By Sunny

When visiting a city for the first time, we tend to go the basic route and hit the touristy highlights.  My theory: if I never get back to that city, there are certain things (usually touristy things) that I want to say that I’ve seen or done.  Sometimes the hype doesn’t live up to the expectations, but on our recent trip to the west coast we were not disappointed.  Here are the delightful highlights of our first trip to Seattle, Washington!

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when planning a trip to a new city.  I find websites to be helpful, but tips from trusted friends and family to be invaluable.  Many thanks to my friend and coworker, Vicki, for all of her expert tips, recommendations,  and occasional Seattle pictures texted to my phone to get me psyched up for the fun!

Seattle Great Wheel: I would not have chosen the Great Wheel as a Seattle activity, but when you are traveling with a kid, any kind of ride is bumped up high on the must-see list. In general, I am not a fan of Ferris wheels.  Not because I fear heights, but because my daughter scares the living daylights out of me with her energetic bouncing, swinging and leaning during the ride.  I swear I suffered nearly three heart attacks on the Navy Pier Ferris wheel last year.  However, the Seattle Great Wheel is different. It is more of an “observation wheel” in which the gondola is completely enclosed.  I repeat, COMPLETELY ENCLOSED!  No stress over your overly energetic, wiggly kiddo!  They are safely enclosed in a temperature controlled gondola!  I actually enjoyed the ride and the view.  We went right before sunset, and the lighting was gorgeous.  It was a great way to take a good look at downtown and the waterfront.  The Space Needle was in perfect view and we had an incredible vantage point for admiring  Elliott Bay.

The Seattle Great Wheel

Pike Place Market: I was most excited about visiting Pike Place.  I had heard so many great things about it, talked it up to MJ, and read the article about it in the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die book. I was nervous that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations.  It was amazing!  We visited three times while we were in Seattle, and the three of us enjoyed it more each time.  The fish throwing is so cool. You can’t help but grin when you hear the fish mongers’ call and response of, “Sockeye!” right before you see fins a-flyin’ over the ice chests and into the awaiting paper behind the counter!  And although the seafood is the main event, the fresh flowers are a close second.  They are colorful, plentiful, fragrant, and beyond reasonably priced.  Buy a bouquet on the first day of your trip and let it brighten up your hotel room for the length of your stay.   The Market also boasts souvenir shops, candy shops, and restaurants.  We ate at both the Sound View Café and Lowell’s Restaurant both of which get their seafood right from the market stands.

Pucker up at Pike Place

Starbucks:  What is known as the “original” Starbucks is located adjacent to Pike Place Market.  The store’s exterior is true to the original design, but  you will know you’re in the right place by the line that wraps around the building.  It’s mainly just a popular tourist spot, but c’mon… it’s the original Starbucks, people! I had to pay homage to the company that made it acceptable to drink milkshakes for breakfast by calling them Frappuccinos.  There were two street performers playing bluegrass-type music outside so I waited in line while MJ cut loose to the music.  Once we reached the counter, we were informed that it would be another 30 minutes for our drinks to be ready.  We decided to skip the coffee and remember our visit with a souvenir mug that we will be able to enjoy for years instead of minutes.

Space Needle: The most recognizable feature of the Seattle skyline has to be the Space Needle.  We bought our tickets online the day before (you can save $3 a ticket this way), and I took a screen shot of the online tickets with my phone.  This allowed us to bypass the rather long ticket line and proceed directly inside to the elevator line. Once at the top, we stepped outside to the very breezy and chilly observation deck.  Even if you are enjoying a dry, sunny day in Seattle, don’t forget the layering pieces when you visit the Space Needle.  You are going to need it!  Despite the sunny 60 degree day, we only made it around the outside observation deck once before retreating back inside to enjoy the view from a less windy location. And in true tourist-trap fashion, we were dropped off in a gift shop upon exiting the elevator on the ground floor.

Other Highlights –

Mount Rainier:   We felt very lucky to get to a good view of the volcano from both the air when we flew in and from the ground as we were taking the light rail back to our hotel one evening.  It seems that due to the changing weather conditions in Seattle, not everyone gets a chance to see its beauty during their visit.

Sound Transit: As you may have read in my Budget in the City post, I am a fan of staying near airports and taking public transportation in order to keep trip costs down.  The Seattle Sound Transit is one of the cleanest, cheapest, and fastest light rail systems that I have encountered.  A day pass was only $6 a person and my 5 year old was free.  There were plenty of stops that made using the rail very convenient for us.  The changing views, especially of Mount Rainier, were awesome.

Stay tuned for the second leg of our trip: Tourist’s Delight: San Francisco!