Attractions

Seattle Vacation in 48 Hours

We would like to start this post by saying you cannot do Seattle in 48 hours, you can barely do one neighborhood in that time, but realistically not everyone has time to spend months here exploring every nook and cranny. This post is for people who are coming to Seattle for a weekend and need to hit up only the best of the best. 

Friday

You will probably be arriving in Seattle in the late afternoon. We are going to immediately throw you a curve ball and send you up to Capitol Hill. This is one of the best neighborhoods in Seattle for a number of reasons, and you can't miss it. First check out Melrose Market, maybe have a few oysters at Taylor Shellfish Company to keep you until dinner. Then head over to Elliott Bay Book Company, the #1 bookstore in Seattle, to browse their amazing selection with awesome staff to help you find your next favorite book.

After this you can go check out the Jimmy Hendrix statue (air guitar is encouraged). Now you've earned dinner! Here are three options you can pick from depending on what floats your boat: Stateside,  Trove, or Tavolata. Finish the night off with a drink at Unicorn, the wackiest bar in Capitol Hill. 

The Unicorn's decorations are only outshone by their crazy cocktails.

The Unicorn's decorations are only outshone by their crazy cocktails.

Friday's hotspots

Friday's hotspots

Saturday

Rise and shine and put your walking shoes on! Get to world-famous Pike Place Market at 9:00 AM before it gets swamped. Grab a crumpet at The Crumpet Shop and then start exploring. Check out Pike Place Fish (hint: when someone buys a fish they do the famous fish toss), the gorgeous flowers stalls, and grab free samples from many of the shops, including our favorites Ellenos Yogurt and Britt's Pickles. If you grab any food (hint: Piroshky Piroshky or Pike Place Chowder) and want a quiet place to enjoy it we recommend the Urban Garden. It's a bit tricky to find (located down the hallway to the left of Don and Joe's Meats), but a great secret of the market. 

Cute pig welcomes you to the Urban Garden in Pike Place Market

Cute pig welcomes you to the Urban Garden in Pike Place Market

After you have thoroughly explored the market take the short walk down to Seattle's waterfront. The best stretch is between the Seattle Aquarium and Ivar's Acres of Clams. You can take in all the street artists, beautiful views of the Puget Sound, ride the Seattle Wheel, and get some food if you are hungry again. We have details all the best waterfront spots in this post

Miner's Landing and the Seattle Wheel 

Miner's Landing and the Seattle Wheel 

Once you have worked up an appetite grab the water taxi located at Pier 50 ($4.50 one way) and take a short 5 minute boat ride across Puget Sound to get to our favorite seafood restaurant, Salty's, for your quintessential PNW dinner. This place has a fun atmosphere and killer views of the city skyline. Plus the food will make your life complete. 

Saturday's route

Saturday's route

Sunday

Sleep in a little today and then grab a coffee at one of Seattle's MANY coffee shops. Once you have caffeine in hand head over to the Olympic Sculpture Park. This is an extension of the Seattle Art Museum and is a beautiful place to spend the morning. Start at the top (entrance at the corner of Broad St. and Western Ave.) and then wind your way down the main path to the waterfront where you will find the park's newest sculpture (and our personal favorite), Echo. 

Sculptures that double as benches in the Olympic Sculpture Park

Sculptures that double as benches in the Olympic Sculpture Park

From here you can make your way over to Seattle Center, which is a short walk. This park is the most popular in Seattle because of that giant needle people come to see. We recommend getting the joint ticket deal to visit the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit because Chihuly is a mad genius (we did an entire post on this place here). Or if you are here around lunch you can get a free ticket to the Space Needle viewing deck if you eat at SkyCity, the rotating restaurant at the top of the Needle (spend a minimum of $25/guest).

