If you’ve learned everything you know about this brilliant city from watching 50 Shades of Grey and re-runs of Frasier, prepare for a shock. Neither was filmed in Seattle. We know. Our illusions were shattered too.
On the plus side, there’s an awful lot more to Seattle than Christian Grey, fine coffee and snooty restaurants.
Read on for 10 amazing things to do in the The City of Goodwill if you are going to be visiting for the first time.
1. Underground Tour
It might seem strange that one of the best ways to see the city is to go under it…but trust us on this. The streets of Seattle were once about 10 feet lower than they are now and you can walk along the abandoned alleyways, guided by knowledgeable (and hilarious) guide,s who will fill you in on the history of the city. If you do nothing else here do this.
2. Space Needle
If your first stop is to head underground – the next should probably be way above it. The Space Needle is the iconic attraction on the famous Seattle skyline and you can buy tickets to go 520 feet above ground to the observation deck. Grab a photo or two of the iconic Space Needle for, arguably, the best view of the city.
3. MoPOP Museum
If you have a geek bone in your body (music, film, sci-fi, anything else) don’t leave the Space Needle area without a visit to the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP).
MoPOP is home to the worlds most immersive pop culture experiences, showcasing iconic moments in TV, rock n roll music, science fiction, and much more. The building is also really impressive.
An example of what you can see here includes David Bowie’s outfit from The Labyrinth. Speechless.
4. Washington Park Arboretum
Take a break from pounding the city streets and relax in the 200 acre slice of countryside on the shore of Lake Washington.
5. Go Boating
If the best aerial view of the city is from the Space Needle, the best view from sea level is, well, from the sea. Jump on the ferry to Bainbridge Island for just $8 and score incredible vistas and, at the right time of year, even the chance to see Orcas!
6. See a Seahawks’ Game
The whole city seems to come to a stop when a game is on, so you might as well join the fun and head on over! The Seahawks are one of the only big American Football teams in the area so the support is amazing and, even if you know nothing about the NFL, it’s well worth an hour or so of your time. Well, more likely 4 hours.
7. Mt Rainier
Mt Rainier is the most glaciated and topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous USA. No we’re not sure what this means either but we think they’re trying to say it’s tall and snowy. In any case, you can reach it on a day trip from the city and it’s a great spot for hiking, skiing, and camping depending on the season.
8. Pike Place
Pike Place Market is Seattle’s original farmers market and a great place to buy locally sourced, artisan and specialty foods. It’s a craft market, a fish market, a restaurant hub, a great place to pick up speciality food and home to the original Starbucks. As you can imagine it’s very easy to lose a morning or 2 in here.
9. Food Tour
Want an excuse to sample Korean pork, crab, clam chowder, cupcakes, salmon, truffles, ice cream, cocktails and wine in one night? If this sounds like your perfect evening then a Gourmet Food Tour of Seattle’s culinary hot spots should be top of your list.
10. Live Music
Some of the greatest ever bands the world has ever seen have come out of Seattle including Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. Seattle has tons of amazing live music venues including · Tractor Tavern · The Showbox · The Crocodile · Paramount Theatre and Neptune Theatre.
Seattle really is one of the best west coast USA destinations, and although it can seem a little out of the way from tourist hotspots like Los Angeles, it really is worth visiting.
