Travel Guide | Seattle, Wa
I had to make a Seattle travel guide, because I grew up in Seattle, currently live there, and know this area pretty well! I don’t like to hold still, so I have done SO much in Washington, it’s getting harder to find a new experience around here. Despite the rain, I love it here! It’s a PNW paradise - it is so green year round, there are hundreds of beautiful lakes and hikes, and we are right on the Pacific Ocean. There is so much culture here, you’ll find unique experiences and restaurants all over the city and surrounding area. Summer is when Seattle really shines (most of the things I highlight are best done in Summer). However, we have snowy mountains close by, mild temperatures & lots of rainy day activities to fill the long winter days. See below for food, adventures and experiences in Western Washington. I’ve included the best of the best in Seattle proper, the Eastside, and the areas surrounding Seattle, within a couple hours. If you come visit, let me know & we can meet up!
Eat:
Breakfast
Oddfellows Cafe (Capital Hill) - a favorite weekend brunch spot. Lively & crowded, but worth waiting for. They have a beautiful plant jungle on their back patio, my favorite spot to dine. The beignets with jam are spectacular, so are the biscuits!
Cafe Hagen (multiple) - Modern Scandinavian Cafe. Norwegian waffles, breakfast skillets and platters. A great outdoor eating space and a bright plant filled indoor area. Excellent spot to brunch with friends. A place where the food and atmosphere are equally quality!
Meet the Moon (Leschi) - brunch. Get the cinnamon roll french toast with chicken strips - it sounds like too much, but it’s SO good. They are known for their cinnamon rolls & do sell out. Located in the prettiest Seattle neighborhood, right on Lake Washington. Take a stroll along the lake after eating.
The Fat Hen (Ballard) - yummyyy weekend brunch spot. I recommend eating here on a Sunday, so you can hit up the Ballard Farmers Market, the best in Seattle & open year round 9am-2pm.
Tilikum Place Cafe (downtown) - brunch on the weekend. Go for the dutch baby (sweet or savory!). They also serve a fantastic dinner.
Lola (downtown) - breakfast everyday. You have to get the made to order doughnuts. They are also known for their Dahlia Bakery Triple Coconut Cream Pie.
General Porpoise Donuts (multiple) - malasada-style donuts with fillings.
Bakery Nouveau (multiple) - Their twice baked croissants are to die for.
Lunch/snacks
Dick’s Drive In (multiple) - a Seattle classic, for cheap, greasy & old fashioned burgers, fries and milkshakes. Best for late night cravings - they are open until 2am.
Tacos Chukis (multiple) - I crave these tacos, they are the best. So authentic too. Casual, quick lunch.
Other Coast Cafe (Ballard) - small shop with fantastic sandwiches & hoagies. I loveee the Rajun Cajun sandwich. Perfect for quick lunch. Grab to go and take to the Ballard Locks.
Paseo (multiple) - melt in your mouth, Caribbean pork sandwiches. Casual, outdoor seating.
Molly Moon’s (multiple) - a popular Seattle ice cream shop with unique & seasonal flavors. I love their cinnamon & oatmeal cookie dough ice cream.
Lady Yum (multiple) - the yummiest macaroons. Good for any time of day!
Mike’s Shave Ice (all over) - Food truck. Check the schedule online. then chase them down! This is the BEST shave ice I’ve had, ever? Authentic Hawaiian style.
Dinner
Tavolata (multiple) - one of my favorite local restaurants that just opened a location in Redmond, by my house! The pasta dishes are all SO good. The seminola gnocchi is why I go & I stay for the zeppole. They have the best happy hour - everyday from 4-6pm with half off pasta dishes. All of the Ethan Stowell restaurants are worth eat at!
Spinasse (Capital Hill) - if you can get reservations, I highly recommend doing dinner here. Upscale. The pasta is all fresh and handmade. One of the most popular Italian restaurants in the city.
Fogon Cocina Mexicana (Capital Hill) - The place to go for authentic, sit down Mexican food in Seattle!
Homer (Mt. Baker) - can be hard to get into because it’s small, but if you arrive when they open at 5pm, you’ll usually get right in. The yummiest mediterranean dishes! You have to try the homemade pita bread with hummus & the soft serve ice cream for dessert. I rarely get dessert at restaurants, but I make sure I have room for the best soft serve on the planet! This is one of my top favorite Seattle restaurants. It will wow you!!
Bar Del Corso (Mt. Baker) - very popular Neapolitan style, wood fired pizza spot.
Spark Pizza (Redmond) - another delicious wood fired pizza place, in a charming old house in downtown Redmond. The “Honey & Spice & Everything Nice,” and “Buffy the Vegetarian Slayer” are my favorites, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Kanishka (Redmond) - the BEST Indian food we’ve found, anywhere. Great for take-out or dine in. Really, this place is the star of downtown Redmond. I especially love the tikka masala, kabuli naan & triple cheese naan. Fantastic take-out or dine in.
