Backpack Goes West: Seattle, Washington

Seattle is: Refreshing

Seattle, Washington will have you falling in love in no time. It’s trendy vibe, cool personality and amazing views are irresistible. A city of hills that’s surrounded by mountains, big green trees, beautiful blue waves and air you want to bottle up and bring home with you.

The city offers Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, museums and a wall full of gum – which actually isn’t as weird as it sounds. Head a few miles out and you’ll find yourself immersed in trees, waterfalls, and mountains that touch the clouds. Walk to parks to watch the sunset, take a ferry across the Puget Sound, enjoy fresh seafood and party with the locals. I do not exaggerate when I say this city has it all.

The Best Experience:

The ferry over to Bainbridge Island. Get the Seattle ferry experience (what’s up Meredith Grey!) that includes insanely beautiful views of the skyline, water, and mountains. Take it all in with a beer in hand and hop off the ferry 30 minutes later. A short walk will have you to downtown Bainbridge, a unique area with its own personality and charm. Hop around to trendy restaurants and cute patio bar’s along the harbor, or stop by a winery. (Or do all of the above then reluctantly take a shuttle a few miles north because your boyfriend heard the word “casino.”)

Honorable mentions:

Hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge; breathtaking views and worth the 2 miles on an incline – bring water. Pike Place Market; sensory overload in the best way. This vibrant atmosphere is a sight to see and includes guys slinging fish, a variety of food, vintage finds, and beautiful flowers. The Gum Wall; bizarre, also in the best way. Your mindset will shift from ew, gross all the way to this is art in the time it takes to blow a bubble.  Partying at Targy’s, a dive bar in the Queen Anne neighborhood; TV’s, dart boards, pool tables, cheap beer and cheap pizza. Otherwise known as heaven.

$FREE.99:

Stop by Kerry Park. Awesome skyline views and you will get some of your best photos. Head to Fremont, check out the Fremont Troll (you’ve never seen anything like it!) and get a feel for this quirky, tech-focused neighborhood.

What I’d Skip:

Seattle Aquarium; a little disclaimer – “animal lover” has never been attached to my name. That said, I do like a good sea creature but this place did not impress me. We saw a few seals, otters and an octopus but it was an overall forgettable experience.

Best meal:

Pizzeria Bruciato – Bainbridge Island. Wood-fire pizza. Trendy spot. Perfect for a drink at the bar on a Saturday afternoon, or for an evening dinner date – we did both in a few hour span because we couldn’t stay away!

My Seattle Tips

• Take the train from the airport to downtown and save big bucks. Like enough bucks to pay for breakfast, lunch AND a cocktail. It’s clean, relatively quick and is a great starting point to start observing the elements.
• Rent a car for the day. It’s well worth it to experience Seattle outside of the city.
• Research parks and beaches; there is plenty of nature to go around! And remember nature is your city-bestie when it comes to saving money.
• Attraction Passes will give you access to 5 experiences for $89, saving you 50% and making it worth it to only hit 4 of 5 if you run out of time; my favorites were The Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass – beautiful glass which completely blew me away and had me wanting to fill my living room it (turns out I’m not that rich though).

Would I go back?

Without a doubt. This city was a breath of fresh air and made up of so many unique individuals who all have stories to tell. The weather is fantastic (they want you to think it rains every day), the salmon is second to none and you come home feeling 100% refreshed. Seattle is the perfect long weekend away from home. 

Looking for more? 

Leave a comment or send me a message through my Get In Touch Page. I would seriously love to hear from you and tell you more about the trip and/or help you plan your own.

Talk to you soon!