How a City Stole My Heart and Never Gave it Back

Have you ever been somewhere and never wanted to leave? Was that a store? The beach? Or maybe it was the mountains? For me, it was a whole city. A city that I visited when I was in high school and then again when I was older. A place where I would love to settle down one day because I love it that much. This is a place where I could visit all the same attraction and still fall in love even more. Where is this you ask?

Seattle, Washington.

In 2010, between my sophomore and junior year of high school (aka between an awkward year in high school and a less awkward year in high school) my family drove the many hours to Washington. Coming from our hometown of Hanford, California, that was an approximate 15 hour drive. It took us two days (I was 16 and my little sister was 13) and lots of random stops before we finally arrive in Seattle at 12 AM.

We had driven through Olympic Park and it took us way too long hence why we arrived so late.

After getting a good night’s sleep, we made our first top at the Space Needle. And I will never forget how awestruck I was when I arrived at the top. It was so high up!! Okay, I’m not afraid of heights, but it was really high up. But it was so gorgeous. To see the entire metropolis below me and see the world around me from the top, I was immediately in love. I knew I wanted to come back and visit one day.

And that I did.

In June of 2017, I made the 15 hour trek yet again with a person I don’t talk to anymore (nothing too bad. Just, not a friend anymore). We drove all the way up, skipping Olympic Park this time, but still taking our time. And I fell in love with the city all over again.

Why do I love this city so much? What about it draw me and other people in to see it and live there?

1. It doesn't feel like a big city.

Most people have been to a big city and have felt overwhelmed by how big everything is. The buildings are tall and can be overbearing to look at. There are high end stores that you may or may not have money to spend in (no judgement either way). There are people rushing around you having places to go and people to see. But all in all it can be very overwhelming.

Not Washington.

While walking through the streets of Seattle, it doesn’t feel like a big city. It definitely feels like a metropolis, but nothing like a city like Los Angeles or San Francisco. People are friendlier, more willing to help any tourists that are around. Honestly, when I went in 2017, I asked a few people where the best place to find maps was. They were happy to point out a place called Metsker Maps which was on the block right above Pike Place (I fell in love with the store and DID NOT want to leave). But they were nice and gave us directions. And there were stores in the area that weren’t way out of my price range. Granted, they were mostly Starbucks, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, but they were in our price range nonetheless. There were plenty of places to visit and look around without breaking the bank.

There were also a lot of cute places surrounding the city of Seattle that were also full of life and culture. My friend and I stayed in a small town called Fremont which was about ten minutes away from Pike’s Place Market. There is so much art and sculptures that you could spend a whole day of your Seattle trip just exploring Fremont. There’s the Fremont troll, the Center of the Earth post, the John Lenon statue, and the Fremont rocket. And I promise you, they are all in a few block radius of each other. There are cute little shops and places to eat that you can visit. There is also an awesome park in Fremont called Gas Works Park. I honestly think that it’s the best view of the city skyline. What do you think?

2. The attractions never get boring.

How could you not like this view??

Seriously, I love it every time I go up to the top of the Space Needle. You literally have the best view of the city here. And you get a 360 degree view from the top! You can see the whole city and more from up here! Plus, if you go at night, you get to see the whole city all lit up. For any photographers out there, you don’t want to miss this opportunity. Unless you are afraid of heights…

But seriously, you don’t want to miss this.

And once you put your feet back on the ground, you can take a short stroll over to the Chihuly Glass House. This museum has glass blown artwork made by Dale Chihuly. There are so many things to see, you could spend hours just wandering through the museum. Different rooms house different types of artwork, including this beautiful ceiling that has glass pieces in it with light shining through it. I mean, how cool is this picture that I took of Tantor?

You can also take an awesome harbor cruise that’s about an hour long. It’s very informative and honestly, it’s quite relaxing to be out on the water. You can get some amazing views of the skyline with the water to add to it. You can also get one of the best view of the Seattle ferris wheel. You learn a lot about the city of Seattle and about the harbor itself.

And you can’t forget Pike’s Place! This beautiful stretch of market is a great place for everyone to spend some time and wander around. There are vendors everywhere selling all kinds of different gifts for all sort of interests. Artists, tee shirt designs, pottery, food, but most famously the fish and the flowers. There are so many vendors that sell flowers! It’s the best smelling marketplace ever! And, you just walk across the street and you arrive at the first Starbucks. Feel free to get yourself some coffee (if you don’t mind waiting in a long line) before you go and explore the rest of Washington.

