August Destination: Seattle

For my 8th month of travel I chose to visit my good friend, Allyson, up in Seattle. She recently moved back home after living in Los Angeles for awhile. I missed her and always wanted to visit her hometown, so she set up a fabulous variety of things for me to see and do! I was only in town mid-week for 4 days and 3 nights. So, here is my long weekend Seattle Travel Guide recommendations.

Seattle Travel Guide

To Do:

1. Fremont Troll

Fremont Troll | Troll Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

If you are a fan of the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, you may recognize this giant troll sculpture. One scene between Cameron (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) was filmed around this iconic Seattle landmark. 

The sculpture is interactive as visitors are encouraged to climb all over the troll. He is clutching a real Volkswagen Beetle as if he snagged it from the freeway above. The idea of a troll living under a bridge is derived from the Norwegian folklore. 

The Troll was sculpted by four local artists: Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead after the Fremont Arts Council launched an art competition whose partial goal was to rehabilitate the area under the bridge, which was becoming a dumping ground and haven for drug dealers. The piece, built in 1990, won the competition!

2. Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market | Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101 | http://pikeplacemarket.org/

If you look up anything about visiting Seattle, Pike's Place Public Market is on top of the list. It opened in 1907 and is the oldest continuously running farmer's market in the United States. Ten MILLION people walk the halls of the public market per year making it Seattle's most visited tourist destination and 33rd most visited attraction in the WORLD!

Allyson and I arrived just as the vendors were closing down for the day. You'll find everything from fresh produce, jewelry, flowers, comic books to clothing.

Pike Place Fish Market | pikeplacefish.com

The "World Famous" Pike Place Fish Co. draws people from all over the world to see the fishmongers throw fish while working to speed up efficiency. If you are lucky, they may let you in on the fun and toss a fish your way!

3. The Seattle Gum Wall

Gum Wall | 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101

In the same area of Pike Place Market is an alley way covered in gum! It's located just outside the main entrance to Pike Place Market. Go down the ramp on Pike Street (on the other side of Pike Place Nuts if you’re right at the entrance) and hang a left. You’ll spot the gum immediately from there.

Allyson and I purchased some bubble gum from a vendor nearby to stick on the wall. Blow some bubbles, snap some pics, and leave your mark on Post Alley. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. It's both gross and beautiful at the same time.

There are lots of unique spots around the Public Market including the "Original Starbucks." I'm not a coffee drinker, so it was not a 'must-see' on my list. We did stroll by and it was not what I excepted! It's very small, and has the original Starbucks logo with a long line of people outside waiting to purchase their 'original Starbucks coffee.' Seattle is known for their coffee, so I suggest trying a more local spot like Cafe Ladro. I purchased some dark roasted coffee for my boyfriend he says its the best coffee he's ever had!

4. Space Needle

Space Needle | 400 Broad St. Seattle, WA 98109 | www.spaceneedle.com

When you think of Seattle you probably think of the Space Needle. It's shown in every movie filmed in the city and was part of the Frasier logo. It was originally built for the 1962 World's Fair. You can purchase tickets ranging from $32.50 - $37.50 (depending on date and time) to see the newly renovated needle. It features a revolving restaurant called SkyCity if you are feeling fancy. 

The Space Needle is surrounded by many other attractions including: Seattle Children's Museum, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop), Pacific Science Center, International Fountain, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Mural Amphitheater...just to name a few. 

5. Gaswork Park

Gasworks Park | 2101 N Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103

Gas Works Park is a 19 acre public park on the north shore of Lake Union. It was absolutely amazing sitting on the "Great Mound" hill with a view of the Seattle skyline and surrounding neighborhoods. I highly recommend visiting the park for skyline viewing - better than the tiny Kerry Park in my opinion.

Gas Works was the former site of the Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant. The plant operated from 1906 to 1956 and was bought by the City of Seattle for park purposes which opened in 1975. Another scene from 10 Things I Hate About You was filmed on the other side of the plant remains. Remember?! It was the adorable paintball date between Patrick (Heath Ledger) and Kat (Julia Stiles). Sadly, the paintball field is not real - movie magic.

I couldn't help but notice during my visit the insane amount of cranes in Seattle. According to Seattle Times, "Seattle is the crane capital of America for the third year in a row, as construction across the city has rebounded strongly from a relative lull in early 2018." There is tremendous growth happening in this city - despite the high cost of living. I noticed lots of tech nerds living in Seattle *cough* Microsoft & Amazon *cough* which drive up the price of living. Those intelligent software engineers make so much moolah!

