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SEATTLE
DISCOVER MY EXTENDED 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND ITINERARY
In July 2019, I spent 5 days in Seattle with my Dad. Here's my itinerary with my recommendations:
Day 1
Brekky at Hilton Hotel
After arriving late the previous night, I started off my day with some breakfast at the hotel. Since my primary reason for visiting Seattle was to visit my Dad while he was here on business, I got all the business perks at Hilton. Including free breakfast! It was fine… just breakfast. Haha.
Recommendation: Go for it! Free brekky!
Exploring
Pike Place Market
The famous Pike Place Market! Our hotel was very close, so on my first day I wanted to get a feel for what it’s all about. From what I’ve gathered, it no longer serves as a food market for locals but geared to tourists. There are lines everywhere, especially for the first Starbucks. The area is super cute though! Despite being packed with tourists, there are a lot of charming things about Pike Place Market and lots of good places to eat. Recommendation: Go for it! It’s the Times Square of Seattle… you gotta go.
Coffee and USA Women's Soccer Game at Kell's
I popped into Kell’s to work and watch the US Women’s soccer game semi-final. This place was big, but inviting—great place to watch a game! I started off with a coffee then ordered a cider. Recommendation: Eh, if you want to. They serve traditional English/Irish fare… so unless you’re dying to eat some meat and potatoes, you can probably skip it.
Lunch at 6 Arms
I made my way up to Capitol Hill (a neighborhood just north of the Downtown area) and had lunch at the funky 6 Arms. This place was really cool looking and had great pub grub. Recommendation: Go for it!
Coffee at Starbucks Reserve
Across the street from 6 Arms is the Starbucks Reserve. It is a giant building with so many interesting sections and facets. You can see how coffee beans are made and watch the roasting process. They also have a special menu specific to this location. So I ordered a cardamom cappuccino and it was delish! All in all it was a really fun experience. I got my coffee and sat down at a table and worked for a few hours.
Recommendation: Go for it! I thought this was way cooler than the original Starbucks at Pike’s Place. Make sure to check it out.
Dinner at
Kizuki Ramen
In the evening, I met up with my Dad after work and we went back to Capitol Hill for some ramen. It was a cold, rainy day in Seattle (no surprise) so a hot bowl of ramen sounded perfect. This was the highest rated ramen place that I could find, but I was a bit disappointed. The atmosphere was bad and the ramen was just okay.
Recommendation: Skip it.
Day 2
After a free hotel breakfast in the morning, and some more work, I headed to lunch. A friend of mine was totally obsessed with Piroshky Piroshky when he
visited. And there are quite a few different locations. So instead
of waiting in a crazy line at Pike Place Market, I went a few blocks
away and tried it out.
Recommendation: Go for it! This is such a Seattle staple, you
have to try it once. Who doesn’t like pastries?!
Lunch at Piroshky Piroshky
My Dad joined me after work for the Underground Tour of Seattle. This cost $19 and it was really cool! A guide takes you literally underground and talks about what life was like in early days of Seattle’s settlement and other notable historical facts. The old city, like most cities, is underground and we’ve built on top of it—hello Rome?! So, seeing where the bank used to be and where the brothel was that famously saved the whole city from bankruptcy was really cool. Recommendation: Go for it! It was fun.
Underground Tour
We were recommended by our guide to go to Von's House of 1000 Spirits. And it did not disappoint! We got some pink cocktails (because my dad loves pink cocktails) and ordered sourdough pasta, which I had never had before. I love anything sourdough so this was new to me. Recommendation: Eh, if you really like sourdough. This wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, but it was pretty good!
Dinner at Von's
Day 3
Breakfast at Piroshky's
Another Pioshky’s visit, and this time I got the rhubarb tart—delicious!
Recommendation: Go for it!
Kayaking at Agua Verde Paddle Club
It was the 4th of July! And it just doesn’t feel like
the 4th to me unless I’m out on the water. We went
to Agua Verde Paddle Club and rented a double
kayak for an hour or two and paddled along Lake Union.
It was a b-e-a-u-tiful day to be on the water.
Recommendation: Go for it! It was so fun to see all the boats and you get to paddle past the Space Needle. Loved it.
Lunch at Agua Verde Paddle Club
After our leisurely work out, we headed inside for some tacos. It was so very tasty and an incredible cute atmosphere.
