Seattle/Tacoma Highlights

I've had kind of an unusual introduction to the Seattle/Tacoma area: my sister went to school in Tacoma, and one of my best friend's from Japan was from Seattle. I've never had a typical touristy trip to Seattle, but here are the highlights from my previous trips.

Dinner on the Puget Sound. Seattle boasts a vibrant restaurant scene, with some top-notch seafood. One of the most enjoyable ways to take advantage of this is to find a restaurant with a view of the Puget Sound for dinner and watching the sunset. I haven't done this for several years, so I won't make a recommendation for what is still a good place to eat. I recommend you check Yelp! or TripAdvisor to see what places are getting good reviews. Note: like any other city, a view with dinner will increase the cost of your meal. On a sunny day, it's totally worth it.

Fremont. Fremont is an artsy neighborhood in Seattle, most commonly known for the Fremont Troll (above). The troll lives under a highway bridge, and is a really unique and interesting piece of Seattle culture. Freemont is also a great neighborhood to wander, shop, or find a coffeeshop or bakery.

Theo Chocolate Factory Tour. My absolute favorite thing to do in Fremont is visit the Theo Chocolate Factory for a tour and tasting. Tours currently cost $10, and walk you through the whole chocolate making process. Plus, you hear about how they chose flavors, it smells amazing, and you get to sample a ton of the flavors afterward. It really inspires an appreciation of the work that goes into making high quality chocolate. Space and tour times are limited, so I suggest calling ahead to reserve a spot.

Pike's Place Market. Probably one of the only nationally known farmers' markets in the country, Pike's is perched above the water in downtown Seattle. They have fishmongers who throw the day's catch, the first Starbucks, and tons of stalls and stores selling produce, grocery items, art, and all sorts of other crafts. I highly recommend a stroll through just to take in the atmosphere, and to grab a muffin from one of the bakeries across the street (my favorite is the vegan poppyseed- worth a try even for a non-vegan!).

Tacoma Glass Museum. Dale Chihuly seems to have spent time all over the country- I've seen at least 2 universities claiming him as a student, and his artwork is in museums and displays all over (check out my post here for a picture of his work at the Denver Botanic Gardens). That said, Tacoma really seems to have claimed his glasswork in a unique way. The Tacoma Glass Museum focuses on his glasswork and that of others, his artwork is on public display in the area around (including the courthouse, pictured above), and there is a glass-blowing studio in the museum. If you like glasswork of any sort, this is a really fun, well-done museum that is worth a visit. If you're not getting away from central Seattle, the Chihuli Garden & Glass near the Space Needle is a good option.

Space Needle. If anything typifies Seattle more than Pike's Place Market, it's the Space Needle. There are all sorts of options for going up the Needle, but I haven't gotten around to them. For me, it's just really fun being able to pick out the Needle in the skyline, and say with certainty "I'm in Seattle!"

Last, but certainly not least, try the fish. Any fish. Seafood is always better on the coast, and Seattle is no exception. The salmon is always fantastic.