I recently got back from a fall girls trip to the Seattle area. It had been quite a few years since our Pacific Northwest family road trip, so I was excited when my friend invited me to tag along on her visit to see family in the area. We stayed in a house on the water in Bremerton, with amazing views of Mount Rainier. Given what I knew about Seattle weather, I was prepared for cold, rainy weather. It was definitely a pleasant surprise to have sunshine the entire time! Our plans included my friend sharing a few of her favorite places around Seattle and Bainbridge Island, along with a food tour at Pike Place market. We took advantage of both the Bremerton and Bainbridge Island ferries to get back and forth to Seattle on foot. Read on to learn about 4 fun things to do in the Seattle area and bookmark this page for your next visit to Seattle.
Take a Food Tour with Savor Seattle
Get to Know the Work of Artist Dale Chihuly Explore the Pioneer Square District and Uwajimaya Market Spend the Day on Bainbridge Island
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1. Take a Food Tour with Savor Seattle
If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know food always plays a big part in our travel plans. I was excited when my friend suggested a tour with Savor Seattle Food Tours as part of a family birthday celebration. We decided on the Early Access VIP Food Tour of Pike Place Market for our group of 7. Starting early in the morning gave us a chance to explore the market before it got too busy.
There is quite a bit to see in Pike Place Market, which spans over 9 acres. Despite ups and downs since its establishment in 1907, the market is thriving. It’s not just a market, but an important part of the local community. Expect to find fresh produce, colorful flowers, fresh meats and fish, and hand-made crafts. My favorite thing about visiting in the fall were the rows upon rows of locally grown seasonal flowers. If I lived in the area I’m sure I would be buying flowers every week! When you visit, don’t forget to take a photo with official market mascot Rachel the Piggy Bank. Drop in some change to help support local programs run through the Pike Place Market Foundation. The organization offers social services within the market to help support the local neighbors and community. This includes the Food Access Program, which provides affordable access to local residents for fresh fruits and vegetables.
I knew it was going to be a good tour when I heard our meeting place was Indi Chocolate. Be sure to check out their chocolate lotion at the end of the tour. Our humorous guide Mark made introductions, then spent the next two hours sharing tidbits of history & market stories. Along the way, we sampled small bites from one end of the market to the other. I’ve been on a lot of food tours, but I have to say the food portions on this one were substantial. Our tastes included flaky homemade biscuits from Honest Biscuit, delicious pupusas from Los Agaves, and an amazing wild salmon burger from Tom Douglas’ Love with Rub Shack. While sampling tea from Market Spice, we were ushered out to see the Pike Place Secret Garden. I learned that this relaxing outdoor garden space is also where volunteers grow produce for Pike Place Market food bank. Other stops included Miss Cafe for Turkish flatbread, and of course, the famous mini maple bacon doughnuts from Daily Dozen Doughnut. Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to the market without a visit with the famous fish guys at Pike Place Fish Market. They definitely love their jobs! After sampling 3 different types of smoked salmon we were treated to our own flying fish demonstration. I was excited to hear that the fish used for demonstration purposes are later donated to local animal organizations to feed the animals. The Pike Place Market website is a good resource to review before you go. There are a series of pocket guides, including a guide for kids and families along with a sweet treats guide. Next time I definitely want to spend more time exploring the lower level shops.
2. Get to Know the Work of Artist Dale Chihuly
Museum lovers have a lot of interesting options in Seattle. These include the unique Museum of Pop Culture, the popular Museum of Flight, and the Seattle Art Museum. But one museum that has been on my list for a while was Chihuly Garden and Glass. Washington native Dale Chihuly has created colorful, unique glass pieces for exhibitions around the USA and the world. Since 2012, the Chihuly Garden and Glass has been open in Seattle, exhibiting a combination of new pieces made especially for the exhibition plus some previously shown artwork.
Conveniently located in Seattle Center, the Chihuly Garden and Glass is easy to get to using public transportation. From the Seattle market area, walk just a few blocks then catch the monorail from the Westlake Center Station to Seattle Center. During the short ride, I was thinking about how futuristic the monorail must have seemed when it was built back in 1962! The Seattle Center Station is also home to the iconic Space Needle, Museum of Pop Culture (currently hosting Minecraft: The Exhibition between now and September 7, 2020), and the Pacific Science Center. Here’s a tip, if you plan to visit several of these attractions while in town, consider purchasing a Seattle CityPASS for attraction discounts. Or purchase a combo ticket with admission to Chihuly Garden and Glass along with the Space Needle Observation Deck, Admission is reduced for entry after 4 p.m. Once inside the exhibition, it’s hard not to have a renewed appreciation for the art of glass blowing. Stroll through eight galleries, each room filled with glass artwork in all shapes and sizes. The Mille Fiori series was a dazzling room filled with a nature-inspired collection of glass. My favorite exhibit had to be the beautiful Ikebana and Float Boats, especially with their colorful reflections. Chihuly uses the audio tour to reveal more insight about all these pieces to further enhance your visit. In the garden, the vibrant fall colors definitely enhanced the dazzling glass art scattered throughout. Here’s some favorite photos from both inside and in the garden.
