Where to wander in Seattle??
Nov 10th, 2006, 04:43 PM
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Where to wander in Seattle??
As I mentioned in another post, I am meeting my husband in Seattle next weekend. He will be working during the days (Fri, Sat, Sun) so I am trying to figure out what to do with myself. I usually don't like the "touristy" stuff and prefer to wander and soak up the city. Are there any funky/cool/fabulous neighborhoods anyone could suggest? I like funky shops, interesting restaurants, wherever I can get a vibe for what the city is like for locals. Any cool second hand shops I should check out? Any other thoughts or ideas are great too. Thanks!
Nov 10th, 2006, 05:47 PM
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Check out Pioneer Square, including the Klondike National Park.
Pike Place Market gets all the tourists, but locals go there too. Have lunch at Matt's in the Market.
Take a bus to Fremont--a neighborhood with some business of the type you like.
Walk up Pike Street to Broadway, checking out shops along the way. Take in a movie at The Egyptian or Harvard Exit--converted from a Masonic Temple and an early 20th Century Women's Club.
Take Bus #2 to Highland Drive, walk west to Kenner Park and take in the famous view of the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, Mt. Rainier. Walk west on Queen Anne Avenue North. Have lunch at The 5 Spot or at the Indian restaurant on the corner of QA Ave N and Boston or at nearby Chinoise.
Walk to the ID--Internatonal District (think Chinatown)--not far from Pioneer Square. Don't miss Uwajimaya--a fabulous Japanese grocery and market with an amazing food court.
For a more up-scale experience, take a bus to Madison Park, look at the shops, and have lunch at Cactus.
Skip the Underground Tour.
Pike Place Market gets all the tourists, but locals go there too. Have lunch at Matt's in the Market.
Take a bus to Fremont--a neighborhood with some business of the type you like.
Walk up Pike Street to Broadway, checking out shops along the way. Take in a movie at The Egyptian or Harvard Exit--converted from a Masonic Temple and an early 20th Century Women's Club.
Take Bus #2 to Highland Drive, walk west to Kenner Park and take in the famous view of the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, Mt. Rainier. Walk west on Queen Anne Avenue North. Have lunch at The 5 Spot or at the Indian restaurant on the corner of QA Ave N and Boston or at nearby Chinoise.
Walk to the ID--Internatonal District (think Chinatown)--not far from Pioneer Square. Don't miss Uwajimaya--a fabulous Japanese grocery and market with an amazing food court.
For a more up-scale experience, take a bus to Madison Park, look at the shops, and have lunch at Cactus.
Skip the Underground Tour.
Nov 11th, 2006, 04:57 AM
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Oh my gosh - so much to see!
Yes, start with Fremont, which is the self-proclaimed Center of the Universe. Visit the Troll, Lenin, the Rocket and the newstand (can't recall the name). Stop in at Peet's for some excellent coffee. Grab dessert at Simply Desserts and Thai food at any one of a number of restaurants. Fremont is the epitome of FUNKY. Lots of shops around here to peruse.
Stop by Alki Beach in West Seattle, walk along the beachfront, enjoy lunch at the Alki Cafe (sit-down) or Alki Bakery (self service) or the famous Spud's fish and chips. Have a coffee at Tully's and sit by the fireplace.
While you're in the area, stop by California Avenue and stop in at all the funky shops there near Alaska Ave. (this cross street area is called "the Junction"). Cupcake Royale is here as is Funky Jane's (excellent consignment shop).
Walk Greenlake (3 miles) if the weather is OK. You'll want to work off all the food I've just suggested you eat
I could go on and on but this will get you started so that you can see the "real" Seattle.
Yes, start with Fremont, which is the self-proclaimed Center of the Universe. Visit the Troll, Lenin, the Rocket and the newstand (can't recall the name). Stop in at Peet's for some excellent coffee. Grab dessert at Simply Desserts and Thai food at any one of a number of restaurants. Fremont is the epitome of FUNKY. Lots of shops around here to peruse.
Stop by Alki Beach in West Seattle, walk along the beachfront, enjoy lunch at the Alki Cafe (sit-down) or Alki Bakery (self service) or the famous Spud's fish and chips. Have a coffee at Tully's and sit by the fireplace.
While you're in the area, stop by California Avenue and stop in at all the funky shops there near Alaska Ave. (this cross street area is called "the Junction"). Cupcake Royale is here as is Funky Jane's (excellent consignment shop).
