My trip to Seattle this past weekend was an absolute dream. Not only did I get to see my childhood friend marry her best friend and the love of her life, but I also had the best time exploring one of my favorite cities with my man. From eating iconic meals to experiencing breathtaking views, it was definitely a trip to remember. As I’m typing this blog post, I’m realizing that this was my fourth time in Seattle and fifth time in the PNW. I think the only other place I’ve visited that often is Cancun, which says a lot about my love for this city.
I’m walking you guys through where we ate, stayed, and all of my favorite places that we got to explore in and around Seattle. Our trip was early Friday – late Monday, which was the perfect long weekend and I feel like we were able to squeeze in so much in such a short amount of time
Let’s talk about the hotel. We stayed at the Kimpton Palladian right downtown near Pike Place Market, which was the perfect location. I became a Kimpton girlie after staying at one of their Miami properties last year and booked the Palladian using Chase Sapphire Reserve points. I could (and will) do a whole other blog post on the power of CC points, but for now, let’s stay focused on this experiential hotel. Our hotel reservation included a $100 property credit and breakfast at their restaurant, Shaker + Spear, every morning of our stay. The menu is fantastic with entrees like smoked salmon Benedict and wagyu steak and eggs.
The location is 10/10. We were able to take the Link Light Rail from the airport and were dropped off less than an 8-minute walk from the hotel. You’re in the heart of the city, but it’s still pretty quiet, and it’s walkable to the Market, shopping in Westlake, top-rated restaurants, and it’s a straight shot to Lake Washington and waterfront trails.
Some of my favorite amenities that they offer: complimentary bikes that you can rent to explore the city, they provide post cards and will cover the postage to mail them, social hour every evening with cocktails and snacks, it is a dog friendly property with no breed restrictions or pet fee, and you can request to have a plant in your room to brighten your stay. How stinking cute.
Service was great but nothing extraordinary tbh. Cleanliness was up to par for a 4-star hotel.
When you check in, if you tell them “social sent me,” you’ll also get a little perk. I saw someone on TikTok get a free suite upgrade, but we “only” got a bottle of champagne and a cocktail-making kit.
Let’s talk about things to do. We were there for a wedding, so that occupied our Friday night and most of Saturday, but I love Seattle because there’s so much to do for everyone. Some of my Seattle must-do activities:
- Explore Pike Place Market, duh. I love going on a weekday morning, so it’s not as crowded and you can catch the market before it gets crazy. This could easily be a half-day experience to see the famous (and disgusting) gum wall, shop for souvenirs, and try different foods around the market. A salmon pate piroshky is a must from Piroshky Piroshky. A cheese sampler from Beecher’s will always hit the spot. And of course, you cannot forget to stop by the first-ever Starbucks.
- Take the ferry to Bainbridge Island for the day. The ferry ride in and of itself is a fun experience, and the water + views are truly incredible going to and from the island. We had lunch at Seabird, top-tier oysters. Explored the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and went a little crazy at their museum shopping area. We didn’t stop at Pegasus for coffee this trip, but that’s also a must-do on your island adventure.
- Do alllll of the city touristy things at least once. The Chihuly Garden and Glass is truly fascinating. The Space Needle has the most iconic panoramic views of the city, especially at sunset. You can book both of these experiences as a bundled ticket with Viator and save $$$.
- Explore different neighborhoods like Fremont, Queen Anne, and Capitol Hill.
- Even if you don’t love coffee, Starbucks Reserve Roastery is a 15,000 square foot EXPERIENCE. There are only 6 in the world, so it feels sinful to go to Seattle and not stop in. I promise there’s something for everyone: coffee, pastries, mixology (think espresso martinis), and even a library.
- The wedding was about 45 minutes outside of Seattle in Snoqualmie, Washington, near Mount Si. It was absolutely beautiful.
Even with the wedding, we managed to explore Bainbridge Island, took the Light Rail to Fremont for tacos, ate our way through the market, shopped at Westlake Center, and did a ton of waterfront walking.
Let’s talk about where to eat. Seattle has suuuuch good food, so this is just a quick recap of where we ate this trip and some honorary mentions from previous trips.
- Breakfast: Shaker + Spear because it was included in our stay, but I’d also happily eat here even if it weren’t included.
- Brunch: Bacco Cafe.
- Matcha: Taz Matcha.
- Bainbridge Island: Oysters at Seabird.
- Fremont: Pecado Bueno for the wedding welcome party.
- Around the Market: Pike Fish Bar, Luke’s Lobster, Piroshky Piroshky Bakery.
- Dinner: Wild Ginger (the best duck of my life), Vons 1000 Spirits (not from this trip, but my mom still talks about this place), Duke’s Seafood (also not from this trip, but the waterfront dining is incredible).
If you love oysters as much as I do, no one does it like Taylor Shellfish Farms, and there are locations all over the city.
TIP: Make ChatGPT your bestie. Of course, this blog post and personal referrals go a long way, but don’t sleep on AI. Easy prompt: Copy this entire blog post into ChatGPT + “make me an <x> day itinerary that prioritizes <insert what’s important to you, like cost, location, experiences> and draw inspiration from this blog post”
Keep adjusting your prompts and responses based on the recommendations and your preferences.
I travel SO much and never post any sort of recap, even though I plan the most amazing trips (if I do say so myself). I hope you enjoyed this recap, and if you end up trying any of these restaurants or experiences, let me know in the comments.
xx
