This post deviates from coupons and deals…..but does give a quick glimpse into the world of Seattle!
Last Friday I flew to Seattle to surprise my friend Nicole for her 30th birthday. It was the best kept secret of my life…and it totally helped that I planned my trip 2 weeks before I left. There is so much less room for error when there is so little time to accidentally spill something! Did you know that flying is expensive? Oy! Especially when you go from Atlanta to Seattle and book it two weeks out. Luckily I used the last of my husband’s frequent flier miles and booked my ticket for only $10. I did a little happy dance!
Here is a confession….I am totally a Pacific Northwest Girl. I was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in Southern Oregon (20 miles from the California border). I went to school in Northern Oregon, but I never made it to Seattle. This was my first trip with time to see the sites and take it all in. The first day rained….in true PNW fashion. But then the clouds cleared and it was beautiful. Seriously beautiful. There are snow covered mountains in Washington. I guess I should mention that there are some (inactive) volcanoes there too. It is so green there (based on the rain). I swear that there is every store you could possibly imagine within a 20 mile radius of the airport.
Here are a few places you may want to see if you ever visit Seattle.
And because one shot just doesn’t do it justice, here is the same wall from a different camera.
The Seattle Gum Wall (also known as the Market Theater Gum Wall) was pretty horrific, fascinating, and amazing all bundled into one very long package! Apparently this artistic endeavor began in 1993. The gum was scraped off twice and then it was deemed a tourist attraction around 1999. All I could think as I found a cleanish spot to hang my blue gum was “Whoa, if there are any CSI/Bones people around here they could totally take that and run my DNA.” Then I remembered that there is absolutely NO reason why anyone would want or need to run my DNA. Ha ha! I was also kind of glad that my husband didn’t ask me to PROM when we were high school seniors using chewed up gum.
You should also head (practically) across the street to the first ever Starbucks. It is a HUGE tourist attraction with a very long line. Everyone wants a photo like the one I took. For what it’s worth, that store opened in 1971. Now you know!
The Pike Place Market is a-maz-ing! There are so many beautiful flowers. I loved all the produce and local art.
The guys throw the fish around at the Pike Place Fish Market. And yell. I guess it is pretty popular.
Some of the fish are HUGE!
If you are trying to find where they throw the fish, you are in the right place if you find the huge golden piggy bank. I didn’t really know what I was doing – I was told to stand, so I did.
Come to find out, the pig has a name and it is Rachel. Since 1986 she has been the Pike Place Market’s unofficial mascot, weighing in at 550 pounds . Rachel receives roughly $6,000–$9,000 annually in just about every type of world currency, which is collected by the Market Foundation to fund the Market’s social services.
In Seattle there are Horse and Buggy rides available. That must be a city thing because we have that here in Atlanta too. There are a ton of museums and attractions near the Space Needle, but we didn’t have time to do any of them.
If you ever want your picture taken with the Space Needle behind you then the photographer may have to lay on the ground. That’s what happened in this photo! Just promise me that you won’t make a very dorky smile like I am doing here.
Mount Rainer is breathtaking. It is so prominent in Seattle (and is actually on the Washington state quarter). To hike to the top takes mad skill and 3 days.
The view from the airport screams Pacific Northwest – green trees leading up to the snow covered mountains. These photos were taken on June 11th and there is still snow.
I must admit, I am a little homesick for the part of the country where I was born and raised, but there are so many great things about living in Georgia (humidity excluded) that make living here wonderful!
Have you ever been to Seattle? Where is your favorite place to visit?
PippaD @ A Mothers Ramblings says
My family and I are planning a trip to the USA and you’ve made me want to add Seattle to my list of places to go. We don’t know when we are going to get there, but I know I’m excited about it now! Glad you had a great break too.