During my family trip to the West Coast this summer, I was lucky enough to visit Seattle. “The Emerald City” is somewhere I have wanted to go for almost as long as I can remember (and no, it has nothing to do with being a Grey’s Anatomy fan – although I will admit that didn’t deter my desire!) I have compiled a list of must-see places to visit in Seattle for you! I hope that you find the list interesting and helpful!
- The Space Needle
- Now I think this is quite obvious, but let me explain further. Not only did we visit the space needle and take photos from the ground, we made reservations to eat at the rotating restaurant in the top. Yes, I said ROTATING! Now, it costs $25 to take the elevator to the top of the space needle, whether you are eating at the restaurant or just visiting the observation deck. But if you are eating at the restaurant, they don’t charge you the fee, and technically you are just eating at the restaurant, but if you don’t spend $25 per person on the food and drink, you will still get charged $25. It is a bit confusing, but basically what I’m getting at is this: you are paying the $25 whether you eat or not. So, even though it may make you cringe to pay $28 for a hamburger, you are paying for the experience as well. Our visit, with a table of eleven people, was around two hours. The restaurant rotates once every 47 minutes, so we were able to get great 360° views not once, but twice! After our meal, we were still free to visit the observation deck for as long as we wanted.
- The Public Market at Pike Place
- Another quite obvious destination when visiting Seattle, but oh so many things to see and do there. It is home to the original Starbucks, the famous gum wall, wonderful restaurants, unique shops, and of course, the fish market (see my next bullet point). At the public market, it is just so fun to experience the shops and see people buying flowers, produce, and freshly baked goods. It seems to be a one-stop shop for wanting a variety of fresh and unique food items. City locals really do utilize the market as just that; it is not simply a tourist trap or destination.
- The Fish Market
- Ahhhh, the fish market. Catching a fish at the fish market has been on my bucket list for SO long. It just seemed to me like something that I couldn’t NOT do when I was there. And I did! The documentation of my pure joy can be seen here. In order to catch a fish at the fish market, you must buy something. Thankfully, my mom wanted to get a salmon to have for lunch on the Fourth of July so that was no problem. One of the guys that worked there talked me through the process and how to catch it and not make a complete fool of myself. It actually was very easy to catch – even my aunt and my mom caught one too! This activity is something I would definitely encourage anyone who thinks it looks fun to do while in Seattle.
- Patrick Kerr’s Studio
- Patrick Kerr is an architect from Seattle and he has a studio where he sells prints of architectural drawings he has done of the city. Being an architecture and construction management student, I was so happy to run across his shop in the lower levels of the Public Market. I knew immediately that I was going to purchase a print, and settled on a black and white masterpiece of the Public Market. I have already framed and hung it at home : ) You can visit the website HERE to view his work.
- Biscuit Bitch
- Yes, that is the real-life name of a restaurant located in downtown Seattle! We asked a few of the workers at the fish market for a great breakfast place and they said eating there was a must. It is a tiny hole in the wall, but oh so yummy. It is quite common for there to be a line out the door and man, is it worth the wait. I personally opted for the “Cheesy Pork N’ Bitch” which is described on the menu as “Biscuit and Gravy smothered with Cheddar and Crispy Crumbled Bacon.” Their biscuits were divine and their sausage gravy was actually pretty spicy. Overall, it is a fun and different atmosphere. Would definitely visit again.
Although we did visit and do other things while in Seattle, these are my top 5 things I would undoubtedly visit again if when I go back. I hope you enjoyed!
Until next time,
Layna O'Connor 