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One of the many spectacular Chihuly pieces in Seattle Center

One of the many spectacular Chihuly pieces in Seattle Center

We also love the EMP in Seattle Center. The EMP's exhibits pay tribute to all types of entertainment (think Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, horror and fantasy films, and the Seahawks) and is well worth the $22 ticket price. 

If you haven't already, grab a quick lunch. Seattle Center's Armory building has lots of options so everyone in the group should be happy. Sometimes there are some pretty delicious food carts hanging out in the area too. You can then take your food and enjoy it by the International Fountain and listen to the music. 

From here head up Queen Anne hill to Kerry Park (you can walk, but be warned, the hill is gnarly). This park has arguably the best views of Seattle and the Space Needle. There also happens to be a delicious ice cream at Molly Moon's just up the street from it, so if you want to make a pit stop on your way we support that decision. 

The views from Kerry Park are phenomenal.

The views from Kerry Park are phenomenal.

Take your photos, eat your ice cream. That's a wrap. Your 48 hours in Seattle is complete and you hit up all the best things! 

Sunday's route 

Sunday's route 

5 Things To Check Out In Snoqualmie, WA

Snoqualmie. The first town name that visitors have to learn to pronounce correctly, right up there with Issaquah and Tulalip. All our neighboring towns have something in common besides their unique Native American names, they also all have great attractions to draw you out of the bustling city. Snoqualmie is our favorite, simply because it has such a variety of things to experience for people of all ages. It is a great town to take family visiting from out of town, head to for a date night, or simply a day with friends. 

1. Check out Snoqualmie Falls - Alright, we have to get the most obvious out of the way first. It's worth the hype (unless we are having a dry season and then it's just like any other waterfall). It's a free attraction, which is always a plus, and the viewing deck is accessible (bring on the strollers and wheelchairs). It has a great review of the history, and you can also hike down to the base of the falls for some really spectacular views to compliment the ones from the viewing deck.

Insider Tip: Go hungry and grab lunch after at Salish Lodge's bar, The Attic. It is right next to the falls so you can just pop in after. The views are kind of awesome. 

The real deal: a steam engine train

The real deal: a steam engine train

2. Visit the Northwest Railway Museum and Ride the Train - This one isn't for everyone. The steam engine is a cool piece of history, and since it is old and authentic, it goes very slowly and the trip is not through a particularly stunning part of the country side. That being said, if you aren't too cool for school, ride the train! It's fun and you get to experience a piece of history in a real way. In addition to the train, you can visit the museum at the train depot. It's small, but if you are interested in the history of the area or love trains, stop in.

Sugary crack. Photo via mrslemontea Instagram

Sugary crack. Photo via mrslemontea Instagram

3.  Grab some ice cream at Snoqualmie Falls Candy Factory - if it's a hot day or you have kids in the group this a great place to stop in for a snack. They have candy, popcorn, and a good selection of ice cream to give you a little (or big) sugar kick. There is a chalkboard wall for kids to enjoy and seating outside for soaking up some sun. 

Sigillo Cellars has a cute atmosphere and great staff! 

Sigillo Cellars has a cute atmosphere and great staff! 

4. Enjoy a wine tasting at Sigillo Cellars - This tasting room is easy to locate and convenient to get to and has friendly service and delicious Washington wine. You can stop in for a short visit or long, depending on what you want. We personally recommend spending some time here (are you surprised? We loves the wine). You can sample all the wine (and then some), have some food, and enjoy the live music they have on most weekends! In the summer the outdoor patio with views of Mount Si make for a perfect night. 

See, that's what we are talking about! Photo via Nyonyoge Instagram

See, that's what we are talking about! Photo via Nyonyoge Instagram

5. Try not to lose all your money at Snoqualmie Casino - It's new and shiny and you can gamble. I don't really think we have to add many more details here except maybe an additional disclaimer to be careful gambling, you are not Rainman and never, ever will be. 

