Are you planning a trip to Seattle? No? Well if not, we’ll give you 10 great reasons why you should! We had the opportunity to visit this amazing city this past July and we found a plethora of awesome things to do and eat that we are excited to share with you!

Seattle Space Needle

The Space Needle is easily Seattle’s most iconic landmark. The space needle stands at a whopping 605 ft tall and includes an observation deck along with a rotating lounge. The cost to go up to the observation deck is about $37.50 per adult. Definitely not to be missed, this attraction provides amazing 360 degree views of the city. 

If you are interested in seeing the Chihuly Glass Exhibit as well, you can get a combo ticket to see both to save on having to pay admission separately. We highly recommend checking that out as well. The package deal is a great value for your money!

Pike Place Market

Perusing Pike Place Market is a great way to spend the afternoon. The market is filled with food stalls, shops, restaurants, flower stands and even wine tasting. The most popular stand to visit in the market is the Pike Place Fish Company. The fish market gained fame by way of its fish tossing fishmongers. And if you can’t take fish on the plane back home, fret not, they accept orders that they’ll ship right to you!

Another popular spot to check out near the market is the very first Starbucks. The line for a cup of joe from this Starbucks can get long, so if you do not want to wait, you can grab a cup of coffee from one of the many other local coffee shops in the city. Seattle is a coffee drinkers mecca, so there are many of these caffeine-laden beverages that can be found all throughout the city. 

Post Alley

Post Alley is near Pike Place Market and hosts an array of restaurants, and is a great street to take a stroll. The area around the market is very lively including Post Alley and it’s definitely not something to miss!

The Gum Wall

Well, we think the gum wall speaks for itself! The Market Theater Gum Wall is a brick wall covered in used chewing gum located in an alleyway in Post Alley under Pike Place Market in Downtown Seattle. It’s so crazy to think a wall covered with old chewed gum could become such a tourist attraction. We didn’t spend much time here, as there isn’t a whole lot to see, other than gum but it was definitely a fun and unique spot to take a few photos – what other city in the world has a gum wall?

Seattle Waterfront

The Seattle Waterfront is lined with lively piers, filled with seafood restaurants, souvenir shops, and attractions like the Seattle Great Wheel, which overlooks Puget Sound. The Seattle Aquarium provides visitors an opportunity to get up close and personal with touch pools that feature sea stars and prickly urchins, as well as learn about puffers and triggerfish, and many other sea creatures native to the region.

We enjoyed the many varieties of seafood offered at the restaurants and the fish was plentiful and fresh. A favorite here are the oysters, which can be found at many of the restaurants , and there are many varieties to choose from, that come from the local waters around Washington State.

Kerry Park (Seattle Skyline)

Kerry Park is a small public park and viewpoint on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. It overlooks Downtown Seattle and is located along West Highland Drive between 2nd Avenue West and 3rd Avenue West. It is considered as one of the best places to get a picture of the entire skyline, including the Space Needle. We came at night and it was pretty busy but was awesome to see the skyline all lit up at night. So gorgeous!

Chinatown-International District

The Chinatown-International District is a bustling hub for Seattle’s Asian-American communities. Noodle houses, sushi spots, dim sum restaurants and karaoke bars line the streets, along with gift shops and markets selling all kinds of imported goods. Historical and cultural exhibits are on display at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. The local hangout spot Hing Hay Park features the ornate Grand Pavilion at its center. You will know you are in Chinatown when you see the arch below.

Root For The Seattle Mariners

Is there anything better than root, root, rooting for the home team? Sure if they don’t win, it’s a shame! When in Seattle, we definitely recommend catching a Mariners game at T-Mobile Park. Nearby T-mobile park you can also watch the Seattle Seahawks football team play at Lumen Field. Seattle definitely has a lively sports scene and we had a blast taking part. One thing to note about T-mobile Park – they do not allow any type of bag inside that is not a clear bag, so either hold your items in your hand, get a clear bag (available for purchase at many stalls along the street heading toward the park) or you will have to leave your belongings in a locker. We had a great time cheering for the Mariners, and although they did not win, we enjoyed the afternoon. What a fun bunch of fans!

Whale Watching Tour (Orcas)

By far our favorite activity in Seattle was our whale watching tour. It had been a dream of ours to see an orca in the wild. Unfortunately we did not see Orca on our first trip out. Knowing that a sighting is not guaranteed, we had the foresight to book more than one tour. With the odds in our favor, we eventually found an Orca pod and spent quite a bit of time with them watching them feed, swim, breach, etc. It was an unforgettable experience and we definitely recommend leaving time for this during your visit to Seattle. Even if you do not see any whales, the scenery along the way is just beautiful. We found Washington State to be among the more pretty and scenic states we have been to. (Huge thank you to Bart Rulon for the amazing shots!)

Chow Down On a Famous ‘Seattle Style’ Hot Dog

Not only is Seattle known for its variety of flavorful coffees and robust seafood, it also boasts its own style of hotdog. Rivaling other hotdog cities such as Chicago, Seattle’s hotdogs are unique and delicious and can be found all over the city! Many stalls line Seattle’s streets well into the night, serving up this meaty treat to bright-eyed passersby. We found the Dirty Dog hotdog stand and the dog was super hot & fresh. Seattle dogs don a long hotdog, sliced down the middle, topped with fried onions and cream cheese. It’s very yummy and we definitely recommend having 1 (or 2 or 3 or as many as your stomach can handle).

We enjoyed our time in Seattle and we know you will too. This is just a small list of some of the best things to do, but these are certainly not the only things to see and do in this Washington mecca. 

If you have been to Seattle, please feel free to give us some suggestions of what you think other travelers would enjoy and if you haven’t been, well what are you waiting for? 

Until we meet again,

your friends at Saif Travels