It's not easy when your best friend moves one thousand miles away but one of the perk is definitely getting to visit them :) My friend Gabriela and I flew to Seattle to visit our friend Sanne and explore the city for a few days! We had so much fun taking in the sights and eating lots of good food. One day, we took a train down to Portland to get some famous donuts and see a new city! It was an amazing trip! I have had a few people ask me about what to do, see and eat while there so I compiled a list of my favorite things to do in the city and how to travel there on a budget!
Travel:
Alaska Airlines - Flying to Seattle through Alaska was SO cheap and the airline still provided really great service! We booked our flights during a special and were able to fly round-trip from PHX to SEA for only $170!
Amtrak - We visited Portland by taking the Amtrak Cascades train which took about 3 hours each way and cost $50 round trip. The train is super comfortable and it's so pretty to look out at the scenery!
Activities:
MoPOP - While we didn't go to MoPOP this trip, I have been before it is such a cool museum. They have exhibits on horror movies, music videos, musicians and they even have a whole floor dedicated to interactive instruments where you can make and record music. Super cool.
Chihuly Glass Museum - This museum is located in the Seattle Center and is full of AMAZING glass pieces by a famous artist. The price is a bit steep for the size of the museum but the work is absolutely breathtaking.
Pike Place - I feel like this one is obvious but I think Pike Place is so much fun! While there is definitely a tourist-y element to it, there is also a lot of local gems like the gorgeous flowers, delicious seafood and all sorts of other goodies.
Ballard Locks - We went the visit the locks in Ballard and I didn't know what to expect but it was so cool! Aside from watching the boats go through the locks, they are also surrounded by a beautiful botanical garden.
Gasworks Park - On our first day in Seattle, we walked to Gasworks Park to see the skyline! The park is the perfect place for a picnic and it's so pretty!
Capitol Hill - Walking around Capitol Hill is a super fun experience. There are tons of cute shops, restaurants and hang-outs all over and it's just a short ride on the link from downtown.
Food:
Din Tai Fung - I've been told on numerous occasions that Din Tai Fung is a must in Seattle and it is so right! The dumplings, noodles and rolls are a bit pricey but super delicious.
Hot Cakes - This dessert stop is ALL lava cakes and chocolate. It is super cute and fun and the lava cakes were to die for. We tried the dark chocolate, the peanut butter and the s'mores and we couldn't pick a favorite.
Cafe Allegro - We met one of Sanne's friends at this coffee shop by the University and it was delicious! It was hidden in a little alley way and it a great place to grab some coffee before adventuring around the city.
Purple - While it was a tad on the expensive side, it was super delicious. The restaurant had a great vibe and a variety of artisan dishes. I definitely would recommend it!
Thai Tom - This was definitely a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The place was hidden by the University, only took cash and was a tiny, tiny place. However, despite the sketchy exterior, the food was absolutely delicious.
Moore Coffee - This coffee shop literally made cute little foam animals in every cup coffee and every single one is different! They also serve a delicious variety of both sweet and savory waffles. Definitely a must.
Pike Place Chowder - This chowder restaurant was hidden away in Post Alley and had a wide array of fresh seafood chowders to choose from. We couldn't decide so we got a sampler platter with clam, crab, oyster and seafood medley.
Hello Robin - Homemade cookies + Molly Moon ice cream, what could be better? Here, you get to pick your cookies and your ice cream to make huge ice cream sandwiches. delicious..
Portage Bay Cafe - Breakfast might be my favorite meal so a good breakfast place is always a wonderful find. Portage Bay Cafe had a self-serve breakfast bar with all of the pancake toppings you could desire along with a wonderful array of other breakfast options
Umi Sake House - BEST SUSHI EVER. Definitely on the expensive side but they have so many unique rolls and exciting things to try. Definitely would recommend to any sushi lovers.
Midnight Cookie Co - We were searching for a late night snack and stumbled upon Midnight Cookie Co! This late night cookie delivery house and cafe had lots of yummy cookies and ice cream, funky music playing and a little TV corner to play Mario with friends. It was so much fun!
Hope this helps anyone planning a Seattle getaway! If you have any questions or want more travel guides, let me know! Enjoy!
