~Carmen
Seattle is one of our “family visit” places. Â Joe grew up just south of Seattle, and most of his family still lives in the area. Â I had been in the area a couple of times growing up (Uncle lived in Aberdeen, WA), but I was really little and only remember a few of the highlights.
My first “Joe relationship” Seattle visit was in 2009. Â We had been engaged a year, and it was time to meet the Filipino mama (For more about Joe’s mom read A Mother’s Legacy). Â The initial Mama Baguio meeting didn’t go very well.
I had 3 strikes going against me: 1. I wasn’t Filipino 2. I wasn’t Catholic 3. I wasn’t a virgin.

Mama Baguio, me, & Joe
After 3 days of Joe’s mom ignoring my existence, Joe decided a little side trip to Seattle would give his mom time to warm up to me. Â We spent the day in Seattle and by the time we got back Mama Baguio had decided to give me a chance. Â Then when she found out I had several college degrees, I was in! Â She kept on telling me that she liked that I was “a professional woman.”
That was the first of many days trips we have taken to Seattle when visiting Mama Baguio. Â Even though Mama Baguio since passed away, we try to get back to Washington at least every other year. Â In the last 8 years, we have visited 6 times. Â Joe always complains about the dreary weather, but since we normally visit in the summer, I get to see the sunny side of Seattle! Â Below we have listed some of the most popular attractions that we’ve seen and done on our 6 visits.
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What to See & Do in Seattle, Washington
Pikes Place Market
This is one of those places that we make a point to go to every time we’re in Seattle. Â The market began in 1907 as a place for farmer’s to sell directly to the public. Â It continued to grow and grow, which is reflected in the various additions to the buildings. Â Luckily in the 1960s, an effort was made to protect this historic area from demolition. Â Every time we go to Pikes Place there are new renovations and attempts to keep market thriving.

No trip to Seattle is complete without a trip to Pike Place Market!
We love to just wander through the various eclectic shops, produce stands, and artisan booths. Â We always end up buying something. Â Joe loves Rainier cherries, so he normally gets a little basket of cherries to nibble on while we’re shopping. Â There’s a shop called Golden Age Collectables that I usually stop by. Â The store is the world’s oldest comic book shop! Â Several of our kids like Doctor Who and Star Wars, which is well represented there. Â Plan to spend 1-2 hours at the market. Â Plan longer if you want to eat at one of the fantastic restaurants that are located in the market and along the neighboring streets. Â You can even get a coffee at the original Starbuck which is right across the street! Â Parking is available in nearby parking garages.

Stick around to see the flying fish!

Look for the sign to Gum Alley. It’s gross, but fascinating!
Address:Â 1st Avenue and Pike Street
Hours: Â Open every day. Â Produce booths are the first to open, around 7am, then crafts and stores open by 10am. Â Most booths are closed by 4pm and stores close by 6pm.
Waterfront
After visiting Pike Place Market, you can make your way down “the hill” towards the waterfront. Â There is currently a lot of construction going on, but that just means that there will be more to see in the future! Â We always enjoy walking along the the waterfront and people watching. Â There’s tons to do and see from restaurants and shops, to the ferris wheel and aquarium. Â This summer it did seem like the number of homeless has increased, but they didn’t bother me, and I certainly didn’t bother them.

Seattle Waterfront
Address:Â Alaskan Way
Take a boat tour of the Puget Sound
While in the waterfront area, spending a few hours touring the famous waterway is a great way to learn about the history of Seattle, plus see some gorgeous scenery at the same time.  We have gone on many boat tours during our visits to Seattle.  One 4th of July, we toured Seattle’s famous Ballard Locks then anchored to watch the fireworks.  We have also taken the Tillicum Excursion to Blake Island State Park to have a salmon dinner with performances by Native American storytellers and dancers.  We also recommend taking the Washington State ferries to Victoria, Canada or any of the neighboring San Juan Islands.

