Nothing like a solo trip to a new city! I had originally booked during the off-peak fall but due to the pandemic, postponed until late June of 2021. I really wanted to explore Pike Place Market and splurged on a stay at the Market Inn for the first half of the week. But the city has so much else to offer so I went with a bit more economical hotel for the second half of the trip, exploring the touristy Space Needle area. When preparing for your Seattle adventure, bring walking shoes, a strong stomach for all the coffee you’ll want to try, and extra cash for this (somewhat expensive) city with a view!
Things to Do in Seattle
Pike Place Market
85 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101
The highlight of Seattle for any food lover has to be Pike Place Market. It’s not just for fish throwing! So many floors of shops and odd places but the food stalls were my favorite part. If you do anything in Seattle, let it be a stop here.
Check out the full section below for a play-by-play of the best places to try!
Chihuly Garden and Glass
305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
One of the most beautiful experiences my eyes have had! The Chihuly art displays are absolutely breathtaking. You will first explore various rooms of colorful displays. Then, visit an outdoor patio and gardens. I felt like the visit was too short – with a limited number of rooms, but the artwork is unmistakably brilliant. There’s a large patio to order a drink and even live music or glass blowing demonstrations available so you could potentially spend more time here. If you are also interested in visiting the top of the Space Needle, you’ll want to purchase a combo ticket to visit both locations.
Space Needle
400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109
Is it worth the $40 ticket to ride to the top? I love an iconic spot so it’s a yes for me! I enjoyed the ride up in the glass elevator, the moving glass floor, and the bar at the top where I enjoyed a cold, locally brewed cider. There are lots of great views, photo opportunities, and the chance to cross this infamous building off your bucket list.
Museum of Pop Culture
325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
One of the most unique buildings in Seattle houses the Museum of Pop Culture. With constantly changing exhibits, each visit is a new adventure. When I attended I was able to see Disney’s Heroes & Villains exhibit, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and an interactive video game exhibit. Though earlier years of the museum focused solely on music, in 2004 they expanded to popular culture opening a superb collection of Science Fiction where you can see popular items like the Terminator, mock aliens and famous lightsabers.
Seattle Aquarium
1483 Alaskan Way Pier 59, Seattle, WA 98101
If the gum wall was the most disgusting tourist spot, then the aquarium was the most disappointing. Maybe because I’ve had the privilege of visiting some amazing aquariums, but I expected more here. Because I visited in 2021 there were protocols put in place like timed entry (which really affected my schedule, but my fault). Upon entry, though, there were way too many people! You could hardly get views at any of the viewing areas. There weren’t many great views to be had even if people weren’t around. I was done in 30 minutes and felt like the entry fee did not represent the experience provided.
Day Trip to Bainbridge Island
If you’ve got time in your schedule and are looking for something a little less nature and a little more Gilmore Girls, consider taking the ferry over to Bainbridge Island for a relaxing day sipping coffee and wine, shopping local stores, and exploring this beautifully quiet area outside of Seattle. Now, it won’t be very quiet on the ferry nor on Winslow St. but I found this island rejuvenated me unlike any other spot after facing the hustle and bustle of Downtown Seattle for days.
Seattle Public Library
1000 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
The Seattle Public Library’s downtown location was a beauty to explore. I spent the first many years of my career teaching children how to read and coaching teachers doing the same. Reading is the key to a great society! It truly saves lives. So, when I saw how supportive the Seattle community is with its reading programs I was blown away. They had so many current titles out that would take WEEKS to get a copy of in Houston. I was able to speak to a librarian and she told me how hard the community works to advocate and fund reading in the city.
If reading isn’t a passion of yours, then you still might consider a quick peek inside. The neon yellow elevators going up EIGHT floors is really eye-catching. They also have a great used book selection, and other bookish goodies in new condition, for your favorite reader as a souvenir or gift. The used books were in extremely good shape and ran only $1 – $3. I couldn’t help myself and had to pick up a few! This building is so versatile, social media stars taking the perfect Instragram-able photo as well as lovers of architecture exploring the beautiful design and natural lighting.
Pike’s Place Market Shopping Guide
Daily Dozen Doughnuts
93 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101
I mean, I haven’t yet found a doughnut I didn’t enjoy but these mini doughnuts are special. As you wait in the long line at Pike Place Market, the smell talks to your stomach first. Then, as you get closer to ordering, you get to watch the tiny rings of dough actually being made. As the anticipation built up, I was finding myself at war trying to pick which flavors I had room in my stomach for. Turns out, you can get a combo with ONE of EACH kind of doughnut being made that day. What a deal! Just remember here, bring cash!
Metsker Map
1511 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
When you’re addicted to travel and find a whole store dedicated to MAPS, you know it’s a good day. Metsker Maps in Pike Place Market (on 1st Ave, storefront) has been open since 1950 and is the largest map store in the Western US. Travel friends, you’ll love just walking around and exploring. Lots of gift ideas for your travel addict friends too!
Pike Place Fish Market
86 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Do you ever surprise yourself when traveling? Normally I am all about the infamous tourist stops but I had a hard time appreciating the Pike Place Fish Market – known for their fisherman throwing huge fish from the ice to the counter. The reality of it is, being the popular entrance, it’s super crowded. They don’t throw fish often, so it’s a lot of people standing around in the way of those walking around, many with strollers too. The employees are there to make money, not just throw fish and take pics, so it just didn’t make much sense to me. There’s so much more to do, see, and taste at Pike Place Market!
Places to Stay
Inn at the Market
This high-end hotel was a total splurge and so worth it as I really wanted to explore Pike Place Market and all the infamous foodie stops in the area. It’s truly lovely in every way with wonderful service; you get what you pay for here. The views of downtown were beautiful from my room, but the best part was the rooftop patio with stellar views of the market, Great Wheel, and Puget Sound. What I loved most was during my summer trip, the lines at the more popular places in the market were LONG and there was hardly any place to sit. Not to mention, I went at during one of the worst heat waves of the year too! So, when I got my sample of chowders, piroshkys, and Beecher snacks I just walked a few (steep) steps to my room and enjoyed them in the air conditioning!
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