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4. Spend the Day on Bainbridge Island
Just a short ferry ride from downtown Seattle is quaint Bainbridge Island. Explore by foot and stay close to the quaint ferry dock area, or bring a car to see the larger Kitsap Peninsula, From the ferry terminal, head to the downtown shopping area on Winslow Way. Start your day with a stop for some thick-sliced toast and homemade jam + coffee at the popular Blackbird Bakery. It’s a perfect way to fuel up for browsing through all the quaint shops along Winslow Way.
The downtown area is also home to several family-friendly places worth exploring. Hear the fascinating stories from locals and learn more about the history of the area at the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. It’s a true small-town gem. Admission to this former one room school house is free, and the exhibits tell the stories of the early days on the island. We were fortunate that our docent was my friend’s mom who grew up on Bainbridge Island. She was able to share first hand stories of life on the island as well as her personal experience as a Japanese American during World War II. If you aren’t familiar with that piece of history, over 115,000 people of Japanese ancestry nationwide (a majority American citizens) were relocated to internment camps during the war. This included the Japanese-American population residing on Bainbridge Island. Other exhibits in the museum share the history of the many people who called the island home along with important places like the Port Blakely lumber mill, dating back to the mid-1800’s. The kids scavenger hunt is a good way to engage young visitors, along with the small Fearless Music exhibit for teens. Another nearby spot that’s popular for young kids is the Kids Discovery Museum. As a family, we’ve always appreciated these smaller, hands-on play spaces that encourage free exploration and give younger kids a chance to run around and touch everything!
When it’s time for lunch, stop in to the highly acclaimed Proper Fish. These are seriously some of the best fish and chips in the Seattle area. The owner/chef is from London and the fish is fresh organic Pacific cod. The menu also includes items like fresh chowder and fried oysters. If you are still hungry, cross the street to Mora’s for dessert (my local friends call it the best ice cream ever!)
If you have a car (or want to use public transportation), continue on to see the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, a national park unit of Minidoka National Historic Site. It’s located where the Eagledale ferry dock once stood; the spot where over 200 men, women and children boarded a ferry to Seattle and an unknown future. A further drive around the peninsula takes you to the charming, Norweigian town of Poulsbo. Check out the sweeping water views while you pick up coffee at the Poulsbohemian. Stop in Sluys Bakery for a pastry or some of their popular bread. Once you’ve fueled up, there are plenty of shops for browsing.
The downtown area is also home to several family-friendly places worth exploring. Hear the fascinating stories from locals and learn more about the history of the area at the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. It’s a true small-town gem. Admission to this former one room school house is free, and the exhibits tell the stories of the early days on the island. We were fortunate that our docent was my friend’s mom who grew up on Bainbridge Island. She was able to share first hand stories of life on the island as well as her personal experience as a Japanese American during World War II. If you aren’t familiar with that piece of history, over 115,000 people of Japanese ancestry nationwide (a majority American citizens) were relocated to internment camps during the war. This included the Japanese-American population residing on Bainbridge Island. Other exhibits in the museum share the history of the many people who called the island home along with important places like the Port Blakely lumber mill, dating back to the mid-1800’s. The kids scavenger hunt is a good way to engage young visitors, along with the small Fearless Music exhibit for teens. Another nearby spot that’s popular for young kids is the Kids Discovery Museum. As a family, we’ve always appreciated these smaller, hands-on play spaces that encourage free exploration and give younger kids a chance to run around and touch everything!
When it’s time for lunch, stop in to the highly acclaimed Proper Fish. These are seriously some of the best fish and chips in the Seattle area. The owner/chef is from London and the fish is fresh organic Pacific cod. The menu also includes items like fresh chowder and fried oysters. If you are still hungry, cross the street to Mora’s for dessert (my local friends call it the best ice cream ever!)
If you have a car (or want to use public transportation), continue on to see the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, a national park unit of Minidoka National Historic Site. It’s located where the Eagledale ferry dock once stood; the spot where over 200 men, women and children boarded a ferry to Seattle and an unknown future. A further drive around the peninsula takes you to the charming, Norweigian town of Poulsbo. Check out the sweeping water views while you pick up coffee at the Poulsbohemian. Stop in Sluys Bakery for a pastry or some of their popular bread. Once you’ve fueled up, there are plenty of shops for browsing.
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Other things to consider seeing on Bainbridge Island include the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Brewing, Bainbridge Organic Distillery, and exploring the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails by kayak during the warmer months. Visit Kitsap Peninsula has several downloadable guides, including an Art Gallery, Museum Map and recreational bike map.
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