Savoring Seattle: Enjoy the Flow of City and Sea

We started the day walking over to Pike Place Market, which is such a fun way to ease into Seattle. We grabbed fresh fruit from one of the stands and just ate it while walking through, watching the fish being thrown, popping into little shops, and taking it all in.

Of course, we stopped at the original Starbucks for a quick picture, then made our way down to the Gum Wall, a little wild, a little funny, but definitely worth seeing once.

For lunch, we went to Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar, the iconic spot from Sleepless in Seattle. Sitting there overlooking the water with a bowl of clam chowder just felt like the full Seattle experience.

After lunch, we walked down to the waterfront, and wandered over to the Seattle Aquarium, which was such a fun stop, the sea otters alone were worth it.

Right across the street, we popped into Seattle’s Antique Market, and this ended up being such a fun little find. Old phones, soda machines, records, it’s one of those places you can just wander through.

And of course, we couldn’t pass up grabbing some popcorn from Cobb’s Popcorn, which was the perfect snack while walking along the water.

Another day, we headed over to the Space Needle, and it really is worth it. The views are incredible and give you such a great perspective of the city.

Right next door, Chihuly Garden and Glass ended up being one of my favorite stops. The glass artwork is so unique and colorful, it’s something you don’t see every day.

After that, we made our way into the Chinatown-International District and stopped at New Century Tea Gallery. This ended up being one of those unexpected highlights. The owner let us sample so many different teas and took the time to explain where they came from and her history with them.

That night, we went to Din Tai Fung for dinner, ordering soup dumplings, noodles with sesame sauce, wontons and cucumber salad to share, one of those fun, interactive meals that everyone loves.

We ended the night back at the hotel, relaxing after a full day.

We started the day heading out for a whale-watching tour, which was such a highlight. Being out on the water and seeing whales in their natural environment is one of those experiences you won’t forget.

Afterward, we made our way back toward Pike Place Market and walked down to the waterfront for lunch at Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar, right under the Seattle Great Wheel. Sitting outside by the water with seafood and watching everything go by felt like the perfect relaxed afternoon.

That night, we had dinner at Wild Ginger, and this was such a great meal to share. We ordered things like satay, noodles, and flavorful Asian dishes, everything meant for the table and really fun to try a little of everything together.

If you have another day, I would absolutely add a visit to Gas Works Park. It has one of the best views of the city skyline and is such an easy, relaxed stop.

Other great additions if you have time:

• A ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island.

• Visiting Kerry Park for that iconic Seattle photo.

• Exploring Museum of Pop Culture if you want something unique and fun.

• Day trips to Mount Rainier National Park or Olympic National Park.