PNW Trip this Summer (Seattle, Tacoma: consignment, how much, neighborhoods)

[scocar]

My SO and I are going to be visiting the PNW for the first time this summer. We want to do a pretty even mix of outdoor and urban stuff. Plan is to fly into PDX and stay in Portland a few days then drive to Seattle. Would like to get an Air BnB that is in a neighborhood in Seattle that I can maybe walk to some cool local eating establishments and/or craft breweries.

Looking for suggestions for some local eats, craft breweries, and areas to stay in/avoid. We are city dwellers in St. Louis, so a little grit doesn't bother us at all. But would prefer an area where there is safe foot traffic. For eating we are more interested in local stuff that might show up on Diners, Drive-in's and Dives, not 5-star restaurants.

[jabogitlu]

Seattle isn't like east coast cities ... there aren't really any "no go" zones here.

However, I would avoid Little Saigon (12th & Jackson) at the moment. I'd also be AWARE of my surroundings at night when visiting Pioneer Square or the area around Pike Place Market.


Cool neighborhoods for AirBnBs ... in no particular order...
1. Ballard (the area around Majestic Bay Theater, Ballard Consignment, etc.)
2. Fremont
3. Greenlake proper (look up Shelter Lounge restaurant, this is the area you wanna be in)
4. Capitol Hill (any part)
5. Beacon Hill (around Perihelion Brewery)
6. Lower Queen Anne (around Queen Anne Ave & Mercer St)


For food and urban exploration, the Pike and Pine Street corridor in Cap Hill (between Bellevue Ave & 15th Ave) is really fun. 15th Ave itself is also fun.

For a real brewery experience, I'd try hitting up a couple spots in Georgetown. Jellyfish, Machine House, Lowercase, Beneficial Brewing, etc. There's also some cool restaurants in Georgetown - Fondo la Catrina, Lorena's Kitchen, Mezzanotte, Georgetown Liquor Company. Don't be put off by the gritty visual aspects of the neighborhood, it's actually one of the safer / less gross neighborhoods in the city, it just has a very industrial feel.

There's also a ton of breweries in Ballard. Like... just zoom into Ballard in Google Maps and search for breweries. You'll never be able to try them all. LOL

[scocar]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

Seattle isn't like east coast cities ... there aren't really any "no go" zones here.

However, I would avoid Little Saigon (12th & Jackson) at the moment. I'd also be AWARE of my surroundings at night when visiting Pioneer Square or the area around Pike Place Market.


Cool neighborhoods for AirBnBs ... in no particular order...
1. Ballard (the area around Majestic Bay Theater, Ballard Consignment, etc.)
2. Fremont
3. Greenlake proper (look up Shelter Lounge restaurant, this is the area you wanna be in)
4. Capitol Hill (any part)
5. Beacon Hill (around Perihelion Brewery)
6. Lower Queen Anne (around Queen Anne Ave & Mercer St)


For food and urban exploration, the Pike and Pine Street corridor in Cap Hill (between Bellevue Ave & 15th Ave) is really fun. 15th Ave itself is also fun.

For a real brewery experience, I'd try hitting up a couple spots in Georgetown. Jellyfish, Machine House, Lowercase, Beneficial Brewing, etc. There's also some cool restaurants in Georgetown - Fondo la Catrina, Lorena's Kitchen, Mezzanotte, Georgetown Liquor Company. Don't be put off by the gritty visual aspects of the neighborhood, it's actually one of the safer / less gross neighborhoods in the city, it just has a very industrial feel.

There's also a ton of breweries in Ballard. Like... just zoom into Ballard in Google Maps and search for breweries. You'll never be able to try them all. LOL

Thanks for all the great information. Really appreciate it.

[Diana Holbrook]

OK First suggestion. Our very best tourist attraction in Washington is our volcano, IMHO. I highly recommend you go to Mt St. Helens. Go all the way to the top at Johnston Ridge. Listen to the ranger talks, if they have them going again, and watch the movie and the reveal at the end. Even after all these years, perhaps because you can see the recovery still, after all these years, it's worth the trip. But it will take most of a day... so do that if you have time to spend the day, and if it's a clear day. Must be a clear day. It's closed now for winter, but should be open and more normal by this summer than it has been last summer, with covid. (https://www.visitmtsthelens.com/busi...e-observatory/)


Second suggestion. If you are driving from Portland to Seattle, you will need to stop somewhere halfway for for lunch. I would recommend you stop in Olympia for lunch.

