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2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
We’re baaaack! Reese and I had a blast in Seattle and now that we’re home, we’ve got some fantastic tips for you so that when you go to Seattle, you can make the most of your trip by seeing as much as possible and spending less than you expect. We did it in 48 hours, and while we would have loved to stay longer, we can definitely say that 48 hours gives you time to explore but you can always come back for more when you find another cheap flight! Check it out! 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
How We Got There
We flew into Seattle with Alaska Airlines/Virgin Airlines. These two airlines merged recently and it seems to be a good pairing. While they’re still busy repainting airplanes, they have come together to offer the most nonstop flights from the West Coast so that gives you more flight options.
We booked our tickets for our flight via Skyscanner. I love this app because it compares millions of flights and finds you the best deal lightning quick. It’s free and there are no sneaky charges or added fees. By doing this, we saved even more money on our airfare, and you know how much we love to save! 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
Getting Around Seattle
While Seattle has streetcars, trains, buses, and taxis, we opted for a car because our stay was short. We would have loved to explore the city on public transportation, but we didn’t want to miss out on anything with only 72 hours to enjoy it. A car gave us the power to go where we wanted when we wanted.
We partnered with Toyota to test drive the new 2018 Toyota Corolla iM. What a cool car! The dashboard made it easy for me to find everything and it was a comfortable car for us to drive around in. Toyota is always so reliable too, so we were thankful for the chance to drive their newest Corolla. 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
Where To Stay in Seattle
We partnered with HomeAway and stayed at a cool apartment share in the heart of the city. We were close to everything amazing in Seattle! Our apartment was about 4 blocks from the Space Needle. Plus, it was around the corner from Wholefoods which meant we could stock up on groceries for the apartment.
Our experience with HomeAway was fantastic! We loved that we could get a spacious apartment to rent right in the heart of it all and save so much more than booking a hotel room. I love HomeAway because they have millions of homes to rent all over the world. You get a whole home to yourself, which is perfect for more privacy or for feeling like you’re at home when you’re far away from your own home.
Another thing I loved about HomeAway was that it was so easy to use. The app is free to download and you can search tons of choices for any destination that will fit any budget. It’s very secure too so you’re covered there, making your trip hassle-free from the start. Definitely, check them out and get more for less during your stay!
Now, on to our adventures in Seattle. Here’s what Reese and I were up to!
Day One
First Starbucks
I am definitely a creature of habit, so even though we came to the very first Starbucks in existence, I had to get my usual Chai Tea while Reese got the hot chocolate. Our barista gave us a cool mini-history lesson on Starbucks which you can see in the video I took. It was so interesting to learn more about my favorite coffee chain and how it got started here in Seattle. And my how it has grown! 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
Here at the flagship Starbucks, they have all kinds of fun Seattle Starbucks cups and mugs you can see in my photos. They make for great souvenirs, don’t you think?
Piroshky Piroshky
Piroshky Piroshky has been a legend in Seattle’s Pike Place Market since 1992. They sell the most extraordinary pastries you’ve ever tasted. They hand-make every single pastry here and sell both sweet varieties and savory ones too. It is very hard to decide on one but I went with the garlic piroshky based on numerous recommendations. Reese was feeling sweet and chose the Nutella one. 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
We got our Starbucks first and then headed here to sit and eat at this legendary place. You know I love Starbucks for everything it is, but when given the chance to try authentic Russian pastries at one of Seattle’s landmarks, you’ve got to go with that! Yum! 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
Amazon Go Store & Spheres
We got to shop and try out the new Amazon Go store. In case you haven’t heard, Amazon’s Go Store is a completely technology-based convenience store of sorts. With the urbane feel of a clean subway station melded with Starbucks and Wholefoods, this place requires you to download the Amazon Go app first before you can get in. It’s only open Monday through Friday. It was a bit smaller than I expected but what a cool experience!
You simply shop for sandwiches, salads, meals, drinks or whatever items you need and then the app takes care of the rest. It was definitely interesting to visit, though I must warn you though that parking was an absolute nightmare so park a few blocks down and walk to avoid wasting time. 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
The Spheres are located next door, and if you want to see them, you’ll have to settle for the small museum on the bottom floor that allows you entry. The Spheres gained notoriety for being spheres filled with plants. If you’ve ever worked in a cubicle setting before, this concept is ground-breaking and allows the employees here to work in green and innovative spaces. Check out our video to see what I mean!
