Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Seattle
- Georgia Louise
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 11
Seattle, a major city in the US state of Washington, is surrounded by water, mountains and forests. It is home to some of the largest tech industries in the world with both Microsoft and Amazon headquartered here… as well as the first ever Starbucks store located opposite Pike Place market! Whether you are exploring Seattle from the heights of the Space Needle, or the ferries on Alaskan Way, Seattle has something for everyone to enjoy. We visited here in summer 2024, and here are some things I wish I knew before arriving.
How many god damn hills are there in Seattle!!! I came here on our big trip across America and Seattle was the stop after San Francisco and believe me, I was so done with the hills at that point! But there are so many hills in Seattle too!!!!!! Who knew!
There is a major homeless problem in Seattle. This was probably the worst I’ve seen in all 7 of the cities we visited on our trip. It would not normally bother me, but some of the things I saw, it really wasn’t showing Seattle in the best light. However, what I will say is, we were never more than 100 yards away from police. They patrolled the streets and were always monitoring what was going on. There were also teams of cleaners dealing with the debris every morning and making sure the streets were clean.
Mount Rainer is only visible on an average of 83 days a year. Don't go with the expectation of seeing it, unless you are specifically travelling to the mountain to see it. There isn’t always a clear view from the city itself.
The original Starbucks by the market in Pike Place is BUSY! Yes they do have some cool merch inside, and yes, to say you had a Starbucks from the original store is pretty cool, but, if you are short for time, is it really worth queuing 40 minutes + for the same coffee you could get literally around the corner in 5 mins????? Just something to think about. We visited the store the night before when it was closed to look inside, and ended up skipping it during the day, as we managed to explore the whole of the market, and get some food from the bakery whilst the same people were still queuing up outside, when we’d finished!
Carrying on from this, the market is a real tourist spot. It is quite narrow inside, and gets pretty packed. I wouldn’t say many locals go there for their fresh produce, and it is definitely more of a tourist hub. With that being said, if you can help it, please do not take your big double buggies/ bikes/ luggage etc inside the market. It is crowded, it is bad enough with the people walking round with their massive back packs on with no spatial awareness! Just try to plan ahead when visiting here for a more convenient and easier visit for you and everyone else.
The Fremont Troll, is funny, but not worth going out of your way to visit. I will add a picture of it. If you are on a tour like we were and you are visiting it, getting some history behind it, then yes, great, I don't regret it. However, if I was driving around the city, or using public transport to get around, and had to only prioritise the main sights because I was on a time crunch, I can definitely live my life without seeing this! Our guide said that the area is supposedly still up and coming so maybe in a few years the area as a whole will be worth the visit, but for now, you could probably pass.
Dont jay walk in Seattle. If the police see you, they can write you a jay walking ticket and this will cost you $56!
Bainbridge island is well worth the visit, and costs only $9 for a return trip per person, and the area is so cute. Tha Main Street is only a short walk from the ferry terminal too. Just get there earlier in the day, maybe go over at lunchtime as places start to close at around the 4-5pm mark. Treat it more like a little local village, not like the city you’ve just come from.
For the freshest seafood, head down to the water front along Alaskan Way and try one of their many crab dishes, for the freshest catch. We visted Ivars Acres of Clams and Cutters Crabhouse, and both were delcious… despite my mild allergic reaction to the crab! Also, because you are in a super popular, touristy area, make sure you make your restaurant reservations in advance.
Take a Tour of the City - We booked our tickets to the Space Needle independently via their website, and travelled there using the monorail, however to get a proper feel of the city, take a guided tour. We booked a half day city tour through Viator and found ourselves with an English guide! He was very informative and very passionate about the city which made experience really good - big shout out to James!
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