Sleepless in Seattle? There is to much to see and do!

Sleepless in Seattle? There is too much to see and do!

One of Bonnie’s favorite places in the U.S. is Seattle!

Take a City Tour

The first thing Bonnie likes to do when she gets to a new place is to take a city tour. It gives you a better feel of the city and you learn the location of all the sites to see. You will learn history about the place you are visiting and some new fun facts about the city you wouldn’t know otherwise.

Bonnie decided to take the Ride the Ducks tour. It’s the second time she has taken it. It’s part truck and part boat so in addition to the city tour, you also get a cruise on Lake Union to see the houseboats. If you are lucky you will see float planes land on the lake too. The views of the Space Needle from Lake Union are good for your photos not to mention you get a nice panorama view of the city. The Ride the Ducks tour is fun, a bit silly, and will give you a good orientation of the city of Seattle.

A few things she learned on this tour

1. There were 212 cruises that departed from the city of Seattle last year.

2.The Washington State ferry system is the largest ferry system in the U.S.

3.Some museums are free on the first Thursday of the month. Here is the list,  freemuseumday.org

4.The Pikes Peak Market is the longest running farmers market in the U.S. and it is 110 years old.

5. There is a wall of gum somewhere in Seattle ew gross!

6. The first Starbucks originated in 1971 and it’s right across from the Pike’s Peak Market. There are approximately 487 Starbucks in Seattle. If there is a line just go around the corner and there is another Starbucks, come back to the original one for your selfie and skip the long line.

7. Fare Start is a restaurant that helps get the homeless off the street by teaching and training them culinary skills. It has an 85% placement rate. It’s part charity and restaurant. It gets great reviews on Yelp too.

8. Amazon employs 40,000 people in Seattle. They are building a new Biosphere dome building to house trees, greenery and endangered species of plants. It is for the employees of Amazon to have an alternative workspace. It’s a dog-friendly environment too.  A guy on the tour said they also have kegs of beer for employees. Amazon sounds like a pretty cool place to work

9. Dogs outnumber children in families of Seattle, our driver said 4 dogs to every 1 child. It’s a dog-friendly city.

Want a great view?

Visit the Space Needle or Columbia Tower’s Sky View Observatory.  The Space Needle has a restaurant if you looking for dining with a great view. You could also go on Seattle’s Great Wheel, a Ferris wheel on Pier 57 of Seattle’s waterfront. Another great place for a great panorama of the city with the Space Needle is Kerry Park, a park that sits on a hillside in the Queen Anne Area. On a clear day, you can get amazing views of Mt. Rainier too. It was rainy and cloudy when Bonnie was visiting.

 Take a Boat Tour or Ferry Ride

You can take a boat tour of Lake Union and see the Ballard Locks or tour Lake Washington and see the beautiful large homes of the rich on Argosy Cruises. Take a ferry to Bainbridge Island and explore the island’s shops and restaurants. It’s only $8.20 for a ferry ticket with a free return back to Seattle according to the Ride the Ducks driver. What an inexpensive day trip from Seattle.

You can even ferry to Victoria, Canada on the Victoria Clipper from Seattle.

Victoria feels like you just flew to England but it’s just under 3 hours by high-speed ferry. If you are in Seattle you must get on a boat! The Puget Sound is a gem in the United States. Bonnie hopes to visit Orcas Island and spend more time on San Juan Island again. It is one of her favorite vacations in the U.S.

See the Houseboats on Lake Union

Take an Underground Tour

Did you know there are underground sidewalks in Seattle? The city of Seattle rebuilt its self on top of its self after a fire in 1889. If you are walking along and notice purple glass squares in the sidewalks it is to provide light to the underground walkways. Bonnie heard great things about the Seattle Underground Tour from a local guy on her Ride the Ducks tour. Although she didn’t have time this trip. It’s a must for the next trip.

Visit the Pikes Place Public Market!

Seafood

Fresh fish is brought here daily and they really do throw fish. There are huge shrimp, scallops, and crab legs that can be shipped right to your home! When you are in Seattle make sure to order Seafood or visit a Sushi restaurant!

Post-Alley (it feels like a secret at the Public Market)

Post-Alley is a cute Alley just up the hill from the market. It is near the Inn at Market and filled with shops and restaurants. 

Hungry and cold from the rain? Grab a cup of fresh chowder from the Pike Place Chowder in Post Alley near the market. Bonnie ordered a sampler to try. She liked the New England Clam Chowder and the Crab & Oyster Chowder the most. 

Like wine? Go to The Tasting Room in the Alley to try Washington Wines. 

Flowers

The market is full of colorful, fresh cut flowers in huge bouquets for only $10 or $20 dollars. Amazing!

Produce

Get your fresh fruit and veggies at the market too. The market provides good food and beautiful colors on the dreary, rainy days in Seattle. It’s got to be the rain that makes the vegetables, fruits and flowers so colorful.

Local Handmade Arts and Crafts

Many artists sell handmade arts and crafts here at the market. From soap, jewelry, coasters and more the Public Market is a great place to shop. The best souvenir you can take home with you on vacation is something handmade by a local artist. It makes an item more special meeting the person that makes it.

Bonnie purchased coasters in Seattle from a local artist. You can buy them direct on Amazon. Because coasters really do make great gifts! If you run out of room in your suitcase just Amazon Prime coasters back home to give to your friends!

Can you tell Bonnie’s favorite place in Seattle is the Public Market? Don’t miss it! There is so much to see and make sure to take lots of pictures! With so much color it is a photographer’s dream.

Where to stay in Seattle

Bonnie has always wanted to stay at the #1 Trip Advisor hotel, The Inn at Market. Why? It’s right at the Pikes Place market and has great views of the Puget Sound. Even if your room doesn’t have a view there is a fifth-floor deck with great views of the Market and Waterfront.

Bonnie purchased wine from Brian Carter Cellar & Chateau Ste. Michelle on her WoodinVille day trip. She enjoyed local Washington wine with friends for a toast before heading out to dinner. You can read Bonnie’s post on WoodinVille.  It was the perfect way to celebrate with friends in Seattle! What a view from the 5th-floor patio level at the Inn at Market. It’s the perfect place to sip wine away from the other tourists!

The Inn at Market Room was nicely decorated and spacious. Room 307 is a nice corner room. Bonnie would suggest a higher floor for the best views. The sheets and pillows were so luxurious it was hard to get out of bed. Great room, nice and bright with the large windows. Bonnie would definitely stay here again. You can’t beat the location!

Seattle Day Trips

Seattle is a great base for exploring day trips outside of Seattle. Woodinville is only 30 minutes away if you love tasting wines. Wine tours are offered from the city or you can take an Uber.

In the summer you can do a day trip Whale watch tour to San Juan Island. Bonnie would suggest an overnight trip because the San Juan Islands are truly magical.

If you like waterfalls, Snoqualmie Falls isn’t too far away. Some wine tours include a visit to the falls in their wine tasting trip.

Sleepless in Seattle because there is so much to see and do

Washington is one of Bonnie’s favorite states in the US. Seattle is one of her favorite cities in the US. She has traveled to Leavenworth, Woodinville, Seattle, Bellevue and San Juan Island. Going to Washington is always a place on her bucket list to return. She hopes to spend more time in the San Juan islands in the future. She still hasn’t been to Orcas Island or taken a seaplane ride over the Puget Sound.

If you are going to Washington have fun! Share your tips and pictures with Bonnie she would love to hear from you. Washington is always on her travel list. Hope you enjoy it as much as she does.

Bonnie