Weekend getaway guide to Seattle, WA

Prior to this trip, I had only been to Seattle for a couple of hours, which my husband (my boyfriend at the time) and I mainly spent wandering around Pike Place Market. This time around, I knew I wanted to do some prior research to
fill our time with adventures and lots of delicious food. Although our trip consisted mainly of two days, we were able to include a few different activities and some great restaurants.

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Japanese Garden

Pike Place

Ferry to Bainbridge

THINGS TO DO: 

1. Conservatory at Volunteer Park (Admission: $4)

The Conservatory at Volunteer Park is a large glass greenhouse with a few different rooms, containing an overflowing amount of foliage, florals, and cacti. As I mentioned in this post of the conservatory, the cactus room was my favorite due to its muted colors, variety, and cute succulents

2. Japanese Garden (Admission: $6)

I haven't been to many Japanese Gardens, but I would still say that this is my favorite one that I have been to, which is why I dedicated an entire blog post to it, which you can view here. The trail leads around in a circular path, providing views of the large pond in the middle. For a few extra dollars, you can purchase food to feed the koi fish. The entire landscape is somewhat flat, but it is surrounded by tall trees, providing that tucked away atmosphere. Several benches along the path provide space to relax and enjoy the silence.

3. Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is filled with vendors selling all sorts of things, from hand made goods and artwork to produce, seafood, and flowers. In addition, there are various restaurants and bakeries which makes a trip to the market one that doesn't leave you empty handed.

4. Ferry ride to Bainbridge (Roundtrip Ticket: $8.20)

If you're a morning person, I recommend waking up early to catch the ferry ride to Bainbridge while the fog is still looming over the water. But in case you aren't a morning person, the ferry ride is still worth a trip for the scenic views of homes tucked into the trees, and of course views of Seattle. Bainbridge island is a quaint little town, with many of the shops opening around 10am. So if you do decide to get there early in the morning, I recommend hanging out in Pegasus Coffee for a cozy place to enjoy breakfast and that morning cup of coffee.

WHERE TO EAT: 

1. Delancey (Pizza)

A small, but cozy restaurant near the Ballard neighborhood, Delancey offers some tasty wood fired pizza selections. Our picks were the Crimini pizza and the Hot Salami pizza.

2. Walrus and the Carpenter (Seafood)

This was our favorite place to eat at for fresh oysters (my husband loved their oysters!) and fried oysters. Because their items are meant to be shared, we ordered a few different items, which were all tasty. They do change up several of their items, so it means there is always a reason to return.

3. The London Plane (Healthy plates)

This light-filled and open space creates a perfect environment for enjoying a simple and satisfying breakfast or lunch. The moment you walk in, there are tall vases brimming with flowers and on the right, a case filled with pastries. But if you have some time, I recommend dining in. I enjoyed their avocado toast that was filled with several green vegetables, like shaved asparagus, peas, and jalapeños. My husband went for a more greek inspired meal by ordering their beet hummus and marinated feta and olives served with bread and crackers.

4. Molly Moon's Ice Cream

Although it is likely that you will find a line leading up to this place, it goes by rather quickly. Aside from their regular flavors, they also offer a few seasonal items that you can pick from. I think every flavor we tried was delicious.

COFFEE SHOPS AND BAKERIES: 

1. The Oddfellows Cafe

Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Oddfellows Cafe is the perfect place for breakfast, brunch on the weekends, or a cup of coffee. The interior of the cafe leads to a large bookstore just in case you decide you want to stay a little while longer.

2. Pegasus Coffee (at Bainbridge)

If you did decide to take a ferry ride to Bainbridge island, Pegasus Coffee offers a cozy atmosphere with pastries, and a few breakfast items to choose from.

3. General Porpoise Doughnuts

If you are a fan of filled doughnuts, General Porpoise Doughnuts is a place you do not want to miss. They offer a few seasonal items, but their classic flavor is a vanilla custard filled doughnut. We went ahead and ordered their lemon curd filled doughnut and their cherry rhubarb filled doughnut. Both were incredibly tasty and perfect for our train ride to Portland.