Walk Greenlake (3 miles) if the weather is OK. You'll want to work off all the food I've just suggested you eat
I could go on and on but this will get you started so that you can see the "real" Seattle.
Nov 11th, 2006, 05:03 AM
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Fremont, already mentioned before, would be my first recommendation for you since you mention funky shops and interesting restaurants. Of the neighborhoods we visited in September, Fremont was our favorite!
Nov 11th, 2006, 07:50 AM
#7
You can come to my neighborhood - 15th Avenue East on Capitol Hill.
Take the #10 bus to the end of the line from downtown and get off at Volunteer Park. Visit the beautiful victorian plant conservatory there. Climb the water tower ("poor man's space needle") if the weather is clear for a 360 degree view. Visit the Asian Art Museum if you are interested.
Now walk a few blocks back down 15th to the shops. Have lunch or a coffee somewhere. There are dozens of places (Jamjuree thai, Jalisco mexican, Olympia pizza, TeaPot chinese vegan, Coastal Kitchen, 22 Doors, Chutney's. There is a good consignment clothing place 'Take Two'. And Casita with imported gift items from Mexico.
This is a neighborhoood most of huge old mansions and very pretty tree lined streets.
Take the #10 bus to the end of the line from downtown and get off at Volunteer Park. Visit the beautiful victorian plant conservatory there. Climb the water tower ("poor man's space needle") if the weather is clear for a 360 degree view. Visit the Asian Art Museum if you are interested.
Now walk a few blocks back down 15th to the shops. Have lunch or a coffee somewhere. There are dozens of places (Jamjuree thai, Jalisco mexican, Olympia pizza, TeaPot chinese vegan, Coastal Kitchen, 22 Doors, Chutney's. There is a good consignment clothing place 'Take Two'. And Casita with imported gift items from Mexico.
This is a neighborhoood most of huge old mansions and very pretty tree lined streets.
Nov 11th, 2006, 07:53 AM
#8
Oh and agreeing with happytrails, take the #11 bus down to the end of the line at Madison Park. It's right on Lake Washington. There's a nice park and beach, shops and restaurants. Spa de Lago is wonderful you could make an appointment for a facial, mani, pedi, or massage. They're open both days on the weekend.
Nov 11th, 2006, 02:55 PM
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Repeating 'happytrails' suggestion:
"Take Bus #2 to Highland Drive, walk west to Kenner Park and take in the famous view of the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, Mt. Rainier."
We did this by car, but it seems equally do-able by bus as suggested. For the rest of your life as you walk through airports and look through travel magazines, whenever you see pictures of Seattle, you will remember standing RIGHT THERE where the photographer stood! That's exactly where the bulk of those Seattle travel pictures are taken. Just a delightful little park and a fantastic view!
"Take Bus #2 to Highland Drive, walk west to Kenner Park and take in the famous view of the Seattle skyline and, on a clear day, Mt. Rainier."
We did this by car, but it seems equally do-able by bus as suggested. For the rest of your life as you walk through airports and look through travel magazines, whenever you see pictures of Seattle, you will remember standing RIGHT THERE where the photographer stood! That's exactly where the bulk of those Seattle travel pictures are taken. Just a delightful little park and a fantastic view!
Nov 11th, 2006, 03:41 PM
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If you're really into funky, check out the University District--lots of funky shops and good and inexpensive restaurants. Also, the UW campus is gorgeous and the nearby Arboredum (sp?) still may have some glorious color. (And think sun, with a little luck you may get a day like today which was brisk, but had sunbreaks and would be fun for exploring.)
BTW, I agree with the other posters, but would add Elliot Bay Bookstore at Pioneer Square and the neat shops around there as well.
Metro has a website if you google Seattle Metro you should get it.
Have fun!
BTW, I agree with the other posters, but would add Elliot Bay Bookstore at Pioneer Square and the neat shops around there as well.
Metro has a website if you google Seattle Metro you should get it.
Have fun!