Supreme Dumpling (Bellevue) - Our favorite dumpling spot! Expect a wait. The Dan Dan Noodles are sooo yummy. The whole shopping complex is full of asian restaurants. You can find a little of everything.
DERU (Kirkland) - a regular go-to spot for us. Located in a neighborhood, it’s small and cozy. A chicken pesto pizza, farm salad & slice of chocolate pb cake is all I need! I’m not kidding when I say the choc. pb cake is what I choose for my birthday cake, it’s heavenly. Farm to table, fresh, gourmet. It’s just all so so good and they have more than just pizza. They also have a delicious weekend brunch. Only open during Spring/Summer months for dine it. The rest of the year is take-out only.
JuneBaby (Ravenna) - Gourmet Southern Cuisine. Upscale, sit-down dinner where you can get your fix of biscuits, gumbo and mac n cheese, crafted beautifully.
RockCreek Seafood & Spirits (Fremont) - fresh, gourmet seafood dishes and more. Upscale, outdoor seating. Huge menu with a good variety of fish, meat and pasta. If you like oysters (I don’t haha), definitely go here. Also known for their impressive brunch menu.
Asadero (Ballard) - a highly rated steak house in downtown Ballard, perfect for date night!
MOTO Pizza (multiple) - you have to order & schedule a pick-up time 2-3 months in advance, but if you plan for it, you will not be disappointed! Detroit-style pizza. One of the best pizza’s I’ve had in my life. Get the “Mr. PIG” and “KISS” pizza.
See & Do:
Pike Place Market - It’s definitely a tourist spot, but it’s also a foodies paradise, and a must see! Get some fresh flowers, see them toss the fish & shop the vendors. Here are my food stops at the market:
Jack’s Fish Spot for fish and chips
Rachel’s Ginger Beer
Hellenika Cultured Creamery - holy heavenly greek gelato *some of the best I’ve ever had
Kitchen & Market - the most stunning small grocery store w/grab and go lunch options
Ellenos yogurt - thick and creamy greek yogurt, dessert-like
Piroshky Piroshky
Beecher’s for mac n cheese
Pike Place Chowder for clam chowder in a bread bowl
The Crumpet Shop - tea & crumpets with sweet and savory toppings!
Daily Dozen for mini donuts
Shug’s Soda Fountain & Ice Cream
Pasta Casalinga
Space Needle - if you want to be ultra touristy, take the elevator up to the top & stand on the glass floors to take in the best views of the city.
Volunteer Park Conservatory - Best rainy day activity. Go to Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry after for breakfast or lunch.
Alki Beach - Located in West Seattle, this beach is the best escape from the craziness of the city. There is a fantastic walking/bike trail that goes for miles along the water with views of downtown Seattle. Popular place to play beach volleyball, kayak, or have a bonfire in the sand. I love stopping by Metropolitan Market (the most luxurious grocery store) first to grab some picnic food to bring to the beach - you have to try “the cookie” from their bakery. Or grab some food at one of the restaurants near the water - Marination Ma Kai is a popular & delicious Hawaiian-Korean style restaurant right on the water. Up the road, California Ave also has some of the best food in Seattle.
Hiking - there are countless hikes within a 2-3 hour drive of Seattle. The fire lookouts are awesome, because they have incredible views, and some of them you can sleep in them if you get there early. Be sure to research the passes you need to park and hike. Here are my favorite hikes:
Poo Poo Point in Issaquah (short, close to Seattle, fun to watch the paragliders jump off at the top)
Rattlesnake Ridge in North Bend (quick and easy, close to Seattle)
Lake 22 in Granite Falls (short, moderate hike, very popular)
Lake Ingalls in Cle Elum (BEST for seeing Fall colors/larches)
Colchuck Lake near Leavenworth (Fantastic day hike)
Artist Point at Mt. Baker (FAVORITE snowshoe trail in the winter, & in the summer, you can drive right up to the top and get incredible views!)
Lake Ann at Mt. Baker (near Artist Point, a solid 8.5 mile hike with fantastic views)
Snow Lake at Snoqualmie Pass (another beautiful day hike - see photo of me standing on a log)
Tolmie Peak Trail at Mt. Rainier (crowded, but beautiful views of Mt. Rainier)
Mt. Fremont Fire Lookout at Mt. Rainier (short, easy hike with great views)
Maple Pass on N. Cascades Hwy (Fall colors, plan for a long day as it is far from Seattle)
Blue Lake on N. Cascades Hwy (short, easy hike, far from Seattle)
Park Butte Lookout Trail in Mt. Baker National Forest (great spot to camp!)
