This Labor Day weekend, mom and I booked a last minute trip to the Pacific Northwest: a region neither one of us have been to before. Seattle is known for its coffee and gloomy weather, but we were ready to explore all that is PNW city had to offer.
Of course, when Seattle comes to mind, most folks think of the Space Needle or Starbucks, and sure, coffee is great and there are a multitude of places to grab a great brew, but there is so much more than that!
When packing for Seattle, layers is key. We had perfect weather. It only sprinkled a couple times – which for PNW is uncommon, and we even saw the sun each day. It was cooler in the mornings and evenings, but a light sweater was just enough. It was mid 70’s during the days and dipped into the 60’s in the mornings and night.
Check out everything we saw, did, and ate during our long weekend in Seattle.
Where To Stay
We have been on enough long weekend getaways that location is key. Picking a centralized location for a hotel is so important, especially if you are only there for a few days!
The Charter Hotel Seattle, Curio Collection by Hilton
The Charter was the perfect hotel for our long weekend. It was a 5 minute walk to Pike Place Market which is exactly the area we knew we wanted to be in. It was clean, the staff was friendly, has an AWESOME rooftop bar, and you get a $25 voucher each night you stay to use for breakfast, snacks, or on the rooftop bar.
What To Do
I am going to put this in chronological order from when we go to Seattle Friday night and left Sunday afternoon to help plan your possibly itinerary!
Seattle Ghost Tour Pub Crawl
We hopped off the plane, grabbed a bite to eat and then got right to it with exploring. We started our weekend off with a haunted pub crawl. If you have been around for awhile you know that Wendy and I love doing ghost tours in new cities. We stumbled upon this ghost pub crawl and it looked so fun. Spoiler alert: IT WAS!
This haunted tour in Seattle is going to take you inside and around the most haunted bars, hotels, and buildings the city has to offer. You are going to explore the creepy side of Seattle with this 2-2.5 hour walking tour. Drinks are not included, but we stopped at 3 different bars. It wasn’t “scary”, but it was so well done and Nyx was a great guide!
Seattle 101 Free Walking Tour
For our first full day in the city, we started with a walking tour. We love finding free walking tours because we find that the guides put more effort in since they are working simply off of tips. We found the Seattle 101 and it was so well done. We learned so much about Seattle’s history and current day. It was one of the better free walking tours we’ve done in the states!
Space Needle
Going to Seattle and not seeing the Space Needle is pretty much considered a crime. Take the Monorail and it is the quickest and cheapest way to get there. Just $3 one way. We however did not go up to the top of the Space Needle, we just walked past it. I was genuinely more interested in the building that they used in Grey’s Anatomy to be Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Just beside the Space Needle (FYI we did not go up to the top of the Space Needle), you’ll find the glass studio of Dale Chihuly. Whether you’re into art or not, this place is a must-see. Trust me, it was absolutely breathtaking!
The works in Chihuly Garden and Glass are unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life, and the entire space has a whimsical vibe that just pulls you in. Plan plenty of time to soak it all in.
Also in that area is the Museum of Pop Culture. If you are a grunge music, horror film, fantasy film, or sci-tech fan the museum is more for you! I am not the biggest fan of that stuff so it was not a win for me personally.
Capital Hill Neighborhood
The Capitol Hill area has a ton of fun bars and cafes. It is home to the Starbucks Reserve, in my opinion way better than waiting 45 minutes in line at the original Starbucks. It was so cool to see, and you can even have an espresso martini at the bar!
We spent the afternoon wandering down Pike Street in the Capital Hill neighborhood. Popping into stores, and bars it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Here are a few of the must sees in Capital Hill:
- Starbucks Reserve
- Unicorn Bar – carnival-themed bar with over the top decor and fun drinks.
- Capital Cider – enjoy a PNW cider flight.
- The Elliot Bay Book Company – really big, cool book store to explore.
- Glossier – any beauty gurus? This shop was so aesthetically pleasing.
- Molly Moon Ice cream – best ice cream in Seattle!
- Biang Biang Noodles – see below under “where to eat”
Can Can Culinary Cabaret
HANDS DOWN THE BEST THING WE DID ALL WEEKEND! We went to the premiere of their Halloween show – Hitchcock Hotel, and it was so good. Everything about the place was just posh. The red plush chairs, the neon lights, the catwalk. The creative team is composed of professional artists who transform the venue with each new show; masterfully producing choreography, original music, costuming, and more. The shows are also thoughtfully paired with a menu of French Pacific-Northwest inspired cuisine and craft cocktails
It was such a classy burlesque show it was one of the best I’ve seen. The dancers were professionally trained, they were walking down the catwalk, swinging from bars on the ceiling, and interacted with the audience.
