A city with the best of both worlds — Seattle’s atmosphere is the perfect mixture of urban and country. The beautiful Puget Sound winds itself through the edge of the city, Mount Rainer visible in the distance on a clear day. Lush greenery coats the skyline and is interspersed between high rises, creating an enticing blend of nature and metropolis. Whether you visit for the coffee or the hikes or the fish, The Emerald City has something for everyone.
Move
Just a short drive north of the downtown, Discovery Park is the perfect place for a day hike. There are a variety of short trails either along the coast of West Point or in the lush greenery of the rest of the park’s inland area. The Loop Trail is only 2.8 miles and accessible to all skill levels.
Alternatively, visit the Arboretum in Washington Park. This sprawling park offers paved trails and beautiful botanic gardens open year-round.
Fuel
For any and all of your cravings, Pike Place Market is the place to go. The market itself is only about few blocks, but within that space, vendors, restaurants and shops are packed in tight — fresh produce and fish caught daily abound. For your drink fix, the original Starbucks is on this street, but if you don’t want to wait in the extensive line, there is a vendor just across the way that sells delicious hot apple cider; the perfect warm drink on a rainy day. If you venture further into the market, pop into Lowell’s for a seafood salad lunch and specialty cocktails with a gorgeous view of the Sound.
Closer to the Arboretum is Son of a Butcher, a casual Korean barbeque eatery where you can cook on an individual grill, and it’s perfect for a family-style meal.
Explore
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Seattle is the Space Needle, but just next door is the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. Incredible displays of handmade blown glass fill visual interior exhibits and are dispersed through the garden outside. Chihuly has been working with glass since the 1960s and has famous exhibits around the world.
From there, wander through the rest of downtown along the water by the Olympic Sculpture Park, towards the Seattle Art Museum and become immersed in global art collections and other temporary exhibits.
Stay
On my visit, I stayed with some friends (thanks C+K!), but lacking great friends, The State Hotel is a great choice. On Second and Pike Street, easy access to the market and great views of Puget Sound are not in short supply.
Photos by Lauren Farrauto