Sidenote: Are we the only people who associate this place with very overplayed tagline? "Seattle's Closest Casino!" Why is that the selling point? Are people who gamble frequently also lazy and do not like to drive? Is it because you will stay here until the buttcrack of dawn and want to drive home quickly to pass out in your piles of money? If you want us to come to your casino tell us about your awesome fountains and sparkly decor, also the buffet.. draw us in with crab legs!

Ok, sorry. Rant over. Other than the sub-par casino tagline, Snoqualmie is a fantastic place to visit! Let us know if you have other favorites in town in the comments below. 

Kubota Garden

Seattle is definitely not short on parks, but Kubota Garden is a different story. It’s special because it’s not actually a park, it’s a garden! Plus, it’s the only one that is a historical landmark in the City of Seattle. This beautiful place was the dream of Fujitaro Kubota, a Japanese immigrant from the island of Shikoku. He purchased 5 acres of land in 1927 and started a garden entirely self-taught (which is pretty amazing to us since we can’t even keep succulents alive). Over time features were added, and the garden expanded to the 20 acres it is today. It was always Fujitaro’s dream that his garden would be open to the public and help promote Japanese culture. After Fujitaro passed away, the City of Seattle was able to purchase the garden and make this dream come true. The garden is now maintained by the gardeners of the Department of Park and Recreation.

The park is a beautiful and peaceful place to take a stroll and admire the Japanese architecture. There are a couple of picnic tables for you to enjoy lunch and a handful of benches throughout. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and the park is wheelchair accessible.

Since no trip to a garden is complete without food (who are kidding…no trip to anywhere is complete without food!), we recommend grabbing some fried chicken at nearby Ezell’s (11805 Renton Ave. S.) or a donut at King Donuts (9232 Rainier Ave. S.).

Emerald Downs + Horse Racing 101

Pull out the big hats, pour yourself a mint julep, and let’s head to the racetrack! Seattle is lucky enough to have Emerald Downs just a short thirty minute drive from the city in Auburn, WA. It’s a thrilling way to spend a weekend afternoon and affordable (only $7 for entry, $9.50 if you want a reserved seat) as long as you don’t get too crazy with those bets.

Now, we know there is an art form to horse racing. Some say it’s important to visit the horses in the Paddocks before the race to size up the animals. Others use the handy “Parker’s Picks” program, which gives you expert advice on which animal is a good choice. Us? Well, we use the very strategic, mostly successful tactic of picking our horse based on his or her name. A Storm In Paris? Sounds like a winner to us. Maggie’s Special? Totally a sure bet. We once won $230 on a $5 bet by choosing a horse named Life is a Joy. It works. Trust us. (Actually, don’t trust us this isn't very good advice).

If you want to place a bet, you’ll need to let the teller know a few things:

1.       Name the race # you are betting on.

2.       The amount of bet you want to place ($2 is the minimum).

3.       The type of bet you are placing.

4.       The number of the horse (don’t give the horse’s name).

It should sound something like this:

“I would like to bet on race #4, $2 to win on horse #3.”

Now, there are a few different kinds of bets. You can bet your horse will win the race (“win”), come in 2nd place (“place”), or come in 3rd place (“show”). If you want to bet your horse will make it in the top three then you say you want “across the board.” This will cost you a minimum of $6, though, as it is $2 minimum per bet.

If you want to get a little more exotic, you can also bet an Exacta (correctly guessing the first and second place), a Trifecta (correctly guessing the first, second, and third place), and the Supertrifecta (correctly guessing the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place). We like to put money on these exotic bets mostly because they are fun to say, but for beginners, we recommend the fairly straightforward bets. Of course, do what you want. We won’t judge. Just don’t mortgage your house or spend your child’s college fun. Standards, people!

Insider tip: Every so often Emerald Downs will host wiener dog races in between the horse races, and this is a spectacle NOT TO MISS. It’s hilarious and chaotic and very, very cute. Emerald Downs also releases Groupon deals quite frequently if you are into making the day even cheaper. Keep an eye out!