My final awesome attraction is Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. Did you know that Seattle used to be lower than it is now? Yeah! How cool! So this tour takes you underneath Seattle’s streets to see things like pictures, furniture, gates, and lots of other cool things. You also learn little goofy facts about the city that you most likely wouldn’t hear anywhere else! Like did you know that Seattle built high sidewalks so that they wouldn’t have to walk through the mud when it rained too much? And, to get to these sidewalks you had to climb a ladder! Those poor ladies in their skirts and heels… But this tour is so much fun and it is definitely worth checking out.

How would you like to visit all of Seattle’s best attractions for a fraction of the cost? There is an awesome thing called the City Pass that you can get! This awesome City Pass gets you two times up in the Space Needle, the Harbor Cruise, along with other things like the Chihuly Glass House and the zoo. This thing is amazing because it not only saves you money, but it gets you into the best attractions in Seattle.

3. There are lots of little islands nearby to explore.

Since Seattle is in a bay, there are islands nearby that you can explore. It may be an hour or so drive to get to one or two, but it’s totally worth it! My personal favorite is Whidbey Island. This little island is so quaint and quiet with tons of things to explore.

The first thing I recommend is Fort Casey. This old military fort has a lot of interesting facts about it and there are small boards throughout the different rooms that brings more information about what went on there. And the view of the bay is just amazing! You can climb onto the top of the fort and look out at the boats across the water. You can take beautiful pictures for your family and friends to enjoy the view with you. It’s also a great place to have a picnic with your family and relax.

A cute little town that we visited was Oak Harbor. It’s not very big, but has small shops that are fun to wander through and look around. There are also beaches and public park where you can hang out and get some of the kid’s energy out. This was also one of the only places we could find Whidbey Island merchandise. Who knew? And while you’re there, stop for some Whidbey Island Coffee. I must say, as someone who loves Dutch Bros Coffee, this was a very close contender for best coffee.

The next place to stop is Coupeville where you can visit another beach town and enjoy some lavender! One of the main attractions from this town is the Lavender Wind’s Gift Shop. You can buy just about anything lavender, including ice cream! It’s vanilla ice cream with lavender mixed in a dipped in chocolate! Yum! If that isn’t quite your style, there are also cookies, soaps, and potpourri along with lots of other cute items. And if you’re feeling adventurous, you can visit the actual farm where they make grow the lavender. It smells amazing out there! But seriously, check out Lavender Wind Farms. It’s freaking awesome.

The final place on Whidbey Island that you have to visit (and I’m being serious because this is the one of the only ways to get off the island) is Deception Pass. Now, there are only two ways to get on the island: take a ferry to the south side of the island or drive over Deception Pass on the north side of the island. But Deception Pass is beautiful! There is a small area on each side of the bridge where you can stop to take pictures or even sit and have a snack. Or if you are here later in the day, watch the sun set over the horizon.

Whidbey Island is such a cool place to explore. You can spend a day of your trip there and not be disappointed!

4. The weather is perfect.

How many people here like the beach? I am one of them, so join the club. And Seattle is like the perfect beach city. The weather is jeans and a tee shirt weather. Maybe a sweatshirt in the morning, but nothing too major. Both times that I have been to Washington it has been during the summer and I can promise you that I was wearing jeans with flip flops everyday. PERFECT!

Yes it does get slightly rainy during the winters (okay, maybe mostly rainy), but who doesn’t like rain? I love sitting on the couch and watching it through the window while drinking my hot cocoa.

Who wants hot cocoa now? Just me?

5. It’s close to Canada!

After driving about two hours north of Seattle, my friend and I made it to Canada! Now at the time, I did not have a passport so we were not able to drive over the border. But there is a small park between the two borders where you can cross into Canada! I was so excited to be in a different country.

Okay... not really a different country…

We didn’t get to explore Canada, but it was fun to say that I had visited the country! Kinda. Either way, it’s not that far of a drive to the border from Seattle. And you get to say you visited Canada!

So that’s the end. That’s it! That’s the city that has stolen my heart and hasn’t given it back. If I could move anywhere, I would definitely say Seattle. The people, the culture, and the environment are all reasons why this city has become one that I love. I hope that if you end up visiting Seattle one day, you can understand why I have fallen in love with it!