- Get off the freeway at Exit 105A - State Capitol. Take a detour and drive through the capital grounds, it's a pretty capitol building. If you have time, stop and go inside (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_State_Capitol). The interior of the capital is nearly entirely marble, and is architecturally beautiful.
- From the capitol, head down Capital Blvd and through a couple transitions to Marine Drive that goes THROUGH the log yard at the port, and ends at Anthony's Grill at the end. You may think, driving through the log yard that there can't possibly be a restaurant at the end, but there IS Good seafood/grill faire, and extraordinary views of the water and the Olympics if the weather is nice. A very Washington place. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...ashington.html)

Then head on to Seattle if you must.

Our second best tourist attraction is whale watching. Try to check out and find a whale watching tour while you're here. I think you can book trips right out of Seattle, if not Tacoma or other Puget Sound starting locale.

[homesinseattle]

Phinney Ridge would give you a great neighborhood vibe with lots of fun food/pubs/coffee shops nearby. It also has good freeway access to get anywhere around town.

[jabogitlu]

Agreed, Phinney is a cool little neighborhood that really only locals know about/frequent.

[Gardyloo]

When during the summer will you be coming and how long will you be staying? As for the mix of "outdoor and urban stuff," what does that mean? Day trips or overnight (or multi-night) trips from town? Do you have plans to visit Mt. Rainier or Olympic national parks? Visit some islands in Puget Sound or the Salish Sea? Travel to Victoria or Vancouver BC?

There are several neighborhoods in the city (and several outside the city) that would probably meet your needs on the walkability/food and beverage front, but these will present different challenges in other respects, such as access to out-of-town attractions, and, of course, cost. Seattle is high-priced in the summer, probably more so this year than in the past due to pent-up demand for domestic travel in the US as well as the inflation that seems to be hitting the travel and entertainment/food/accommodation sectors very hard.

Give us some more information on when and how long and we can provide more in-depth help.

[scocar]

Originally Posted by Gardyloo

When during the summer will you be coming and how long will you be staying? As for the mix of "outdoor and urban stuff," what does that mean? Day trips or overnight (or multi-night) trips from town? Do you have plans to visit Mt. Rainier or Olympic national parks? Visit some islands in Puget Sound or the Salish Sea? Travel to Victoria or Vancouver BC?

There are several neighborhoods in the city (and several outside the city) that would probably meet your needs on the walkability/food and beverage front, but these will present different challenges in other respects, such as access to out-of-town attractions, and, of course, cost. Seattle is high-priced in the summer, probably more so this year than in the past due to pent-up demand for domestic travel in the US as well as the inflation that seems to be hitting the travel and entertainment/food/accommodation sectors very hard.

Give us some more information on when and how long and we can provide more in-depth help.

Current plan is July 25-August 3rd. Current plan is to fly into PDX and flying out of Seattle. Still open to how much time we are spending in each. Plan on going to Columbia River Gorge and Oregon Coast, in Oregon, and Olympic National Park in Seattle. These would be the "outdoor" stuff. Looking for single day hikes/drives.

Urban stuff would mostly be craft breweries and food, but would also be open to seeing interesting museums and historical sights in the city.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by scocar

Current plan is July 25-August 3rd. Current plan is to fly into PDX and flying out of Seattle. Still open to how much time we are spending in each. Plan on going to Columbia River Gorge and Oregon Coast, in Oregon, and Olympic National Park in Seattle. These would be the "outdoor" stuff. Looking for single day hikes/drives.

Urban stuff would mostly be craft breweries and food, but would also be open to seeing interesting museums and historical sights in the city.

Not sure what your plan is for Olympic National Park, maybe you have a good reason... but I think in general for a short first trip into nature, you'd be better served to see Mt. St. Helens, which I already mentioned, OR Mt. Rainier National Park. Both are easier to get to, and more landmark sights to see. IMHO, the Olympics are a much more wild and rustic place, without a lot of day-trip destinations for casual tourists that are easy to get to from Seattle.

[CrazyDonkey]

Ballard will give you the biggest mix of things to do and see that you could walk to:

* Ballard Locks and Fish Ladder (free)
* National Nordic Museum
* Ballard Avenue Historic District
* Shilsole Marina
* Golden Gardens Park and Beach
* Live Music - Sunset Tavern, Tractor Tavern, Conor Byrne Pub, Egan's Ballard Jam House.
* Craft Breweries: Ballard Beer Co., Lagunitas Brewing Co., Peddler Brewing Co., Stoup Brewing, Reuben's Brews. Wheelie Pop Brewing, Mirage Brewing, Fair Isle Brewing, Maritime Pacific Brewing
* Lots of bars, taverns, saloons, pubs, etc.
* Lots of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, etc.
* Lots of stores, shops, boutiques, etc.
* Not far: The Fremont Troll, Gas Works Park, Woodland Park Zoo, Green Lake, Discovery Park, etc.