What's there to do in Seattle around New Year's Eve?
October 9, 2014 11:05 PM
A bunch of us Canadians are planning to spend 3 days and two nights in Seattle around New Year's Eve. What's there to do?
I've never been to Seattle before, but my New Year's Eve in Vancouver, Canada has always been busts. So we're a bunch of women interested in hitting up Seattle instead. Good idea? Any events/places that would be up our alley during New Year's Eve?
We like:
-hipstery places
-vegetarian food
-fireworks
-nature
-art
-inexpensive things. We're not students anymore, but think student budget anyway.
We don't like:
-clubbing
-ridiculous amounts of alcohol consumption
-annoying obnoxiously drunk people
-being creeped on
Any recommended Seattle travel destinations/local hangouts also would be appreciated. Thanks!
I've never been to Seattle before, but my New Year's Eve in Vancouver, Canada has always been busts. So we're a bunch of women interested in hitting up Seattle instead. Good idea? Any events/places that would be up our alley during New Year's Eve?
We like:
-hipstery places
-vegetarian food
-fireworks
-nature
-art
-inexpensive things. We're not students anymore, but think student budget anyway.
We don't like:
-clubbing
-ridiculous amounts of alcohol consumption
-annoying obnoxiously drunk people
-being creeped on
Any recommended Seattle travel destinations/local hangouts also would be appreciated. Thanks!
New Years Eve fireworks in Seattle are shot off from the Space Needle not over Lake Union. Good views would be from some place on the south side of Queen Anne hill. You probably want to book now.
posted by sevenless at 6:15 AM on October 10, 2014
posted by sevenless at 6:15 AM on October 10, 2014
Volunteer Park on top of Capitol Hill also has a great view of the Space Needle, and is always busy New Year's Eve for that reason. It's also close to both the 15th avenue corridor of restaurants, and the Pike/Pine/Broadway area. Both are chock full of hipstery places, though you'll find more than a few bars in the mix. The Seattle Asian Art museum is also in Volunteer Park if you're up there in daylight hours, as is a lovely greenhouse conservatory worth visiting if you happen to be there while open.
If you're staying in the city for those days but want a dose of nature, Discovery Park in Magnolia is 2,000+ acres of park land right on Puget Sound, with great views of the Olympics and even Mt Rainier, tough that's unlikely given the time of year and typical cloud cover.
Downtown gives you the Seattle Art museum, and Pike Street market. If you've never visited, don't forget the Seattle Underground tour; it's a real hoot and covers some of the stranger history of the city. The Space Needles' fun, but aside from a lovely view of the city, doesn't offer much for a visit since the single most distinguishing things about Seattle's skyline—the Needle—is of course not part of the skyline when you're up in it.
Ballard and Fremont are two neighborhoods worth visiting too, if you want hipstery stuff. Archie McFee is in Ballard too, a fantastically goofy novelty store with lots of fans worldwide.
So much more too, but I'm late for work and must run.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 6:55 AM on October 10, 2014
If you're staying in the city for those days but want a dose of nature, Discovery Park in Magnolia is 2,000+ acres of park land right on Puget Sound, with great views of the Olympics and even Mt Rainier, tough that's unlikely given the time of year and typical cloud cover.
Downtown gives you the Seattle Art museum, and Pike Street market. If you've never visited, don't forget the Seattle Underground tour; it's a real hoot and covers some of the stranger history of the city. The Space Needles' fun, but aside from a lovely view of the city, doesn't offer much for a visit since the single most distinguishing things about Seattle's skyline—the Needle—is of course not part of the skyline when you're up in it.
Ballard and Fremont are two neighborhoods worth visiting too, if you want hipstery stuff. Archie McFee is in Ballard too, a fantastically goofy novelty store with lots of fans worldwide.
So much more too, but I'm late for work and must run.
posted by los pantalones del muerte at 6:55 AM on October 10, 2014
Archie McPhee's is a goofy and cheap place to visit, but it's no longer in Ballard. It's a few miles east in Wallingford. Unfortunately Wallingford doesn't have a whole lot more to offer. But, there are several restaurants east down the street (45th St.) that are or have vegetarian stuff: Sutra--all vegetarian, Maria Hines' Tilth, and Kabul Afghan restaurant. There's a lot more restaurants/food places--Thai, several Japanese, gelato, cupcakes, etc.
posted by sevenless at 9:02 AM on October 10, 2014
posted by sevenless at 9:02 AM on October 10, 2014
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If you're interested in fireworks, see if you can get an AirBnB rental for something with a view of Lake Union. Or maybe one with access to a rooftop that has a view of the lake. That's probably where the main fireworks will be. I don't know what your budget is, but here's an example: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3851082 Then you can go to the rooftop or on your balcony or maybe just look out the window. No need to fight the crowds.
I actually have rarely spent New Year's in Seattle so I'm not sure what is usually open. For hipster places, there may be an art walk in town? For nature, it depends on what you like, but there is nature everywhere, though it's easiest if you drive. (But probably try to avoid driving on NYE when all the drunk people are coming home.)
posted by ethidda at 2:17 AM on October 10, 2014