Eat & Drink

Flint Creek or Rock Creek -- Our go-to on Friday nights. Owned by the same folks, you can’t go wrong with either. We’ve never had a single thing we didn’t love and the settings at both are fantastic. Make reservations. (Rock Creek has an amazing fire pit and outdoor seating, while Flint Creek is all indoors)

Ray’s Boathouse -- sit right on the water and enjoy a delicious meal. Watch boats and paddleboarders float beneath you.

Westward -- Put your feet in the sand and enjoy a cocktail while sitting right on Lake Union watching boats go by. Also, there’s an amazing fire pit filled with oyster shells.

Walrus and the Carpenter -- If you like Oysters, this is the place for you!

Plum Cafe — yes, it’s vegan, but delicious is delicious.

Frankie & Joe’s Ice Cream — It usually has a line outside, but for good reason. There’s full-dairy and dairy-free, so something for all. Beyond yum.

The Nest - Grab a cocktail at the roofdeck bar on top f the Thompson Hotel. You’ll have the best view in the city for sunset. Make reservations early. Can’t get up without them.

If you’re looking to have a romantic and unforgettable dining experience (and spend a pretty penny), our favorite special occasion restaurant is Canlis. It’s the #1 for fine-dining in Seattle, has a James Beard award-winning wine program and a tasting menu that’s out of this world. It’s a once-in-a-great-while type of place. Reservations must be made well in advance and be ready to dress up!

Wine Tasting in Woodinville. We’ll do this on Saturday afternoon, but if you want to do more tastings on your own we recommend Matthew’s Winery, JM Cellars, De Lill, Novelty Hill Januik, Chateau San Michelle for their beautiful properties and delightful experiences.

Whiskey Tasting. Check out the Woodinville Whiskey Distillery.

Sporty Activities

We spend nearly every weekend on the Burke-Gilman Trail, running or biking. It’s a great trail that goes for miles and miles, follows along the water, passes UW, is safe and you can’t get lost. If you bring bikes, this is where we typically ride and after the first 5 or so miles it opens up and is great riding.

Rent paddleboards from Urban surf and see Lake Union up close and personal. You can even paddle by the Sleepless in Seattle houseboat.

Poo Poo Point is a relatively quick and easy jaunt up with gorgeous views. When you reach the top save some time to watch all the paragliders take off and fly!

Touristy To Do’s

You must check out Pike Place Market. It's the best farmers market in the country. Period. Watch them throw the fish and taste samples of the freshest fruit you can imagine. Make sure to head below and check out the gum wall. Yes, gum wall. The ferris wheel is a great photo-op and a fun experience (especially for kiddos!)

Seattle Underground Tour - we did this with my family and it is actually pretty cool. You get to walk through the underground of where the city used to lie.

MOHAI - The Museum of History and Industry - if you’re into museums at all, definitely check this one out. If you’re not, it’s actually still pretty interesting. The exhibits change but the depiction of how this city was rebuilt after the devastating fire is pretty eye opening. It’s always free on the first Thursday of the month, which happens to be July 4.

Chihuly Gardens and Glass - tickets are about $25 but it’s pretty worth it. The most intricate glass sculptures and artwork you may ever see. It’s part indoors/ part outdoors and sits right beneath the Space Needle. Definitely insta-worthy.

Take a day trip by ferry. The San Juan islands are a gorgeous gem in the PNW and they’re easy to get to by ferry. You could also day trip to Victoria (Doris did it once and took a sea plane there and a ferry back) The options are endless, here’s the ferry schedules and information.

Coffee

You’re in Seattle. You could go to the very first Starbucks if you so desire, but besides a long line and the standard menu, there’s not much it offers in our opinion…

Instead, hit the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Pike/Pine, where you get an intimate view of both the roasting and the brewing process, and you can try things like whiskey barrel-aged cold brew.

But, Starbucks is Starbucks and Doris’ personal recommendation is to try something you can’t get at home. Check out Elm Coffee Roasters. Their homemade hazelnut milk is delectable.

If you’re into bikes and coffee and bike shops with coffee, you’ll love Métier.