Romantic Seattle Vacation – Seattle WA Attractions and Things to Do
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Maureen and I love to getaway to Seattle even for the day, as the distance from Vancouver to Seattle is an easy 3 hour drive on Interstate 5. Although Seattle traffic can get heavy at times, with a little planning you can get around just fine.
There are some interesting things to do in Seattle, and some great areas to relax by the water, shop or sip a cappuccino. Best Time to Visit SeattleSeattle Weather - Being in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle weather, like Vancouver, includes a fair share of drizzle and low cloud from late fall thru to spring. But the temperatures are quite mild through the winter, and summer brings generally sunny and warm but rarely hot days. Overall, the best weather for your Seattle vacation would be between May and October.Seattle Attractions
Seattle Space Needle – Sydney has the Opera House, San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge, and Seattle has the Space Needle! Looking like something from the original Star Trek, the tower still draws people from near and far. It’s worth it if you really need to see the city from 600 ft up, but there’s limited appeal beyond that.
Pike Place Market – the famous Seattle fish market, and a must-see on your Seattle vacation. Watch the salmon go flying through the air with the greatest of ease! The market itself is a collection of shops and open-air stalls with every sort of seafood you can imagine, and some excellent produce stands and bakeries.
If you love Starbucks, check out the location in Pike Place Market – the first and original Starbucks!
Romantic Restaurant in Seattle Pike Place Market - Maximilien (206-682-7270) gets good ratings for it's great location, Pacific Northwest dishes with a French flair, and water views from the patio.
Seattle Waterfront – there’s lots of worthwhile activities along the Seattle waterfront, including street vendors and performers, summertime outdoor music, horse-drawn carriages and harbor tours. It’s also the place you go to catch the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton or Bainbridge Island (there’s a great little walk from the dock into town on Bainbridge). Or to areas further such as the ferry from Seattle to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, B.C.
Pioneer Square – the heart and soul of the downtown. Historic buildings, shops and galleries, and a great place to eat cheap or dine. And there's live music and dancing in lots of different lounges and clubs. We found a couple of terrific jazz bars here!
International District – where Chinatown is, and a mix of Asian grocers, restaurants and the Wing Luke Asian Museum. Some fine and inexpensive Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese eateries here.
Another Scenic View of Seattle – and free: Kerry Park in the Queen Anne district is a great little spot for relaxing has a great view of Seattle with the Space Needle.
Coffee Shops and More: a couple of the neighborhoods we love for sipping coffee or just wandering through the antique shops and book stores are Queen Anne and Capitol Hill. Since you can sip Starbucks just about anywhere these days, it’s worth trying some smaller, local establishments like Caffe Vita. Seattle Vacation - Tours
Boeing Tour – This is a uniquely Seattle tour, and a chance to see the world’s largest building! Leave yourself about ½ a day to tour the Boeing Aircraft factory in Everett, just 30 minutes north of downtown Seattle. This is where they assemble the 777 and new 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft. Tours are held Monday to Friday throughout the day.
Seattle Underground – you can explore 1880’s Seattle in a tour of the Seattle underground, which starts at Doc Maynard’s Public House on 1st ave, and heads down into a series of basement chambers from there. This is a pretty off-the-wall Seattle tour of the life downtown before the great fire of 1889! Seattle Vacation - Romantic RestaurantsNo Seattle vacation would be complete without some kind of fish! Located where it is, there are lots of Seattle restaurants that serve some great seafood. You can also find some interesting versions of Pacific Northwest recipes mixed with Thai and Indian flavors. For a review of some of the most romantic restaurants around town, see our Seattle Romantic Restaurants page.Where to Shop in SeattleIf you’re interested in the best places to shop in Seattle, downtown between 3rd and 6th ave is a good place for small unique shops and boutiques with lots of local crafts and products. Both Nordstoms and Macy's have locations near here.
Travel to SeattleLots of airlines fly into Seattle. Alaska Airlines has a major hub here, and there is scheduled service from others including American, United, Delta Air Lines, Continental and Northwest.
Southwest and America West have service to Seattle as well. Internationally, there are non-stops to Seattle from several cities including:
For flights from Canada to Seattle, Air Canada has direct service from Toronto and Vancouver.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, or SeaTac as it’s known, is 13 miles south of downtown Seattle. You can catch a Gray Line Airport Express to most major downtown hotels for around $8.50 one way. A taxi would be about $35. Drive time from Sea-Tac to downtown is about 40 minutes.
Driving around Seattle can be a challenge at times. The traffic is at its worst from 7 to 9 in the morn, and again after 3 in the afternoon. Try to stay off the major arteries (I-5, I-405, I-90 and Wash. 520) during these rush periods. Also, you’ll need to keep a map close as the city is an interesting collection of bays, bridges, hills and curves.
If you’re driving to Seattle, here are some distances:
Return from Seattle Vacation to Pacific Northwest Vacation
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But if you’re hungry, don’t eat at the first place you see (although that might be tempting). Keep exploring the whole market area, and you’ll find all kinds of great little places to eat, with everything from seafood and sandwiches to ethnic dishes and baked treats.