WELCOME TO SEATTLE

Seattle is a vibrant city in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by water, mountains and evergreen forests. Known for its coffee culture, waterfront views, innovative spirit and laid back atmosphere, it offers a mix of urban energy and easy access to nature.

We crossed the border from Canada by FlixBus and spent just over 24 hours in Seattle. From Pike Place Market and the waterfront to the Ballard Locks and the Space Needle, we explored the city on foot and by public transport.

In a short amount of time, we experienced many different sides of Seattle, from the historic market and lively downtown to quieter parks and waterfront trails, all with the mountains and ocean always nearby.

We crossed from Canada to the United States by FlixBus (50.99USD per 2 people), arriving in Seattle on 28 July. The border crossing was part of the journey itself, as we were continuing our trip south before heading back towards Europe.

We already had our US travel authorization, so we did not need to apply for it again for this part of our journey. Once we arrived in Seattle, we made our way to Green Tortoise Hostel, where we had booked our stay for the night.

The location could hardly have been better. The hostel is right across from Pike Place Market, putting us within walking distance of the waterfront and many of the central areas we wanted to explore.

After checking in and leaving our things, we headed back outside with no real plan other than walking and seeing where the afternoon would take us.

Our first afternoon was spent around Elliott Bay and the Seattle waterfront. We walked towards Pier 62 and spent some time by the water, taking in the views and getting our first feeling for the city.

From there, we walked through Harbor Steps and back towards the centre. We liked this part of Seattle because you could move quite quickly between the waterfront and the streets of downtown, with completely different surroundings only a few minutes apart.

The following morning we headed to Pike Place Market. Since our hostel was directly across from it, we could simply walk over and start exploring.

We wandered through the historic market area, stopping at the fish market and looking around the different food stalls and small shops. We also visited The Cheese Box and the famous Starbucks location at Pike Place.

There was a lot happening around the market, with people shopping, eating and moving between the different parts of the neighbourhood. We spent the morning walking without rushing, which was probably the best way to experience it.

Pike Place ended up being one of those places where we could have easily spent much longer, but with only a short time in Seattle, we still had another part of the city we wanted to see.

After our morning around Pike Place Market, we took a public bus towards Lawton Park. From there, we continued on foot through the Kiwanis Memorial area and towards Commodore Park.

It was a completely different side of Seattle from what we had seen around the market. Instead of busy streets and crowds, we were surrounded by green spaces, water and walking paths.

Eventually we reached the ship canal and the Ballard Locks. We walked along the canal promenade and spent some time watching the boats moving through the locks.

We also wanted to see the fish ladder, as salmon migrate through the area. We waited for a while, looking into the water and watching for movement. Eventually, we managed to spot some salmon.

It was one of those small moments that you cannot really plan. We had come specifically hoping to see them, but we still had to slow down and wait. After spending the previous hours around Pike Place and downtown, walking along the canal felt like a completely different experience of Seattle.

Later that day, we took the bus back towards Seattle Center. After spending the morning around the market and the quieter waterways, we were suddenly surrounded by some of Seattle’s most recognisable landmarks.

We visited the Space Needle and spent some time around the surrounding area before heading into Chihuly Garden and Glass. The colourful glass installations were a completely different experience from everything else we had seen that day, and the garden outside made the visit feel connected to the surrounding Seattle Center.

We also stopped by the Museum of Pop Culture, although we only saw it from the outside. Even without going in, the building itself was worth stopping for a look.

After exploring Seattle Center, we started walking back towards the centre. On the way, we stopped for sushi at FOB Sushi Bar, giving us a chance to sit down and have lunch before continuing our last walk through the city.

We then made our way back towards Pike Place Market and stopped at the Gum Wall. It was a slightly strange way to finish our sightseeing, but after seeing so many of Seattle’s more famous landmarks, it was fun to end with something completely different.

We returned to the hostel, collected our bags and made our way to the airport by bus for our flight to Denmark, with a stop in Iceland.

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