Coffee, Culture, and Natural Wonders

More of Our Favorite Seattle Hotels

Photography courtesy of Ray’s Café

Uber up to the Ballard neighborhood for Ray’s Café, a dockside restaurant known for its fresh seafood, home-cooked meals, and sprawling balcony with views of Shilshole Bay and Olympic Mountains. Top dishes include pan-seared Alaskan scallops and true cod fish and chips, as well as the clam chowder. Note that the first-floor boathouse is also an option for dinner. 

Head over to The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (more commonly known as the Ballard Locks), a waterway connecting the salty Puget Sound to the freshwater Ship Canal (ballardlocks.org). Here, you can observe the phenomenon of ships being raised and lowered to pass through the locks; stroll through the on-site botanical gardens; and search for salmon on the fish ladder. Mimicking a natural stream, the locks allow the fish to navigate the space by ‘jumping’ through 21 steps, which creates a gently sloping incline and allows the fish to bypass the locks’ dam and carry on their migration despite the elevation differences. 

The National Nordic Museum tells the story of Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Swedish immigrants while championing values like respect for nature (nordicmuseum.org). The permanent collection traces their journey to the United States and presents centuries’ worth of objects, from the replica of a Viking boat to 19^th-century clothing to icons of modern home design. Reflect on what you’ve seen with a Nordic-inspired fika moment (coffee and snacks) at the café, Freya.

Capitol Hill is one of Seattle’s liveliest neighborhoods, a hub for nightlife and for the LGBTQIA+ community. Before bar hopping, you can hit the local boutiques and art galleries. Take a jaunt through the Seattle Asian Art Museum (seattleartmuseum.org), the largest fine art museum in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Volunteer Park, the museum features a massive lineup of historic and contemporary works from China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and additional Southeast Asian countries. While in Capitol Hill, get your souvenir fix by shopping for local housewares and paper goods at Butter Home (butterhomeseattle.com), and get your sugar fix at Sweet Alchemy (sweetalchemyicecreamery.com), known for their small-batch, house-made ice creams.

Natural wine lovers should make a beeline for La Dive (ladiveseattle.com) to sample curated by-the-glass pours, including a handful of locally produced Washington picks. For classic cocktails in an old-school inspired setting—complete with a global spirits tasting room—carry on to The Doctor’s Office, about a 10-minute walk away (tdosea.com).

Jump start the day at Pike Place Market (pikeplacemarket.org) with coffee from Ghost Alley Espresso and fresh-from-the-oven croissants at Le Panier. It's one of America's oldest continuously operating markets and going strong with a host of fishmongers, fresh flower sellers, and specialty food stalls. Highlights include Pike Place Chowder, El Mercado Latino, and Daily Dozen Doughnut Company. 

The Market is also famous for its fish throwing tradition, where local fishmongers toss a purchased fish back and forth prior to wrapping it up for the customer. Although done less frequently post-pandemic, it’s absolutely a sight to behold—and worth trying to experience during your morning visit.

It’s about a 25-minute stroll from Pike Place Market up to Chihuly Garden and Glass, a former amusement park site that showcases the fantastical art of Dale Chihuly (chihulygardenandglass.com). Marvel at the glasshouse’s suspended 100-foot-long sculpture in brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red—and many more glass objects inspired by sea life and nature. The exhibitions extend outdoors to the garden, where the glass artwork complements the plants and flowers. Many other attractions are clustered here, including the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and Children’s Museum, as well as a playground for blowing off some steam. Named The Artists at Play, it features a 30-foot climbing tower, musical instruments, listening stations, swings, and other delights.

Photography courtesy of SWeL Restaurant

For cozy vibes and shareable plates, turn to SWeL Restaurant in Fremont. Founded by Ashleigh McIntire and Ted Clark, the restaurant is committed to delicious, “understandable” food and welcoming hospitality. Highlights include the sautéed calamari and red beet salad, pork chop with Marsala sauce and mushrooms, and fan-favorite flatbread prepared with house-made jalapeño hummus and topped with cucumber and tomato.

After lunch, head to nearby Gas Works Park, a 19.1-acre green space on the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant site (seattle.gov). Be sure to check out the park’s famous sundial, and if traveling with kids, scope out the park’s play barn—or even better, grab a kite and let it fly from the big hill. For water activities, hit Lake Union for kayaking, paddleboarding, or electric boat rentals.

Photography courtesy of Milstead and Co.

Since opening in September 2011, Milstead and Co. has become a favorite for coffee experts and casual aficionados alike (milsteadandco.com). A few steps from Gas Works Park, this third-wave coffee spot highlights rotating brews from local roasteries and makes an appealing place to linger, given the ample indoor seating and beautiful views of the nearby Aurora Bridge.

Follow your passion for sports or live music at one of Seattle’s many well-known venues. You can cheer on the NHL Seattle Kraken or the WNBA Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena, or head to T-Mobile Park to root for the home team, the Seattle Mariners. Catch the resident Seattle Symphony (seattlesymphony.org) at Benaroya Hall or other performing arts and concerts at The Triple Door (thetripledoor.net) or The Neptune Theatre (stgpresents.org). 

Hit the Wing Luke Museum, the sole museum in the country dedicated to pan-Asian art, history, and culture, to learn about the neighborhood, which was settled by Chinese immigrants seeking work in the railroad, lumber, and fishing industries during the late-19th century (wingluke.org). Post-museum visit, pop by KOBO, a woman-owned, contemporary-meets-traditional shop featuring artisanal houseware, porcelain items, and unique gifts crafted by Japanese and local artisans alike (koboseattle.com). For a one-of-a-kind museum stop in the neighborhood, check out the Seattle Pinball Museum, which is home to more than 50 vintage pinball machines (seattlepinballmuseum.com). You’ll also find plenty of tempting places to eat, drink.

For a breath of fresh air with an artistic flair, head up to Olympic Sculpture Park (seattleartmuseum.org) in Belltown. Comprising 9 acres, this free outdoor sculpture museum is run by the Seattle Art Museum and open year round. The Z-shaped park connects a few different native landscapes, including a forest of towering cedars and hemlock, meadows with wildflowers, and shoreline. Explore at your leisure or time your visit to catch a guided tour on weekends at 1pm.