View of the waterfront from our boat tour

View of the locks closing on our Seattle Locks Tour
Space Needle
This is one of those things that you need to do once. Â Once you’ve gone up to the observation deck and retail shop, there’s no need to do it again unless you have a special occasion to celebrate. Â To me it is overpriced ($22 a ticket), but it is such an iconic part of the the Seattle skyline ou just have to suck it up and shell out the dollars. Â The Space Needle was built as a centerpiece of the 1962 Seattle World’s fair standing at 605 feet, and one plus is no stairs! Â It also has an award-winning restaurant that slowly rotates to see the unparalleled views of Seattle. Order your tickets online to save some time.
Address:Â 400 Broad Street
Hours:Â 9am-8pm
Chihuly Garden and Glass
This comprehensive collection of blown glass is the Trip Advisor top rated “Things to Do” in Seattle. Â Opening in 2012, right next to the Space Needle, this museum showcases the studio art of Dale Chihuly. Â Now when you think of blown glass, if you’re like me, you conjure up images of Grandma’s Christmas ornaments or pretty vases. Â This is nothing like that. Â Think huge organic sculptures that seem to flow with movement. Â There is no way pictures could ever capture the beauty of this extraordinary art. Â Trust me. Â Just go and see for it for yourself! Â Price is $24 a ticket, but you can buy a combination Space Needle ticket for $38 saving money on each.

Chihuly Gardens and Glass
Address: 305 Harrison Street
Hours:Â 8:30am-8:30pm (Sometimes the museum closes early for special events)
Museum of Pop Culture
Also located next to the Space Needle is the Museum of Pop Culture.  It’s had several names.  The first time we visited it was called EMP (Experience Music Project).  The museum exhibits cover pop culture including: fantasy & horror cinema, video games, science fiction literature, costumes from screen and stage, and music.  My stepdaughter is a  huge Nirvana fan and since the museum has the largest collection of Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix artifacts, we had to visit!
There are some permanent exhibits and some that change. Â When we were there last, our favorite exhibits were the Looney Tunes History and Star War Costumes. Â At the time of this post, there is a horror movie and David Bowie exhibit that I would love to see! Â Tickets are $26.

There’s something for everyone at the Museum of Pop Culture!
Address:Â 325 5th Avenue North
Hours:Â 10am-7pm
Kerry Park
If you want the best view of Seattle, you won’t get it on top of the Space Needle. Â You go to the Space Needle just to say you’ve been to the top, then go to Kerry Park. That’s where you can get a view that includes the Space Needle, the waterfront, and if you’re lucky, Mount Rainier. Â Plus, it’s free! Â Parking is limited, so you might have to park a block or two away, but the view will be worth it!

Kerry Park- The best view of Seattle, and it’s free!
Address:Â 250 W Highland Drive
See the Seattle Seahawks or Mariners Play
Whether you’re a football or baseball fan, there’s something special about seeing a professional team play.  Since we normally go to Seattle in the summer, it’s normally a Mariner’s baseball game that we go to see. The Mariners play at the retractable roof baseball park Safeco Field. Adjacent to the Safeco field is CenturyLink Field home of the football Seattle Seahawks and Major League Soccer Seattle Sounders.
If you have the opportunity to take in a Seattle Seahawks game, bring your ear plugs. Century Link field has twice held the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd roar at an outdoor stadium.  One unique selling point for Safeco Field is the concessionaire Poquitos which sells out early for a 4 ounce cup of grasshoppers toasted in a chili lime salt.

Watching the Mariners play baseball in beautiful Safeco Field
Day trip to Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is an hour and a half from Seattle. The mountain is an active volcano with the last eruption in 1894 and is the highest in the state of Washington at 14,410 feet (4392 meters) above sea level and one of the highest in the contiguous 48 states.
The mountain is pretty special to Joe because you can see it from his boyhood home in Pacific, WA. Â Joe and his childhood best friend even tried to ride their bikes to the mountain one day, but gave up when they were 14 miles away.
There are tours that depart from Seattle daily, or it is an easy drive with well marked signage up to the base of the mountain. Bring a jacket or sweater even in the summer weather and check the glaciers. You can plan a hike along the glacier if you readily equipped.