Recommendation: Go for it!
4th of July Fireworks
We bought tickets to sit in Lake Union Park for the fireworks for $20. We got lucky and grabbed one of the few tables that were available to sit. Reserved seating in the front of the park was extra. Go early so you can do the same! Recommendation: Go for it!
Day 4
Lunch at
St. Johns
I was dying for something green, so I popped into St. John’s in Capitol Hill. It was a tasty detox salad, exactly what I wanted! Recommendation: Eh, if you have time.
The Great Gum Wall of Seattle
I met up with my friend Damien from Thailand and we headed to the Great Gum Wall of Seattle! Nothing much to see here except thousands of chewed gum on the walls underneath the market. Kinda crazy. Good photo op though! Recommendation: Go for it.
Ferry to Bainbridge Island
We met up with my dad and took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island. Maybe it’s because we didn’t have a car… but Bainbridge Island was really boring.
Recommendation: Skip it.
We went to the number one rated restaurant on the island that was featured on the travel channel… and once again was disappointed. The best part about this restaurant is that the menu is printed like an old newspaper. I love cheesy stuff like that.
Recommendation: Skip it.
Dinner at The Harbor Public House
The Tasting
Room
We walked over to Post Alley (right by Pike Place Market) and went into the Tasting Room for some midday wine tasting. It’s got such a cute atmosphere and it was a lot of fun to try a bunch of Washington wines.
Recommendation: Go for it.
Coffee at
Storyville
As we walked to the ferry, we stopped for coffee at Storyville. Such a cute little place. I had a delicious cappuccino and a cinnamon roll.
Recommendation: Eh, if you’re around.
The Tin Lizzie Lounge
Later in the night, Damien and I met up with some of his friends and went to the Tin Lizzie Lounge. This has a speakeasy/art deco kind of vibe with lots of interesting cocktails. It was cool. But it wasn’t downtown or anything, so it may be hard to get to. Recommendation: Eh, if you’re around.
Day 5
Ferry to Whidbey Island
And we were off onto another island today—but this time we brought the car (smart move). Whidbey Island was so beautiful and has so much to offer. If you like small sea villages and orca whales—this is for you! Recommendation: Go for it!
Langley Village
Our first stop was in the town of Langley. It’s very cute and charming, lots of little shops and cafes. We stopped by the Whale Information Center and learned a little bit about the two populations of Orca whales around Seattle. Loved it.
Recommendation: Go for it!
Fort Casey State Park
Our next stop was at Fort Casey Park. We drove around and stopped to explore the lighthouse overlooking the old fort. It’s Seattle, so no ancient history here, but still pretty cool. Recommendation: Eh, if you have time.
Coffee at Mona's
I grabbed a cappuccino from Mona’s—a cute little sweet shop in the middle of Langley. There was a ton of chocolates and other treats. Worth a visit particularly if you have a sweet tooth.
Recommendation: Go for it!
Lunch at Front Street Grill
Our next stop was in the town of Coupeville. After exploring the wharf, we stopped for lunch at the Front Street Grill. Many people would try the clam chowder… but of course I had mozzarella sticks. Classic. Recommendation: Eh, it wasn’t four stars. But who am I to judge when I ordered fried cheese.
Cinnamon Roll at the Knead and Feed
We walked around the town a bit and stumbled upon a cute bakery called the Knead and Feed. I had a delicious Cinnamon Roll and then we were off. Recommendation: Go for it!
Deception Pass State Park
We paid a fee and parked at Deception Pass State Park—if you want to avoid paying fees you can try your luck at parking along the road, but it’s risky! We followed the soft pathway down to the base of the bridge. Deception Pass is famous for being dangerous… deceptively. Hence the name. It was gorgeous! We climbed to the top of the bridge and looked at the beautiful emerald water, then climbed back down to sit on the beach and enjoy the views from below. Recommendation: Go for it! This was probably the highlight of my trip to Seattle. It’s so pretty!
Live Music at the Conway Muse
After leaving Whidbey Island, we traveled to the nearby town of Conway to see a live band at The Conway Muse. They were phenomenal and the venue was adorable. We had a fantastic time, but just a warning it is about an hour drive from Seattle.
Recommendation: Go for it—if you have a car!
Goodbye Seattle!
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