9 Touristy Things to Do While Visiting Seattle

Before visiting Seattle, I used to think of three things: Starbucks, grunge bands and rain. What I didn’t know about was the gorgeous scenery, the amazing farm-to-table restaurants and the cute little farmer’s markets on the weekends. A friend of mine lived in Seattle for two years for college and I’m so glad I finally got to visit her before she moved back! These are some of my favorite touristy things from my long weekend in the Emerald City:

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is quintessential Seattle and probably the visual that comes to mind when most people think of the city. I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if it was the most commonly shared Seattle landmark in social media photos! Before visiting, I thought of the Pike Place Market as mostly a fish market and was surprised to find the large variety of specialty items, crafts and fresh farmer’s market goods available there. I loved exploring the different levels and found some unique gifts to bring home for my family (and myself, of course, haha)!

That doesn’t mean the fish market isn’t a large part of the Pike Place Market. Fishmongers are all over the street level and love to entertain the shoppers – especially the tourists! If you like seafood, I highly recommend eating at one of the restaurants located in the market. There is no place you will find fresher fish and many of the restaurants come with amazing views of Elliott Bay. I had the best fish and chips for lunch at Lowell’s!

Pike Place Starbucks

While at Pike Place Market, you might as well stop into the Original Starbucks! This is definitely a tourist attraction, not a place to hang out over a cup of coffee. There’s almost always a line but it’s well directed and you can tell the baristas are trained to handle the constant flow of tourists! Lining the walls up to the counter are mugs, tumblers and various other memorabilia specific to the original location. You know I stood in line for a chai tea latte and You Are Here collection mug!

Although it is often referred to as the “original Starbucks”, this is not entirely accurate. The first Starbucks was located in Pike Place Market but was relocated later on. So while it is the original Starbucks, it’s not in its original location. However, due to its historical significance, Starbucks uses special design guidelines to ensure it maintains the original appearance with hardwoods, rich leather and rustic charm.

Snoqualmie Falls

I love, love, love water! The ocean, lakes, waterfalls, aquariums: I rarely feel more at peace than surrounded by water. So you can bet Snoqualmie Falls was one of my must-see sites in Seattle. Surrounded by a 2 acre park, Snoqualmie Falls boasts breathtaking views from the observation deck of the 270 foot falls and it’s scenic foliage.

Snoqualmie was named for the Snoqualmie Tribe, Native Americans who used the upper river as a meeting and trade place for the people of their nearby villages. The Snoqualmie Tribe was a subgroup of the Coast Salish and were known as “people of the moon”. The Salish word for moon is “sah-KOH-koh” or “Sdob-dwahibbluh” which, pronounced in English, is Snoqualmie.

Hiking

Anytime, I visit another part of the country, I love to explore the outdoors! While Seattle gets a bad reputation for constantly being rainy and overcast, it’s incredibly lush, green and beautiful. We did a pretty mild hike while I was there (I was actually recovering from a recent surgery) but it was still just as breathtaking at the top!

No matter your skill level, Seattle has a trail for you. Discovery Park has a flat trail that loops around forestland and meadows for a total of 2.8 miles. It’s the perfect place to picnic with views of the waterfront and, in the distance, the Olympic Mountains. Snoqualmie Park, home of Snoqualmie Falls, also has a great family-friendly hiking trail! For other hiking options, head about 30 minutes north. The steep Mount Si is an eight mile trek up 3100 feet while nearby Rattlesnake Ledge offers a scenic, two mile option perfect for beginners.

Ballard Locks

The Ballard Locks, officially known as the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, connect the Puget Sound with Lake Washington and Lake Union. Through a system of swinging walkways, visitors are able to get closer to the locks and watch the process of boats moving through. It’s fascinating to watch as boats line up to enter the locks, then are closed in while the locks raise or drop the water level inside, depending on which direction the boats are heading. Fresh water and salt water are exchanged to preserve the water on either side of the locks. In addition to the process, which takes about fifteen minutes, it’s fun to see all the different types of boats which pass through. I saw everything from fishing vessels to small yachts to boats carrying families.

The Locks are also home to the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden and a 21 step fish ladder. Unfortunately, there was a light rain the day I visited the locks so we skipped the botanical garden but did take time to watch the fish move through the fish ladder. The Locks have a large viewing area that allows visitors to see spawning fish travel through one of the last “weirs”, or steps. Spawning fish climb up the ladder from the Puget Sound to fresh water while young fish swim down to the Puget Sound. Mid to late August is the best time of year to see large fish make the journey. Since I visited in mid-March, I mostly saw sockeye.

Freemont Troll

The Fremont Troll resides underneath the Aurora Bridge in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. The Aurora Bridge was built in 1932 but had become a dumping ground and haven for drug dealers by the late 1980s. Wanting to clean up the area, the city, in conjunction with the Fremont Arts Council, held an art competition. Steve Badanes won the competition with a sculpture of a giant troll, inspired by the folklore of the Billy Goat’s Gruff and numerous reports of troll sightings under the bridge.

Today, this is a top tourist attraction for those wanting to get a photo of (or with!) the troll under the bridge. It’s also popular among children who love to climb up the troll’s giant hands to the top of the sculpture. If you look closely, you’ll notice the car clenched in the troll’s left hand is an actual VW Bug! The day I visited, there was a line of people hoping to get the perfect photo for social media as well as a number of children climbing while their parents supervised over cups of Seattle’s best coffee.

Space Needle

The Space Needle has changed a lot since I was last there! After a multi-million dollar renovation, they now feature two observation decks out of which you can view the city. The Skyriser upper level is open-air and has angled glass that allows the bravest of visitors to lean out over downtown Seattle. The lower level Loupe offers a rotating glass floor that lets tourists float over the city below.

Whisked by elevator 520 feet up in the air, this might not be the best landmark for those with a fear of heights. However, it is totally worth the views if you can manage it! I was able to look in on some of the attractions I didn’t have time for, like CenturyLink and Safeco Field. I can’t wait to go back and try the new rotating glass floor!

Seattle Great Wheel

If you’re not a fan of the Space Needle’s height, you’re really not going to want to ride the Great Wheel. Not only does this 12 minute ride take you up 175 feet in the air, it also extends out over the water of Elliott Bay. Other than the VIP gondola, each of the other gondolas seats 4-8 people. This Ferris wheel, located at Pier 57, is a fun way to get a unique perspective of the Emerald City below.

Ferry to Port Townsend

Port Townsend is the cutest little city on the Olympic Peninsula. To get there, we had to take the ferry across the Puget Sound. Since the ferry can only hold a limited number of cars, we had to wait in line for quite some time but luckily, there was a coffee shop on the corner where we were able to get breakfast to go. Once on the ferry, there were multiple observation decks where we could take in the views.

Once we arrived at Port Townsend, it was almost like stepping back in time. I absolutely loved the charm of all the Victorian-era buildings! Plus, you won’t find the typical chain stores and restaurants here. The shopping is all locally owned retailers, many selling their own arts and crafts. I had the best coffee from a cozy, waterfront coffee shop and we stopped for lunch at this adorable little restaurant before catching the ferry back to Seattle.

Let me know your favorite places to visit in Seattle!