I should have asked this earlier , but hey
I am up in Seattle for a convention happening and came up a couple days early to explore the area. I was wondering if anyone knew of any places, restaurants or anything that may be interesting to check out while I'm here. I am staying at a hotel next to the airport but traveling out a bit is fine.
One of the places i am thinking about checking out is the Seattle center.
The most obvious touristy thing to do in Seattle is visit Pike's Place Market (86 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101)
Check out the gum wall (1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101) and take some photos - maybe chew some gum and leave your mark :D
The underground tours are pretty cool too (608 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104). Seattle has a pretty interesting history. Not as cool as the underground tours in PDX, but its pretty neat.
If you'd like to snag a photo of a troll under a bridge, then you can visit the Fremont Troll, but it is a bit out of downtown.
The art museum usually has some great exhibitions too. Or you could check out the experience music project and/or sci-fi museum.
...you could say hi to the pope too while you are at it.
Quinn's bistro is my all time recommendation restaurant. I don't know what they do to their burger (besides offer quail eggs for it), but it's one of the best.
Also, scotch eggs. Medium boiled, wrapped in sausage, deep fried and served on a mustard Brussels sprout sauce. Yeah.....
Yeah. I've heard that the Comet Tavern is good too, but I've never been there myself. Perhaps logan, being a new Seattle transplant will weigh in.
Do you have a car?
West Seattle is great because it's less crowded and there are still fun things to do. Capitol Hill is cool but it's not someplace to get lost in. Pike Place is the tourist trap, but has some genuinely cool experiences. A few miles from the airport is Tukwila, which has the Southcenter Mall and has some nice shops in the area.
If you want the most for your money, take the Light Rail to SODO and walk up 6th avenue until you're in Pioneer Square. It's a nice 35 minute walk but you pass the stadiums, the train station, and some parts of "historic" Seattle along the way. Along that route if you go far enough you'll find some good local eateries that don't break the bank.
There are cooler things still.
@Alamar From the sound of it that area up north is where things are to be happening.
@abigfloppyclock Do you mean Quinn's pub?
@Logan No, I have been off and on about maybe renting a car go to out further. One idea was to check out something like a national park and so a short hike but that'll depend if my friends are up for that too.
If you have a decent amount of time you should hop a ferry from seattle to Orcas island or one of the san juan islands.
That is what I would recommend here. Cars are cheap. The Olympic Park is really difficult to get in and out of and it's also really expensive because the boats involved. I would head east on 90 to Snoqualmie Pass (if you have time). It's one of the best places in WA.
Logan - by the way since you are a WA resident now, if anyone good ever plays at the Gorge Amphitheater I highly suggest the drive. The venue is epic
Thanks for your suggestions, i got a good idea now on whats out there to do.
I hear getting Starbucks is pretty epic....
Oh yeah I forgot to mention visiting the original starbucks, which is a . . . starbucks with an emblem on it.
I walked by it... I am a Starbucks hater (their espresso is OK, but I hate their coffee). It's funny to see the original logo and realize that it had to be censored. If the logo was a mermaid ripping people's heads off, there would be no censoring... Anyway, the area if more interesting than the Starbucks, imo. Pike Market is epic.
If you want the best espresso around here check out a place called Monorail. It's usually just a window. That espresso was better than any I had in Europe.
Yeah I should've added a /s for sarcasm on my post :D Starbucks is meh. PIkes Market is great though. You never know where the pig sculptures are going to end up being placed.