Warning: this is a burlesque 21+ show. There is nudity and adult behavior. 10/10 recommend – also perfect for date night, bachelorette/bachelor parties, or go with your mom like I did!
Signature Food Tour of Pike Place Market
Now, we went to Pike Place Market probably two or three times a day, but one thing that we did that was special was a food tour of the market.
The Pike Place Market opened in 1907, and while I’m guessing most locals don’t actually shop here today and it’s more geared towards tourists, it is a must-see. While here, see the iconic fish throwing booth, Pike Place Fish Market, and then wander the alleyways of the market. The market generally opens at 9 am and I’d highly recommend getting there earlier than later as queues start filling up quickly. Also if you want to take pictures with the infamous sign before crowds of people, do so before 9am!
We loved the food tour because we got to skip the lines at a lot of the “popular” food stands and really learn about the history of the market. This behind-the-scenes tour, you get to experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of this historic 100+ year old market. See fish fly, cheese being made, and the “original” Starbucks store. By the end, you will know the best places to eat at Pike Place Market.
Take A Ferry To Bainbridge Island
Taking a ferry in Seattle is just something you have to do! It was actually super cool, and we decided to do a mini day trip (took the 1pm ferry there, and caught the 5:30pm ferry back to Seattle). You only pay one way for the ferry, and the return trip is free.
A quick and incredible scenic 30-minute ferry ride from Seattle, Bainbridge Island is one of the most beautiful destinations in Washington. Downtown is just a 10 minute walk from the ferry. You can also rent bikes, hike, or bring your car over to the island as well. We didn’t have a car, so we only explored the little bit by foot during our afternoon there.
We strolled around downtown wandering in and out of shops, grabbed a bite to eat, and stopped at a couple wineries. See all the details below.
- Proper Fish – Known for Seattle’s best fish and chips we have to give it a try. It was SO GOOD! Definitely compared to the fish and chips I had in London. We ordered to go since it was a long wait, and walked and shopped around until it was ready, and then we grabbed a table and ate inside.
- Eleven Winery – There are 7 wineries on the island, but only a handful are walkable distances from the ferry. Eleven Winery is one of them. We enjoyed a lovely tasting, and they had 3 very cute men pouring the wine. No wonder why this is one of the most popular wineries on the island.
- Fletcher Bay Winery – This is the first winery you will see walking downtown from the ferry. It is attached to Bainbridge Brewing Ale House. So whether beer or wine fancies you, you have both options. They have a wonderful patio and rooftop as well!
- Mora Iced Creamery – This is the spot for ice cream, you can spot it by the line out the door!
Where To Eat
Seattle is a foodie town, and there are so many options to eat!
Must try stalls at Pike Place Market
- *Piroshky Piroshky – absolute must! Russian pastries. The cheese and beef was my favorite!
- Biscuit Bitch – they had a pumpkin pie dirty chai, and it instantly got me ready for fall!
- The Crumpet Shop
- Daily Dozen Doughnut Company
- Pike Place Chowder – ever heard of a chowder flight?
- Mee Sum Pastry – known for their giant puffy hom bow, a fluffy baked bun filled with bbq pork
- Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt
- *Rachel’s Ginger Beer – build your own Moscow mule. I had pink guava and it was 10/10
- *Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – known for their Mac n Cheese
The Pink Door
If you are able to snag a reservation at the Pink Door, do it! We unfortunately were not able to since it was a holiday weekend, but have heard nothing but amazing things about this place! It is not just a restaurant, but a total experience!
Place Pigalle
We did indeed get reservations at Place Pigalle. This is located right behind the famous Pike Fish Company, so not many people know of this spot. It looks over the Puget Sound and has delicious French inspired cuisine with a PNW twist. We had French onion soup (my fav!), mom had the chowder, and then crab cakes that were to die for! This is a great fancier dinner spot. We went here before our Can Can show!
Biang Biang Noodles
One thing to eat in Seattle is Asian cuisine. We read about these super big and fat noodles, and knew we had to try them. The best place to get them is at Biang Biang noodles. They are hand pulled, and SO tasty. However we ordered the mild and they were still so spicy. Our lips were numb after we ate, but it was so worth it.
Breweries to check out!
What are your must sees in Seattle, or what is one place you are dying to try when you visit!?
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