Seattle, Washington
Camping! Hiking! Skiing! Sailing! If you’ve got an outdoor hobby, chances are Washington State has you covered. With three incredible national parks, countless alpine lakes, and a killer, sometimes rugged coastline, you’d be crazy to come for a visit and not leave the city. But you could stay in Seattle for a year and never tire of the unique restaurants, live-music acts, charming neighborhoods, and bustling markets. Add to all of that epic views of the Olympics, Mount Rainier, and the Puget Sound, and well, if you don’t make it out of the city limits, we understand.
Know Before You Go
Grunge is Gone
With the exception of the Space Needle, almost none of Seattle looks like it did in its grunge days, but audiophiles still flock here. If you’re looking to dip a toe in, you could check out one of several big-act music festivals or pay the famous KEXP studios a visit; if you want to go all in, may we suggest you look for Curt Cobain’s house or Jimi Hendrix’s grave? Eddie Vedder’s neighborhood? The apartment complex from Singles?
Trails
The farthest reaches of the US Pacific Northwest are just plain breathtaking. Come to Washington to unplug, relax, and unwind; leave with the smell of campfire permeating every item of clothing you packed. Check out the Washington Trails Association website for tons of up-to-date info on basically every trail in the state.
Camping
Destinations like Mount Rainier can get extremely crowded when it comes to camping. If you’re up for a backroads adventure, consider picking up a Gazetteer atlas to discover forest service territories near park entrances, where you can find a perfect spot for your tent and enjoy nature in solitude. (But you have to clean up before you leave and obey strict campfire guidelines.)
P.S. Looking for a park with way fewer people? Check out North Cascades National Park, situated along the gorgeous Mountain Loop Highway and, somehow, ranked the third-least-visited national park in the country.
Hoofing It
Any local will tell you that rush-hour traffic – and parking at any time of day – can be tough in Seattle. (The streets themselves are pretty crazy, too; you’ll see.) But the city’s neighborhoods were designed to be little capsules of everything you need and can access on foot. If you’re wary of driving, ditch the car altogether.
Foodies
If a foodie vacation is what you’re looking for, look no further. Pike Place Market really is worth a visit, but so are any number of seafood restaurants, local farms, and coffee shops. (So, so many coffee shops.) If you’re not so hot on the oysters-and-salmon diet, fear not! Seattle also has an incredible selection of authentic Asian eats, like báhn mì and Szechuan food, plus an unexpected yet impressive slew of pasta spots.
Summer
The Summer Solstice is kind of a big deal here. Each June, the Fremont neighborhood hosts a solstice parade, complete with a surprisingly popular naked bike ride – which is exactly what it sounds like.
Can’t-Miss Neighborhoods
Fremont
Lovingly referenced as something like the fun neighborhood where Capitol Hill kids move over to once they hit 30, Fremont is lively enough for a (chill) night out or a waterside brunch
Ballard
Tourists love Ballard. Locals love Ballard. This former warehouse/shipyard hideaway is now home to a shocking number of bars, music venues, and shops, plus easy access to water sports like paddle boarding.
Capitol Hill
The party-hearty, always busy, LGBTQ mecca of the Emerald City is full of everything the coolest kids in your school’s visual art program are into. They probably moved here within the last three years.
When To Go
Like Portland and Vancouver, summer in Seattle is a sight to behold – but the secret is definitely out on that front. Instead of planning a trip at peak high season, consider aiming for a time that’s after Labor Day but before Halloween. The crowds will be smaller but the weather will still be great, perfect for a lazy day of market-hopping or a more adventurous day of island-hopping.
Featured Local: Kali Swenson
I'm Kali, a fresh creative with a big picture brain and an eye for small details. I’m an insatiable autodidact exploring food, photography, art, design, technology, and sustainability. I’m especially delighted when one or more of these topics intersect. When not working, I’m usually checking out more library books than I have time to read and cooking adventurous plant-based food.
Kali’s Must-Do’s
SIFF
SIFF (which stands for Seattle International Film Festival) runs a few theaters in town that are forever showing carefully curated, especially meaningful movies. I'm a member and attend the festival as well as see movies year-round. A recent one that stands out is The Farewell, directed by Lulu Wang and starring Awkwafina. Our other beloved arthouse theaters have closed, but SIFF keeps movie-going beyond blockbusters alive in Seattle.
Washington State Ferries
Taking a ferry is an absolute must. It's easiest to go to Bainbridge Island. Once you're there, you can enjoy shops and restaurants within walking distance from the ferry terminal, but the journey there is really the thing. One: It's a ferry! Two: You get a great view of the city and the Puget Sound. Three: You might see orcas! It's very Pacific Northwest. Go out on the deck and let the wind blow through your hair.
Kali’s Recs
Volunteer Park Conservatory
I enjoy walking to think, and though Capitol Hill is generally too hectic for strolling around it to be calming, if you walk far enough toward Volunteer Park a whole new world unfolds. It's green and peaceful. The conservatory is the place I return to again and again because the plants inside are different with every visit. There's always something new to discover, and it feels like stepping into a replenishing oxygen tank after running around the city all day.
La Marzocco
La Marzocco frequently has the best coffee in Seattle because they host a rotating residency of roasters from around the world. It's located at Seattle Center alongside local radio station KEXP with a large public seating area that's equally good for getting work done and catching up with friends.
Junebaby
The only way to eat at Junebaby is to go all in. I'm talking bread, snack, starter, main dish, and dessert. Each course is at delightful as the last, and you won't get a more storied meal in Seattle. Chef Eduardo Jordan deserves every accolade he's been given.
