eats

Local 360 [restaurant]: Farm-to-table, new American restaurant in Belltown. Reco the Duck Patte, Fried Chicken, and the Seattle Slaw to sip.

Nosh the Truck [food truck]: The best fish and chips I’ve ever eaten – and this is coming from someone who grew up in a beach town in Australia. Bonus: the minted mushy peas.

Michou [quick eats]: Small spot in Pike Place Market with quick sandwiches and easy to justify mini doughnuts.

Storyville Coffee Company [coffee]: Ignore that fact that Starbucks was born in Seattle and get yourself a superb cuppa + views over the water.

Top Pot Doughnuts [doughtnuts, coffee]: gourmet doughnuts and a coffee to match.

bars

Fremont Brewing: For your afternoon delight. They have an unbeatable outdoor area, and brews to match. Reco the nitro stout.

explore

Pike Place Market: Ask anyone what to do in Seattle and PPM will make the list. Sure, it’s touristy, but if you’re any sort of foodie you’ll appreciate the freshly caught salmon and produce that line the rows of stalls.

Queen Anne [neighborhood]: One of those neighborhoods where you can’t help but wonder how much the houses cost. Stop by Kerry Park for the best view of Seattle and Mount Rainier.

Fremont [neighborhood]: Dudes with beards seems to be in abundance here. Maybe it’s because of the high concentration of breweries? Go on a Sunday and explore the street market and the Nosh food truck, and follow with a tour of the Theo chocolate factory. Finish the day with a brew at Fremont Brewing.

Olympic Sculpture Park: Grab a dinner to-go and head down to this park at sunset.

University of Washington: Is it weird that I enjoy visiting other college campuses? Not many can rival the manicured grounds and views of this one, especially with Mount Rainier in the background.

Ballard Locks (also known as Hiram M. Chittenden): Watch multi-million dollar boats and salmon (seasonal) swim in and out of the locks. Weirdly satisfying, and and excellent way to spend your afternoon (bottle of wine optional).

Public Transportation + Getting Around

To/from the airport: A light rail system links the airport to downtown. Trains arrive every 6 to 15 minutes, depending on the time of day, and take about 40 minutes to travel between Sea-Tac International Airport and Westlake Station in downtown Seattle. One-way fare for adults ranges from $2.25 to $3.25.

Getting around town: The town has a comprehensive public transport system consisting of buses, streetcars (trams), and a monorail. If you're using public transport multiple times in a day, it's worth getting an all-day regional transit pass. These $8 all-day passes are loaded onto regional transit cards ($5 each) at all ORCA vending machines and are used for unlimited riding on all local public transit (excluding the Seattle Monorail and Washington State Ferries). Transit pass value covers $3.50 per ride.

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft etc.): Also a good, cost-effective option for getting around the city.

Post updated on August 1, 2018.