Play: an insiders guide to Seattle

As a follow up to last weeks post about places to eat in Seattle, I thought I’d throw in some of my favorite things to do (that don’t necessarily involve eating).

1.  Gas Works Park
I wrote a paper about the park in college (and don’t remember what I wrote about, clearly money well spent).  It was also the site of our 1 year dating anniversary – because you celebrate things like that in high school.  We tried, in vain, to fly a kite for hours.  It’s the most fun I’ve ever had while failing.  Turns out it was a stunt kite and we only got it off the ground for about 15 seconds – to a rousing applause by our fellow park goers who had watched us struggle for so long.  Clearly I love this place.  Did I also mention it was the final pit stop for one of the Amazing Race Seasons?  I lost my shit when I saw this.  I literally lived a mile from that park.  So exciting!!!  Visit the park, take a picnic and a kite (but not a stunt kite).  Be sure to go to the top of the hill (it’s on the left hand side of the picture, there’s a round stone thing at the top, some sort of artistic human sun dial…..we were too distracted to figure it out).

North side of Lake Union
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?id=293

2.  My favorite museum is the Pacific Science Center.  Mostly because it’s an interactive museum and I have a hard time walking through an art museum with my hands folded, reading the tiny little descriptions.  This museum is for adults just as much as it is for kids.  They had a mind bender exhibit a few years ago that really kept my sister and I entertained. They have a tide pool where you can play with different sea creatures and an animatronic t-Rex.  Need I say more.  Oooh, they also have a butterfly house and I LOVE butterfly houses.

Seattle Center (a VERY short walk from the Space Needle, and I know you’re planning on going there)

3.  Space Needle tip
I know you’re going to go.  It’s ok.  Everyone goes.  We even had our prom there – which was awesome and not lame at all.  I’m not going to say that this is my favorite place or even a place I’d take friends on a tour of Seattle.  But I get it, it’s like going to Paris and not visiting the Eiffel Tower (yes, I just compared the Space Needle to the Eiffel Tower).  Since you’re going to go, here’s a tip, if you eat lunch or dinner in the Space Needle restaurant, you can go up for free.  There’s a minimum food and beverage charge of $25 for lunch and $35 for dinner, but it costs $19 for a regular ticket.  PS, just checked their site and it says they are selling a combination Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition hall ticket (the glass museum is new since I left Seattle, but probably awesome).  Did I mention that the restaurant rotates?  So there’s no bad seat in the house.  You get a 360 degree view of the city.

http://www.spaceneedle.com/
http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/

4.  Seattle Underground Tour
Ok, so when Nick and I were about to leave Seattle, we decided that we needed to make sure we enjoyed some quintessential Seattle things.  The Seattle Underground Tour was one of them.  And it was really interesting and entertaining!  I think you also get a free beer with your ticket, at least you did when we went 7 years ago.

Pioneer Square
http://www.undergroundtour.com/index.html

5.  Ride the ferry
Maybe I only like this because I have fond memories of riding the ferry with my grandma.  But it’s so fun.  We always rode it round trip.  If you walk on, they don’t make you get off.  So we would ride and enjoy the views and sea breeze.  I always hoped I’d see an Orca – and I always brought my hot pink camera, just in case!  Never saw one.  Oh well!  Seattle to Bainbridge is the shortest route.  I don’t know if you need 1 ticket or 2 if you ride it round trip.  Check with the ticket guy.  They sell food on board….but I’d recommend getting something before hand.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/

6.  Safeco Field
This stadium is beautiful and you’ll never have a rain delay – that’s right, there’s a retractable roof.  It also has a fond place in my heart because we graduated here.  The food is amazing and who knows, maybe the Mariners will finally do some winning.

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/ballpark/index.jsp

7.  Greenlake park
This is where the locals get their exercise.  It’s about a 3 mile loop and you’ll easily work off the starbucks you just ordered (there’s a Starbucks somewhere around the lake, so stop there first).  You’ll see some pretty houses, lots of runners, and some dogs.  It’s nothing fancy, but I love it and it’s a great way to burn off a few calories before dinner.

http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?id=307

Here are some of the things you may have thought I’d include.  They’re awesome, but here’s a heads up.

The first Starbucks: Yes, it’s the first.  But it tastes the same.  Same machines every other Starbucks uses.  And a long line.  So yes, go there because you need to make your Starbucks pilgrimage.  Just be prepared to wait.

The Fish Guys at Pike Place Market: They only throw the fish if someone buys one.  So you could be standing around for a LONG time before the fish gets thrown.  And the last time I saw them throw a fish, they dropped it.  It’s cool and the energy is great, I’m just letting you know where to set your expectations.  There aren’t fish flying every which way at all hours of the day.  And if you blink, you might miss it.

Seattle Public Library: Ok, I think I only dislike this place because Nick and I got lost in it one time.  Not literally, just really confused.  There are all sorts of levels and half levels and random staircases that skip levels.  And ramps.  Lots of ramps. Which made me think we should have visited in roller blades.  It’s cool, kinda funky, but you know, books are neat.

Kerry Park:  This place has amazing views of Seattle.  In all honesty, you should probably go.  But if you’re walking, it’s a haul for a very small park.

EMP: That place just really confuses me.  I don’t really get it and maybe it’s because I’m not that into the genre of music it lends itself to.  All I know is that I wanted to have our prom there and they wouldn’t let me.  And it’s weird.  Clearly a matter of preference, but if you go and don’t like it, I warned you.

Seattle Aquarium:  This place was great when I was little and before I’d ever been to another aquarium.  And then I went to the Atlanta aquarium and the Monterey Bay aquarium.  My aquarium bar had been set and the Seattle aquarium fell below.  It feels damp in there.  Just saying.

What did I miss?  What’s overrated?