Shopping at the Flagship Nordstrom
Is there ever a time when shopping isn’t appropriate? Exactly! So of course when given the chance to shop at the Flagship Nordstrom, we were SO there! It’s been around since 1901 but has been renovated and is a shopper’s paradise. We couldn’t leave this massive store without picking up a few things especially since it was Reese’s birthday. Take a look at our Nordstoms Birthday Haul Video to see what we picked up from this legendary store! 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
Day Two:
Capturing memories is so important to Reese and me. We hired a photographer to take our photos while we were in Seattle to make the most of our memories. I love seeing what people can come up with, plus it takes the stress off of me to get the shot just right or remember to take photos of certain things. 2 Days In Seattle Itinerary
When I travel, I like using local photographers. I search for them either via Instagram hashtags (#seattlephotographer) or hiring a photographer from Flytographer. Not long ago, you might recall when Reese and I went to Hawaii (OMG, where does the time go?!?) and I had a wonderful experience using Flytographer on that trip. For this trip to Seattle, we chose a private photographer who I had been stalking on Instagram for some time now her name is Mari (here is her IG).
We loved how she captured everything so beautifully! Check it out from the Post Alley to the Gum Wall to the Pike Place Fish Market and beyond!
Food Tour with Savor Seattle
You know how much we love food. It speaks to our souls! Recently we listed our favorite Seattle tours and this was one of them. It’s a tour that gives you the best tastes of Seattle by roaming around famed Pike Place Market on a 2-hour walking tour. We booked the tour through Groupon and saved. I love checking Groupon for things like this. We scored big discounts on this super-fun tour. You’ve got to try it!
Space Needle
It is without a doubt the most recognizable icon in Seattle. The Space Needle has been here since the 1962 World’s Fair. Some fun facts I learned about it: it is 605 feet high and weighs in at 9,550 tons. It can even handle winds up to 200 miles per hour and resist earthquakes up to 9.1 magnitude. I didn’t want to think about that, but these facts just stuck with me.
The observation deck is, of course, the big draw here where you can see Seattle from above. What a beautiful city! You can see the downtown skyline, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Elliott May, and Mount Baker. The elevators are awesome. They go 10 miles per hour so it takes only 41 seconds!
It was deemed a historic landmark in 1999. At 500 feet up, there’s a rotating restaurant called SkyCity, which during our visit, was closed for renovations.
Science Center
The Pacific Science Center is fun for all ages. Reese and I had the most amazing time learning with hands-on exhibits. It’s such a cool science museum. The Tinker Tank was where we could build our own engineering creations. Science on a Sphere was a fascinating look at animations of our atmosphere and oceans.
Living exhibits and a tropical butterfly house were also captivating. There’s a science playground, a place for little tots to play, and even a saltwater tide pool where we could get a hands-on experience with saltwater creatures from Puget Sound. The outdoor exhibits were loads of fun too with a water cannon, water wheel, and lots more.
Oh and don’t forget the IMAX there too for 3-D movies. There was seriously so much more going on at this place than we knew what to do with. It’s definitely worth visiting!
Museum of Pop Culture
Another great museum that’s part of your City Pass visit is the MoPop. There were exhibits on Nirvana, the science fiction and fantasy hall of fame, an indie game section with tons of crazy game to play, and this awesome sound lab where you could make music.
There was so much more too, but what we loved the most was that it was so interactive and so hands-on. I love experiences like that because I don’t just want to look at stuff. I want to feel it and try it out. This is a great museum for all ages too because there’s something for everyone to enjoy and get involved in.
Swimming at our Home Away Pool
After we saw the sights, we came back to our HomeAway rental apartment to relax. It was 50 degrees outside but our accommodations had an indoor pool, spa, and sauna so you know Reese and I had to test it out. It was purely for research! Kidding! In all seriousness though, it was the perfect way to refresh after such a busy day.
Heading Back Home
Before saying goodbye to Seattle we headed to one last place to get a taste of the city. Biscuit Bitch was our early-morning breakfast stop before we headed to the airport. It’s comfort food completely homemade and unpretentious. The menu has amazing biscuits and gravy offerings, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options too. I chose the Hot Mess Bitch (because well, I’m a hot mess lol) which featured a biscuit and gravy, eggs and garlic grits with cheese, jalapenos, and sausage, and Reese had the Buttered up Bitch, a biscuit with butter and a choice of spreads with one egg.
It was the perfect way to finish off an epic trip. We loved Seattle and we had a wonderful time. We can’t wait to go back another day!
