If you want to make the most of your time in Seattle, then saddle up. We have the itinerary for you! My friend Amanda and I were going to visit our friend Justyna who had moved to Seattle a few months ago. We had 3 days to explore the new city that she calls home, and we packed those 3 days full of the best activities.
Day 1
Hiking Rattlesnake Ledge
Amanda and I arrived in Seattle around noon. We somehow managed to pick the weekend after Seattle received record-breaking snowfall to visit, which made the first thing on our agenda a little difficult.
We drive over to the Rattlesnake Ledge trail completely unprepared. Justyna had told us the snow in the mountains would be gone by now which it was 100% not. We climb the mountain in worn down sneakers, sweatshirts, and bare hands. It was so beautiful but took us a long time. The view at the top was definitely worth it. The hike down was so much worse, I think I slid down on my butt about ¼ of the way.
Night Out (Capitol Hill)
We got dinner at Serious Pie in Capitol Hill before going out. The pizza was delicious and they had cheap pitchers of beer.
We hopped around a few different places- the two that really stick out in my mind are Montana and Hula Hula. Montana is a small, grungy bar filled top to bottom with graffiti and stickers. Very cool spot to check out and take a shot or two before heading over to Hula Hula, the tiki-themed karaoke bar serving up tropical drinks in the cutest tiki glasses.
Day 2
Pike Place Market
It was a late night but we woke up for a free walking tour at the Pike Place Market. This is a must-see spot when in Seattle and I highly recommend taking this walking tour if you want to learn some history, see the most iconic spots, and get some free food samples. Pike Place Market is where the famous fish throwers throw their fish, the original Starbucks served its first cup of coffee, Seattle’s infamous gum wall is located, and where Oprah gets her favorite mac and cheese. Everything in the Pike Place Market is grown or made by the people who sell it. You won’t find any chains in the market unless they originated there (like Starbucks).
Definitely go to Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and get the mac and cheese! It’s to die for. Click here to sign up for the free walking tour!
Columbia Tower
After eating our way through Pike Place Market, we headed to Columbia Tower to get a 360 view of the city. This building is taller than the Space Needle and offers what many say is a much better view. Check it out and feel free to grab a glass (or 2) of sangria as you gaze out over the beautiful lakes and mountains.
Hot Tug
Probably my favorite thing we did in Seattle was the hot tug boat on Lake Union. This was basically a small floating hot tub in the water, equipped with its own motor, a wood burning stove, a speaker, and coolers.
We chose an extremely choppy water day to go out on the boat (of course, just our luck) But I think this made the experience just that much more fun. Waves were crashing into our boat and the water level in the hot tub was almost at the same level as the water surrounding us. We thought we were going to sink and were freezing cold, so we returned back to the dock. Our captain told us that the boats were tested and are actually unsinkable but we still chose to hang out and enjoy our refreshments in the hot tug dockside.
Definitely make this a must when you go to Seattle. It was so much fun! Click here to learn more and book your hot tug.
Sunset at Kerry Park
With wet hair we decided to try to go catch the view of the sunset over the city at Kerry Park. We only lasted a few minutes in the cold but the view was spectacular.
Another Night out (Fremont)
After showers and a quick nap, we went to Fremont and had Mexican for dinner at El Camino. Chips and guac, tacos, and margaritas- we were ready for another night.
We basically went on an impromptu bar crawl down 36th street. Nectar Lounge had a pretty amazing Backstreet Boys dance crew. We ended the night and closed down the bar at Woodksy’s- famous for their shotskis.
Day 3
Whale Watching
We woke up pretty bent out of shape but determined to go see some whales! We found a Groupon for a discount on a whale watching tour out in Everett with Island Adventures. The tour was 3 hours long with the guarantee that you can ride with them for life until you see a whale! Luckily we saw five different gray whales playing and eating in the Possession Sound that day. It was so beautiful with the Cascade Mountain Range as a backdrop. Not something you get to see in Chicago every day!
Recap
We couldn’t have asked for a better time in Seattle (did I mention it didn’t rain once)! Our schedule was packed with some of the best things to do, however, this is not for the light at heart. A lot of Bang! Energy was consumed throughout the trip to keep us going. Peep the shortened version of the full itinerary below.
Full Itinerary
Day 1:
- Hike Rattlesnake Ledge
- Night out in Capitol Hill
- Dinner at Serious Pie
- Bars- Montana and Hula Hula
Day 2:
Pike Place Market
Columbia Tower
Hot Tug Boat
Sunset at Kerry Park
Night out in Fremont
Dinner at El Camino
- Bars- Nectar Lounge, Woodksy’s
Day 3:
- Whale Watching Tour
Leave a Reply