2 Day Seattle Travel Guide for Getaways

As promised last week, here is my ultimate Seattle travel guide for the Emerald City.

There are tons of options for food and fun in Seattle, including the well-known Space Needle and the Experience Music Project. I’ve actually never visited either, choosing a slightly more local experience (with a whole lot of food obviously)!

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Seattle Travel Guide

We stayed downtown at the Warwick Downtown Seattle Hotel. Besides our stellar view of the Space Needle and their delicious breakfast, we loved how central the location was.

We were walking distance from a Link Light Rail Station (which goes to the airport), restaurants galore, shopping (including the Nordstrom flagship store), the theatre, and Pike Place Market. It was fantastic!

What to Do in Seattle for 3 Days | Seattle Travel Guide

West Seattle

Driven by food, we drove to West Seattle to check out Bakery Nouveau and their almond croissants.The pastries were totally worth the trek over, but I’d recommend grabbing coffee at one of the delicious places back in downtown beforehand.

After purchasing a few French macaroons for the day, head next door to Northwest Art & Frame – a fun shop full of art supplies, stationery, novelties, and just about anything you can imagine.

Just a half block away is Easy Street Records & Cafe. I found a Paul Simon CD and marveled at the extensive music collection. And if I wasn’t so full, I would have loved to try the food and coffee at the in-store cafe.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is always a must for us – try to go on a weekday if at all possible, otherwise, get there by 9 or 10 to avoid major crowds. The market has a mind-boggling amount of stalls and shops.

It’s all fun to walk through, but I personally recommend Storyville for coffee (see here), the mini donuts cart (inside along Pike Street), Market Spice (a tea shop in the corner), and – my personal favorite – Polish Pottery Place.

The store is on one of the lower levels and is full of beautiful hand-painted dishes and collectibles. All of our everyday dishes are from this store. They also have a store in Portland and we never miss an opportunity to visit either one.

After you’ve walked up an appetite, head up Pine Street for a satisfying lunch at Steelhead Diner! It was a surprisingly delicious lunch with great fare.

Downtown Seattle

I grew up going to the theatre with my family and have fond memories of seeing plays and musicals. When my mom and I travel, we always try to enjoy a night at the theatre.

We saw “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the 5th Avenue Theatre. The theatre was wonderful and we loved the slightly updated version of the Broadway classic.

The theatre sent us an email the week before our trip with directions and helpful tricks for our night at the theatre. You know, a small touch that we greatly appreciated! {theatre photo via nbbj}

For a complete evening, enjoy dinner at Purple Cafe + Wine Bar just one block away. The food and wine are both astounding and they offer a theatre discount of 10% off your meal. It’s a short 5 minute walk from the restaurant to the theatre.

I recommend a reservation for dinner two hours before showtime. Be sure to mention that you’ll be heading to the theatre after!

Ferry Trips from Seattle | Port Townshend

The city of Seattle is gorgeous, but there is also so much to see around the Emerald City. At my cousin’s suggestion, we took the Car Ferry to Bainbridge Island and then drove to Port Townsend.

It’s only two hours from Seattle to the small town, including time on the ferry and the drive. It feels worlds away, however, and the small port town feels like a quaint little getaway.

We enjoyed lunch at The Belmont and then wandered around the shops along Water Street, including What’s Cookin (a kitchen store), Mad Hatter & Co. (local made hats), and Abracadabra (a novelty shop full of fun).

We headed back to Seattle once the sun began setting, but Port Townsend would be a relaxing, slower-paced weekend getaway in and of itself!