Fun fact: Seattle has an average rainfall of 38 inches per year. Washington DC has 43. Upon learning this fact a few weeks ago, I felt lost. All my life, Seattle was the rainiest city around. You couldn’t get any wetter or any drearier. Now it turns out there is more rain in my own home city than in Seattle. Who has successfully perpetuated this lie so thoroughly that the thought of Seattle has always provoked a disgusting image of a wet, grey, miserable, unlivable city in my mind, when all along it has so much more to offer? My loathing of incessant rain and apparent propensity to believe stereotypes of US city weather patterns have made me harbor unfair thoughts about Seattle. Sorry, Seattle. You are actually a wonderland, and I take it all back.
Some favorite things about Seattle that should be your favorites, too
Activities
Visit the Space Needle
Okay, so this is a cliché, I get it. It’s a little touristy, fine. The hoards of travel-snobs who could never consider themselves tourists are probably rolling their eyes at this. But it is also what makes Seattle so iconic. Seattle residents themselves have an appreciation for this world famous landmark. I don’t even particularly looove Sleepless in Seattle (sort of unbelievable and cheesy, even for me), but there is a sense of romance about it.
The Space Needle can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, be it a stroll around the artsy Seattle Center, on the way to the monorail that takes you into the heart of downtown, from the tippy top while dining in the rotating restaurant, or from afar while gazing over the killer city skyline from your hotel window. At the time of its construction, the Needle was the tallest building west of the Mississippi and is built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour. If nothing else, it is just a really cool piece of architecture.
Peruse Pike Place Market
My dad is a huge traveler and has been all over the world. He still says that even to this day, Seattle remains one of his favorite cities, and Pike Place Market is his favorite Seattle attraction. I am partial to outdoor markets like these and think they are very representative of the culture of any city. This one is overflowing in produce and has that creepy fish smell wafting everywhere you turn. Seafood consumption is a religious activity here. I WISH I loved seafood because I feel like eating good seafood can be an orgasmic experience, so I am still working hard on acquiring the taste.
Anyway, this market. The oldest continuously operated public farmer’s market in the entire country (impressive, no?). And their founding mentality is that they want to allow customers to “meet the producer,” so every fish, produce, and craft stall is operated by those who made the goods. Very cool mentality if you ask me, and lots of stuff to buy!
Shop at Goodwill
Seems like a strange bit of advice, and trust me, I was skeptical. I have been to Goodwills all up and down the East Coast and I can sometimes find something special, but it’s about as rare as a sunny day in Seattle (or is it a sunny day in DC?? These new rainfall statistics are confusing me). The Goodwill in Capitol Hill is unlike any thrift store you’ve ever been before. The store is huge, clean, well-organized, and full of all kinds of stuff, including some really nice furniture (?? whaaat!). You can spend so much time here just perusing everything, but my favorite thing about it is I think it really just encompasses the laid-back, progressive, crunchy, cool Seattle culture. It’s a really pleasant, comfortable, relaxed vibe throughout the entire city, and this is a great place to come and experience that. Plus, Goodwill is an organization with a cause we should all get behind.
Wander the Waterfront
Seattle can be beautiful, especially on its non-rainy days, and the fact that it’s surrounded by water bodies is a huge part of that. At the moment, a two-story freeway is running along the length of the waterfront, which is a huge eyesore and also blocks access to the waterfront. Seattle is currently working on a multi-year project to raise money in order to move the freeway under the street, rebuild the sea wall of Elliot Bay, and build new parks and paths by the waterfront to make it a place to go, eat ice cream, ride the ferris wheel, and enjoy the beauty of the bay without a nasty rumbling highway drowning out the sounds of children’s laughter. As it is now, the waterfront is still a cool place to go: lots of places to eat and shop and hang out, but the project is promising a very exciting future.
Dopeass Views
Gas Works Park
Formally the Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, Gas Works Park is now a public park located just north of Lake Union. It is a really cool place to come, actually, because, sure, it has this nice view over the water, but it is also unique in that it contains the remains of the last remaining coal gasification plant in the country, which have been incorporated into the park’s aesthetic.
Kerry Park
At the top of a hill overlooking the city sits this tiny little roadside park (much like Mount Washington in Pittsburgh back east). This might be the best place to bring your honey (or your chihuahua) and look out over everything. I love these kinds of places. It’s the small things.
Stuff to See
Fremont Troll
The Fremont troll is, obviously, located in Fremont, a really eclectic and artsy part of the city. It is located under a bridge, originally created in 1990 in an effort to rehabilitate the dirty, sketchy area under the bridge. Coming from DC, which is one of the least artsy cities I have been to, it is cool to see little things like this around this city (and when I say little I don’t mean literally because the thing weighs 6.5 tons and part of it is an actual Volkswagen Beetle. Not so little).
Seattle Gumwall
Not for wimpy germophobes who are skeeved out by other peoples’ spit. Some parts of this wall are several inches thick with gum! That’s a lot of spitty gum! Even if you don’t want to admit to wanting to stop by this revoltingly bizarre attraction, it’s right under Pike Place Market, so it is easy to “accidentally” stumble across if you want to see it for yourself.
Eat & Drink
Red Mill Burgers
Don’t be discouraged by the lack of In N Out burgers all the way up here in the Pacific Northwest (even though my good god, those are some tasty motha fuggas). Red Mill burgers are some of the first burgers I have had that can hold a candle to In N Out burgers. Wowza! Despite the incredibly affordable prices and the relaxed atmosphere, you can tell that these are some quality beefs. A burger here is a must, unless you don’t eat meat in which case you can come and get one of their three veggie burger options (they really did think of everything).
Coffee
Seattle is the coffee capital of the entire country, and drinking copious amounts of coffee until your entire body is buzzing is part of the experience. And they really know how to make it here (never before have I been sucking down every last tasty drop of any cup of coffee because I actually like the taste). See my coffee post for some of the tastiest cups I had while visiting Seattle. Yet another thing to love about coming here.
Browse the best deals on hotels in Seattle here!
What is your favorite thing about this awesome city? What major things am I missing that I need to add to my list for my next Seattle trip? Tell me in the comments!
