It’s time to take a trip to the gorgeous Pacific Northwest (aka PNW) famous for its plaid-wearing, outside-loving, beer-drinking vibe. Seattle, the home of Microsoft, Amazon, and the original Starbucks, has so much to offer for any traveler who loves adventure, history, and really good craft beer.
Start your morning at Café Besalu, touted for having croissants that give Belgium a run for their money . Perk up with a café au lait and a chocolate croissant (it’ll be burned off in no time!) before heading to the beautiful Carkeek Park.
This park has amazing views of the Olympic Mountains with a ton of trailheads for walking or running. Bonus points for snapping a pic of getting cozy with nature.
Now it’s time to switch modes from amazing mountain views to amazing city ones. Skip the touristy hike up the Space Needle and head to Volunteer Park water tower to get breathtaking views of the city for free. For less than $3, visitors can hop on a bus that brings them straight down to Capitol Hill. (For those looking for even more exercise, hop to the store on bike, courtesy of Seattle’s Pronto Bike Share!)
When ready to take the extreme-adventure down a notch, take a nice one-mile stroll to Elliot Bay Book Company, a local-favorite that’s famous for its multiple floors of new releases, antique selections, and great coffee.
Next up? The Seattle Pinball museum (because why not?). Only 1.5 miles away by foot, in less than 30 minutes you’ll find games that have been around as early as 1934. Play anything from Pac Man to Missile Command; it’s only $13 for unlimited games, and for the thirsty, people can also buy beer. Plus, this museum’s location in the International District means goers are a stone's throw away from amazing cuisine. Stop into the hole-in-the-wall Saigon Deli for a delicious banh mi and bubble tea before heading to another museum worth seeing: Center for Wooden Boats.
It's a “living museum,” which means people can touch anything. The staff encourages people to get super close, and even in, the boats, so use this as an opportunity to take a selfie and post to Instagram (tag us!).
Okay, time for happy hour. Hotel Monaco is a must-stop, since their bar inside boats a $5 craft beer happy hour special. Enjoy a local brew at a great price before jumping (or biking!) over to Epic Ales, known for, well, epic ales. They brew "strange and wonderful" beers, with names like “Salty Ghosts” and “Party Time!!!”
Before dinner, it’s time to take a quick trip to a hidden gem next to the famous Pike Place Market. Located to the left of the Public Market Center is a gum wall—which is basically what it sounds like. Visitors only need a few minutes here, before it’s time to stick used gum on the wall and head to dinner at Hotel 1000 to class things back up.
