Seattle
Seattle, West Seattle, and Des Moines
3/31/20263 min read
Pike Place Market
A must-see if you're going to visit Seattle, Pike Place is the epicenter of Seattle's business district, and a major tourist attraction. At the market center, you'll find the hustle and bustle of a multitude of vendors- everything from groceries and produce, arts and crafts, clothing, and more. You can also find the ORIGINAL Starbucks Coffee location there, as well as numerous restaurants (I recommend The Alibi Room - a quiet bar & restaurant beneath the Market (near the gum wall) with really good pizza!)
Getting around town
LIME E-Bikes! These things are everywhere in Seattle! Downtown Seattle is not very big, and most of it is walkable, but renting a Lime e-bike can save you a lot of time and effort getting from one place to another. You can use the Lime app, or the Uber app, to scan the QR code on the bike and ride it to your destination. They only charge 47 cents per minute, making them very affordable!
Seattle Aquarium
If you like marine life, definitely check out the Seattle Aquarium! I particularly recommend the After-Hours special they have! The Aquarium remains open 5:30-8:30pm for adults only...Enjoy your visit without the big crowds and noisy children, have some adult beverages, and watch the crew feed the sea otters!
West Seattle / Alki Point
Flatstick Pub
Flatstick Pub is a really cool spot, featuring both mini-golf and "duffleboard", a table-top version of mini golf using a proprietary putter that works like a flat-ended pool cue...a super-fun game! There are two locations in Seattle, one at South Lake Union and another at Pioneer Square. They also have really good food and a large beer/drink menu.
Alki Point is a peninsula that sticks out on the west end of Elliot Bay. On the north side of Alki Point, you'll find Alki Beach- a popular hangout spot that gets busy on the weekends (good luck finding parking!), but it's worth checking out! There are a number of great restaurants, and a fantastic view of the Seattle skyline. On the south end of Alki Point, you can find Constellation Park and Charles Richey Viewpoint, another beach where you can see all kinds of sea critters (urchins, starfish, anemones) at low tide.
Des Moines
Des Moines, Washington lies about 25 minutes south of downtown Seattle. A quiet little marina town, it's one of my favorite places to stay when I travel to Seattle and Auburn for work, since it lies between those two cities. It has a number of great restaurants. I recommend the Dog House, Wally's Chowder House, and the Quarterdeck -which happens to be right next to the marina, where you can watch some beautiful sunsets on the Puget Sound from the marina pier. Quarterdeck has a great Cuban sandwich!
If you're looking for a place to stay in Des Moines, there is only one hotel- The Marina Inn. It's a little outdated and basic- but it's cozy and affordable. It's also located directly in the center of town, so you can walk almost anywhere from it. Otherwise, your best bet is to find an Airbnb. There are a handful available in Des Moines
