Sometimes a quick two-hour flight is exactly what you need to jump start your spirit of adventure. With new projects opening and plenty of yummy things to eat and drink, Seattle’s downtown waterfront makes a perfect destination to explore, even if you’ve been to the Emerald City before. From the new aquarium pavilion to a creative croissant emporium, there’s so much to do and see and savor.
The new Seattle waterfront park and promenade, a massive redevelopment project stretching 20 acres from Belltown to Pioneer Square, is nearly finished, and the stretch near Pike Place, the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium is so striking, you’ll want to stay close to that action.
There are plenty of hotels in this area, from the State Hotel and the PaliHotel Seattle, two boutique hotels where rooms hover in the $150 range through April, to the budget-conscious Green Tortoise Seattle Hostel, where some rooms rock two digits. The hostel offers private and shared rooms, and the communal kitchen makes this a social zone to relive your college years. Breakfast is included, and the staff offers pub crawls and free walking tours, too.
At the opposite end of the spending spectrum, with some weeknight rooms starting at $650 during April, Four Seasons Seattle offers a luxe landing point with killer views and comfy amenities for adults — hello, full-service spa and rooftop hot tub — and kids alike. Think itty-bitty bathrobes.
Proximity to the Great Wheel, a towering Ferris wheel on the waterfront, and the grossest tourist attraction ever — the Gum Wall — may be an additional draw for the kids. (Tickets for the Great Wheel at Pier 57 are $18-$23. There’s no charge to visit the Gum Wall and its already-been-chewed spectacle at 1428 Post Alley.)
Even if you aren’t staying here, plan to brunch or dine at the hotel’s upscale Goldfinch Tavern, where chef Ethan Stowell’s seafood dishes, a great burger and interesting cocktails make an impression. The three-course brunch ($80) — with Eggs Benedict, perhaps, or Sweet Potato French Toast and bottomless mimosas — is popular with the weekend brunch crowd.
Make time to visit the Seattle Aquarium, which opened its new 50,000-square-foot Ocean Pavilion in August, just across from the original, nearly 50-year-old building. Two levels of exhibits and displays await in the sleek, modern space, designed by LMN Architects, which showcases the incredible biodiversity of the Coral Triangle. You can get a sneak peek before you even enter the building: Look up from street level near the entrance, and you’ll see sharks, rays and fish above you swimming around a massive glass-bottomed tank.
You’ll see 3,500 sea creatures, including sharks and rays and nearly 30 species of coral, and interactive exhibits such as the Port Sound Walk on the top floor, which lets you hear how ship noises impact marine life. And you’ll learn that although the pavilion showcases an Indo-Pacific reef system — and our maps name every other body of water — it’s one ocean that encircles our planet.
A new Overlook Walk along the waterfront promenade connects the Ocean Pavilion to Pike Place Market, with observation decks and swooping stairways providing fresh spaces for meandering. It’s incredible to think this was once concealed by an elevated freeway, much like San Francisco’s Embarcadero once was.
The overlook provides a nice — and very delicious — entry point to Pike Place for more exploration. Duck into old-school Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar to indulge in some cold beer and local oysters ($12 for half a dozen), crisp fish and chips ($18.50) and huge po-boys ($18.50-$19.75) with hand-cut fries.
Don’t miss the year-old Hellenika Cultured Creamery. It’s owned by Alex Apostolopoulos, one of the founders of Ellenos Yogurt. The sparkling blue-and-white tiled space scoops cultured frozen yogurt, churning small, decadent batches on site in flavors that range from ube and coconut to malted vanilla and Earl Grey-infused Seattle Fog.
Local pop-up favorite Pufftown Bakehouse opened just a few steps away in January, bringing its distinctive croissants to its first retail location. Owned by Central Valley translants Serena Rodriguez and chef Daniel Durand, the bakery is known for stellar pastries that range from classic ($3.50) to super creative ($8) riffs on the croissant theme. A pyramid-shaped, green-striped Pistachio Winter Tree, for example, is filled with pistachio pastry cream, and the Spiced Hot Cocoa is made with chocolate-infused dough.
Between bites — or afterward — do check out the Seattle Art Museum. Affectionately known as SAM, the museum is filled with exhibits so rich and varied, even your kids will discover things to love. Maybe it’s the tiny golden llama in the Mesoamerican and Andean room or the visual explosion of vintage teaware in the Porcelain Room. The juxtaposition of contemporary artist Thaddeas Mosley’s chunky wooden sculptures with Alexander Calder’s delicate work is remarkable.
Then head for the waterfront once more, where the freshly revitalized Pier 62 has turned a former dock into a public park. You can kick back and relax by the fire pit, play chess or lounge in a double-Adirondack-style chair with views of Elliott Bay.
IF YOU GO
Goldfinch Tavern: Open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and until 11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday at 99 Union St. in Seattle. Weekend brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. fourseasons.com/seattle; goldfinchtavern.com.
Seattle Aquarium: Tickets, which include admission to Piers 59 and 60 and the new Ocean Pavilion, start at $37. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59; seattleaquarium.org.
Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar: Opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday-Monday at 1916 Pike Place; emmettwatsons.com.
Hellenika Cultured Creamery: Open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 1920A Pike Place; hellenika.us
Pufftown Bakehouse: Open from 6:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday-Saturday at 1928 Pike Place; pufftownbakehouse.com.
Seattle Art Museum: Admission is $20-$30 (kids under 15 are free). Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday (until 8 p.m. on Thursday) at 1300 First Ave.; seattleartmuseum.org.