Seattle evenings by myself this week

August 10, 2022 3:28 PM

I’m in Seattle for work and have evenings free and then all afternoon Saturday until my flight late Sunday morning. I’m by myself, no car, staying downtown. Best use of my time?

I’d like to spend around $50-70 a day on food/drinks and entertainment, with 1-2 splurges while I’m here, for a good meal or a show or something. I had today to myself and took the ferry to Bainbridge island, walked around awhile, went to Pike’s Market, walked around awhile, and now I’m resting up for the evening.

I tried out those rental bikes/scooters, and feel fairly comfortable on them in low traffic areas.

I’ve never been anywhere in the PNW, but love the coast of Northern California. Might rent a car and stay somewhere else my last night, good idea? Any good day trips within an hour or two of the airport?

Things I can’t normally get where I live and would like to sample: salmon, maybe sushi/sashimi, sichuanese and/or dongbei Chinese food, high-quality baked goods. I’m a big Kenji Lopez-Alt fan, might try out one of the restaurants he’s reviewed here.

posted by skewed to Travel & Transportation around Seattle, WA (16 answers total)

Response by poster: Oh, I forgot to add one of the main reasons I’m asking and not just looking at yelp or whatever. I hate really crowded places, or places that you have to wait in line for THE WORLD’S BEST DONUT or whatever. I’m happy to go to a pretty good place with a calmer more casual vibe rather than the best.
posted by skewed at 3:34 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Iver's Salmon House at the north edge of lake Union (will likely, been a while) have the best Salmon.
posted by sammyo at 4:00 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: Some neighborhoods are great for walking around and exploring parks/shops/food (e.g. Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, the International District, Ballard if you take a Lyft).

Also, if you like stationery/poetry here are some special places: Peter Miller (architecture books and fancy notebooks/pencils), Open Books (a poetry-only bookstore), Kinokuniya (Japanese stationery and books), Paper Hammer (bindery, letterpress, fun cards), and Pike St. Press (letterpress and fun cards).

I know you already went to Pike Place, but if you like fancy grocery stores, check out Delaurenti and Paris/Madrid Grocery. Also, Michou Deli has really great food and is reasonably priced.
posted by 10ch at 4:06 PM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I would go to Washington Park Arboretum, including the Japanese garden.
posted by pinochiette at 4:20 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: Your ferry trip has already checked the first box on my First-Time Seattle Visitor List.

You'd think Seattle would have a ton of great fish restaurants, but (leaving aside sushi) there's really just one in my opinion: Rock Creek Seafood.

If you're interested in history you would probably enjoy the Underground Tour.

For music, the Day In Day Out festival is at Seattle Center this weekend. But that will definitely be packed. Unfortunately, August is peak season in Seattle and there will be crowds and traffic basically everywhere.

If you like beer, a walking tour of the Ballard Brewery District is a must.

Partly because of the traffic, I wouldn't recommend renting a car for a day trip. But I would definitely consider taking the Victoria Clipper for a day trip to Victoria, B.C.

Hope you enjoy your time in Seattle!
posted by lumpy at 4:29 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: Our favorite Chinese restaurants near downtown Seattle: Sichuanese Cuisine and Szechuan Noodle Bowl, both in the Chinatown/International District.
posted by mbrubeck at 4:47 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Take the Clipper! I love Victoria.
posted by jgirl at 5:24 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: In the International District:
Uwajimaya Grocery Store, which has a great food hall and is also connected to Kinokuniya bookstore.

Shanghai Garden especially for their hand shaven noodles.

Fuji Bakery: Everything is fabulous, but the crunchy creams are to die for.

Other favorites:
Macrina Bakery in Belltown. Delish.

If you end up in Lower Queen Anne (near the Space Needle), Shiki Japanese Restaurant is not to be missed.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 5:27 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Tam Noodle Box on Capitol Hill/Broadway
posted by Windopaene at 6:11 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: Olympic Sculpture Garden.

Ballard for a beer crawl, and good foods.

Alki or Golden Gardens for sunset beach action.

Stay away from 3rd and Pike.
posted by Windopaene at 6:13 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: I enjoyed cocktails at Underbelly (Pioneer Square). Didn't make it to Hidden Passage, but the photos look AMAZING.
posted by cyndigo at 6:28 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: When I went to Uwajimaya 10 days ago they had fresh huckleberries.
posted by brujita at 7:20 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I found the Museum of Pop Culture interesting.

Not sure where your 'base of operations' is but I find the Capitol Hill district usually interesting, with often-changing places to eat and indie stores.

Note: I don't live in the area, so what I've experienced is what my son and/or daughter-in-law have taken me to.
posted by TimHare at 8:26 PM on August 10, 2022

Best answer: If you're looking for iconic Seattle food salmon is great, but you need to make time for a teriyaki place. My favorite is Sunny Teriyaki in Ballard if you make your way up to that neighborhood.
posted by owls at 9:35 PM on August 10, 2022 [5 favorites]

Best answer: The Ballard Locks are fun to look at the salmon, boats, and visitor center. There's a small botanical garden as part of the complex too, where you could catch a free jazz concert. Miro Tea and Salt & Straw ice cream are also in the area. The Walrus and the Carpenter nearby is supposed to be good for oysters and seafood. Discovery Park seems not so far away for walking.

Otherwise the UW Botanic Gardens is free.
So is the Seattle Chinese Garden, and then you could go around Puget Park and afterward to Mashiko for a sushi dinner (make a rez) in West Seattle? Perhaps a bit less convenient, though.

If you rent a car, Mount Rainier National Park is a doable day trip about 1.5h from the airport.
posted by eyeball at 11:43 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You can take the West Seattle Water Taxi and go to Marination Ma-Kai, then wander through the park there and hop back on the return taxi. Right now, it's a royal pain to get in and out of West Seattle because our bridge is closed, but that is pretty easy and a nice way to see the bay. The Seattle-side dock puts you a bit south of the regular ferry terminal, and you can also hop a ferry to Bainbridge and back, which used to be one of my favorite ways to unwind after doing stuff downtown and can be refreshing when it's hot out. Lots of picturesque views. Or stroll the waterfront--you said you'd been to Pike Place Market, but did you go down to the street below the Market? There are some nice shops there on Western Avenue, and it leads to the waterfront as well, and there are plenty of places to eat all over there, and on the Pike Place Hillclimb.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:34 PM on August 11, 2022