and you can always stop at Twede's Cafe for refreshment afterwards!
Theo Chocolate Tour!
If you want a Seattle Willy Wonka experience head over to Theo Chocolate for a factory tour! This is fun for the whole family, though they book out in advance, so be sure to reserve your spot early! The tour also ends in the gift shop and there are plenty of samples to taste!
The Triple Door
If you are able to plan ahead, we love going to this venue! They have all kinds of entertainment, but we especially love their quarterly burlesque performances, December always has Land of the Sweets, their version of the Nutcracker and is a lot of fun! They often sell out though, so tickets must be purchased in advance.
Twede's Cafe
This diner is a bit out of the way, but a great stop if you're a Twin Peaks fan! This is the diner from the David Lynch classic TV show. It's nothing special food wise, but they have memorabilia everywhere, and you can always get thecherry pie and a damn fine cup of coffee.
Un Bien
This is the best place to have a lil bite if you time it right! Brian's old go-to from his bachelor days living down the street in Ballard, he often stopped here for some "meat candy." There's usually a line, but it's worth it!
Wild Lanterns Light Festival
This was one of our first dates back in 2016! It's such a fun evening to walk around the zoo and see all the animal lanterns, definitely worth a visit if you can schedule in the time! Begin your expedition by strolling through the Living Northwest exhibit with lanterns of animals many of us are familiar with, including grizzly bears, eagles and mountain goats. Next, march through the magical Jungle Lights exhibit, where you’ll find lanterns of some of the most elusive creatures, such as snow leopards, tigers and gorillas. Your journey then takes a dive into the depths of the SeaMazium exhibit, filled with underwater and aquatic creatures, including sea turtles, jellyfish and seals. Finally, safari the African Savanna exhibit and discover herds of giraffe, zebra and much more!
Ye Olde Curiosity Shop
Before the Space Needle. Before Woodland Park Zoo. Before the Seattle Aquarium. Even before the automobile replaced the horse and buggy, there was Ye Olde Curiosity Shop! This place is a fun shop to get lost in for a while, we've been a few times and still find new things every time! From shrunken heads, mummies, natural oddities, taxidermy treasures to manmade wonders from all over the world!