Mount Rainier National Park

We try to visit Mount Rainier on every visit.
Have you been or want to go to Seattle, Washington? What Seattle spots did we leave off?  Please share by commenting below!  Any questions?  Please ask!
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Lauren
October 22, 2017 8:41 pmTake me on your next trip!
Pack Your Baguios
October 23, 2017 6:45 amI tried, but you were too busy!
Krupa
October 22, 2017 8:42 pmThis guide is amazing. My hubby just returned from Seattle and he loved every bit of it. Though he missed few places from this list due to less time in hand. But we will make sure we cover everything next time in our trip to Seattle .
Pack Your Baguios
October 23, 2017 6:47 amDefinitely go back!
Flo
October 23, 2017 4:48 amGood to hear that Mama Baguio warmed up to you eventually! Seattle is a great city and I always enjoy my short visits there, but have yet to make it to the Chihuly Garden. I’ll have to add it to my list of things to do the next time I’m in the city.
Pack Your Baguios
October 23, 2017 6:48 amWe put off seeing the gardens for a long time because of the price, but once we went, WOW!, it was such an amazing place!
Dominic
October 23, 2017 11:59 amThree strikes and you are out! lol Too funny. Looks like you had a great trip. I haven’t been out to Seattle yet, but really look forward to it. And yes, that gum alley is icky. 🙂
Pack Your Baguios
October 23, 2017 1:26 pmThey actually cleaned off the wall a couple of years ago, but it didn’t take long to be recovered with gum again!
Amrita Sen
October 23, 2017 11:27 pmThis looks like a wonderful trip. I would definitely like to visit the National park and take the boat tour!
Pack Your Baguios
October 24, 2017 6:30 pmMount Rainier National Park is such a wonderful day trip from Seattle. You can drive up to fantastic views, or you can hike on the numerous trails!
Anushka Aggarwal
October 24, 2017 5:29 amI would definitely love to visit Seattle, surely it wasn’t something that is on my priority list of traveling or on my bucket list, but your guide is surely very much useful if I ever get a chance to visit. The grossest place is Gum alley,
Pack Your Baguios
October 24, 2017 6:32 pmGum Alley is one of those places that is disgusting, but you just can’t look away!
Marvi
October 26, 2017 2:37 amOhhh!! True filipino quality – very conservative. This made me laugh. 😉 Glad to hear that Mama Baguio gave you a chance! 😉 Seattle does seem to have a lot of cool places to visit. I would definitely love to visit Mount Rainier National Park.. Those incredible views!
Pack Your Baguios
October 26, 2017 7:54 amJoe told me, “My mom values education. Just keep on talking about your degrees and job as a teacher.” Sure enough, the education outweighed my 3 strikes!
Michael - The Boys Abroad
October 27, 2017 2:41 amIs it strange that the two things that interest me most are the gum wall and the national park? I feel like they’re two different ends of the spectrum but equally fascinating!?
Pack Your Baguios
October 27, 2017 7:35 amNot strange to us at all!!!!
David
October 27, 2017 4:17 amSeattle is one of the cities I’m most interested in visiting when I finally do a US trip. While I’d heard of some of these before, definitely never heard of Gum Alley! What a bizarre place and I don’t think I’d know until I got there whether I thought it was cool or gross haha. Definitely a nice mix of things to do there, thanks for sharing.
Pack Your Baguios
October 27, 2017 7:36 amThe gum wall is one of those things that is gross, but you just can’t look away!
Jenn | By Land and Sea
October 27, 2017 6:20 amWe visited many of these sites on our trip to Seattle too! Would have loved to have made it up to Mt. Rainier though.
Pack Your Baguios
October 27, 2017 7:39 amJoe grew up seeing Mt. Rainier everyday from his front yard, so it has a lot of sentimental value to him. The mountain really stands out because it is surrounded by flat land.
California Globetrotter
October 27, 2017 12:49 pmWould love to visit again and truly see the town rather than zooming through it before catching a flight! #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:35 amThere are so many cities for us that we’ve only seen from the airport!
Wanderlust Vegans
October 27, 2017 1:44 pmSounds like you had a great time. When we went to Pike market, it was just as busy. I had heard the took down the gum wall though? We saw it in 2014. The wheel is pretty cool too! and not at all expensive!
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:36 amThey did clean off the gum a couple of years ago. When we were there again this summer, it looked like the first time we saw it–completely covered in gum again!
Angie (FeetDoTravel)
