Fall In Love With Your City: A Seattle Staycation

Hey Seattle, ready to fall in love with your city, again? Your lush green scenery, mountains and abundance of cultural activities may have gotten lost in the rain when looking around your town. We have the solution: Take a Seattle Staycation!

Get ready to fall in love, again. Photo by Ryan CC BY

Regardless of whether you have time off and no money to travel or just don’t feel like leaving your backyard — maybe it’s time to spice things up in your Seattle relationship. We know you love your town, and Seattle is all about giving back to its residents.

Lining up for a taste of Oldfellows. Photo by dolanh CC BY

Start the morning off with a coffee in true Seattle-style. Head to Stumptown Coffee at 616 East Pine Street, revered across the US as one of the finest grinds. Grab a couch and watch the people flock in and out. Feeling peckish? It’s only a five minute walk to Oddfellows Cafe & Bar for their delectable brunch and the possibility of grabbing a Stumptown coffee right there. Their Homemade Biscuit & Egg Scramble is the talk of the town.

The ultra cool Experience Music Project. Photo by ewoerlen CC BY

Following brunch, head to the Experience Music Project Museum. This mecca for pop-culture lovers was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and the building was designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Their exhibits, which are so amazing they are frequently toured internationally, cover everything from pop culture, horror and fantasy cinema and video games to costumes. Everyone will get excited about something within these walls!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Take someone out to a Mariner’s ball game. Photo by Chase N. CC BY

Catch the Seattle Mariners at one of their home games. While they’ve never won a World Series, their fans enthusiasm is contagious and for any Seattle resident, you’ve got to come out and support them for at least one game. One more thing: it’s not a baseball game if you don’t buy a hot dog, so in true celebration of all things Seattle, make it a Seattle Dog (with cream cheese for those who aren’t native Seattleites).

Drinks on the Loser

Craft liquor distilled in the heart of Seattle. Photo courtesy of the Sun Liquor Facebook

You might have screamed yourself hoarse, but regardless of whether you’re celebrating the Mariner’s win or lamenting their loss, head to the Sun Liquor Bar and Distillery at 512 East Pike Street. This craft distillery makes their own rum, vodka and gin and then use them to make the tastiest cocktails imaginable.

The industrial army chic of the Ace Hotel Seattle. Photo courtesy of the Ace Hotel

While you could easily head back to home after a long day of exploration, booking a hotel room for your staycation makes the adventure even more fun. You get to enjoy your city without all the stress and mess of dealing with your own space — after all who wants to do laundry on their Seattle staycation?

What to Do

Day 2

Good Morning

Re-live your first memories of Pike Place Market. Photo by K.G.23 CC BY

When was the last time you went to the Pike Place Market? While it may seem a tad obvious, it will bring back sweet memories of your first Pike. Grab a coffee at Seattle Coffee Works up the road at 107 Pike Street before heading in. Bring a big reusable bag and stock up on delicious local organic produce at the Alvarez Farm stand, some jerky at Linds Custom Meats and enjoy the delighted faces of those discovering the market for the first time. Avoid the fish throwing guys and grab some sweet and savory Russian bites for breakfast at Piroshky-Piroskhy — get it to-go and wander over to Seacrest Park for a picnic.

Across the Harbor

Take a step back and admire the Seattle view. Photo by Ryan CC BY

After you’ve devoured all your Pike Place treats at Seacrest Park, catch the West Seattle Water Taxi for an epic view of the Emerald City. Treat it like a harbor cruise and take loads of photos! There’s no shame in appreciating your beautiful city like a tourist, and hey, you’re on a Seattle staycation!

All the Fishies in the Sea

Befriend the octopus at the Seattle Aquarium. Photo by Benjamin Hollis CC BY

Now it’s time to oggle through goggles at the Seattle Aquarium. The aquarium is dedicated to the conservation of the area’s species and the education of how to minimize human impact on the surrounding marine landscape. In the “Window on Washington Waters” you’ll see a glimpse of what’s happening in the waters nearby. There’s also a jellyfish exhibit, some ocean oddities and a Marine Mammals exhibit with some particularly cute otters. If they don’t put a smile on your face, your heart must be made of stone!

The Best Sandwiches in Town

The infamous sandwiches at Honey Hole. Photo courtesy of the Honey Hole Facebook page

The finest sandwiches in Seattle can be found at the Honey Hole at 703 East Pike Street. This hole-in-the-wall serves us fresh slabs of bread and stuffs them with incredible ingredients. The vegetarian sandwiches are mouth-watering for even the most devout carnivores. Work off the sandwich by walking over to the Seattle Central Library.

Kickin’ It at the Library

A perfect rainy day escape. Photo by Ming-yen Hsu CC BY

The awe-inspiring and architecturally magnificent Seattle Central Library is the perfect place to relax and get out of the rain for a couple of hours. With a formidable collection of books and magazines (coming in somewhere over 1.45 MILLION pieces!), grab a hefty pile before flopping down in the Living Room under the wall of windows.

Pinball Wizard

Try your pinball wizard skills out. Photo by J. Nathan Matias CC BY

Kids of all ages will appreciate the Seattle Pinball Museum with over 50 machines on on free play (admission to get in) and two floors of working vintage pinball machines. The location is a random storefront in the international district at 508 Maynard Ave South but this slightly secret location is worth pulling up a Google map for.

Dinner Pho Sho

This dinner is good Pho-sho. Photo by +Russ CC BY

Seattle has a ridiculous amount of Vietnamese restaurants – you should consider yourselves lucky! The local chain Than Brothers serves up some of the best bowls of pho to be had with convenient locations nearby wherever you may have wandered.Their menu is short and sweet, making it easy to pick something mouth-wateringly delicious.

Making it a three-day long weekend? Why not shake things up with another night out-of-the-house at the Thompson Seattle. Considered the new kid on the block (that would be 1st Avenue between Stewart and Virginia), the hotly anticipated luxury outpost of the Thompson group is now open and quickly becoming a landmark around Pike Place.

With an “aviation-inspired DNA” in the building’s design, be treated to soaring views of the Sound and the Market from your room. High threadcount sheets, rainshowers and a chef-curated honor bar spell out “luxury”. If you’re due home before bedtime, why not end your weekend up on The Nest for a rooftop craft cocktail along with small nibbles.

Goodnight and Goodbye Seattle Staycation

Are you dreaming about your next Seattle staycation yet? Photo by Joe Wolf CC BY