Hidden Lake Lookout in Mt. Baker NF (captured in the cover photo of this blog post, best lookout to sleep in, arrive early, far from Seattle)
Winchester Mountain Lookout Trail in Mt. Baker NF (drive to trailhead is treacherous! 4WD is necessary. BEST views for little effort)
Mt. Rainier Day Trip - 2 hours from Seattle. Best in Spring and Summer. You can go to the North side of the mountain, Sunrise. I suggest doing the Mt. Fremont Lookout trail if you go to this side. Or, go to the south side of the mountain, Paradise. From Paradise, there is a easy hike up to the base of the mountain that passes by waterfalls, wildflowers with incredible views all around.
Leavenworth Day Trip - 2 hours from Seattle. Leavenworth is a Bavarian village with authentic German shops and restaurants. It is such a strange, but super fun experience in the Washington mountains. Lots of hiking and climbing nearby. In the winter, there is skiing nearby and for Christmas, Leavenworth is fully decked out in lights and holiday magic. I recommend going to Rhein Haus or Munchen Haus for brats & pretzels, Whistlepunk Ice Cream Co., Argonaut Coffee & Biscuits, Larch Handcrafted Pasta & Coctails, and The Cheesemonger’s Shop.
Deception Pass - about 1.5-2 hrs from Seattle. A good day trip, and a great way to experience the PNW. Beautiful beaches, tide pools, trails, views. Stop at Calico Cupboard Cafe & Bakery in Mt. Vernon for breakfast on your drive up to Deception Pass. You will not be disappointed - they have the BEST cinnamon rolls and breakfast hash. Then drive to Rosario Beach & explore/walk the coastal trail. You can make the journey from Seattle to Deception Pass solely by car, or via the Whidbey Island ferry. I suggest driving the way there, then take the ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo on the return trip. Langley is a small town close to the ferry terminal & is a nice stop, if you have time. If you want to stay the night, “The Captain Whidbey” or “The Inn at Langley” are both excellent hotels.
Tulip Fields in Mt. Vernon - if you are in the area during the month of April, check out Roozengaarde & Tulip Town to see rows of rainbow colored tulips. 1.5 hrs from Seattle.
Take a ferry to Bainbridge - a short 20 minute ferry will take you from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge. No need to bring a car. Just walk on - the main street of Bainbridge is located just a few minute walk from the ferry terminal. Get ice cream from Mora’s, and have a meal at Bruciato pizza.
Take a ferry to the San Juan Islands - Another option is to take the ferry to the San Juan Islands. It’s farther from Seattle than Bainbridge, and you have to drive up north an hour+ to the ferry terminal. It takes some time to ferry to the islands (1-2 hours each way), but the San Juans are worth visiting! I recommend checking out Friday Harbor & Roche Harbor (located on the main San Juan Island). We have done it in a day, but I suggest staying one night, so you have time to explore and enjoy more. You can bring a car on the ferry (be sure to book a reservation because vehicle space is limited), or walk on the ferry & rent a car on Friday Harbor for a day or two.
Cherry Blossoms in early Spring @ University of Washington quad. Head down to University Village after for some food and shopping.
Kayak on Lake Union - rent a kayak for a couple hours from Agua Verde Paddle Club (near UW) & explore the houseboats along Lake Union & experience the best water views of the city. I love doing this in the summer, and getting burritos from the Agua Verde, the restaurant above the paddle club, after.
Green Lake - this lake is a lovely place to walk/ride a bike/skate around on a sunny day. The lake is also nice for paddleboarding, paddleboats and kayaking (they have rentals there).
Gas Works Park - cool spot to picnic & enjoy views of the city, right on Lake Union. Walk around the funky neighborhood of Fremont after - be sure to stop by the Vintage Mall & the Fremont Troll.
Ballard - one of my favorite neighborhoods of Seattle. Lots of good food, good vibes, an area known for their Nordic roots. Check out the the boats and have a picnic at the Ballard Locks or drive down the road to enjoy the sandy Golden Gardens Beach Park.
Discovery Park - huge park on Puget Sound with a rocky beach and light house. Great hiking/walking trails, views and lots of space to explore.
Kirkland Waterfront - 15-20 mins from Seattle. One of my favorite places to go in the summer. Walk around the marina, rent a paddleboard or boat, shop, eat. Lots of beaches with docks to swim and lay out. Lots of outdoor dining nearby. The Wednesday Farmers Market at the Marina is one of my favorite ways to spend a summer afternoon/evening - they always have a good selection of treats.
Bellevue - 10 mins from Seattle. Go shopping at Bellevue Square Mall, or go to the prettiest parks in the area: Meydenbauer Bay Park, located on the lake, you can rent kayaks there, or go swimming. Great spots for kids. Another option is Bellevue Park, a fantastic place to have a picnic (or grab Molly Moons Ice Cream across the street and eat at the park). They also have the most impressive playground I’ve ever seen.