October 28, 2017 5:06 amThis is great – I love your honesty and I’m so glad Mama warmed to you so quickly, what a fabulous character. So many wonderful things to see and do in Seattle, I adore the photo of you both at Kerry Park, now that is something I would love to do if I visit here. Pinned for when I visit the States! #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:46 amMama Baguio passed away in 2015, so I’m very fortunate that I was able to get to know and spend some time with her.
Kate and Kris
October 29, 2017 4:37 amMight head to Seattle next year so will bookmark this. Love that the rocky start to meeting Mama Baguio got easier!
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:48 amLittle did I know that being a “professional woman” would make her so happy!
Madhurima Maiti
October 29, 2017 9:20 amI loved your travel guide. It’s easy to read and very helpful. Mount Rainier is such a beauteous place. I’m bookmarking this post. Thanks 🙂
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:50 amThanks for bookmarking it!
Paula - Gone with the Wine
October 29, 2017 5:19 pmThis was a great post since we are planning to visit Seattle at some point soon. I definitely want to visit Mt. Rainier… and I guess see the gum wall. That is the most bizarre thing I have heard of in a while.. ha ha.
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:51 amBoth Mt. Rainier and the Gum Wall are fun to photograph, but for totally different reasons!
Bruce Schinkel
October 29, 2017 6:52 pmSeattle has steadily been climbing up my to-do list lately! I’ve been hearing nothing but great things, and can’t wait to start turning my plans into a reality. I’m really interested in the Chihuly exhibits .. .since I’ve seen a sample of his work in Las Vegas!
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:53 amThe Chihuly Glass and Gardens are definitely a must see! Not only is there huge, blown-glass sculptures inside, but there is an elaborate garden outside with real and glass flowers.
Paul and Carole
October 30, 2017 3:26 amIt takes a lot to impress the mother-in-law but looks like you succeeded lol! Great guide to visiting Seattle have pinned for future reference. #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
October 30, 2017 7:54 amThanks for pinning!
Julie Cao
October 30, 2017 5:16 pmSeattle is really a beautiful place and it reminded me of Hawaii and Alaska, as the city has lots of green space, beautiful waterfront and the snowy mountains. Your intro about Filipino mama put a smile on my face. I would love to visit Seattle again. Have you visited Boeing Company there too? It was the highlight of my trip,
Pack Your Baguios
October 31, 2017 12:43 pmWe haven’t been to Boeing. Joe has some relatives that work there, so we should check it out. Thanks for the tip!
Shruti Sutwala
November 1, 2017 1:54 amNever been to Seattle! Have seen in so many Tv shows – after reading this I need to make a trip soon 🙂
Pack Your Baguios
November 1, 2017 7:05 amYou would love it! Even when it’s raining it is a beautiful city!
Tracy
November 1, 2017 4:01 pmWe only spent 24 hours in Seattle on our way from Victoria to SAN Francisco but we liked what we saw and will definitely be going again! That gum wall is so gross but a must see!
Pack Your Baguios
November 2, 2017 5:17 pmVictoria to San Francisco sounds like a fantastic road trip!
James
November 3, 2017 3:13 amMy daughters Great Uncle is Mexican and a huge Seattle Seahawks fan. He even has the Seahawks logo tattooed on his arm. Which looks exactly like the hecho en Mexico logo. He would love to visit their stadium!
Pack Your Baguios
November 3, 2017 5:28 amSince he grew up in the area, Joe is a huge Seahawks fan. We currently have a huge Seahawks flag attached to our garage!
Sandy N Vyjay
November 4, 2017 10:02 amSo many things to do in Seattle. I really fancy the Boat cruise and the Pop Culture museum. A visit to the Rainer National park would also be really great.
Kreete Tokman
November 12, 2017 12:20 amAww what an interesting story about mama Baguio! Glad she finally warmed up to you and how nice of you to keep the tradition alive, by visiting Washington again and again! There sure is a lot of interesting things to do from the markets to the museums and of course the waterfront! Id love to visit one day! Thank you for sharing!
Pack Your Baguios
November 14, 2017 6:25 amJoe still has lots of Cousins in the area, and his beat friend is there. I’m sure we’ll continue to visit as long as we are able!
Josh Roberts
December 20, 2017 9:19 amHey Carmen,
Thank you for coming up with a list of things to see and do in Seattle. Looking forward to checking on the Farmers Market (Pikes Place Market) and Mount Rainier National Park.
Pack Your Baguios
December 21, 2017 7:06 pmWe’re frequent visitors to Seattle. There’s so much to do!!!