A Guide to Seattle: The Emerald City
Famous for being the birthplace of Starbucks, Seattle in general has a strong coffee presence and culture. The city is also known for the Seahawks, Space Needle landmark and for being a great location for outdoor activities such as kayaking and hiking.
Seattle is called the Emerald City because the city and surrounding areas are filled with greenery all year round, even in the winter due to all the evergreen trees in the area. The nickname comes directly from this greenery. Emerald City also echoes Washington State’s nickname as The Evergreen State (even though the eastern half of Washington is more desert than greenery and evergreen trees).
In this city guide I will give you my recommendations for what to see and do in this beautiful waterfront city based on my recent three day stay.
WHERE TO STAY
Warwick Seattle
ADDRESS: 401 Lenora St, Seattle, WA 98121
COST: $76 per night (price fluctuates depending on the season).
Located in Belltown, Warwick is an ideal spot for first-timers in Seattle as it is smack-dab in the middle of everything you could want to check out. The hotel is walking distance from Pike Street and Moore Theatre, as well as surrounded by bars, coffee shops and restaurants.
On the lower level of the hotel is a spa featuring a pool and hot tub, as well as a small fitness center. Overall, the hotel was modern, clean and I found the staff to be prompt and helpful.
WHAT TO SEE + DO
Pike Place Market
Pike Place is a must-see if you are traveling to Seattle. There is a slew of fresh food and drink options such as seafood, beef jerky, wines and ciders. Watching a fish get thrown at Pike Place Market is part of a tradition. In order to get a fish thrown you must first buy a fish. Occasionally, a fishmonger will throw a fish to a tourist for fun and this was the case for us as we got to see a large fish thrown to a random tourist walking by.
Aside from foods there are a variety specialty stores selling items such fresh flowers, hot sauce, popcorn, fresh produce, candy and more. There are also many restaurants, coffee shops and bars inside and surrounding the market.
The Gum Wall
The gum “wall” much to my surprise was actually a gum alley. The Gum Wall started in the 1990s when local patrons and performers stuck their used gum on the wall. Since those days, the wall has grown piece by piece to cover an enormous expanse of brick and continues to expand down Post Alley. The unique piece of art is an adequate representation of Seattle’s eccentric and charming personality. If you are planning on joining in on this artistical masterpiece, I recommend buying gum/bubble gum ahead of your visit since there aren’t convenience shops close by.
ADDRESS: 1428 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
Original Selfie Museum
Tucked away between Post Alley and Union Street, this stop is a fun one to attend with a friend or group. There are a variety of colorful and creative backgrounds and free props to use. There is everything from a beach background with yellow bathtub to rooms with optical illusions. Overall, the experience was a fun one.
ADDRESS: 92 Union St, Seattle, WA 98101
COST: $25, tickets can be purchased here.
HOURS: Monday’s-Thursday’s 12PM-8PM, Friday’s 11AM-9PM, Saturday’s 10AM-9PM, Sunday’s 10AM-8PM.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Located directly next to the Seattle Space Needle, this exhibit displays the artwork and creations of Dale Chihuly. Chihuly is known by the world as a “glass artist” but the exhibit gives further insight into his background story, inspirations and thought processes behind his masterpieces. Chihuly’s Garden and Glass exhibit was one of my favorite stops in Seattle due to its innovative and out-of-the-box creations that I enjoyed. He is an artist that works without thinking and lets his creativity guide him.
ADDRESS: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109
COST: $37.50, tickets can be purchased here.
The Seattle Great Wheel
The Seattle Greet Wheel is a prominent giant Ferris Wheel standing 175 feet tall. The Ferris wheel is one of the biggest in the US. It is located at the end of Pier 57 and provides views of Elliot Bay and downtown Seattle. Unfortunately because of the rainy weather I was unable to ride the wheel but still was able to enjoy the view in the background.
ADDRESS: 1301 Alaskan Wy, Seattle, WA 98101
Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP)
MOPOP is a museum dedicated to displaying iconic exhibits correlating from their respective eras. Several of the exhibits are based on film and book genres including horror, fantasy and science fiction. There is a Indie Game Revolution exhibition that delves into the past and future of gaming, as well as an entire Guitar Gallery dedicated to legendary guitars and the iconic artists who wielded them. The museum excels at showing the evolution of pop culture through different decades and eras and giving insight into what the future of pop may look like.
ADDRESS: 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
COST: tickets can be purchased here
*Here is a list of MOPOP’s current exhibitions.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery
Just down the road from Starbucks’ very first coffee shop is the Reserve Roastery, a unique experience that offers customers different stations and experiences throughout the roastery. The Arriviamo mixology bar features coffee inspired martinis and cocktails using art and science to create these one-of-a-kind concoctions. The main bar toward the entrance of the coffee shop itself is a work of art, manufactured and handcrafted in New York of solid teak and stone marble.
ADDRESS: 1124 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101
HOURS: Monday’s-Thursday’s 7AM-10PM, Friday’s-Sundays 7AM-10:30PM
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Toffeenut Bianco Latte
Cold brew trio flight which offers three Starbucks Reserve cold brews in three different flavors: Cold Brew, Nitro and Whiskey Barrel-Aged Cold Brew.
Lamplight Books
This hole-in-the-wall bookstore is actually I stumbled upon while exploring the underground stores in Pike Place. The bookstore offers used and vintage classics, poetry, children books and more. If you are a fan of reading or enjoy the classics then it’s definitely worth the stop.
ADDRESS: 1514 Pike Pl # 14, Seattle, WA 98101
HOURS: 10AM-5PM, 7 days per week
Jupiter Bar
This is a colorful and fun stop to add to the mix if you’re looking for something different. The bar features murals from local artists, as well as cocktails, pinball machines, an arcade and pool table. Outside the bar is a fortune telling machine for those who are interested in getting their fortune told by the wise.
ADDRESS: 2126 2nd Ave Suite A, Seattle, WA 98121
HOURS: 4pm-2am, 7 days per week