10 Things You Have to Do from a Seattle "Local"

Hi all! For those who don’t know me, I’m Sharon. I relocated to Seattle for work in July of last year, which means its been about 15 months since I arrived in the Emerald City. In that time, Seattle has thawed its way into my cold Midwestern heart (I’m originally from Chicago) and I think its time – now that I’ll be moving back soon – to make this list: a list of all the best that Seattle has to offer. Now I’ve already put together a lot of top ten lists living here, and this probably won’t be the last one, so feel free to click here if you want some suggestions outside of the city and here if you want to know what awaits you on the west coast. Or click here if after reading you want to read all my other nonsense😊 Now nothing is worse than lists and recipes that include a huge amount of exposition before getting to the part people actually wanted to read, so let’s get into local recommendations for Seattle, assuming you have a car and you’re sick of doing tourist garbage like Pike Place Market. Let me know in the comments if I’ve yet earned the title of “local”.

1.) Do the Farmer’s Markets in ALL the neighborhoods

You’ll never find a better city than Seattle for a range of diverse neighborhoods. If you take a visit to Pike Place Market – the market that must not be named – the booth owners there will tell you that you won’t find locals over there, since they will be at the countless farmers markets surrounding the city. When I moved here, I learned about the differences in the neighborhoods here, which are reminiscent of London’s boroughs since they’re all so interconnected. Here are just a few:

· Ballard – known for its seafood, Nordic history, beautiful golden gardens beach, and breweries

· Fremont – known for its young, hippie crowd, fun festivals like the annual Summer Solstice and Oktoberfest, and amazing thrifting scene

· Queen Anne – known for its condensed, hilly landscape and proximity to the space needle

· U-District – known for its stunning UW campus, arboretum, and busy U-Village

· Capitol Hill – known for its young, postgraduate residents and nightlife (whatever small one exists in Seattle)

· Downtown – known for its skyscrapers and tourism industry

Each one of these is splendid, with different scenery and different ages of people from all walks of life. So next trip to Seattle, skip the fish throwing at Pike Market and go to the -at least- five others happening nearby to feel like a local too.

2.) Stop by Theo’s Chocolate Factory Tour in Fremont

If you love chocolate, nothing could be a better experience than visiting Theo’s chocolate factory. The sad news is that their factory tour experience is now closed, which was one of the most unique aspects of the chocolate shop (and a really great way to sample all their chocolate for free). However, their flagship store is still open, offering the country’s FIRST sustainable chocolate and also offering unique storytime events for kids and other chocolate class sessions.

3.) Do Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour in Pioneer Square

Did you know that pre- Seattle fire, much of Seattle’s downtown area was underground? I didn’t either before this tour, and while it is one of the more touristy activities on this list, I do think it is a must for locals to Seattle (and visitors) to experience. You really get a knack for Seattle’s unique history and see the city in a different light.

4.) Grab a Bubble Tea and Hit the Parks

Might seem random, but I think Seattle does two things VERY well: parks and tea. So what could be better than putting them together? Here are my suggestion pairings based off proximity to one another:

· Don’t Yell at Me and Cal-Anderson Park in Cap Hill

· Young Tea and Gas Works Park in Wallingford/Fremont

· DIY Bubble Tea Lab and Golden Gardens in Ballard

· Luu’s Café and Green Lake in Green Lake

· Rachels’ Ginger Beer (its not tea but even more iconic to the city) and Volunteer Park in Cap Hill

· Tea King in SLU and Kerry Park in Queen Anne

5.) Take a Hike (one close to Seattle)

Back in Illinois, you have to drive six hours to get even a glimpse of something beautiful in nature, which is why its such a refreshing surprise that driving half an hour can have such rewarding views in Seattle. If you’re looking for a beautiful hike within the city limits (or close enough) here are my recommendations:

· Rattlesnake Ledge! If you can only do one, this is my pick. It’s a long way up, but prepare to be amazed at the top – by the Bob Ross painting scenery. There are just SO many trees here.

· Wallace Falls – This one’s a bit further out, but if you love a waterfall hike, this one offers not one, but three, stunning waterfall views. Need a discover pass for parking though.

· Heybrook Lookout – A beautiful, easy trail to a lookout tower in the middle of Index, WA, this drive could not be more worth it

· Poo Poo Point – Probably the toughest of the trails on this list, but well worth the trek. The name may be funny, coined after the train sounds heard in the area’s history, but now, its home to paragliders floating off the top of the mountain. Great spot to picnic and amazing views to match!

· Lake 22 – I haven’t personally been, but I’ve heard amazing things

· Deception Pass State Park- Another far out one that requires the Discovery Pass, but it happens to be my favorite one of them all. Beautiful water views and very family-friendly

6.) Check out Unicorn Trivia (or another great trivia in the city)

I’ve always been the biggest fan of trivia, but never so much as when I moved here and discovered Unicorn in Capitol Hill. We don’t have much of a nighlife in Seattle, but Unicorn is the next best thing, with Geeks Who Drink Trivia every Thursday night, themed game nights and Sunday drag brunch, and other fun surprises like a sparkly unicorn helmet you get to wear on your birthday + a pretty awesome rotating jello shot selection!

7.) Wings Over WA

Another pretty touristy one that really made an impact on me so as a result, its making the list. While I think the great wheel (Seattle’s London Eye/Willis Tower) is ridiculously overhyped, Wings over WA is incredible. It’s Seattle’s version of Soarin’ from Disneyworld, a 4D simulated reality ride that takes you across the state’s most beautiful sites. I’ve done it twice, and if you’re local to the area, I’d suggest that you don’t do it right when you get here. Save it for showing someone whose visiting, or as an ending to your Seattle adventure- it’s a truly remarkable tour of the place we call home.

8.) The Smith Tower Observatory

This one really took me by surprise, but its your go-to alternative to spending $60 on the space needle. For $14, you can take a ride up to the top of Seattle’s tallest tower, enjoying the prohibition-themed rooms and the speakeasy at the top, which overlooks the pier and classic Seattle skyline.

9.) Take the Ferry to Bainbridge Island

One last one in downtown, taking advantage to Seattle’s proximity to really cool islands is a must. Just a 35 minute ferry ride away from Seattle’s pier and $9 ferry ticket (pro tip: you can use Orca cards for it) is Bainbridge island, where you can enjoy the Bloedel Reserve or hit up the “downtown” of the island -Eagle Harbor Book Co. is along my favorite places to check out.

10.) Go See the Seattle Spheres

If you want to catch a glimpse of how Seattle treats its tech-opolis (get it, metropolis and tech had a baby), make an appointment online for the Amazon Spheres in Capitol Hill. This is a beautiful greenhouse of beautiful plants and a great place to sit, enjoy a coffee, and thank the lucky stars you get to live in this beautiful city.

I’m sure there are lots more (and there are, believe me) because Seattle is a synergistic city, more than just the sum of its neighborhoods, coffee spots, bus lanes, and residents. While we don’t do everything right (there’s a reason I haven’t mentioned food on this list, or affordability), what we do right, we do the best. That’s why this month, I’ve committed to doing one incredible thing around the city each day and compiling the clips of each activity together at the end of October. If you’re curious on what those things are or you wanted this list longer, feel free to check out my Instagram @sincerelysharon__ where I’ll have it posted soon.

In the meantime, thanks for reading another post and I’ll see you next time!