10 Touristy and Non-Touristy Things to do in Seattle

I’ve lived nearly my entire life in California, yet I never ventured to Seattle until last month. I’d even done two rounds of Portland before Seattle! I’d heard stories of the grunge, rain, and coffee—all of which I’m pretty sure I experienced in SF over the last few weeks—so I set out with a girl friend to explore Seattle as equal parts visitor and local and put together this guide of the best touristy and non-touristy things you should do in a weekend.

One of the first things I noticed within hours of landing is that Seattle is sleepy. Neighborhoods are spread out, and thus are their residents, burrowed inside dimly lit bars, cozy restaurants, or the comfort of their own homes. It’s easy to understand the quiet ascent of grunge music here; it’s a land where not a whole lot is going on at any one moment, so you kind of do whatever you want and fly under the radar whether you are good or not.

It’s not that the people of Seattle don’t care. They are just very nice and want people to be happy. In nearly every café, the WiFi password comprised of a motivational phrase like “youarethebest” or “shineoutloud.” They are perfectly content reading in a coffeeshop (that isn’t necessarily Starbucks) for hours on end, or else sneaking us into bottle service after meeting us ten minutes beforehand. It was both of these extremes (or balances?) that allowed me to find the under-the-radar things to do after we’d exhausted the main attractions. For your weekend in Seatle, here’s what I recommend (in no particular order):

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Touristy Things:

Pike Place Market { It’s fun to compare marketplaces in different cities; my main point of contrast is the Ferry Building. Here, comfort foods like Beecher’s Cheese and Piroshky Piroshky reign, as does of course, the first Starbucks ever. Cool to know that exists, not worth waiting in line. }

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room { Actually the cool place to go to learn about how Starbucks coffee is made. They have a nice area to sit at, and one entire side is devoted to… }

Serious Pie { Solid pizza adjacent/inside of Starbucks. Wash it down with a local beer. }

Unicorn { This bar doesn’t make much sense. It’s part tattoo parlor-looking and part carnival-looking, with an entire menu devoted to shots. There are also people walking around with unicorn horns coming out their foreheads. I don’t get it either, but it’s an experience. }

Stateside { The wallpaper here is amazing, and so is their food. The curry noodle soup is a great hangover cure. }

MoPop { Previously called EMP, this museum speaks to my soul on everything I’ve held in my brain that people teased to be useless. It’s pop culture history at its finest, with an obligatory Macklemore and Nirvana exhibit. }

Space Needle { Right next to MoPop so an easy stop. Take your selfie and move on. }

Discovery Park { Not too far from the Space Needle and worth hiking through to burn off brunch calories. On a good day, you can climb up Kerry Park and get a lovely view of the city. }

Walrus and the Carpenter { In North Seattle and some of the best PNW food you’ll have. The oysters are killer. }

Fremont Troll { You are never too old to pose with/like a troll. }

Non-Touristy Things:

Canon { James Beard-nominated for best bar program, the menu is incredibly unique and the best cocktails we drank. Reserve ahead of time and come for dinner too; foie gras and whiskey always a good combination. }

Roy Street Coffee { It’s owned by Starbucks and serves Starbucks coffee, but the entire interior is the original branded so you wouldn’t even know. It makes this feel like a cozy, local café. }

Morsel and Bean { There’s no better way to stay warm than with a variety of biscuits for brunch. }

Brimmer & Heeltap { I’d classify the menu as new British food, with excellent seafood. }

Ballard Farmers Market { Rain or shine, this market is a fun place to stroll through and see what locals are up to. }

Ballard Consignment Stores { Alongside the farmer’s market are tons of little consignment shops. Grab a coffee and window shop for an afternoon. }

Kavu { A local brand of outdoorsy clothing with bright colors. I like their jackets quite a lot. }

Ballard Beer Company { They have tons of local beers to try and a mellow crowd. }

Quinn’s Pub { A solid bar in Capitol Hill to grab drinks and catch up with friends or talk to strangers or both. }

Q Nightclub { It’s not for everyone, but if you want a guaranteed past 2 a.m. night of dancing to untzy music, come on over. }