Nov 11th, 2006, 06:39 PM
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Are you staying downtown? If so, Pike and Pine streets have lots of good, funky shops, restaurants, coffee houses, etc, and it's not a bad walk from downtown. You could hit those streets then keep going east up to 15th and follow Suze's suggestions for that area (ie Volunteer Park). Vivace Roasteria on Denny near Broadway is worth planning a route around. There's a number of secondhand shops in that area:
If you're going on a Sunday, Fremont is a good idea, esp. since you asked about secondhand-you can hit the Fremont Market (though it's smaller this time of year):
http://www.fremontmarket.com/fremont/
"Eat-Shop-Seattle" is kind of a neat book that might be better for you than the average guidebook:
http://www.amazon.com/eat-shop-seatt.../dp/0974732567
If you're going on a Sunday, Fremont is a good idea, esp. since you asked about secondhand-you can hit the Fremont Market (though it's smaller this time of year):
http://www.fremontmarket.com/fremont/
"Eat-Shop-Seattle" is kind of a neat book that might be better for you than the average guidebook:
http://www.amazon.com/eat-shop-seatt.../dp/0974732567
Nov 12th, 2006, 07:59 AM
#16
Agree with the above, that the Pike/Pine Corridor is THE retail area to check out. I feel it is much more, how to say, "current" (than say Fremont district or Broadway also on Capitol Hill which had their hey-day in the past imo).
Nov 12th, 2006, 09:49 AM
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Just a reminder:
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A useful tool to make URL's shorter consequently decreasing the width of posts and making them readable without scrolling side to side. (Friendly suggestion.)
http://tinyurl.com/
A useful tool to make URL's shorter consequently decreasing the width of posts and making them readable without scrolling side to side.
(Friendly suggestion.)
Nov 12th, 2006, 05:02 PM
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i second the book "eat shop seattle" - i have been to seattle twice to visit friends and family, with some time on my own to explore. we stayed downtown both times, and my best guess is that downtown is not the place where most locals congregate - much like a lot of smaller big cities in the US. sure, there are some shops and restaurants, and a lot of people work downtown, but i found much more interesting stuff when i ventured out of the downtown area.
i liked fremont - the stores les amis and impulse were cute, and we had some good gelato at postmark gelato.
i also really liked ballard - it's a bit sleepier, but a but more sophisticated than fremont or capitol hill (which to me felt like a grungy college neighborhood, though it did have a bunch of okay vintage / thrift shops). love the stores souvenir and lucca on ballard avenue, and blackbird was a really cool men's store. i found a great polka dot umbrella at velouria, a little boutique that sold mostly local designers, and had a cupcake at a little bakery/coffee shop across the street (where pretty much every person was on a laptop and not talking to one another - it's microsoft country, i guess! the cupcake had lavender frosting, though, and it was gooood.)
i liked fremont - the stores les amis and impulse were cute, and we had some good gelato at postmark gelato.
i also really liked ballard - it's a bit sleepier, but a but more sophisticated than fremont or capitol hill (which to me felt like a grungy college neighborhood, though it did have a bunch of okay vintage / thrift shops). love the stores souvenir and lucca on ballard avenue, and blackbird was a really cool men's store. i found a great polka dot umbrella at velouria, a little boutique that sold mostly local designers, and had a cupcake at a little bakery/coffee shop across the street (where pretty much every person was on a laptop and not talking to one another - it's microsoft country, i guess! the cupcake had lavender frosting, though, and it was gooood.)
Nov 12th, 2006, 05:09 PM
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oops! accidentally hit post! anyway, i found almost all of these places with that book, not to sound like i am shilling for it or something. i was just impressed with the recommendations. oh, and i think fremont and ballard are pretty close to one another, so you could probably do both areas in the same day.
and if you like modern architecture, i agree that the rem koolhaas-designed library is probably one of the coolest things downtown - really inspiring to wander around in.
and if you like modern architecture, i agree that the rem koolhaas-designed library is probably one of the coolest things downtown - really inspiring to wander around in.
Nov 21st, 2006, 08:40 AM
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Just back from the quick trip and wanted to thank you all for your great suggestions.
christy1, thank you for the Vivace Roasteria suggestion...loved it...twice!
suze, your neighborhood is wonderful. Wandered ALL over the Capitol Hill area, up the the university and back to meet husband for dinner at Jamjuree Thai.
Didn't make it to Ballard area as I am too much of a wimp to walk too much in the cold and rain Sunday. But definately plan on it next time.
Thank you again for all your ideas.
christy1, thank you for the Vivace Roasteria suggestion...loved it...twice!
suze, your neighborhood is wonderful. Wandered ALL over the Capitol Hill area, up the the university and back to meet husband for dinner at Jamjuree Thai.
Didn't make it to Ballard area as I am too much of a wimp to walk too much in the cold and rain Sunday. But definately plan on it next time.
Thank you again for all your ideas.