6. Kerry Park

Kerry Park | 211 W Highland Dr, Seattle, WA 98119

Kerry Park is a 1.29 acre park on the south slope of the gorgeous Queen Anne Hill neighborhood. This view point features a great view of the Seattle Space Needle, Elliot Bay, Downtown, Bainbridge Island, and occasionally Mt. Rainier. Sadly, when I visited Seattle it was incredibly hazy from a wildfire blowing down from Canada. I grew up hearing about the mountain from my grandpa who was stationed in Fort Lewis. I was pretty disappointed when I was unable to see it. Just means I have to go back and visit again! 

To Eat:

1. The Pink Door

The Pink Door | 1919 Post Alley Seattle, WA 98101| thepinkdoor.net | Yelp

2. Agua Verde Cafe Paddle Club

Agua Verde Cafe Paddle Club | 1303 NE Boat St. Seattle, WA 98105 | aguaverde.com | Yelp

You know it's a good local spot when there is a line out the door. Don't worry, it's an order at the counter place and then you can find a spot with views of the Portage Bay. You can even rent paddle boats after inhaling chips and salsa!

3. Molly Moon's 

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream | mollymoons.com | ½ 1622 N 45th St. Seattle WA 98103

I have the biggest sweet tooth, so I'm always looking for a good dessert place anywhere I travel. Allyson happened to take me to the original Molly Moon's location in the Wallingford neighborhood. If you are similar to Salt & Straw (a Portland ice cream company) it has a similar vibe. Unique seasonal homemade ice cream flavors each month accompanied by their "Always Flavors" that never go away. I tried one of each and It was DELISH!

To Adventure:

1. Green Lake 

Allyson lives in the Green Lake Park neighborhood. I'm jealous how close she is to such a beautiful lake. The newly reconstructed 2.8-mile path around the lake provides a perfect recreational spot for runners, bikers, skaters and walkers.

I happened to visit when the weather was super hot, so there were hundreds of people enjoying the outdoors. Allyson and I rented a paddle boat to enjoy the lake. We happened to arrive just before Hour Hour ended at noon and snagged a 1 hour rental for $16!

If I lived in or around Seattle I would be ALL UP IN these National Parks. Seattle is literally surrounded by them: Mt. Rainier NP, Cascades NP, and Olympic NP. Plus hundreds of state parks, forests, scenic areas, recreational areas, and national monuments. However, most of the National Parks are a bit of a drive from Seattle, so I used the All Trails app to find some closer hikes.

I highly recommend downloading the All Trails app. It is incredibly easy to use and you can search by area or name. Literally hundreds of hikes popped up when I searched right outside of Seattle. I chose something more easy/moderate because I didn't want to get my friend into something crazy. The app allows you to filter by difficulty, length, elevation, rating, what to do (activities on the hike), what to see (example: cave, waterfall, etc), suitability (kids, dogs, wheelchair friendly), route type (out & back, loop, point to point), and the amount of foot traffic on the trail.

2. Twin Falls Trail - Olallie State Park

Twin Falls Trail - Olallie State Park | SE 159th St, North Bend, WA 98045

The Twin Fall Trail was marked as "Easy" on the app with over 1,000 reviews at 4.3 out of 5 stars! Number 1 reason I chose it: waterfalls. You will need to purchase a Discover Pass ($10) in order to park. Remember to leave it on your front windshield of your car. Tip: If you are planning to enter multiple recreational areas, forests, or parks purchase an annual Discover Pass for only $30.

The hike is 3.6 miles out and back with 967 elevation gain closer to the falls. It is dog friendly (on leash) and we saw lots of kiddos on the trail. They may need a hand and lots of rests before getting to the falls due to the large steps in certain areas.

The trail is not marked well. There are lots of mini trials off the main path and I never knew which one to take. Allyson and I ended up on the upper falls trail before we realized it. We made our way back down and found a deck platform built around a tree looking right at the lower falls.

Upper Falls

Lower Falls

I absolutely love waterfalls! They give off so many negative ions, so you just feel so GOOD! Twin Falls may not be the biggest or most 'epic' one I've ever seen, but it was stunning. I highly recommend this hike for everyone (well maybe not grandma). Just show her pictures on your fancy smart phone - she'll love it.